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US 11,688,615 B2Granted
System and method for heating semiconductor wafers
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsWen-Hao Cheng, Hsuan-Chih Chu, Yen-Yu Chen
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Abstract
A semiconductor process system includes a wafer support and a control system. The wafer support includes a plurality of heating elements and a plurality of temperature sensors. The heating elements heat a semiconductor wafer supported by the support system. The temperature sensors generate sensor signals indicative of a temperature. The control system selectively controls the heating elements responsive to the sensor signals.
Claims20
A wafer support, comprising:
- a top surface configured to support a semiconductor wafer;
- an array of heating elements positioned below the top surface and configured to output heat;
- an array of temperature sensors including, for each heating element, a respective first temperature sensor configured to generate first sensor signals;
- a plurality of first electrical connectors coupled to the heating elements and configured to enable selective control of individual heating elements;
- and
- a plurality of second electrical connectors coupled to the first temperature sensors, wherein the each heating element includes a respective heating coil, wherein the array of temperature sensors includes, for each heating element, a respective second temperature sensor configured to generate second sensor signals.
3 more elements
A semiconductor process system, comprising:
- a semiconductor process chamber;
- a wafer support positioned in the semiconductor process chamber, the wafer support including:
- a top surface configured to support a semiconductor wafer;
- an array of heating elements below the top surface and each configured to heat the semiconductor wafer when the semiconductor wafer is positioned on the wafer support;
- and
- an array of temperature sensors including, for each heating element, a respective first temperature sensor configured to generate first sensor signals;
- and
- a control system communicatively coupled to the heating elements and the first temperature sensors and configured to selectively operate individual heating elements responsive, at least in part, to the first sensor signals, wherein the array of temperature sensors includes, for each heating element, a respective second temperature sensor configured to generate second sensor signals.
5 more elements
A system, comprising:
- a semiconductor process chamber;
- a wafer support positioned within a semiconductor process chamber and including a top surface configured to support a semiconductor wafer;
- a plurality of heating elements within the wafer support and below a top surface of the wafer support, the heating elements configured to heat the semiconductor wafer during a semiconductor process, each heating element including a first temperature sensor configured to generate first sensor signals;
- and
- a control system configured to selectively controlling individual heating elements responsive to the first sensor signals, wherein each heating element includes a second temperature sensor configured to generate second sensor signals, wherein the control system is configured to selectively control individual heating elements responsive to the second sensor signals.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.