Resistive heaters and uses thereof

Abstract

The present invention features a metallic resistive heater and uses thereof. The resistive heater includes a metallic component that is electrically conductive (i.e., has low resistivity) and an oxide, nitride, carbide, and/or boride derivative of the metallic component that is electrically insulating (i.e., has high resistivity). The resistivity is controlled in part by controlling the amount of oxide, nitride, carbide, and boride formation during the deposition of the metallic component and the derivative.

1 - 48 . (canceled)  
   
   
       49 . A semiconductor wafer processing system, comprising: 
 a) an enclosure defining a reaction chamber and comprising a platen;    b) a support structure mounted within the reaction chamber, the support structure mounting a semiconductor wafer to be processed within said chamber; and    c) a resistive heater comprising a resistive layer coupled to a power source, said resistive layer comprising a metallic component and one or more oxide, nitride, carbide, and/or boride derivatives of said metallic component, wherein said resistive layer has a resistivity of 0.0001 to 1.0Ω cm, wherein application of current from said power supply to said resistive layer results in production of heat by said resistive layer, and wherein said heater is disposed on said platen.    
   
   
       50 . A method for heating a semiconductor wafer comprising the steps of: 
 a) providing a semiconductor wafer and a semiconductor wafer processing system comprising: 
 i) an enclosure defining a reaction chamber and comprising a platen;  
 ii) a support structure mounted within the reaction chamber, the support structure mounting a semiconductor wafer to be processed within said chamber; and  
 iii) a resistive heater comprising a resistive layer coupled to a power source, said resistive layer comprising a metallic component and one or more oxide, nitride, carbide, and/or boride derivatives of said metallic component, wherein said resistive layer has a resistivity of 0.0001 to 1.0Ω cm, wherein application of current from said power supply to said resistive layer results in production of heat by said resistive layer, and wherein said heater is disposed on said platen; and  
   b) heating said wafer with said resistive heater.    
   
   
       51 . A semiconductor wafer processing system, comprising: 
 an enclosure defining a reaction chamber;    a support structure mounted within the reaction chamber, the support structure mounting a semiconductor wafer to be processed within the reaction chamber; and    at least one resistive heater comprising a resistive layer, where the resistive layer is coupled to a power source, the resistive layer comprising a metallic component and one or more oxide, nitride, carbide, and/or boride derivatives of the metallic component, wherein the resistive layer has a resistivity of 0.0001 to 1.0Ω cm, wherein application of current from the power supply to the resistive layer results in production of heat by the resistive layer.    
   
   
       52 . The system of  claim 51 , wherein the at least one resistive heater further comprises at least one substrate.  
   
   
       53 . The system of  claim 52 , wherein the resistive layer is disposed on a platen.  
   
   
       54 . The system of  claim 52 , wherein the at least one resistive heater is disposed at a bottom of the reaction chamber.  
   
   
       55 . The system of  claim 51 , wherein the at least one resistive heater is disposed at a bottom of the reaction chamber.  
   
   
       56 . The system of  claim 51 , wherein the at least one resistive heater further comprising a first resistive heater and a second resistive heater, wherein the first resistive heater is disposed at a top of the reaction chamber and the second resistive heater is disposed at a bottom of the reaction chamber.  
   
   
       57 . The system of  claim 52 , further comprising an electrically insulating layer positioned substantially between the substrate and the resistive layer.  
   
   
       58 . The system of  claim 57 , further comprising an adhesion layer positioned substantially between the electrically insulating layer and the substrate layer.  
   
   
       59 . The system of  claim 52 , further comprising a heat reflective layer positioned substantially between the substrate and the resistive layer.  
   
   
       60 . The system of  claim 52 , further comprising at least one additional layer selected from the group consisting of a ceramic layer and a metallic layer, the one additional layer superficial to the resistive layer.  
   
   
       61 . The system of  claim 52 , wherein the resistive layer is formed by a reaction of at least a portion of the solid metallic component and a reactant gas by melting at least a portion of the solid metallic component to form a stream of molten droplets, and providing controlled introduction of the reactant gas to the molten droplets, thereby combining the molten droplets and the reactant gas, resulting in a free metal and reaction product.  
   
   
       62 . A method of processing a semiconductor wafer, wherein the processed semiconductor wafer has a controlled resistivity, the method comprising the steps of: 
 mounting the semiconductor wafer on a support structure located within a reaction chamber;    selecting a solid metallic component and at least one reactant gas;    selecting a proportion of the solid metallic component and the at least one reactant gas to achieve a desired resistivity of a resistive layer;    promoting reaction of at least a portion of the solid metallic component and the reactant gas by melting at least a portion of the solid metallic component resulting in a stream of molten droplets, and providing controlled introduction of the reactant gas to the molten droplets, thereby combining the molten droplets and the reactant gas, resulting in a free metal and reaction product; and    depositing the combined free metal and reaction product on the semiconductor wafer to form the resistive layer on the semiconductor wafer having the desired resistivity.    
   
   
       63 . The method of  claim 62 , wherein the reaction product is one or more oxide, nitride, carbide, and/or boride derivatives of said metallic component.  
   
   
       64 . The method of  claim 62 , further comprising the step of providing an electrically insulating layer substantially between the semiconductor wafer and the resistive layer.  
   
   
       65 . The method of  claim 64 , further comprising the step of providing an adhesion layer substantially between the electrically insulating layer and the resistive layer.  
   
   
       66 . The method of  claim 62 , further comprising the step of providing a heat reflective layer substantially between the semiconductor wafer and the resistive layer.  
   
   
       67 . The method of  claim 62 , further comprising the step of providing at least one additional layer selected from the group consisting of a ceramic layer and a metallic layer, the one additional layer superficial to the resistive layer.  
   
   
       68 . The method of  claim 62 , wherein the resistive layer further comprises a metallic component and one or more oxide, nitride, carbide and/or boride derivatives of the metallic component, wherein the resistive layer has a resistivity of 0.0001 to 1.0Ω cm, wherein application of current from a power supply to the resistive layer results in production of heat by the resistive layer.  
   
   
       69 . A system for processing a semiconductor wafer, wherein the processed semiconductor wafer has a controlled resistivity, the system comprising: 
 means for supporting the semiconductor wafer within a reaction chamber;    means for selecting a solid metallic component and at least one reactant gas;    means for selecting a proportion of the solid metallic component and the at least one reactant gas to achieve a desired resistivity of a resistive layer;    means for promoting reaction of at least a portion of the solid metallic component and the reactant gas by melting at least a portion of the solid metallic component resulting in a stream of molten droplets, and providing controlled introduction of the reactant gas to the molten droplets, thereby combining the molten droplets and the reactant gas, resulting in a free metal and reaction product; and    means for depositing the combined free metal and reaction product on the semiconductor wafer to form the resistive layer on the semiconductor wafer having the desired resistivity.