Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090041443 | Backside Rapid Thermal Processing of Patterned Wafers - Apparatus and methods of thermally treating a wafer or other substrate, such as rapid thermal processing (RTP) apparatus and methods are disclosed. An array of radiant lamps directs radiation to the back side of a wafer to heat the wafer. In one or more embodiments, the front side of the wafer on which the patterned integrated circuits are being formed faces a radiant reflector. In one or more embodiments, the wafer is thermally monitored for temperature and reflectivity from the side of the reflector. | 02-12-2009 |
20100008656 | RAPID THERMAL PROCESSING CHAMBER WITH SHOWER HEAD - Apparatus and methods for thermally processing a substrate are provided. A chamber containing a levitating support assembly configured to position the substrate at different distances from a plate during the heating and cooling of a substrate. In one embodiment a plurality of openings on the surface of the plate are configured to evenly distribute gas across a radial surface of the substrate. The distribution of gas may couple radiant energy not reflected back to the substrate during thermal processing with an absorptive region of the plate to begin the cooling of the substrate. The method and apparatus provided within allows for a controllable and effective means for thermally processing a substrate rapidly. | 01-14-2010 |
20100124249 | TEMPERATURE UNIFORMITY MEASUREMENT DURING THERMAL PROCESSING - Methods and systems for determining a radial differential metrology profile of a substrate heated in a process chamber is provided. Methods and systems for determining an angular or azimuthal differential metrology profile of a rotating substrate in a processing chamber are also provided. The radial and azimuthal differential metrology profiles are applied to adjust a reference metrology profile to provide a Virtual metrology of the process chamber. The virtual metrology is applied to control the performance of the process chamber. | 05-20-2010 |
20100133257 | Rapid Thermal Processing Chamber With Micro-Positioning System - Methods and apparatus for rapid thermal processing of a planar substrate including axially aligning the substrate with a substrate support or with an empirically determined position are described. The methods and apparatus include a sensor system that determines the relative orientations of the substrate and the substrate support. | 06-03-2010 |
20110123178 | Apparatus and Method for Enhancing the Cool Down of Radiatively Heated Substrates - The present invention generally relates to methods and apparatus for processing substrates. Embodiments of the invention include apparatuses for processing a substrate comprising a dynamic heat sink that is substantially transparent to light from a radiant heat source, the dynamic heat sink being positioned near the substrate so the two are coupled. Additional embodiments of the invention are directed to methods of processing a substrate using the apparatuses described. | 05-26-2011 |
20130043235 | RAPID THERMAL PROCESSING CHAMBER WITH MICRO-POSITIONING SYSTEM - Methods and apparatus for rapid thermal processing of a planar substrate including axially aligning the substrate with a substrate support or with an empirically determined position are described. The methods and apparatus include a sensor system that determines the relative orientations of the substrate and the substrate support. | 02-21-2013 |
20130043632 | RAPID THERMAL PROCESSING CHAMBER WITH MICRO-POSITIONING SYSTEM - Methods and apparatus for rapid thermal processing of a planar substrate including axially aligning the substrate with a substrate support or with an empirically determined position are described. The methods and apparatus include a sensor system that determines the relative orientations of the substrate and the substrate support. | 02-21-2013 |
20150050118 | Rapid Thermal Processing Chamber with Micro-Positioning System - Methods and apparatus for rapid thermal processing of a planar substrate including axially aligning the substrate with a substrate support or with an empirically determined position are described. The methods and apparatus include a sensor system that determines the relative orientations of the substrate and the substrate support. | 02-19-2015 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090274454 | SYSTEM FOR NON RADIAL TEMPERATURE CONTROL FOR ROTATING SUBSTRATES - Embodiments of the present invention provide apparatus and method for reducing non uniformity during thermal processing. One embodiment provides an apparatus for processing a substrate comprising a chamber body defining a processing volume, a substrate support disposed in the processing volume, wherein the substrate support is configured to rotate the substrate, a sensor assembly configured to measure temperature of the substrate at a plurality of locations, and one or more pulse heating elements configured to provide pulsed energy towards the processing volume. | 11-05-2009 |
