Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080217306 | Rapid detection of imminent failure in optical thermal processing of a substrate - A system for thermal processing of a substrate includes a source of radiation, optics disposed between the source and the substrate to receive light from the source of radiation at the optics proximate end, and a housing holding the optics and having a void inside the housing isolated from light emitted from the source. A light detector is disposed within the void in the housing to detect light from the optics emitted into the housing and send a deterioration signal. The system further includes a power supply for the source of radiation, and a controller to control the power supply based on the deterioration signal from the light detector. | 09-11-2008 |
20080308534 | PYROMETER FOR LASER ANNEALING SYSTEM COMPATIBLE WITH AMORPHOUS CARBON OPTICAL ABSORBER LAYER - In a laser annealing system for workpieces such as semiconductor wafers, a pyrometer wavelength response band is established within a narrow window lying between the laser emission band and a fluorescence emission band from the optical components of the laser system, the pyrometer response band lying in a wavelength region at which the optical absorber layer on the workpiece has an optical absorption coefficient as great as or greater than the underlying workpiece. A multi-layer razor-edge interference filter having a 5-8 nm wavelength cut-off edge transition provides the cut-off of the laser emission at the bottom end of the pyrometer response band. | 12-18-2008 |
20090046750 | INCREASED NANOSECOND LASER PULSE-TO-PULSE ENERGY REPEATABILITY USING ACTIVE LASER PULSE ENERGY CONTROL - A method and apparatus for reducing the pulse-to-pulse laser energy variation (i.e., increasing the pulse-to-pulse laser energy repeatability) from a pulsed laser source are provided. In this manner, laser pulses impingent on a processing plane, such as the surface of a wafer or other substrate, may have substantially the same energy content leading to a more controlled process when compared to conventional processing. The method may be based on in-situ detection of the pulse energy level and the subsequent active adjustment of the transmitted laser pulse energy in a closed-loop control scheme. Furthermore, the active adjustment of the laser pulse energy may occur within a few nanoseconds after the original laser pulse is generated by a pulsed laser source. | 02-19-2009 |
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 |
20100124248 | PYROMETRY FOR SUBSTRATE PROCESSING - A substrate processing system includes a processing chamber, a pedestal for supporting a substrate disposed within the processing chamber, and an optical pyrometry assembly coupled to the processing chamber to measure an emitted light originating substantially from a portion of the pedestal or substrate. The optical pyrometry assembly further includes a light receiver, and an optical detector. The optical pyrometry assembly receives a portion of the emitted light, and a temperature of the substrate is determined from an intensity of the portion of the emitted light near at least one wavelength. A method of measuring a temperature of a substrate during processing, includes disposing a light pipe near a portion of the pedestal supporting the substrate or pedestal, shielding the end of the light pipe from stray light so that the end of the light pipe receives light from the portion of the pedestal or substrate, purging the end of the light pipe with a gas to reduce contamination of the end of the light pipe, detecting a portion of the light emitted from the pedestal and received by the light pipe, and determining a temperature of the substrate from the intensity of the portion of the emitted light from the pedestal or the substrate near at least one wavelength. | 05-20-2010 |
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 |
20110006044 | PYROMETER FOR LASER ANNEALING SYSTEM COMPATIBLE WITH AMORPHOUS CARBON OPTICAL ABSORBER LAYER - In a laser annealing system for workpieces such as semiconductor wafers, a pyrometer wavelength response band is established within a narrow window lying between the laser emission band and a fluorescence emission band from the optical components of the laser system, the pyrometer response band lying in a wavelength region at which the optical absorber layer on the workpiece has an optical absorption coefficient as great as or greater than the underlying workpiece. A multi-layer razor-edge interference filter having a 5-8 nm wavelength cut-off edge transition provides the cut-off of the laser emission at the bottom end of the pyrometer response band. | 01-13-2011 |
20110065264 | METHODS OF SOLID PHASE RECRYSTALLIZATION OF THIN FILM USING PULSE TRAIN ANNEALING METHOD - Embodiments of the present invention provide methods of solid phase recrystallization of thin film using a plurality of pulses of electromagnetic energy. In one embodiment, the methods of the present invention may be used to anneal an entire substrate surface or selected regions of a surface of a substrate by delivering a plurality of pluses of energy to a crystalline seed region or layer upon which an amorphous layer is deposited to recrystallize the amorphous layer so that it has the same grain structure and crystal orientation as that of the underlying crystalline seed region or layer. | 03-17-2011 |
