Zone control heater plate for track lithography systems

Abstract

A substrate heater comprising a bake plate having an upper surface, a lower surface and a peripheral side surface extending between the upper and lower surfaces, the bake plate including at least one heating element, at least one temperature sensor and a plurality of wires including at least one wire coupled to the heating element and at least one wire coupled to the temperature sensor; a shield spaced apart from and generally surrounding the lower and peripheral side surfaces of the bake plate, the shield having an interior upper surface facing the lower surface of the bake plate, an interior side surface facing the peripheral side surface of the bake plate and a lower surface opposite the interior upper surface; a patterned signal layer formed on the lower surface of the shield, wherein the plurality of wires are electrically coupled to a corresponding plurality of signal traces formed in the patterned signal layer; and a connector, electrically coupled to the plurality of signal traces in the patterned signal layer, adapted to facilitate electrical connections to the plurality of wires.

1 . A substrate heater comprising:
 a bake plate having an upper surface, a lower surface, and a peripheral side surface extending between the upper and lower surfaces, the bake plate including at least one heating element, at least one temperature sensor and a plurality of wires including at least one wire coupled to the heating element and at least one wire coupled to the temperature sensor;   a patterned signal layer formed on the lower surface of the bake plate, wherein the plurality of wires are electrically coupled to a corresponding plurality of signal traces formed in the patterned signal layer; and   a connector, electrically coupled to the plurality of signal traces in the patterned signal layer, adapted to facilitate electrical connections to the plurality of wires.   
   
   
       2 . The substrate heater set forth in  claim 1  wherein the patterned signal layer is sandwiched between first and second insulation layers also formed on the lower surface of the bake plate. 
   
   
       3 . The substrate heater set forth in  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of support posts that extend from the lower surface of the bake plate. 
   
   
       4 . The substrate heater set forth in  claim 3  wherein the plurality of support posts extend from a central portion of the bake plate. 
   
   
       5 . The substrate heater set forth in  claim 1  further comprising a ribbon cable electrically coupled between the plurality of signal trances and the connector. 
   
   
       6 . The substrate heater set forth in  claim 1  wherein the patterned signal layer comprises a first conductive layer and an overlying second conductive layer separated by an insulation layer. 
   
   
       7 . The substrate heater set forth in  claim 6  wherein the first conductive layer is electrically coupled to one or more wires coupled to the heating element and the second conductive layer is electrically coupled to one or more wires coupled to the temperature sensor. 
   
   
       8 . The substrate heater set forth in  claim 1  wherein the bake plate further includes a plurality of layers, the plurality of layers including a conductive layer disposed over a layer having the at least one heating element. 
   
   
       9 . The substrate heater set forth in  claim 8  wherein the layer having the at least one heating element is sandwiched between first and second insulation layers. 
   
   
       10 . The substrate heater set forth in  claim 1  further comprising a shield spaced apart from and generally surrounding the lower and peripheral side surfaces of the bake plate, the shield having an interior upper surface facing the lower surface of the bake plate, an interior side surface facing the peripheral side surface of the bake plate, and a lower surface opposite the interior upper surface. 
   
   
       11 . A substrate heater comprising:
 a bake plate having an upper surface, a lower surface, and a peripheral side surface extending between the upper and lower surfaces, the bake plate including a plurality of independently controllable heating zones, each of the plurality of independently controllable heating zones including a heating element, a temperature sensor, and a plurality of wires including at least one wire coupled to the heating element and at least one wire coupled to the temperature sensor;   a patterned signal layer formed on the lower surface of the bake plate, wherein the plurality of wires included in each of the plurality of independently controllable heating zones are electrically coupled to a corresponding plurality of signal traces formed in the patterned signal layer; and   a connector electrically coupled to the plurality of signal traces in the patterned signal layer and adapted to facilitate electrical connections to the plurality of wires.   
   
   
       12 . The substrate heater set forth in  claim 11  wherein the patterned signal layer is sandwiched between first and second insulation layers also formed on the lower surface of the bake plate. 
   
   
       13 . The substrate heater set forth in  claim 11  further comprising a plurality of support posts that extend from the lower surface of the bake plate. 
   
   
       14 . The substrate heater set forth in  claim 13  wherein the plurality of support posts extend from a centered, inner-most heating zone of the plurality of independently controllable heating zones. 
   
   
       15 . The substrate heater set forth in  claim 11  further comprising a ribbon cable electrically coupled between the plurality of signal traces and the connector. 
   
   
       16 . The substrate heater set forth in  claim 11  wherein the patterned signal layer comprises a first conductive layer and an overlying second conductive layer separated by an insulation layer. 
   
   
       17 . The substrate heater set forth in  claim 16  wherein the first conductive layer is electrically coupled to one or more wires coupled to the heating elements and the second conductive layer is electrically coupled to one or more wires coupled to the temperature sensor. 
   
   
       18 . The substrate heater set forth in  claim 11  wherein the bake plate further includes a plurality of layers including a conductive layer disposed over a layer including the heating elements. 
   
   
       19 . The substrate heater set forth in  claim 18  wherein the bake plate further includes a first insulation layer and a second insulation layer, the layer having the heating elements being sandwiched between the first insulation layer and the second insulation layer. 
   
   
       20 . The substrate heater set forth in  claim 11  further comprising a shield spaced apart from and generally surrounding the lower and peripheral side surfaces of the bake plate, the shield having an interior upper surface facing the lower surface of the bake plate, an interior side surface facing the peripheral side surface of the bake plate, and a lower surface opposite the interior upper surface.