Patent · US Expired

Thermal treatment method and apparatus

US6473993B1 · kind B1 · utility

22Cited by
5References
9Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 30, 2000
Grant dateNov 5, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 30, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01L21/67109
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A semiconductor wafer is mounted on a susceptor disposed in a processing chamber, the wafer is heated at a temperature on the order of 1000° C. for annealing, and a gas is supplied from a gas supply device disposed opposite to the wafer. When raising the temperature of the wafer and/or when lowering the temperature of the wafer, intra-surface temperature difference is limited to a small value to suppress the occurrence of slips. A gas supply device is divided into sections corresponding to a central part and a peripheral part, respectively, of the wafer to supply the gas at different flow rates onto the central part and the peripheral part, respectively. When raising the temperature of the wafer, for example, a gas of a temperature higher (lower) than that of the wafer is supplied at a flow rate per unit area greater (lower) than that at which the gas is supplied to the peripheral part to the central part. When lowering the temperature of the wafer, for example, a gas of a temperature higher (lower) than that of the wafer is supplied at a flow rate per unit area lower (higher) than that at which the gas is supplied to the peripheral part to the central part.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.