# US 2013/0153567 A1 · Combinatorial heating of substrates by an inductive process and combinatorial independent heating > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0153567 A1 - Document ID: US20130153567A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/327,482 - Filed: 2011-12-15 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2011-12-15 - Assignees: Intermolecular, Inc. - Inventors: Kent Riley Child - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130153567A1 ## CPC - H05B 6/06: Control, e.g. of temperature, of power - H05B 6/105: {using a susceptor} - H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL ## Abstract Induction heating systems and methods for combinatorial heating of a substrate are disclosed. The induction heating system includes a susceptor segmented into multiple regions (e.g., two to 20 regions) that are separated from one another by a reflective channel that is purged with a liquid (e.g., gas or liquid). The induction heating system includes multiple induction coils, each induction coil corresponding to one of the susceptor regions or segments. The distance between each induction coil and the susceptor region can be varied using an independent lift for each region. The relative distance between the coils and the corresponding susceptor regions is used to vary the temperature of a substrate so that different regions of the substrate can be independently heated to different temperatures. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An induction heating system comprising: a chamber comprising a susceptor, wherein the susceptor comprises a plurality of susceptor regions; a plurality of induction coils, wherein each induction coil is positioned under one of the susceptor regions; and a plurality of lifts, wherein each lift is coupled to one of the induction coils, and wherein the lifts are operable to vary a distance between the inductor coil and the susceptor region in a combinatorial manner. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The induction heating system of claim 1, wherein the chamber comprises at least one reflective surface separating each of the susceptor regions. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The induction heating system of claim 1, wherein the number of the plurality of each of the susceptor regions, the inductor coils, and the lifts is four. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The induction heating system of claim 1, wherein the chamber comprises a reflective channel, and wherein fluid is purged through the reflective channel. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The induction heating system of claim 1, wherein the fluid is selected from the group consisting of gas and liquid. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The induction heating system of claim 1, further comprising at least two power sources, each power source coupled to one of the plurality of inductor coils. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The induction heating system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of inductor coils is independently cooled with liquid. ### Claim 8 An induction heating system for combinatorial heating of a substrate, comprising: a support comprising a plurality of susceptor regions; a plurality of inductor coils, wherein each inductor coil is positioned under one of the susceptor regions, and a plurality of lifts, wherein each lift is coupled to one of the inductor coils, and wherein the lifts are operable to vary a relative distance between the inductor coil and the susceptor region in a combinatorial manner. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the number of susceptor regions, inductor coils and lifts is between two and twenty. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the number of susceptor regions, inductor coils and lifts is four. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the support is divided into a plurality of support sections, each support section including one of the plurality of susceptor regions. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of support sections are separated into distinct heat zones. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the support comprises a plurality of reflective surfaces separating each of the plurality of susceptor regions. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the support comprises a reflective channel, and wherein fluid is purged through the reflective channel. ### Claim 15 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, further comprising a plurality of power sources, each power source coupled to one of the induction coils. ### Claim 16 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein each of the induction coils is independently cooled with liquid. ### Claim 17 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the support comprises a plurality of reflective shields, each shield between at least two of the susceptor regions. ### Claim 18 A method comprising: positioning a substrate on a susceptor, wherein the susceptor comprises a plurality of susceptor regions, and wherein a region of the substrate is coupled to each susceptor region; positioning one of a plurality of induction coils under each of the plurality of susceptor regions, wherein each induction coil is operable to apply heat to the susceptor region; and heating a first region of the substrate to a first temperature through its coupling to a first susceptor region and heating a second region of the substrate to a second temperature through its coupling to a second susceptor region. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein inductively heating the first region of the substrate to the first temperature comprises varying the distance between an induction coil and the susceptor region corresponding to the region of the substrate heated to achieve the first temperature. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein varying the distance comprises lifting or lowering the induction coil in relation to the susceptor.