Heating apparatus with enhanced thermal uniformity and method for making thereof

Abstract

A heating apparatus for regulating/controlling the surface temperature of a substrate is provided. At least a thermal pyrolytic graphite (TPG) layer is embedded in the heater to diffuse the temperature difference of the various components in the heating apparatus and provide temporal and spatial control of the surface temperature of the substrate, for a relatively uniform substrate temperature with the difference between the maximum and minimum temperature points on the substrate of less than 10° C.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for supporting a substrate in a process chamber and regulating the surface temperature of the substrate, the apparatus comprising:
 a base support having a surface adapted to support the substrate; 
 a heating element for heating the substrate to a temperature of at least 300° C.; 
 at least one layer of thermal pyrolytic graphite material embedded in the base support, the thermal pyrolytic graphite (TPG) layer having a thermal conductivity of at least 1000 W/m° C. in a plane parallel to the substrate being supported; 
 wherein the surface of the base support has a maximum temperature variation of 10° C. between a lowest point and a highest temperature point on the surface of the base support; 
 and further wherein, 
 the base support for supporting the wafer comprises a base metal substrate comprising at least one of copper, aluminum, and alloys thereof; 
 the at least a layer of thermal pyrolytic graphite is embedded in the metal base substrate; 
 the heating element for heating the substrate to a temperature of at least 300° C. is embedded in the metal base substrate, under the thermal pyrolytic graphite layer and away from the wafer substrate. 
 
     
     
       2. An apparatus for supporting a substrate in a process chamber and regulating the surface temperature of the substrate, the apparatus comprising:
 a base support having a surface adapted to support the substrate; 
 a cooling element disposed in the base support  
 a heating element for heating the substrate to a temperature of at least 300° C.; 
 at least one layer of thermal pyrolytic graphite material embedded in the base support, the thermal pyrolytic graphite (TPG) layer having a thermal conductivity of at least 1000 W/m° C. in a plane parallel to the substrate being supported; 
 
       wherein the surface of the base support has a maximum temperature variation of 10° C. between a lowest point and a highest temperature point on the surface of the base support, and further wherein
 the base support for supporting the wafer substrate comprises a base metal substrate comprising at least one of copper, aluminum, and alloys thereof; 
 the heating element is sandwiched between two dielectric layers for heating the substrate to a temperature of at least 300° C. and disposed on the metal base substrate, 
 the at least a layer of thermal pyrolytic graphite is embedded in the metal base substrate, under the heating element and dielectric layers, and away from the wafer substrate. 
 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a cooling element disposed in the base support. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cooling element comprises a plurality of coolant passages. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein a coolant supplied by a coolant supplier flows through the plurality of coolant passages, thereby cooling the base support and the substrate supported by the base support. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the cooling element comprises a plurality of coolant passages. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein a coolant supplied by a coolant supplier flows through the plurality of coolant passages, thereby cooling the base support and the substrate supported by the base support. 
     
     
       8. An apparatus for supporting a substrate in a process chamber and regulating the surface temperature of the substrate, the apparatus comprising:
 (a) a base support having a surface adapted to support the substrate, the base support comprising at least one of copper, aluminum, and alloys thereof;   (b) an element to regulate the temperature of the substrate chosen from (i) a heating element for heating the substrate to a temperature of at least 300° C., wherein the heating element is embedded in the base support, (ii) a cooling element disposed in the base support, or (iii) both (i) and (ii);   at least one layer of thermal pyrolytic graphite material embedded in the base support, the thermal pyrolytic graphite (TPG) layer having a thermal conductivity of at least 1000 W/m° C. in a plane parallel to the substrate being supported;   wherein the surface of the base support has a maximum temperature variation of 10° C. between a lowest point and a highest temperature point on the surface of the base support.   
     
     
       9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the element to regulate the temperature of the substrate is a cooling element. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the cooling element comprises a plurality of coolant passages. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein a coolant supplied by a coolant supplier flows through the plurality of coolant passages, thereby cooling the base support and the substrate supported by the base support. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least one layer of thermal pyrolytic graphite is disposed between the cooling element and the surface of the base support. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the element to regulate the temperature of the substrate is a cooling element and a heating element. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the cooling element comprises a plurality of coolant passages. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein a coolant supplied by a coolant supplier flows through the plurality of coolant passages, thereby cooling the base support and the substrate supported by the base support. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the at least one layer of thermal pyrolytic graphite is disposed between the surface of the base support and the cooling and heating elements. 
     
     
       17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the heating element is disposed between the at least one layer of thermal pyrolytic graphite and the cooling element. 
     
     
       18. The apparatus of claim 8 comprising a heating element.