Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a modular semiconductor substrate processing system (1), including a plurality of independently operable substrate processing units (100).SOLUTION: Each unit (100) comprises: a reactor module (104); and a substrate transfer module (102). Within the system (1), the substrate transfer modules (102) of the different units (100) are serially interconnected such that substrates (116) may be exchanged between them. Exchange of the substrates (116) between neighboring processing units (100) is facilitated by a shared substrate hand-off station (130) that is associated with each pair of neighboring processing units. The actual transfer of the substrates is performed by a substrate handling robot (122), which may preferably be of the SCARA-type.
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a semiconductor substrate processing apparatus (1) comprising a substrate support assembly (30).SOLUTION: The substrate support assembly (30) comprises a substrate support (32) defining an outer support surface (34) for supporting a substrate or substrate carrier (24) thereon, and a heater (50) including a heat dissipating portion (54) that is disposed within the substrate support (32) and that extends underneath and substantially parallel to the support surface (34). The substrate support (32) is rotatably mounted around a rotation axis (L) that extends through the support surface (34), such that the support surface (34) is rotatable relative to the heat dissipating portion (54) of the heater (50).
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a thermal processing furnace that overcomes or mitigates a problem of backflow of material deposited near the downstream end of a gas exhaust path, and also provide a liner that may be installed in a conventional thermal processing furnace (possibly as a replacement for the originally installed liner) so as to overcome or mitigate the problem of backflow.SOLUTION: A thermal processing furnace comprises: a generally bell jar-shaped outer reaction tube having a central axis; and an open-ended inner reaction tube for accommodating a wafer boat holding a plurality of substrates. The inner reaction tube is substantially coaxially disposed within the outer reaction tube, thereby defining a gas passage between an outer wall of the inner reaction tube and an inner wall of the outer reaction tube. At least one of the outer wall of the inner reaction tube and the inner wall of the outer reaction tube is provided with a flow deflector that protrudes radially from the respective wall into the gas passage.
Abstract:
Methods and apparatus for deposition of a film on a substrate in a reaction chamber by an atomic layer deposition (ALD) or chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process include providing one or more reactants, and providing a volatile neutral coordinating ligand capable of coordinating at least one selected from the following: (i) one of the reactants; (ii) a reaction by-product formed during the deposition process. The neutral coordinating ligand thus improves volatility of either reactants and/or by-products, either in the gas phase or aiding in removal of species from reaction space surfaces. The neutral coordinating ligand is provided during the deposition process, either during or after reactant supply.
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an improved method of processing a thin flat plate type semiconductor substrate of a solar cell in a known furnace.SOLUTION: The method of processing the solar cell includes the steps of: preparing a vertical furnace 1 so as to receive an array mutually separated circular semiconductor wafers 6 for integrated circuit processing; forming process chamber loading constitution 14 for the solar cell substrates 6, with the size of the solar cell substrates 6 which are present successively along a first surface of an object to be processed being smaller than a corresponding size of the circular semiconductor wafers, so that an array 16 comprising the plurality of solar cell substrates 6 isolated from each other can be housed in a process chamber 10; loading the solar cell substrates 6 in the process chamber 10; and processing the solar cell substrates 6 in the process chamber 10.
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To efficiently manufacture a solar cell having a long, effective minority charge carrier lifetime (i.e. τ≥500 μs).SOLUTION: A method of manufacturing a solar cell having an effective minority charge carrier lifetime (τ) of at least 500 μs comprises: providing a semiconductor wafer; and passivating a surface of the wafer by ALD-depositing a metal oxide layer on the surface. The ALD depositing is performed by sequentially and alternately performing steps: (i) exposing the surface to a first precursor, resulting in a coverage of the surface with the first precursor, and (ii) exposing the surface to a second precursor, resulting in a coverage of the surface with the second precursor. At least one of the steps (i) and (ii) is stopped before the coverage of the surface reaches a saturation level.