The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 18, 2009
Filed:
Jul. 01, 2004
Youngchul Park, Tokyo-To, JP;
Kazuhiro Kawamura, Tokyo-To, JP;
Yuichi Takenaga, Tokyo-To, JP;
Tokyo Electron Limited, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
The present invention provides precise temperature estimation in a heat treatment apparatus that estimates temperatures of process objects by using a thermal model and performs a heat treatment while performing a temperature control based on the estimated temperatures. The heat treatment apparatus () includes a processing vessel () accommodating plural wafers W, plural heaters (to) and plural temperature sensors (Sto S), and stores the thermal model. The heat treatment apparatus 1 estimates temperatures of the wafers W based on outputs of the temperature sensors (Sto S) by using the thermal model and controls the heaters (to) based on the estimated temperatures, applying a heat treatment to the wafers W. The thermal model for an individual apparatus is made by calibrating a standard thermal model designed for a standard apparatus. The standard model calibration is performed by heating an interior of the processing vessel (), measuring the temperatures of the wafers W in the processing vessel (), estimating the temperatures of the wafers W by using the thermal model, comparing the measured temperature and the estimated temperature, and calibrating the standard thermal model so that the measured temperature substantially coincides with the estimated temperature.