Abstract: Temperature measurement and heat-treating methods and systems. One method includes identifying a temperature of a first surface of a workpiece, and controlling energy of an irradiance flash incident on the first surface of the workpiece, in response to the temperature of the first surface. Identifying may include identifying the temperature of the first surface during an initial portion of the irradiance flash, and controlling may include controlling the power of a remaining portion of the irradiance flash. The first surface of the workpiece may include a device side of a semiconductor wafer.

Abstract: Temperature measurement and heat-treating methods and systems. One method includes measuring a present intensity of radiation thermally emitted from a first surface of a workpiece, and identifying a present temperature of the first surface in response to the present intensity and at least one previous thermal property of the first surface. Preferably, the workpiece includes a semiconductor wafer, and the first and second surfaces respectively include device and substrate sides thereof. The present temperature of the device side is preferably identified while the device side is being irradiated, e.g. by an irradiance flash having a duration less than a thermal conduction time of the wafer. The device side temperature may be identified in response to a previous device side temperature, which may be identified in response to a previous temperature of the substrate side unequal to the previous device side temperature, and a temperature history of the wafer.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for rapidly and uniformly heating a workpiece includes a plurality of walls defining a first chamber, a first source of radiation for producing incident radiation on a first energy transfer surface of the workpiece, a holder for holding the workpiece in a workpiece plane in the chamber and a radiation absorbing surface on at least one wall of the chamber. The holder has an energy transfer surface, the energy transfer surfaces of the holder and of the workpiece reflecting and emitting radiation in the chamber and the radiation absorbing surface particularly for absorbing radiation reflected and radiation emitted from the energy transfer surfaces.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing high intensity radiation has electrodes positioned within an elongated cylindrical arc chamber across which an arc discharge can be established. Liquid is injected into the arc chamber to produce a vortex motion therein to form a cylindrical liquid wall adjacent to the chamber, which constricts the arc by cooling an outer periphery thereof. Gas is injected into the arc chamber to produce a vortex motion adjacent the cylindrical liquid wall. An exhaust structure actively exhausts the liquid and gas from the arc chamber to reduce turbulence and restriction of fluid. This permits attainment of higher flux densities in the arc, and/or extension of electrode life. Preferably, the liquid and gas are exhausted actively by means of an ejector pump which ejects pressurized liquid into the gas and liquid leaving the arc chamber.

Abstract: A high intensity radiation source. A liquid vortex wall is formed on the inside surface of an arc chamber to restrict the diameter of an arc generated between electrodes. The liquid vortex wall is obtained by utilizing a vortex generating means which includes an annular restriction through which the liquid must pass prior to entering the arc chamber. The annular restriction is of a dimension sufficient to allow adequate pressure and velocity throughout the arc chamber and to reduce or eliminate flow irregularities which could be transmitted to the liquid wall in the arc chamber. A nozzle may provide for establishment of the required axial vortex flow motion of both the liquid and gas while the liquid and gas are physically separated prior to their entrance to the arc chamber.

Abstract: A lamp comprised of a light source and reflector wherein the reflector is comprised of a plurality of annular segments which are arranged with respect to the source and a target to be irradiated so that points on the target receive radiation which is reflected from a different number of segments with points on the target which are closer to the periphery thereof receiving radiation which is reflected from a greater number of segments then points which are closer to the center of the target in such manner that due to the increase in target area in a direction from the target center to periphery the radiation incident across the entire target area is substantially uniform, and whereby the average local divergence of radiation incident on the target is minimized and spatial non-uniformities are relatively averaged.

Abstract: The novel radiation source system of this invention includes a pair of electrodes which are coaxially mounted at each end of a single cylindrical transparent arc chamber. A liquid, such as water, is circulated through the arc chamber with a tangential velocity so as to form a vortexing liquid wall. The main functions of the liquid wall are to cool the periphery of the arc discharge between the electrodes thus constricting the arc diameter, and to absorb ultraviolet and infrared radiation which would otherwise be absorbed by the outer solid wall. This liquid wall produces a positive dynamic impedance for the arc discharge. In addition, a vortexing column of inert gas, injected through the length of the chamber, stabilizes the arc discharge between the electrodes.