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 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

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 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.

Abstract: The present invention generally describes one ore more methods that are used to perform an annealing process on desired regions of a substrate. 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: A semiconductor processing apparatus is described that has a body with a wall defining two processing chambers within the body; a passage through the wall forming a fluid coupling between the two processing chambers; a lid removably coupled to the body, the lid having a portal in fluid communication with the passage; a gas activator coupled to the lid outside the processing chambers, the gas activator having an outlet in fluid communication with the portal of the lid; a substrate support disposed in each processing chamber, each substrate support having at least two heating zones, each with an embedded heating element; a gas distributor coupled to the lid facing each substrate support; and a thermal control member coupled to the lid at an edge of each gas distributor.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein relate to a light pipe structure for thermal processing of semiconductor substrates. In one embodiment, a light pipe window structure for use in a thermal process chamber includes a transparent plate, and a plurality of light pipe structures formed in a transparent material that is coupled to the transparent plate, each of the plurality of light pipe structures comprising a reflective surface and having a longitudinal axis disposed in a substantially perpendicular relation to a plane of the transparent plate.

Abstract: A processing chamber is described. The processing chamber includes a chamber having an interior volume, a light pipe array coupled to the chamber, the light pipe array comprising a wall member that defines a boundary of the interior volume of the chamber, wherein the light pipe array includes a plurality of non-metallic light pipe structures, and a radiant heat source comprising a plurality of energy sources in optical communication with each of the plurality of light pipe structures.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to the rapid thermal processing of substrates. A fiber coupled laser diode array is provided in an optical system configured to generate a uniform irradiance pattern on the surface of a substrate. A plurality of individually controllable laser diodes are optically coupled via a plurality of fibers to one or more lenses. The fiber coupled laser diode array generates a Gaussian radiation profile which is defocused by the lenses to generate a uniform intensity image. In one embodiment, a field stop is disposed within the optical system.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A support ring for semiconductor processing is provided. The support ring includes a ring shaped body defined by an inner edge and an outer edge. The inner edge and outer edge are concentric about a central axis. The ring shaped body further includes a first side, a second side, and a raised annular shoulder extending from the first side of the ring shaped body at the inner edge. The support ring also includes a coating on the first side. The coating has an inner region of reduced thickness region abutting the raised annular shoulder.

Abstract: The embodiments described herein generally relate to systems for noise compensation for proper temperature detection in thermal processing chambers and devices for achieving the same. In one embodiment, a system is disclosed herein. The system includes a processing chamber, a substrate, a pyrometer, and a controller. The processing chamber is configured to process a substrate. The substrate support is disposed in the processing chamber. The pyrometer is positioned to receive radiation emitted by a substrate or a component of the processing chamber and generating a pyrometer signal indicative of the received radiation. The controller is configured to subtract a time invariant noise component and a time variant noise component from the pyrometer signal during processing of a substrate.