20110070724 | DEFECT-FREE JUNCTION FORMATION USING OCTADECABORANE SELF-AMORPHIZING IMPLANTS - A method and apparatus for implanting a semiconductor substrate with boron clusters. A substrate is implanted with octadecaborane by plasma immersion or ion beam implantation. The substrate surface is then annealed to completely dissociate and activate the boron clusters. The annealing may take place by melting the implanted regions or by a sub-melt annealing process. | 03-24-2011 |
20110089166 | TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT AND CONTROL OF WAFER SUPPORT IN THERMAL PROCESSING CHAMBER - The present invention provides apparatus and methods for achieving uniform heating to a substrate during a rapid thermal process. More particularly, the present invention provides apparatus and methods for controlling the temperature of an edge ring supporting a substrate during a rapid thermal process to improve temperature uniformity across the substrate. | 04-21-2011 |
20110239421 | LASER BEAM POSITIONING SYSTEM - A method and apparatus for targeting a beam of radiation is provided. A beam steering mirror and a beam capture mirror are movably disposed along an optical pathway. A controller moves the beam steering mirror and the beam capture mirror in an x-y plane, and rotates the mirrors, to target the beam to a target location on a surface, while keeping the optical path length substantially constant for all target locations on the surface. The surface is rotated by a rotational actuator to bring all target locations to positions accessible by the beam targeting optics. Imprecision in targeting and optical path length may be compensated by providing an actuated aperture at the beam entry point and/or a variable focus lens with an optical range finding detector, all in communication with the controller. | 10-06-2011 |
20120145684 | METHOD OF THERMAL PROCESSING STRUCTURES FORMED ON A SUBSTRATE - Methods used to perform an annealing process on desired regions of a substrate are disclosed. In one embodiment, an amount of energy is delivered to the surface of the substrate to preferentially melt certain desired regions of the substrate to remove unwanted damage created from prior processing steps (e.g., crystal damage from implant processes), more evenly distribute dopants in various regions of the substrate, and/or activate various regions of the substrate. The preferential melting processes will allow more uniform distribution of the dopants in the melted region, due to the increased diffusion rate and solubility of the dopant atoms in the molten region of the substrate. The creation of a melted region thus allows: 1) the dopant atoms to redistribute more uniformly, 2) defects created in prior processing steps to be removed, and 3) regions that have hyper-abrupt dopant concentrations to be formed. | 06-14-2012 |
20120171853 | DEFECT-FREE JUNCTION FORMATION USING OCTADECABORANE SELF-AMORPHIZING IMPLANTS - A method and apparatus for implanting a semiconductor substrate with boron clusters. A substrate is implanted with octadecaborane by plasma immersion or ion beam implantation. The substrate surface is then annealed to completely dissociate and activate the boron clusters. The annealing may take place by melting the implanted regions or by a sub-melt annealing process. | 07-05-2012 |
20120190182 | DEFECT-FREE JUNCTION FORMATION USING OCTADECABORANE SELF-AMORPHIZING IMPLANTS - A method and apparatus for implanting a semiconductor substrate with boron clusters. A substrate is implanted with octadecaborane by plasma immersion or ion beam implantation. The substrate surface is then annealed to completely dissociate and activate the boron clusters. The annealing may take place by melting the implanted regions or by a sub-melt annealing process. | 07-26-2012 |
20120214112 | AMBIENT LAMINAR GAS FLOW DISTRIBUTION IN LASER PROCESSING SYSTEMS - A method and apparatus for annealing semiconductor substrates is disclosed. The apparatus has an annealing energy source and a substrate support, with a shield member disposed between the annealing energy source and the substrate support. The shield member is a substantially flat member having a dimension larger than a substrate processed on the substrate support, with a window covering a central opening in the substantially flat member. The central opening has a gas inlet portal and a gas outlet portal, each in fluid communication with a gas inlet plenum and gas outlet plenum, respectively. A connection member is disposed around the central opening and holds the window over the central opening. Connection openings in the connection member are in fluid communication with the gas inlet plenum and gas outlet plenum, respectively, through a gas inlet conduit and a gas outlet conduit formed through the connection member. | 08-23-2012 |
20120273005 | OPTICAL ENDPOINT DETECTION SYSTEM - Methods and apparatus for determining an endpoint of a process chamber cleaning process are provided. In some embodiments, a processing system having an endpoint detection system may include a process chamber having internal surfaces requiring periodic cleaning due to processes performed in the process chamber; and an endpoint detection system that includes a light detector positioned to detect light reflected off of a first internal surface of the process chamber; and a controller coupled to the light detector and configured to determine an endpoint of a cleaning process based upon the detected reflected light. | 11-01-2012 |
