Abstract: A secondary measurement of rapid thermal annealer temperature is provided. The secondary measurement allows a primary temperature measuring device to be monitored for proper operation in real time. A rapid thermal annealer system is provided having a heating chamber configured to receive and anneal a silicon wafer. Several halogen light sources are provided for heating the silicon wafer. An optical pyrometer measures temperature of the silicon wafer as it is heated by the halogen lamps. A thin silicon ring is provided with an s-type thermalcouple attached thereto. The silicon ring is positioned so that its inner edge is aligned closely with an outer edge of the silicon wafer. An s-type amplifier is connected to the s-type thermalcouple wherein the combination generates a signal indicative of the ring temperature. The ring temperature is compared against the wafer temperature as a measured by the pyrometer.

Abstract: A post-hot metal deposition process applied to semiconductor wafer manufacturing in order to increase the size of grain structures and improve electromigration resistance in semiconductor devices. A highly ductile metal is first deposited onto a semiconductor substrate having contact points in a partial vacuum. A forge is applied to the substrate--with the highly ductile metal deposited thereon, to form a smooth conductive surface on the substrate, even at the contact points. The forging is done at an appropriate pressure and temperature to perform hot-working of the metal onto the contact points of the substrate. The forge may be used to emboss a conductor image of the highly ductile metal deposited on the substrate. The forging process may be performed by either stamping a surface onto the substrate or by rolling a surface onto the substrate.