MULTI-ZONE CERAMIC HEATING SYSTEM AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE THEREOF

摘要

An improved heating system (10) for heating a semiconductor wafer during fabrication in a corrosive manufacturing environment is disclosed. The system (10) includes a novel ceramic heater (12) made of layered ceramic substrate (16) that has a plurality of heating elements (44) and temperature sensor arrangement (38) completely and directly embedded within the ceramic substrate (16) of the ceramic heater (12). The heating elements (44) and the temperature sensor arrangement (38) are constructed of a molybdenum and aluminum nitride composite that provides a low temperature coefficient of resistance which improves the operating efficiency of the ceramic heater (12). In operation, the temperature sensor arrangement (38) transmits temperature readings to a microprocessor (14) capable of controlling the heating elements (44) in such a manner as to provide a constant and uniform temperature distribution along the entire surface of the semiconductor wafer.