Led heat lamp arrays for cvd heating

Abstract

A reactor chamber is positioned between a top array of LED heat lamps and a bottom array of LED heat lamps. The LED heat lamps forming the top and bottom arrays are individually or controllable in groups such that power output along each array of LED heat lamps can dynamically differ. The LED lamps can be controlled in response to, for example, feedback from chamber sensors, a desired temperature profile, and a failed LED lamp. In this way, the methods and systems described herein can dynamically compensate for operational characteristics of the reactor chamber. In one configuration, the LED heat lamps are arranged in a rectangular pattern. In some configurations, the LED heat lamps are arranged in a circular or a concentric pattern.

1 . A chemical vapor deposition apparatus comprising: 
 a housing;    a susceptor having a top surface and a bottom surface, and being disposed within the housing for supporting a wafer to be processed;    a first light emitting diode configured to emit radiant energy through the housing and in a direction towards the susceptor, the first light emitting diode being spaced a first distance from the susceptor; and    a second light emitting diode configured to emit radiant energy through the housing and in the same direction towards the susceptor, the second light emitting diode being spaced a second distance from the susceptor, the second distance being different than the first distance.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first light emitting diode and the second light emitting diode are disposed so as to define at least a portion of a concave surface.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance, and wherein the first light emitting diode is disposed closer to a vertical axis passing through a center of the susceptor than the second light emitting diode.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a top member, and wherein a substantial portion of the emitted radiant energy passes through the top member.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the top member is substantially transparent to radiant energy.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the direction of emission is towards the top surface.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a bottom member, and wherein a substantial portion of the emitted radiant energy passes through the bottom member.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the bottom member is substantially transparent to radiant energy.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the direction of emission is towards the bottom surface.  
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the emitted radiant energy includes infrared radiation.  
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the housing is made of quartz.  
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a controller configured to adjust the radiant energy emitted by the first light emitting diode.  
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the controller is further configured to adjust the radiant energy emitted by the second light emitting diode.  
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the controller is configured to respond to a failure by at least one of the first and second light emitting diodes.  
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the controller is configured to respond to a signal indicative of a temperature.  
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the controller is configured to respond to preprogramming.  
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a temperature sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of a temperature in the housing.  
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a support plate that defines an opening that is asymmetric relative to the susceptor.  
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 18  further comprising a temperature compensation ring surrounding the susceptor within the opening.  
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the opening has a generally rectangular shape.  
   
   
       21 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a temperature of the housing is lower than a temperature of the susceptor.  
   
   
       22 . A method of processing a semiconductor in a chamber by applying heat from at least two light emitting diode (LED) lamps, the LED lamps being configured to emit directional radiant energy towards a substrate in the chamber, the method comprising: 
 inserting a wafer in a chamber, the chamber being formed within a housing;    applying radiant heat from a first LED lamp, the radiant heat passing in a direction through at least a portion of the housing and onto the wafer; and    applying radiant heat from a second LED lamp, the radiant heat passing in the same general direction through at least a portion of the housing and onto the wafer, the radiant heat from the second LED lamp traveling a longer distance between the second LED lamp and the wafer than the radiant heat traveling between the first LED lamp and the wafer.    
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the first LED lamp and the second LED lamp are disposed so as to define at least a portion of a concave surface.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 22  further comprising: 
 identifying nonuniformities in the temperature of the wafer; and    adjusting an energy level output of at least one of the first and second LED lamps to compensate for the nonuniformity.    
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein a temperature of the portion of the housing is lower than a temperature of the wafer.  
   
   
       26 . A method of processing a semiconductor in a chamber by applying heat from at least two light emitting diode (LED) lamps, the LED lamps being configured to emit directional radiant energy towards a substrate in the chamber, the method comprising: 
 inserting a wafer in a chamber, the chamber being formed within a housing;    applying radiant heat from a first plurality of LED lamps arranged in a first circle, the radiant heat passing through at least a portion of the housing and onto the wafer; and    applying radiant heat from a second plurality of LED lamps arrange in a second circle, the radiant heat passing through at least a portion of the housing and onto the wafer;    adjusting the radiant energy emitted by the first plurality of LED lamps relative to the radiant energy emitted by the second plurality of LED lamps.    
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the first plurality of LED lamps is concentric with the second plurality of LED lamps.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the first plurality of LED lamps is disposed on a side of the substrate and the second plurality of LED lamps are disposed on the other side of the substrate.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the first plurality of LED lamps and the second plurality of LED lamps are disposed on the same side of the substrate.  
   
