Abstract: An apparatus and a concomitant method for controlling coolant (air) flow proximate a reaction chamber within a workpiece processing system such that the temperature of a wall of the reaction chamber is maintained at a predefined target temperature. The target temperature is typically a temperature that optimizes a process concurrently being accomplished within the chamber, e.g., utilizing one temperature during deposition processes and a different temperature during cleaning processes. The apparatus contains a temperature measuring device to measure the temperature of the chamber wall. The measured temperature is compared to the predefined target temperature. A closed loop system controls the air flow proximate the chamber walls such that the measured temperature becomes substantially equal to the target temperature. Air flow control is provided by an air flow control device located within an inlet conduit that supplies air to a shroud for channeling the air past the reaction chamber.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling the radial temperature gradients of a wafer and a susceptor while ramping the temperature of the wafer and susceptor using a first heat source that is primarily directed at a central portion of the wafer, a second heat source that is primarily directed at an outer portion of the wafer, a third heat source that is primarily directed at a central portion of the susceptor, and a fourth heat source that is primarily directed at an outer portion of the susceptor. Ramping of the wafer and susceptor temperature is accomplished by applying power to the first, second, third and fourth heat sources. During ramping, the ratio of the first and second heat source powers is varied as a function of the wafer temperature and the ratio of the third and fourth heat source powers is varied as a function of the susceptor temperature.

Abstract: A system of supplying processing fluid to a substrate processing apparatus having walls, the inner surfaces of which define a processing chamber in which a substrate supporting susceptor is located. The system consists of a number of fluid storages, each which stores a separate processing fluid, at least two fluid conduits along which processing fluid flows from the fluid storages to the processing apparatus and a fluid inlet which connects the fluid conduits to the processing chamber. The inlet has a separate fluid passage, corresponding to each of the fluid conduits, formed along it. Each fluid passage opens at or near an inner surface of a wall to together define a fluid mixing zone, so that fluid moving along one fluid passage is prevented from mixing with fluid moving along any other passage until reaching the mixing zone.

Abstract: An apparatus and a concomitant method for controlling coolant (air) flow proximate a reaction chamber within a workpiece processing system such that the temperature of a wall of the reaction chamber is maintained at a predefined target temperature. The target temperature is typically a temperature that optimizes a process concurrently being accomplished within the chamber, e.g., utilizing one temperature during deposition processes and a different temperature during cleaning processes. The apparatus contains a temperature measuring device to measure the temperature of the chamber wall. The measured temperature is compared to the predefined target temperature. A closed loop system controls the air flow proximate the chamber walls such that the measured temperature becomes substantially equal to the target temperature. Air flow control is provided by an air flow control device located within an inlet conduit that supplies air to a shroud for channeling the air past the reaction chamber.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a process of depositing a layer of a material on a wafer, which comprises depositing a layer of the same material to be deposited on the wafer on the back surface of a susceptor.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for uniformly ramping the temperatures of a wafer and a susceptor using a first heat source primarily directed at the wafer and a second heat source primarily directed at the susceptor while keeping the wafer at approximately the same temperature as the susceptor but measuring only the temperature of the susceptor. The method comprises the steps of: determining and storing a plurality of steady-state temperatures of the susceptor as a function of the total power provided to the first heat source and the second heat source; ramping the susceptor from an initial temperature to a final temperature; and heating the wafer from the initial temperature to the final temperature, wherein the power to the first heat source is determined from the susceptor's temperature and the plurality of steady-state temperatures of the wafer and susceptor as a function of total power.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for inverting 3-D seismic reflection data obtained from seismic surveys to derive impedance models for a subsurface region, and for inversion of multiple 3-D seismic surveys (i.e., 4-D seismic surveys) of the same subsurface volume, separated in time to allow for dynamic fluid migration, such that small scale structure and regions of fluid and dynamic fluid flow within the subsurface volume being studied can be identified. The method allows for the mapping and quantification of available hydrocarbons within a reservoir and is thus useful for hydrocarbon prospecting and reservoir management. An iterative seismic inversion scheme constrained by actual well log data which uses a time/depth dependent seismic source function is employed to derive impedance models from 3-D and 4-D seismic datasets. The impedance values can be region grown to better isolate the low impedance hydrocarbon bearing regions.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for thermal processing, and more particularly for rapid thermal processing wherein a first thermal radiator generates and projects a first pattern of thermal radiation onto a first surface of a substrate, and wherein a second thermal radiator generates and projects a second pattern of thermal radiation onto a second surface of the substrate. The temperatures on the first and second surfaces are sensed by temperature sensors. A mechanism for selectively controlling the first and second thermal radiators in response to the temperature sensors causes a prescribed temperature profile to be produced within the substrate.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to an apparatus for depositing a layer of a material on a wafer. The apparatus includes a deposition chamber having an upper dome, a lower dome and a side wall between the upper and lower domes. A susceptor plate is in and extends across the deposition chamber to divide the deposition chamber into an upper portion above the susceptor plate and a lower portion below the susceptor plate. An exhaust passage formed through the side wall and is coupled to an upper passage which extends to the upper portion of the deposition chamber and is coupled to a lower passage which extends to the lower portion of the deposition chamber.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for thermal processing, and more particularly for rapid thermal processing wherein a first thermal radiator generates and projects a first pattern of thermal radiation onto a first surface of a substrate, and wherein a second thermal radiator generates and projects a second pattern of thermal radiation onto a second surface of the substrate. The temperatures on the first and second surfaces are sensed by sensing means. Means for controlling the first and second thermal radiator means in response to the sensing means cause a prescribed temperature profile to be produced within the substrate.

