Abstract: A thermal processing apparatus and method in which a first laser source, for example, a CO2 emitting at 10.6 ?m is focused onto a silicon wafer as a line beam and a second laser source, for example, a GaAs laser bar emitting at 808 nm is focused onto the wafer as a larger beam surrounding the line beam. The two beams are scanned in synchronism in the direction of the narrow dimension of the line beam to create a narrow heating pulse from the line beam when activated by the larger beam. The energy of GaAs radiation is greater than the silicon bandgap energy and creates free carriers. The energy of the CO2 radiation is less than the silicon bandgap energy so silicon is otherwise transparent to it, but the long wavelength radiation is absorbed by the free carriers.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for crystallizing semiconductor material so that it has large grains of uniform size comprising delivering a first energy exposure of high intensity and short duration, and then delivering at least one second energy exposures of low intensity and long duration. The first energy exposure heats the substrate to a high temperature for a duration less than about 0.1 sec. The second energy exposure heats the substrate to a lower temperature for a duration greater than about 0.1 sec.

Abstract: The thermal processing device includes a stage, a continuous wave electromagnetic radiation source, a series of lenses, a translation mechanism, a detection module, a three-dimensional auto-focus, and a computer system. The stage is configured to receive a substrate thereon. The continuous wave electromagnetic radiation source is disposed adjacent the stage, and is configured to emit continuous wave electromagnetic radiation along a path towards the substrate. The series of lenses is disposed between the continuous wave electromagnetic radiation source and the stage, and are configured to condense the continuous wave electromagnetic radiation into a line of continuous wave electromagnetic radiation on a surface of the substrate. The translation mechanism is configured to translate the stage and the line of continuous wave electromagnetic radiation relative to one another. The detection module is positioned within the path, and is configured to detect continuous wave electromagnetic radiation.

Abstract: A thermal processing apparatus and method in which a first laser source, for example, a CO2 emitting at 10.6 ?m is focused onto a silicon wafer as a line beam and a second laser source, for example, a GaAs laser bar emitting at 808 nm is focused onto the wafer as a larger beam surrounding the line beam. The two beams are scanned in synchronism in the direction of the narrow dimension of the line beam to create a narrow heating pulse from the line beam when activated by the larger beam. The energy of GaAs radiation is greater than the silicon bandgap energy and creates free carriers. The energy of the CO2 radiation is less than the silicon bandgap energy so silicon is otherwise transparent to it, but the long wavelength radiation is absorbed by the free carriers.

Abstract: A thermal processing apparatus and method in which a first laser source, for example, a CO2 emitting at 10.6 ?m is focused onto a silicon wafer as a line beam and a second laser source, for example, a GaAs laser bar emitting at 808 nm is focused onto the wafer as a larger beam surrounding the line beam. The two beams are scanned in synchronism in the direction of the narrow dimension of the line beam to create a narrow heating pulse from the line beam when activated by the larger beam. The energy of GaAs radiation is greater than the silicon bandgap energy and creates free carriers. The energy of the CO2 radiation is less than the silicon bandgap energy so silicon is otherwise transparent to it, but the long wavelength radiation is absorbed by the free carriers.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide an edge ring for supporting a substrate with increased temperature uniformity. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention provide an edge ring having one or more fins formed on an energy receiving surface of the edge ring. The fins may have at least one sloped side relative to a main body of the edge ring.

Abstract: The thermal processing device includes a stage, a continuous wave electromagnetic radiation source, a series of lenses, a translation mechanism, a detection module, a three-dimensional auto-focus, and a computer system. The stage is configured to receive a substrate thereon. The continuous wave electromagnetic radiation source is disposed adjacent the stage, and is configured to emit continuous wave electromagnetic radiation along a path towards the substrate. The series of lenses is disposed between the continuous wave electromagnetic radiation source and the stage, and are configured to condense the continuous wave electromagnetic radiation into a line of continuous wave electromagnetic radiation on a surface of the substrate. The translation mechanism is configured to translate the stage and the line of continuous wave electromagnetic radiation relative to one another. The detection module is positioned within the path, and is configured to detect continuous wave electromagnetic radiation.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide an edge ring for supporting a substrate with increased temperature uniformity. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention provide an edge ring having one or more surface area increasing structures formed on an energy receiving surface of the edge ring.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for treating a substrate. The substrate is positioned on a support in a thermal treatment chamber. Electromagnetic radiation is directed toward the substrate to anneal a portion of the substrate. Other electromagnetic radiation is directed toward the substrate to preheat a portion of the substrate. The preheating reduces thermal stresses at the boundary between the preheat region and the anneal region. Any number of anneal and preheat regions are contemplated, with varying shapes and temperature profiles, as needed for specific embodiments. Any convenient source of electromagnetic radiation may be used, such as lasers, heat lamps, white light lamps, or flash lamps.

