Abstract: A system and a method for thermally processing a semiconductor substrate are disclosed which provide a heater chamber and a process chamber environmentally isolated from one another by a thermally-transparent plate. A heater assembly situated within the heater chamber comprises one or more quasi-continuous heater elements, and is operable to linearly translate with respect to the process chamber by a linear translation assembly. Thermal radiation is transmitted from the heater elements through the plate toward a substrate situated within the process chamber, wherein one or more temperature sensors measure a temperature associated with one or more respective locations on the substrate. A controller coupled to the one or more temperature sensors, heater assembly, and linear translation assembly controls the thermal radiation emitted by the heater assembly, as well as a distance between the heater assembly and the substrate, wherein the control is based on the one or more measured temperatures.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a semiconductor thermal processing system and a method for thermally processing a semiconductor substrate. According to one aspect of the present invention, a semiconductor thermal processing system and associated method is disclosed which provides a heater chamber and a process chamber, wherein the heater chamber and process chamber are environmentally isolated from one another by a thermally-transparent plate. A heater assembly comprising one or more quasi-continuous heater elements is situated in the heater chamber, whereby a linear translation assembly is operable to linearly translate the heater assembly with respect to the process chamber. A power supply is operable to provide electric current to the one or more heater elements, thereby emitting thermal radiation that transmits through the thermally-transparent plate toward a substrate situated within the process chamber.