Importance

Loading Importance Indicators...

Abstract

A technique for heating a substrate support, such as a susceptor, includes establishing respective final temperature setpoints for first and second heating elements in the susceptor. The temperatures of the heating elements are raised to their respective final temperature setpoints based on a predetermined heating rate. The temperatures of the first and second heating elements are controlled so that the difference between the temperatures of the first and second heating elements does not exceed the predetermined value while the temperatures of the heating elements are raised to their respective final temperature setpoints. Controlling the temperatures includes setting interim setpoints for the first and second heating elements, where the interim setpoint for the heating element having the greater heating capacity depends on the current value of the interim setpoint of the other heating element and the predetermined value. The temperatures of the first and second heating elements are raised toward their respective interim temperature setpoints for a predetermined delay period. At the end of the delay period, new interim setpoints can be established and the process repeated until the temperature of at least one of the first and second heating elements is close to its respective final setpoint. A relatively high duty cycle can be achieved which also reduces the likelihood of deformation of the substrate support.

Loading the Abstract Image...

First Claim