   
       30 . A semiconductor processing apparatus comprising: 
 a chamber defined by at least one wall;    a structure for supporting a substrate within the chamber; and    a plurality of light emitting diodes disposed proximate to the chamber and having a generally circular arrangement, the plurality of light emitting diodes being configured to emit radiant energy through the at least one wall and towards the structure.    
   
   
       31 . The apparatus of  claim 30 , wherein the structure comprises a susceptor configured to contact the substrate.  
   
   
       32 . The apparatus of  claim 30 , wherein the plurality of light emitting diodes are arranged in a plurality of circles.  
   
   
       33 . The apparatus of  claim 32 , wherein at least two of the plurality of circles are concentric.  
   
   
       34 . The apparatus of  claim 30 , wherein the plurality of light emitting diodes comprises a first group of LEDs and a second group of LEDs, the first group of LEDs being disposed in a first circle and configured to emit directional radiant energy through the at least one wall and towards the substrate, and the second group of LEDs being disposed in a second circle and configured to emit directional radiant energy through the at least one wall and towards the substrate, the first circle having a different diameter than the second circle.  
   
   
       35 . The apparatus of  claim 34  further comprising a controller configured to separately control the radiant energy emitted by the first group of LEDs with respect to the radiant energy emitted by the second group of LEDs.  
   
   
       36 . The apparatus of  claim 35 , wherein the controller is configured to separately control the radiant energy emitted by at least two LEDs of the first group of LEDs.  
   
   
       37 . The apparatus of  claim 35  further comprising: 
 a first temperature sensing device configured to sense temperature proximate to where the radiant energy from the first group of LEDs contacts the substrate; and    a second temperature sensing device configured to sense temperature proximate to where the radiant energy from the second group of LEDs contacts the substrate.    
   
   
       38 . The apparatus of  claim 37 , wherein the controller is configured to respond to the temperatures.  
   
   
       39 . An apparatus for processing semiconductor wafers at elevated temperatures, the apparatus comprising: 
 a high temperature processing chamber defined by at least one wall;    a susceptor disposed within the chamber and comprising a top surface, a bottom surface, and a perimeter;    a first array of light emitting diode (LED) lamps being disposed proximate to the susceptor and having a non-linear arrangement;    at least one LED lamp of the first array of LED lamps being configured to emit directional radiant energy through the at least one wall and in a first path towards one of the top and bottom surfaces;    a second array of LED lamps being disposed proximate to the susceptor, the susceptor being disposed between at least a portion of the first array of LED lamps and the second array of LED lamps; and    at least one LED lamp of the second array of LED lamps being configured to emit directional radiant energy in a second path towards the other one of the top and bottom surfaces.    
   
   
       40 . The apparatus of  claim 39 , wherein the first array of LED lamps is arranged in a plurality of circles.  
   
   
       41 . The apparatus of  claim 40 , wherein at least two of the plurality of circles are concentric.  
   
   
       42 . The apparatus of  claim 39 , wherein the first array of LED lamps are arranged in a concave shape.  
   
   
       43 . The apparatus of  claim 39 , wherein at least a portion of the first path and at least a portion of the second path are located within a volume defined by the susceptor perimeter in a direction normal to the susceptor.  
   
   
       44 . A chemical vapor deposition apparatus comprising: 
 a process chamber having an area for horizontal positioning of a substrate within a substrate treatment zone and having chamber walls for conducting a flow of gas across a surface of the substrate; and    a plurality of non-linearly arranged LED lamps disposed above the substrate treatment zone so as to irradiate an entire surface of the substrate, at least two of the plurality of non-linearly arranged LED lamps having separately controllable levels of emitted radiation.    
   
   
       45 . The apparatus of  claim 44  further comprising a controller configured to separately control the emitted levels of radiation by the at least two LEDs.