Heating system for high throughput sputtering

A substrate heating system for rapidly and uniformly heating substrates in a high throughput sputtering system for providing magnetic recording media, comprising:

• a) a plurality of heating chambers positioned along a substrate transport path through which the substrates are transported;
• b) heating means for providing radiant energy to the substrates;
• c) a plurality of heat-reflective trays mounted in the plurality of heating chambers along the path, in which trays the heating means is located, for reflecting radiant energy incident thereon back toward the substrates so as to uniformly heat the substrates;
• and
• d) cooling means for cooling the heat-reflective trays to protect the trays from overheating.

A substrate heating system for rapidly and uniformly heating substrates in a high throughput sputtering system for providing magnetic recording media, comprising:

• a) a plurality of first heating chambers positioned along a substrate transport path through which the substrates are transported;
• b) heating means for providing radiant energy to the substrates;
• c) a plurality of heat-reflective trays mounted in the first heating chamber, in which trays the heating means is located, for reflecting radiant energy incident thereon back toward the substrates so as to uniformly heat the substrates;
• d) at least one second heating chamber positioned along the substrate transport path through which the substrates are transported;
• e) a plurality of heat-reflective panels mounted in each of the second heating chambers for uniformly reflecting radiant energy incident thereon toward the substrates;
• and
• f) means for cooling the plurality of heat-reflective trays to protect the trays from overheating.

A substrate heating system for rapidly and uniformly heating substrates being transported along a substrate transport path in a high throughput sputtering system for providing magnetic recording media, comprising:

• a) at least one first heating chamber positioned along the path for providing an environment in which to perform a first heating cycle on the substrates;
• b) a plurality of first heating banks mounted within each of the first chambers, the first heating banks comprising a plurality of heating lamps for providing radiant energy to the substrates during the first heating cycle, wherein the lamps are arrayed in a plurality of horizontal or vertical rows;
• c) at least one second heating chamber positioned along the path for providing an environment in which to perform a second heating cycle on the substrates,
• d) a plurality of second heating banks mounted within each of the second chambers comprising a plurality of heating lamps for providing radiant energy to the substrates during the second heating cycle;
• e) at least one third heating chamber positioned along the path for providing an environment in which to perform a third heating cycle on the substrates;
• and
• f) a plurality of heat-reflective panels mounted in each of the third heating chambers for uniformly reflecting radiant energy incident thereon toward the substrates.

A substrate heating system for rapidly and uniformly heating substrates secured to a pallet traveling along a substrate transport path in a high throughput sputtering system for providing magnetic recording media, comprising:

• a) at least one heating chamber positioned along the substrate transport path;
• b) a plurality of heating banks mounted within the heating chamber, each bank comprising a plurality of heating lamps for providing radiant energy to the substrates;
• and
• c) control means for increasing or decreasing the radiant energy emitted from individual heating lamps independent of others of the heating lamps so as to provide a substantially uniform temperature profile for the substrates across the pallet wherein the control means decreases the radiant energy emitted from individual heating lamps proximal to a leading edge of the pallet as the pallet exits the heating chamber, such that the substrates at trailing edge of the pallet are not overheated relative to the substrates near a leading edge of the pallet.

A substrate heating system for rapidly and uniformly heating substrates secured to a pallet traveling along a substrate transport path in a high throughput sputtering system for providing magnetic recording media, comprising:

• a) at least one heating chamber positioned along the substrate transport path;
• b) a plurality of heating banks mounted within the heating chamber, each bank comprising a plurality of heating lamps for providing radiant energy to the substrates, said plurality of heating lamps having rapid heat-up time;
• c) sensing means within said at least one heating chamber for sensing the temperature of the substrates at predeternuned positions of the pallet;
• and
• d) control means for increasing or decreasing the radiant energy emitted from individual heating lamps independent of others of the heating lamps in response to the temperature sensed by the sensing means so as to provide a substantially uniform temperature profile for the substrates across the pallet.

A substrate heating system for rapidly and uniformly heating substrates to a temperature conducive to sputtering in a high throughput sputtering system for providing magnetic recording media, comprising:

• a) at least one first heating chamber positioned along a substrate transport path for providing an environment in which to perform a first heating cycle on the substrates being transported through the path;
• b) a plurality of first heating banks mounted within a plurality of heat-reflective trays, which trays are in turn mounted within each of the first chambers, which first heating banks comprise a plurality of heating lamps for providing radiant energy to the substrates during the first heating cycle, wherein the lamps are provided in a plurality of first rows and a plurality of second rows, the first rows being interdigitated with the second rows;
• c) first sensing means for sensing substrate temperature within each of the first heating chambers;
• d) at least one second heating chamber positioned along the path for providing an environment in which to perform a second heating cycle on the substrates;
• e) a plurality of second heating banks mounted within a plurality of heat-reflective trays, which trays are in turn mounted within each of the second chambers, which second heating banks comprise a plurality of heating lamps for providing radiant energy to the substrates during the second heating cycle;
• f) second sensing means for sensing substrate temperature within each of the second heating chambers;
• and
• g) control means associated with the first sensing means and the second sensing means for controlling the substrate temperature in each of the first heating chambers and in each of the second heating chambers so as to uniformly heat the substrates.