20120325784 | NOVEL THERMAL PROCESSING APPARATUS - The present invention generally relates to an optical system that is able to reliably deliver a uniform amount of energy across an anneal region contained on a surface of a substrate. The optical system is adapted to deliver, or project, a uniform amount of energy having a desired two-dimensional shape on a desired region on the surface of the substrate. An energy source for the optical system is typically a plurality of lasers, which are combined to form the energy field. | 12-27-2012 |
20120329178 | NOVEL THERMAL PROCESSING APPARATUS - The present invention generally relates to an optical system that is able to reliably deliver a uniform amount of energy across an anneal region contained on a surface of a substrate. The optical system is adapted to deliver, or project, a uniform amount of energy having a desired two-dimensional shape on a desired region on the surface of the substrate. An energy source for the optical system is typically a plurality of lasers, which are combined to form the energy field. | 12-27-2012 |
20130026693 | SUBSTRATE SUPPORTING EDGE RING WITH COATING FOR IMPROVED SOAK PERFORMANCE - Embodiments of the present invention provide a substrate supporting edge ring for supporting a substrate. In one embodiment, a substrate support ring is provided. The substrate support ring comprises an annular body. The annular body comprises an outer band extending radially inward from an outer annular sidewall; and a substrate supporting region extending inward from an inner portion of the outer band, wherein the annular body comprises a first material that is exposed and at least a portion of the substrate supporting region is covered with a coating comprising a second material that is different than the first material. | 01-31-2013 |
20130029499 | METHODS OF THERMALLY PROCESSING A SUBSTRATE - The present invention generally relates to methods for thermally processing substrates. In one embodiment, a substrate having an amorphous thin film thereon is subjected to a first pulse of electromagnetic energy having a first fluence insufficient to complete thermal processing. After a predetermined amount of time, the substrate is then subjected to a second pulse of electromagnetic energy having a second fluence greater than the first fluence. The second fluence is generally sufficient to complete the thermal processing. Exposing the substrate to the lower fluence first pulse before the second pulse reduces damage to a thin film disposed on the substrate. In another embodiment, a substrate is exposed to a plurality of electromagnetic energy pulses. The plurality of electromagnetic energy pulses are spaced at increasing intervals to reduce the rate of recrystallization of a film on the substrate, thus increasing the size of the crystals formed during the recrystallization. | 01-31-2013 |
20130055731 | CRYSTALLIZATION METHODS - Apparatus and methods of treating a substrate with an amorphous semiconductor layer, or a semiconductor layer having small crystals, to form large crystals in the substrate are described. A treatment area of the substrate is identified and melted using a progressive melting process of delivering pulsed energy to the treatment area. The treatment area is then recrystallized using a progressive crystallization process of delivering pulsed energy to the area. The pulsed energy delivered during the progressive crystallization process is selected to convert the small crystals into large crystals as the melted material freezes. | 03-07-2013 |
20130087547 | PARTICLE CONTROL IN LASER PROCESSING SYSTEMS - The present invention generally relates to a laser processing systems for thermally processing substrates. The laser processing systems include a shield disposed between an energy source of the laser processing system and a substrate which is to be thermally processed. The shield includes an optically transparent window disposed adjacent to a cavity within the shield. The optically transparent window allows annealing energy to pass therethrough and to illuminate the substrate. The shield also includes one or more gas inlets and one or more gas outlets for introducing and removing a purge gas from the cavity within the shield. The purge gas is utilized to remove volatized or ablated components during thermal processing, and to provide a gas of predetermined composition, such as oxygen-free, to the thermally processed area. | 04-11-2013 |
20130112680 | RAPID THERMAL PROCESSING CHAMBER - Embodiments of the invention generally relate to RTP chambers. The chambers generally include a chamber body and chamber lid. The chamber body includes a substrate support having multiple zones of resistive heaters to heat substrates positioned on the substrate support. The chamber body also optionally includes a cooling channel to mitigate thermal stress and a thermally insulating liner disposed therein for containing heat generated during thermal processing. The chamber lid includes a lid body having an opening therethrough, and a reflective plate disposed within the opening. A plurality of pyrometers are positioned within the reflective plate to measure the temperature of a substrate at a plurality of locations across the substrate corresponding to the zones of the substrate support. The temperature of each zone is adjusted in response to the signals from the plurality of pyrometers. | 05-09-2013 |
20130120737 | APPARATUS AND METHOD TO MEASURE TEMPERATURE OF 3D SEMICONDUCTOR STRUCTURES VIA LASER DIFFRACTION - Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to apparatus for and methods of measuring and monitoring the temperature of a substrate having a | 05-16-2013 |
