IP Library Granted Patent US 12,272,579
Granted Patent B2
US 12,272,579 · App. 17/591,317 · Granted Apr 8, 2025

Substrate processing apparatus, substrate suppport and method of manufacturing semiconductor device

Inventor: Yusaku Okajima (Toyama, JP)
Assignee: Kokusai Electric Corporation
H01L21/67309C23C16/401C23C16/45544C23C16/4587H01L21/02164H01L21/0228
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,272,579
App. No.
17/591,317
Granted
Apr 8, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A substrate processing apparatus includes a process chamber in which one or more substrates are processed; and a substrate support configured to support the one or more substrates in the process chamber. The substrate support includes one or more plate-shaped structures arranged in the substrate support in a manner corresponding to the one or more substrates, and a thickness of a central portion of a plate-shaped structure among the one or more plate-shaped structures is different from a thickness of an outer peripheral portion of the plate-shaped structure located outer of the central portion.

Claims (39)

1. A substrate processing apparatus comprising:

a process chamber in which one or more substrates are processed; and

a substrate support configured to support the one or more substrates in the process chamber,

wherein the substrate support comprises one or more plate-shaped structures arranged in the substrate support in a manner corresponding to the one or more substrates,

wherein a thickness of a central portion of a plate-shaped structure among the one or more plate-shaped structures is different from a thickness of an outer peripheral portion of the plate-shaped structure located outer of the central portion, and

wherein the outer peripheral portion of the plate-shaped structure is provided as a separate body from the central portion of the plate-shaped structure.

2. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the outer peripheral portion of the plate-shaped structure is greater than the thickness of the central portion of the plate-shaped structure.

3. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the central portion of the plate-shaped structure faces a substrate among the one or more substrates.

4. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plate-shaped structure is arranged in the substrate support such that a front surface of the plate-shaped structure faces a back surface of an immediately upper substrate among the one or more substrates located immediately above the plate-shaped structure and is disposed parallel to the back surface of the immediately upper substrate.

5. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plate-shaped structure is arranged in the substrate support such that a space between the plate-shaped structure and a front surface of an immediately lower substrate among the one or more substrates located immediately below the plate-shaped structure is greater than a space between the plate-shaped structure and a back surface of an immediately upper substrate among the one or more substrates located immediately above the plate-shaped structure.

6. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the plate-shaped structure is increased along a radial direction from an inside to an outside of the plate-shaped structure.

7. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the outer peripheral portion of the plate-shaped structure is set to be greater than the thickness of the central portion of the plate-shaped structure over an entire circumference along a circumferential direction of the plate-shaped structure.

8. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a back surface of the outer peripheral portion of the plate-shaped structure protrudes further than a back surface of the central portion of the plate-shaped structure.

9. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plate-shaped structure is made of a highly thermal conductive material.

10. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising

a heater configured to heat the process chamber,

wherein the central portion of the plate-shaped structure is made of a material capable of absorbing heat from the heater more easily than a material constituting the outer peripheral portion of the plate-shaped structure.

11. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a front surface of the plate-shaped structure is subject to a surface treatment such that a surface area of the front surface of the plate-shaped structure is substantially equal to a surface area of a back surface of an immediately upper substrate among the one or more substrates located immediately above the plate-shaped structure.

12. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the substrate support is configured to support the one or more substrates in a vertical direction with a predetermined gap therebetween, and

wherein a thickness of a central portion of a plate-shaped structure among the one or more plate-shaped structures arranged in a central portion of the substrate support is thinner than a thickness of a central portion of another plate-shaped structure among the one or more plate-shaped structures arranged in an upper portion or a lower portion of the substrate support.

13. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the substrate support is configured to support the one or more substrates in a vertical direction with a predetermined gap therebetween, and

wherein a plate-shaped structure among the one or more plate-shaped structures arranged in a central portion of the substrate support is made of a material different from that of another plate-shaped structure among the one or more plate-shaped structures arranged in an upper portion or a lower portion of the substrate support.

14. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising:

performing a predetermined process on a substrate by using the substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 .

15. A substrate support configured to support a substrate in a process chamber of a substrate processing apparatus, the substrate support comprising

a plate-shaped structure,

wherein a thickness of a central portion of the plate-shaped structure is different from a thickness of an outer peripheral portion of the plate-shaped structure located outer of the central portion,

wherein the plate-shaped structure is arranged in the substrate support in a manner corresponding to the substrate while the substrate support supports the substrate, and

wherein the outer peripheral portion of the plate-shaped structure is provided as a separate body from the central portion of the plate-shaped structure.

16. A substrate processing apparatus comprising:

a process chamber in which one or more substrates are processed;

a substrate support configured to support the one or more substrates in the process chamber; and

a gas nozzle, through which a process gas is supplied to the one or more substrates in the process chamber, provided with a plurality of gas supply holes,

wherein the substrate support comprises one or more plate-shaped structures arranged in the substrate support in a manner corresponding to the one or more substrates,

wherein a thickness of a central portion of a plate-shaped structure among the one or more plate-shaped structures is different from a thickness of an outer peripheral portion of the plate-shaped structure located outer of the central portion,

wherein the substrate support is configured to support the one or more substrates in a vertical direction with a predetermined gap therebetween, and

wherein the plate-shaped structure is arranged such that a vertical position of a gas supply hole among the plurality of gas supply holes provided corresponding to the plate-shaped structure is located between a back surface of the outer peripheral portion of the plate-shaped structure and a front surface of an immediately lower substrate among the one or more substrates located immediately below the plate-shaped structure.

17. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising:

performing a predetermined process on a substrate by using the substrate processing apparatus of claim 16 .

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 2, 2022
From: OKAJIMA, YUSAKU
To: KOKUSAI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 058866/0265 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTJP2019030919 · Aug 6, 2019
Related Publication 20220157628A1 · May 19, 2022
References Cited (12)
US 20050282101A1 · Adachi · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 20080216742A1 · Takebayashi · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 20190071777A1 · Yoshida et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
JP 10189565A · 1998 [cited by applicant]
JP 11102903A · 1999 [cited by applicant]
JP 2004281669A · 2004 [cited by applicant]
JP 2006005274A · 2006 [cited by applicant]
JP 2008258595A · 2008 [cited by applicant]
JP 2019047027A · 2019 [cited by applicant]
Taiwan Office Action, Application No. 109122865, Jul. 29, 2021, 14 pgs. (EN/JP). [cited by applicant]
Japanese Office Action issued on Nov. 4, 2022 for Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-538591. [cited by applicant]
State Intellectual Property Office Action issued on Oct. 25, 2024 for China Patent Application No. 201980099061.9. [cited by applicant]