Abstract: A thermal processing apparatus and method in which a first laser source, for example, a CO2 emitting at 10.6 ?m is focused onto a silicon wafer as a line beam and a second laser source, for example, a GaAs laser bar emitting at 808 nm is focused onto the wafer as a larger beam surrounding the line beam. The two beams are scanned in synchronism in the direction of the narrow dimension of the line beam to create a narrow heating pulse from the line beam when activated by the larger beam. The energy of GaAs radiation is greater than the silicon bandgap energy and creates free carriers. The energy of the CO2 radiation is less than the silicon bandgap energy so silicon is otherwise transparent to it, but the long wavelength radiation is absorbed by the free carriers.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide an edge ring for supporting a substrate with increased temperature uniformity. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention provide an edge ring having one or more fins formed on an energy receiving surface of the edge ring. The fins may have at least one sloped side relative to a main body of the edge ring.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide an edge ring for supporting a substrate with increased temperature uniformity. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention provide an edge ring having one or more surface area increasing structures formed on an energy receiving surface of the edge ring.

Abstract: A thermal processing apparatus and method in which a first laser source, for example, a CO2 emitting at 10.6 ?m is focused onto a silicon wafer as a line beam and a second laser source, for example, a GaAs laser bar emitting at 808 nm is focused onto the wafer as a larger beam surrounding the line beam. The two beams are scanned in synchronism in the direction of the narrow dimension of the line beam to create a narrow heating pulse from the line beam when activated by the larger beam. The energy of GaAs radiation is greater than the silicon bandgap energy and creates free carriers. The energy of the CO2 radiation is less than the silicon bandgap energy so silicon is otherwise transparent to it, but the long wavelength radiation is absorbed by the free carriers.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: Embodiments provide systems, devices, and methods for controlling a laser. The system includes a controller to control a laser, a ramp generator to ramp down laser power, the ramp generator electrically coupled with the controller and coupleable with the laser, and a hardware protection system electrically coupled with the ramp generator, wherein the ramp generator monitors signals sent from the controller and the hardware protection system to the ramp generator to detect signal failure and ramps down the laser power upon signal failure detection. The method includes sending a control status signal from a controller for a laser to a ramp generator, monitoring the control status signal for missing pulses, sending a hardware interlock status signal from a hardware protection system to the ramp generator, monitoring the hardware interlock status signal for signal failure, and ramping down laser power upon detection of missing pulses or signal failure.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a method and an apparatus for detecting the temperature of a substrate surface. In one embodiment, a method for measuring the temperature is provided which includes exposing the surface of the substrate to a laser beam radiating from a laser source, radiating emitted light from a portion of the surface of the substrate, through the shadow ring, and towards a thermal sensor, and determining the temperature of the portion of the surface of the substrate from the emitted light. The substrate may be disposed on a substrate support within a treatment region and a shadow ring may be disposed between the laser source and the surface of the substrate. The shadow ring may be selectively opaque to the laser beam and transparent to the emitted light.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide an edge ring for supporting a substrate with increased temperature uniformity. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention provide an edge ring having one or more fins formed on an energy receiving surface of the edge ring. The fins may have at least one sloped side relative to a main body of the edge ring.

Abstract: The time between illumination of adjacent zones of a workpiece edge is extended by a long cool-down period or delay, by interlacing a radiation beam scanning pattern. During the cool-down period, the beam successively scans (along the fast axis) two rows separated by about half the wafer diameter, and travels back and then forth (along the slow axis) across the distance between the two rows, while the radiation beam source continuously generates the beam.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for treating a substrate. The substrate is positioned on a support in a thermal treatment chamber. Electromagnetic radiation is directed toward the substrate to anneal a portion of the substrate. Other electromagnetic radiation is directed toward the substrate to preheat a portion of the substrate. The preheating reduces thermal stresses at the boundary between the preheat region and the anneal region. Any number of anneal and preheat regions are contemplated, with varying shapes and temperature profiles, as needed for specific embodiments. Any convenient source of electromagnetic radiation may be used, such as lasers, heat lamps, white light lamps, or flash lamps.