20130163091 | MULTIPLE BEAM COMBINER FOR LASER PROCESSING APPARATUS - Apparatus and methods for combining beams of amplified radiation are disclosed. A beam combiner has a collimating optic positioned to receive a plurality of coherent radiation beams at a constant angle of incidence with respect to an optical axis of the collimating optic. The respective angles of incidence may also be different in some embodiments. The collimating optic has an optical property that collimates the beams. The optical property may be refractive or reflective, or a combination thereof. A collecting optic may also be provided to direct the plurality of beams to the collimating optic. The beam combiner may be used in a thermal processing apparatus to combine more than two beams of coherent amplified radiation, such as lasers, into a single beam. | 06-27-2013 |
20130193132 | TOP WAFER ROTATION AND SUPPORT - Embodiments of the present invention provide thermal processing chambers including a drive mechanism and a heating assembly disposed on opposite sides of a substrate support assembly. Particularly, the heating assembly is disposed below the substrate support assembly to process a substrate with a device side facing up and the drive mechanism is disposed above the substrate assembly. | 08-01-2013 |
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 |
20130264316 | LASER NOISE ELIMINATION IN TRANSMISSION THERMOMETRY - Apparatus and methods for measuring the temperature of a substrate are disclosed. The apparatus includes a source of temperature-indicating radiation, a detector for the temperature-indicating radiation, and a decorrelator disposed in an optical path between the source of temperature-indicating radiation and the detector for the temperature-indicating radiation. The decorrelator may be a broadband amplifier and/or a mode scrambler. A broadband amplifier may be a broadband laser, Bragg grating, a fiber Bragg grating, a Raman amplifier, a Brillouin amplifier, or combinations thereof. The decorrelator is selected to emit radiation that is transmitted, at least in part, by the substrate being monitored. The source is matched to the decorrelator such that the emission spectrum of the source is within the gain bandwidth of the decorrelator, if the decorrelator is a gain-driven device. | 10-10-2013 |
20130280824 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MEASURING RADIATION ENERGY DURING THERMAL PROCESSING - Embodiments of the present invention provide apparatus and method for reducing heating source radiation influence in temperature measurement during thermal processing. In one embodiment of the present invention, background radiant energy, such as an energy source of a thermal processing chamber, is marked within a selected spectrum, a characteristic of the background is then determined by measuring radiant energy at a reference wavelength within the selected spectrum and a comparing wavelength just outside the selected spectrum. | 10-24-2013 |
20130323936 | APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR RAPID THERMAL PROCESSING - Embodiments of the present invention provide apparatus and methods for performing rapid thermal processing. One embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus for processing a substrate. The apparatus includes a heating source disposed outside a chamber body and configured to provide thermal energy towards a processing volume. The substrate support defines a substrate supporting plane, and the substrate support is configured to support the substrate in the substrate supporting plane. The heating source includes a frame member having an inner wall surrounding an area large enough to encompass a surface area of the substrate, and a plurality of diode laser tiles mounted on the inner wall of the frame member. Each of the plurality of diode laser tiles is directed towards a corresponding area in the processing volume. | 12-05-2013 |
20140027092 | CHAMBERS WITH IMPROVED COOLING DEVICES - Embodiments of the present invention provide a heating assembly using a heat exchange device to cool a plurality of heating element. The heating assembly includes a plurality of heating elements, a cooling element having one or more cooling channels for receiving cooling fluid therein, and a heat exchange device disposed between the plurality of heating elements and the cooling element. The heat exchange device comprises a hot interface disposed adjacent to and in thermal contact with the plurality of heating elements and a cold interface disposed adjacent to and in thermal contact with the cooling element. | 01-30-2014 |
20140057460 | METHODS OF THERMALLY PROCESSING A SUBSTRATE - The present invention generally relates to methods for thermally processing substrates. In one embodiment, a substrate having an amorphous thin film thereon is subjected to a first pulse of electromagnetic energy. The first pulse of electromagnetic energy has a first fluence insufficient to complete the thermal processing. After a predetermined amount of time, the substrate is then subjected to a second pulse of electromagnetic energy having a second fluence greater than the first fluence. The second fluence is generally sufficient to complete the thermal processing. Exposing the substrate to the lower fluence first pulse before the second pulse reduces damage to a thin film disposed on the substrate. In another embodiment, a substrate is exposed to a plurality of electromagnetic energy pulses. The plurality of electromagnetic energy pulses are spaced at increasing intervals to reduce the rate of recrystallization of a film on the substrate, thus increasing the size of the crystals formed during the recrystallization. | 02-27-2014 |
