Wafer and Pedestal Heaters
- Ceramic Wafer and Pedestal Heaters for Semiconductor Manufacturing
- Groundbreaking Multilayer AlN Technology
Fralock brings a unique capability to wafer heaters for the semiconductor manufacturing industry.
One of the critical application needs for semiconductor processing in CVD (chemical vapor deposition) is high-temperature processing (450°C to 650°C). The use of aluminum nitride (AlN) for the wafer pedestal is critical for meeting this temperature requirement.
- Multizonal heaters, electrostatic chucks (ESCs), and resistive thermal device sensors (RTDs)
- Up to 380mm diameter
- 5 – 10 mm thickness for rapid heat-up and cool-down
- Active tungsten metal elements in ultra-thin layers
- Internal ground planes and electrical signal routing
- Custom electrical stackup
Several Heating Zones for Effective Thermal Uniformity
Multi-Layer Platen and Pedestal Heaters
Layer Zones
- Heating elements
- RTD (resistive thermal device sensors)
- Ground Signal Transfer
- Multiple layers create high watt density up to 2,000W/in2
- Electrostatic chuck
All layers are customizable, depending on your requirements.
Fralock utilizes Gatorizing, a process that increases the bulk resistivity of AlN at elevated temperatures, enhancing ceramic vacuum wafer e-chuck capability and reducing cross-talk between heater and sensor circuitry.
Fralock has patented the ability to create a fully integrated, hermetically-sealed AlN stem-to-platen system. Utilizing this in-plane technology, the electrical connection traces running from the platen through the stem are in the “stem wall”. This allows both electrical connections and the vacuum interface to be positioned at the bottom of the stem, away from the high temperatures of the platen.
Configurations
Flat Platen Wafer
- 450oC max operating temperature
Platen with Brazed Stem
- 450oC max operating temperature
- Custom Stem Designs hermetically brazed to platen heater
Bonded Stem
- Co-fired platen and stem
- 650oC maximum operating temperature
- Ceramic vacuum groove/wafer chuck configurations available
- Custom Stem Designs
The distant temperatures are significantly lower than the platen temperatures, thereby extending the life of electrical connections and vacuum interface materials when compared to competitive ceramic technologies.
