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  Heater module for semiconductor manufacturing equipmentUSPTO Application #: 20070068921Title: Heater module for semiconductor manufacturing equipment Abstract: Heater module, and semiconductor manufacturing equipment in which the heater module is utilized, for raising the cooling speed of a post-heating heater markedly more than conventional, and that can contribute toward bettering and improving productivity, without accompanying scaling-up of and cost increases in the semiconductor manufacturing equipment. The heater module is furnished with heater part 1a for controlled heating of a wafer placed on its top face, and block part 3a provided to be shiftable relative to said heater part, for varying heat capacity in total with heater part 1a by abutting on or separating from the reverse surface of heater part 1a. By having the heat capacity of block part 3a be 20% or more of the total heat capacity of heater part 1a and block part 3a, the heater cooling speed can be made 10°C./min or more. (end of abstract) Agent: Judge & MurakamiIPAssociates - Osaka-shi, JP Inventors: Akira Kuibira, Hirohiko Nakata USPTO Applicaton #: 20070068921 - Class: 219444100 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Electric Heating, Heating Devices, Combined With Container, Enclosure, Or Support For Material To Be Heated, Exposed Horizontal Planar Support Surface For Material To Be Heated (e.g., Hot Plate, Etc.), Material Is An Electronic Semiconductor Device The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070068921. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Technical Field [0002] The present invention relates to heater modules, utilized in semiconductor manufacturing tools that process semiconductor wafers, for semiconductor manufacturing equipment capable of heat-treating and cooling wafers, and to semiconductor manufacturing equipment in which such heater modules are installed. [0003] 2. Background Art [0004] In the course of semiconductor fabrication, processes in which after being treated by heating wafers are cooled include: thermosetting of photoresists in photolithography with coater/developers; heating/baking of low-dielectric-constant, i.e. low-k, insulating films; CVD film deposition in forming metal interconnects and dielectric layers; and processes in etchers. [0005] Heat-treatment of the wafers in these processes has conventionally been carried out using heaters made of aluminum or ceramic. In particular, wafers are placed onto the outer face of heaters in which a heating element is formed, utilized to control heating while the wafers undergo processes such as thermosetting of photoresists and heating/baking of low-k films, or CVD film deposition and etching. [0006] Recently, in order to enhance productivity in these processes, it has become necessary to raise cooling speed for the post-heating heaters. By the same token, designing for rapid cooling of the processed articles to improve their characteristics has become widespread, and in particular, accompanying the enlarging of wafer diametric span demands for enhanced cooling speed have been growing. [0007] Forcible liquid cooling and air cooling have been adopted in order to rapidly cool the heater in semiconductor manufacturing equipment applications to date. In specific terms, a cooling block is installed on the heater, usually on the reverse side, and by circulating through the block a liquid or air as a heat-transferring medium for cooling, heat is carried away from the heater, heightening the cooling speed. [0008] Nevertheless, with these forcible liquid cooling and air cooling systems, the fact that large-scale devices are necessary for circulating the heat-transferring medium and for radiating heat has proved to be a cost-increasing factor in semiconductor manufacturing. Likewise, with it not being possible to enlarge the capacity for the heat-transferring medium within the limited space of the heater, significant improvement in heater cooling speed has been difficult. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0009] An object of the present invention, in view of such circumstances to date, is to render a heater module, and semiconductor manufacturing equipment in which the heater module is utilized, that makes it possible to raise markedly the cooling speed of a post-heating heater, and that contributes toward bettering and improving productivity, without accompanying scaling-up of and cost increases in the semiconductor manufacturing equipment. [0010] In order to achieve the foregoing objective, for semiconductor manufacturing equipment a heater module that the present invention renders is characterized in being provided with a heater part for controlled heating of a wafer placed on its outer face, and a block part furnished to be shiftable relative to the heater part, for varying heat capacity in total with the heater part by abutting on and separating from the reverse side of the heater part. In particular, the heat capacity of the block part is 20% or more of the total heat capacity of the heater part and the block part. [0011] An advantage of the foregoing heater module of the present invention for semiconductor manufacturing equipment is in a first aspect that during heating the heater part and the block part are brought into abutment, and during cooling, by the block part being relatively shift-separated from the heater part, the cooling speed of the heater part is quickened. Another advantage is in a second aspect that during heating the heater part and the block part are separated, and during cooling, by the block part and the heater part being shifted relatively into abutment to conduct heat into the block part, the cooling speed of the heater part is quickened. [0012] With the foregoing heater module of the present invention for semiconductor manufacturing equipment, when the heater part and the block part are in abutment, the block part is preferably fixed to the heater part by vacuum-chucking it thereto. In addition, at least one of either of the abutment surfaces along which the heater part and the block part abut on each other preferably is a specular surface. [0013] Furthermore, with the foregoing heater module of the present invention for semiconductor manufacturing equipment, the block part may be affixed to the chamber bottom part in the semiconductor manufacturing equipment, or else may be shifted into abutment on the chamber bottom part. In that case, the chamber bottom part preferably is water-cooled. [0014] In the foregoing heater module of the present invention for semiconductor manufacturing equipment, the heater part preferably is a ceramic in which a heating element is formed. The ceramic is preferably at least one selected from the group consisting of aluminum oxide, aluminum nitride, silicon nitride, silicon carbide, and boron nitride. [0015] In addition, in the foregoing heater module of the present invention for semiconductor manufacturing equipment, the block part is preferably at least one selected from the group consisting of aluminum, magnesium, copper, iron, stainless steel, aluminum oxide, aluminum nitride, silicon nitride, silicon carbide, and boron nitride. [0016] The foregoing heater module of the present invention for semiconductor manufacturing equipment is preferably utilized in CVD equipment, etcher equipment, coater/developer equipment, or a low-k dielectric baking device. [0017] Furthermore, the present invention renders semiconductor manufacturing equipment characterized in that installed therein is an above-described heater module of the present invention for semiconductor manufacturing equipment. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS [0018] FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view illustrating one specific example of a heater module in a first aspect of the present invention; [0019] FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view illustrating one specific example of a heater module in a second aspect of the present invention; and [0020] FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional view illustrating a separate specific example of a heater module in the second aspect of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Continue reading... Full patent description for Heater module for semiconductor manufacturing equipment Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Heater module for semiconductor manufacturing equipment patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Heater module for semiconductor manufacturing equipment or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Bake unit, method for cooling heating plate used in the bake unit, apparatus and method for treating substrates with the bake unit Next Patent Application: Process fluid device temperature control Industry Class: Electric heating ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Heater module for semiconductor manufacturing equipment patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.47825 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Software: Finance , AI , Databases , Development , Document , Navigation , Error |
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