20140105583 | APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING AND DIRECTING HEAT ENERGY IN A PROCESS CHAMBER - Apparatus for providing heat energy to a process chamber are provided herein. The apparatus may include a process chamber body of the process chamber, a solid state source array having a plurality of solid state sources, disposed on a first substrate, to provide heat energy to the process chamber to heat a target component disposed in the process chamber body, and at least one reflector disposed on the first substrate proximate to one or more of the plurality of solid state sources to direct heat energy provided by the one or more of the plurality of solid state sources towards the target component. | 04-17-2014 |
20140138362 | NOVEL THERMAL PROCESSING APPARATUS - The present invention generally relates to an optical system that is able to reliably deliver a uniform amount of energy across an anneal region contained on a surface of a substrate. The optical system is adapted to deliver, or project, a uniform amount of energy having a desired two-dimensional shape on a desired region on the surface of the substrate. An energy source for the optical system is typically a plurality of lasers, which are combined to form the energy field. | 05-22-2014 |
20140254022 | APPARATUS FOR SPECKLE REDUCTION, PULSE STRETCHING, AND BEAM HOMOGENIZATION - Embodiments described herein relate to thermal processing of semiconductor substrates. More specifically, embodiments described herein relate to laser thermal processing of semiconductor substrates. In certain embodiments, a uniformizer is provided to spatially and temporally decorrelate a coherent light image. | 09-11-2014 |
20140256161 | PROCESS SHEET RESISTANCE UNIFORMITY IMPROVEMENT USING MULTIPLE MELT LASER EXPOSURES - Embodiments described herein relate to apparatus and methods of thermal processing. More specifically, apparatus and methods described herein relate to laser thermal treatment of semiconductor substrates by increasing the uniformity of energy distribution in an image at a surface of a substrate. | 09-11-2014 |
20140269826 | IN-SITU TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT IN A NOISY ENVIRONMENT - Disclosed are method and apparatus for treating a substrate. The apparatus is a dual-function process chamber that may perform both a material process and a thermal process on a substrate. The chamber has an annular radiant source disposed between a processing location and a transportation location of the chamber. Lift pins have length sufficient to maintain the substrate at the processing location while the substrate support is lowered below the radiant source plane to afford radiant heating of the substrate. One or more lift pins has a light pipe disposed therein to collect radiation emitted or transmitted by the substrate when the lift pin contacts the substrate surface. | 09-18-2014 |
20140376897 | LIGHT PIPE WINDOW STRUCTURE FOR THERMAL CHAMBER APPLICATIONS AND PROCESSES - A processing chamber is described. The processing chamber includes a chamber having an interior volume, a light pipe window structure coupled to the chamber, the light pipe window structure having a first transparent plate disposed within the interior volume of the chamber, and a radiant heat source coupled to a second transparent plate of the light pipe window structure in a position outside of the interior volume of the chamber, wherein the light pipe window structure includes a plurality of light pipe structures disposed between the first transparent plate and the second transparent plate. | 12-25-2014 |
20150023385 | MODEL BASED LAMP BACKGROUND FILTRATION OF STRAY RADIATION FOR PYROMETRY - The embodiments described herein generally relate to methods of noise compensation for proper temperature detection in thermal processing chambers and devices for achieving the same. Methods can include determining noise produced by a lamp zone and extrapolating the noise from the detected photocurrent. Devices can include a processing chamber, a substrate support disposed in the processing chamber, the substrate support having a high thermal mass, a pyrometer below the substrate support and oriented to view radiation emitted by the substrate and a controller configured to subtract a time invariant noise component and a time variant noise component from the pyrometer signal. | 01-22-2015 |
20150050819 | SUPPORT CYLINDER FOR THERMAL PROCESSING CHAMBER - Embodiments of the disclosure generally relate to a support cylinder used in a thermal process chamber. In one embodiment, the support cylinder comprises a ring body having an inner peripheral surface and an outer peripheral surface, wherein the ring body comprises an opaque quartz glass material and wherein the ring body is coated with an optical transparent layer. The optical transparent layer has a coefficient of thermal expansion that is substantially matched or similar to the opaque quartz glass material to reduce thermal expansion mismatch that may cause thermal stress under high thermal loads. In one example, the opaque quartz glass material is synthetic black quartz and the optical transparent layer comprises a clear fused quartz material. | 02-19-2015 |
20150069028 | ANNEALING APPARATUS USING TWO WAVELENGTHS OF RADIATION - A thermal processing apparatus and method in which a first laser source, for example, a CO | 03-12-2015 |