IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,500,101
Granted Patent B2
US 12,500,101 · App. 18/479,922 · Granted Dec 16, 2025

Temperature control system and system of processing substrate

Inventors: Haruka Kaneko (Miyagi, JP); Takehiko Arita (Miyagi, JP); Hayato Sakai (Miyagi, JP)
Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
H01L21/67248H01L21/67109H01L21/67253H05B3/0014
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,500,101
App. No.
18/479,922
Granted
Dec 16, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system of processing a substrate includes substrate-processing chambers; target components of temperature control disposed in the respective substrate-processing chambers; a chiller to supply a first temperature-controlling medium with a first flow rate and a second temperature-controlling medium with a second flow rate into the target components; flow controllers connected to the respective target components, each flow controller being configured to independently control a ratio of the first flow rate to the second flow rate to be fed into the corresponding target component from the chiller.

Claims (75)

1 . A temperature control system for target components of temperature control disposed in respective substrate-processing chambers, the temperature control system comprising:

a chiller configured to supply a first temperature-controlling medium with a first flow rate and a second temperature-controlling medium with a second flow rate into the target components; and

flow controllers connected to the respective target components, each flow controller being configured to independently control the first flow rate and the second flow rate to be fed into the corresponding target component from the chiller,

wherein the chiller comprises a first thermoregulator configured to control the first temperature-controlling medium to a first temperature and a second thermoregulator configured to control the second temperature-controlling medium to a second temperature, higher than the first temperature;

the first thermoregulator has a first inlet port configured to supply the controlled first temperature-controlling medium to the respective target components and a first outlet port configured to recover the first temperature-controlling medium from the target components;

the second thermoregulator has a second inlet port configured to supply the controlled second temperature-controlling medium to the respective target components and a second outlet port configured to recover the second temperature-controlling medium from the target components,

wherein the first inlet port, the first outlet port, the second inlet port, and the second outlet port are connected to the same flow controllers.

2 . The temperature control system according to claim 1 , further comprising:

first supply channels disposed between the first inlet port and the flow controllers, respectively;

first recovery channels disposed between the first outlet port and the flow controllers, respectively;

second supply channels disposed between the second inlet port and the flow controllers, respectively; and

second recovery channels disposed between the second outlet port and the flow controllers, respectively.

3 . The temperature control system according to claim 2 , wherein

the first supply channels have an identical length;

the first recovery channels have an identical length;

the second supply channels have an identical length; and

the second recovery channels have an identical length.

4 . The temperature control system according to claim 3 , wherein

the first inlet port and the first outlet port are disposed in a center of the first thermoregulator;

the first supply channels have a first height, and the first recovery channels have a second height differing from the first height;

the second inlet port and the second outlet port are disposed in a center of the second thermoregulator; and

the second supply channels have a third height, and the second recovery channels have a fourth height differing from the third height.

5 . The temperature control system according to claim 4 , wherein

the first thermoregulator includes a first supply manifold and a first recovery manifold that have a polygonal shape in planar view;

the first supply channels, respectively, extend from the first inlet port to the flow controllers, through the first supply manifold;

the first recovery channels, respectively, extend from the first outlet port to the flow controllers, through the first recovery manifold;

the second thermoregulator includes a second supply manifold and a second recovery manifold that have a polygonal shape in planar view;

the second supply channels, respectively, extend from the second inlet port to the flow controllers, through the second supply manifold; and

the second recovery channels, respectively, extend from the second outlet port to the flow controllers, through the second recovery manifold.

6 . The temperature control system according to claim 5 , wherein

the first supply channels being divergent from the first supply manifold and extending to the respective flow controllers have an identical length;

the first recovery channels being divergent from the first recovery manifold and extending to the respective flow controllers have an identical length;

the second supply channels being divergent from the second supply manifold and extending to the respective flow controllers have an identical length; and

the second recovery channels being divergent from the second recovery manifold and extending to the respective flow controllers have an identical length.

7 . The temperature control system according to claim 6 , wherein

the first thermoregulator is disposed below the second thermoregulator.

8 . The temperature control system according to claim 7 , wherein

the second thermoregulator is disposed above a floor; and

the first thermoregulator is disposed below the floor.

9 . The temperature control system according to claim 2 , wherein

the first inlet port and the first outlet port are disposed in a center of the first thermoregulator;

the first supply channels have a first height, and the first recovery channels have a second height differing from the first height;

the second inlet port and the second outlet port are disposed in a center of the second thermoregulator; and

the second supply channels have a third height, and the second recovery channels have a fourth height differing from the third height.

10 . The temperature control system according to claim 2 , wherein

the first thermoregulator includes a first supply manifold and a first recovery manifold that have a polygonal shape in planar view;

the first supply channels, respectively, extend from the first inlet port to the flow controllers, through the first supply manifold;

the first recovery channels, respectively, extend from the first outlet port to the flow controllers, through the first recovery manifold;

the second thermoregulator includes a second supply manifold and a second recovery manifold that have a polygonal shape in planar view;

the second supply channels, respectively, extend from the second inlet port to the flow controllers, through the second supply manifold; and

the second recovery channels, respectively, extend from the second outlet port to the flow controllers, through the second recovery manifold.

11 . The temperature control system according to claim 1 ,

wherein the first thermoregulator is disposed below the second thermoregulator.

12 . The temperature control system according to claim 11 ,

wherein the second thermoregulator is disposed above a floor; and

the first thermoregulator is disposed below the floor.

13 . A system of processing a substrate, comprising:

substrate-processing modules;

target components of temperature control disposed in the respective substrate-processing modules;

a chiller configured to supply a temperature-controlling medium into the target components;

flow controllers connected to the respective target components, each flow controller being configured to independently control a flow rate of the temperature-controlling medium to be fed into the corresponding target component from the chiller; and

a substrate transferring module connected to the substrate-processing modules,

wherein the chiller is disposed below the substrate transferring module, and

when viewed from above, the chiller overlaps with the substrate transferring module and is confined in a space under the substrate transferring module.

14 . The system according to claim 13 , further comprising:

a chiller module that accommodates the chiller and the flow controllers and has a flat top surface.

15 . The system according to claim 13 , wherein

the target components comprise a substrate support.

16 . The system according to claim 13 , wherein

the target components comprise an electrode disposed above a substrate support.

17 . The system according to claim 13 , wherein

the target components comprise a side wall of the substrate-processing modules.

18 . The system according to claim 13 , wherein

the target components comprise a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the target components, and

the system further comprises a controller configured to control the flow controllers based on the temperature measured by the temperature sensor.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 3, 2023
From: KANEKO, HARUKA; ARITA, TAKEHIKO; SAKAI, HAYATO
To: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
Reel/Frame 065104/0928 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2020-026260 · Feb 19, 2020 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation 17173566 · Feb 11, 2021
Related Publication 20240038555A1 · Feb 1, 2024
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