Rapid thermal processing method and rapid thermal processing device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11815312-B2
Application number	US-202217828431-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 31, 2022
Priority date	Jan 21, 2022
Publication date	Nov 14, 2023
Grant date	Nov 14, 2023

Abstract

A rapid thermal processing method and a rapid thermal processing device are provided. The rapid thermal processing method includes the following operations. A wafer is provided. A first heating operation is performed on the wafer to heat the wafer to a first temperature. The wafer is controlled to start rotating. The first temperature is maintained for a first predetermined time. A second heating operation is performed on the wafer to heat the wafer from the first temperature to a second temperature, and the second temperature is maintained for a second predetermined time. A third heating operation is performed on the wafer to heat the wafer from the second temperature to a third temperature, and the third temperature is maintained for a third predetermined time.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A rapid thermal processing method, comprising:
providing a wafer;
performing a first heating operation on the wafer to heat the wafer to a first temperature;
controlling the wafer to start rotating;
maintaining the first temperature for a first predetermined time;
performing a second heating operation on the wafer to heat the wafer from the first temperature to a second temperature, and maintaining the second temperature for a second predetermined time; and
performing a third heating operation on the wafer to heat the wafer from the second temperature to a third temperature, and maintaining the third temperature for a third predetermined time,
wherein after heating the wafer to the first temperature and before controlling the wafer to start rotating, the rapid thermal processing method further comprises:
maintaining the first temperature for a fourth predetermined time, and moving the wafer towards a heating device during the fourth predetermined time.

2. The rapid thermal processing method according to claim 1 , wherein a rotation speed of the wafer is 100-300 revolutions per minute (rpm).

3. The rapid thermal processing method according to claim 1 , wherein after maintaining the third temperature for the third predetermined time, the rapid thermal processing method further comprises:
cooling the wafer to a fourth temperature, and stopping rotation of the wafer.

4. The rapid thermal processing method according to claim 1 , wherein the rapid thermal processing method further comprises:
introducing an inert gas during the fourth predetermined time and the first predetermined time for which the first temperature is maintained.

5. The rapid thermal processing method according to claim 4 , wherein
a gas flow rate of the inert gas is 50-150 standard liters per minute (slm), and the inert gas comprises at least one of nitrogen, argon or helium.

6. The rapid thermal processing method according to claim 1 , wherein
the first temperature ranges from 150 to 200° C., the second temperature ranges from 450 to 650° C., and the third temperature ranges from 800 to 1100° C.

7. The rapid thermal processing method according to claim 1 , wherein
providing the wafer comprises placing the wafer on an annular carrier platform, the wafer comprising a peripheral area in contact with the annular carrier platform and an internal area exposed from a middle portion of the annular carrier platform; and
wherein the first heating operation, the second heating operation, and the third heating operation are performed by the heating device arranged below the annular carrier platform and comprising a plurality of heating components, wherein a heating temperature of one or more of the plurality of heating components arranged below the internal area of the wafer is greater than a heating temperature of one or more of the plurality of heating components arranged below the peripheral area of the wafer.

8. The rapid thermal processing method according to claim 1 , wherein
the first predetermined time is 5-20 s, the second predetermined time is 10-20 s, and the third predetermined time is 5-60 s.

9. The rapid thermal processing method according to claim 1 , wherein
a heating rate at which the wafer is heated to the first temperature is a first rate, a heating rate at which the wafer is heated from the first temperature to the second temperature is a second rate, and a heating rate at which the wafer is heated from the second temperature to the third temperature is a third rate, and wherein the first rate, the second rate and the third rate gradually increase.

10. The rapid thermal processing method according to claim 9 , wherein
the first rate ranges from 15 to 30° C./s, the second rate ranges from 40 to 80° C./s, and the third rate ranges from 100 to 250° C./s.

11. A rapid thermal processing device, comprising:
a carrier platform configured for placing a wafer;
a heating device arranged below the carrier platform and configured to: perform a first heating operation on the wafer to heat the wafer to a first temperature and maintain the first temperature for a first predetermined time, perform a second heating operation on the wafer to heat the wafer from the first temperature to a second temperature and maintain the second temperature for a second predetermined time, and perform a third heating operation on the wafer to heat the wafer from the second temperature to a third temperature and maintain the third temperature for a third predetermined time; and
a rotating device configured to control the wafer to start rotating when the wafer is heated to the first temperature,
wherein the heating device is further configured to maintain the first temperature for a fourth predetermined time before the wafer is controlled to start rotating; and
wherein the rapid thermal processing device further comprises a driving device configured to move the wafer towards the heating device during the fourth predetermined time.

12. The rapid thermal processing device according to claim 11 , further comprising:
a gas introduction device configured to introduce an inert gas during the fourth predetermined time and the first predetermined time for which the first temperature is maintained.

13. The rapid thermal processing device according to claim 11 , wherein
the carrier platform is annular, and the wafer comprises a peripheral area in contact with the carrier platform and an internal area exposed from a middle portion of the carrier platform; and
wherein the heating device is arranged below the carrier platform and comprises a plurality of heating components, wherein a heating temperature of one or more of the plurality of heating components arranged below the internal area of the wafer is greater than a heating temperature of one or more of the plurality of heating components arranged below the peripheral area of the wafer.

14. The rapid thermal processing device according to claim 11 , wherein
the heating device is further configured to cool the wafer to a fourth temperature after the third temperature of the wafer is maintained for the third predetermined time; and
wherein the rotating device is further configured to stop rotation of the wafer after the wafer is cooled to the fourth temperature.

15. A rapid thermal processing method, comprising:
providing a wafer;
performing a first heating operation on the wafer to heat the wafer to a first temperature;
controlling the wafer to start rotating;
maintaining the first temperature for a first predetermined time;
performing a second heating operation on the wafer to heat the wafer from the first temperature to a second temperature, and maintaining the second temperature for a second predetermined time; and
performing a third heating operation on the wafer to heat the wafer from the second temperature to a third temperature, and maintaining the third temperature for a third predetermined time,
wherein providing the wafer comprises placing the wafer on an annular carrier platform, the wafer comprising a peripheral area in contact with the annular carrier platform and an internal area exposed from a middle portion of the annular carrier platform; and
wherein the first heating operation, the second heating operation, and the third heating operation are performed by a heating device arranged below the annular carrier platform and comprising a plurality of heating components, wherein a heating temperature of one or more of the plurality of heating components arranged below the internal area of the wafer is greater than a heating temperature of one or more o

Assignees

• Changxin Memory Tech Inc

Inventors

• Li Wei
• Yan Taoyan

Classifications

• H10P72/7626

  characterised by the construction of the shaft · CPC title

• H10P72/0434

  mainly by convection · CPC title

• H10P72/0431

  Apparatus for thermal treatment · CPC title

• H10P95/90 Primary

  Thermal treatments, e.g. annealing or sintering · CPC title

• F27B9/40 Primary

  Arrangements of controlling or monitoring devices · CPC title