20100193154 | RAPID COOLING OF A SUBSTRATE BY MOTION - Methods for cooling a substrate are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method for cooling a substrate includes heating a substrate in a process chamber from an introductory temperature to a peak temperature of greater than about 900 degrees Celsius; and cooling the substrate from within about 50 degrees Celsius of the peak temperature by moving the substrate at a rate of at least about 3 millimeters/second in a direction normal to an upper surface of the substrate. In some embodiments, cooling the substrate by moving the substrate further comprises moving the substrate to a first position having a first distance from an upper surface of the process chamber; and subsequently moving the substrate to a second position having a second distance that is further away from the upper surface than the first distance. In some embodiments, a residence time proximate the peak temperature is about 0.6 seconds or less. | 08-05-2010 |
20120276660 | SYSTEM FOR NON RADIAL TEMPERATURE CONTROL FOR ROTATING SUBSTRATES - Embodiments of the present invention provide apparatus and method for reducing non uniformity during thermal processing. One embodiment provides an apparatus for processing a substrate comprising a chamber body defining a processing volume, a substrate support disposed in the processing volume, wherein the substrate support is configured to rotate the substrate, a sensor assembly configured to measure temperature of the substrate at a plurality of locations, and one or more pulse heating elements configured to provide pulsed energy towards the processing volume. | 11-01-2012 |
20130206362 | SPIKE ANNEAL RESIDENCE TIME REDUCTION IN RAPID THERMAL PROCESSING CHAMBERS - The present invention generally relates to methods of cooling a substrate during rapid thermal processing. The methods generally include positioning a substrate in a chamber and applying heat to the substrate. After the temperature of the substrate is increased to a desired temperature, the substrate is rapidly cooled. Rapid cooling of the substrate is facilitated by increasing a flow rate of a gas through the chamber. Rapid cooling of the substrate is further facilitated by positioning the substrate in close proximity to a cooling plate. The cooling plate removes heat from substrate via conduction facilitated by gas located therebetween. The distance between the cooling plate and the substrate can be adjusted to create a turbulent gas flow therebetween, which further facilitates removal of heat from the substrate. After the substrate is sufficiently cooled, the substrate is removed from the chamber. | 08-15-2013 |
20140038431 | APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR MICROWAVE PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR SUBSTRATES - Methods and apparatus for radiation processing of semiconductor substrates using microwave or millimeter wave energy are provided. The microwave or millimeter wave energy may have a frequency between about 600 MHz and about 1 THz. Alternating current from a magnetron is coupled to a leaky microwave emitter that has an inner conductor and an outer conductor, the outer conductor having openings with a dimension smaller than a wavelength of the emitted radiation. The inner and outer conductors are separated by an insulating material. Interference patterns produced by the microwave emissions may be uniformized by phase modulating the power to the emitter and/or by frequency modulating the frequency of the power itself. Power from a single generator may be divided to two or more emitters by a power divider. | 02-06-2014 |
20140094039 | EDGE RING LIP - Embodiments of the invention generally relate to a support ring to support a substrate in a process chamber. In one embodiment, the support ring comprises an inner ring, an outer ring connecting to an outer perimeter of the inner ring through a flat portion, an edge lip extending radially inwardly from an inner perimeter of the inner ring to form a supporting ledge to support the substrate, and a substrate support formed on a top surface of the edge lip. The substrate support may include multiple projections extending upwardly and perpendicularly from a top surface of the edge lip, or multiple U-shaped clips securable to an edge portion of the edge lip. The substrate support thermally disconnects the substrate from the edge lip to prevent heat loss through the edge lip, resulting in an improved temperature profile across the substrate with a minimum edge temperature gradient. | 04-03-2014 |
20140220710 | SYSTEM FOR NON RADIAL TEMPERATURE CONTROL FOR ROTATING SUBSTRATES - Embodiments of the present invention provide apparatus and method for reducing non uniformity during thermal processing. One embodiment provides an apparatus for processing a substrate comprising a chamber body defining a processing volume, a substrate support disposed in the processing volume, wherein the substrate support is configured to rotate the substrate, a sensor assembly configured to measure temperature of the substrate at a plurality of locations, and one or more pulse heating elements configured to provide pulsed energy towards the processing volume. | 08-07-2014 |