Abstract: An apparatus for depositing a material on a wafer includes a susceptor plate mounted in a deposition chamber. The chamber has a gas inlet and a gas exhaust. Means are provided for heating the susceptor plate. The susceptor plate has a plurality of support posts projecting from its top surface. The support posts are arranged to support a wafer thereon with the back surface of the wafer being spaced from the surface of the susceptor plate. The support posts are of a length so that the wafer is spaced from the susceptor plate a distance sufficient to allow deposition gas to flow and/or diffuse between the wafer and the susceptor plate, but still allow heat transfer from the susceptor plate to the wafer mainly by conduction. The susceptor plate is also provided with means, such as retaining pins or a recess, to prevent lateral movement of a wafer seated on the support posts.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to an apparatus for depositing a layer of a material on a wafer. The apparatus includes a deposition chamber having an upper dome, a lower dome and a side wall between the upper and lower domes. A susceptor plate is in and extends across the deposition chamber to divide the deposition chamber into an upper portion above the susceptor plate and a lower portion below the susceptor plate. A gas inlet manifold is in the side wall. The manifold has three inlet ports. One of the ports is connected by passages which open into the lower portion of the deposition chamber. The other two ports are connected by passages which open into the upper portion of the deposition chamber. A gas supply system is connected to the inlet ports so as to provide the same gases into the lower portion of the deposition chamber as well as into the upper portion of the deposition chamber.

Abstract: The invention utilizes 3-D and 4-D seismic surveys as a means of deriving information useful in petroleum exploration and reservoir management. The methods use both single seismic surveys (3-D) and multiple seismic surveys separated in time (4-D) of a region of interest to determine large scale migration pathways within sedimentary basins, and fine scale drainage structure and oil-water-gas regions within individual petroleum producing reservoirs. Such structure is identified using pattern recognition tools which define the regions of interest. The 4-D seismic data sets may be used for data completion for large scale structure where time intervals between surveys do not allow for dynamic evolution. The 4-D seismic data sets also may be used to find variations over time of small scale structure within individual reservoirs which may be used to identify petroleum drainage pathways, oil-water-gas regions and, hence, attractive drilling targets.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for the turbulent mixing of gases are described. The invention has particular application when it is desired to produce a gas mixture including a very small quantity (ppm or less) of at least one component gas and/or wherein there is a substantial density difference between the component gases to be used to make up the gas mixture.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to an apparatus for depositing a layer of a material on a wafer. The apparatus includes a deposition chamber having an upper dome, a lower dome and a side wall between the upper and lower domes. A susceptor plate is in and extends across the deposition chamber to divide the deposition chamber into an upper portion above the susceptor plate and a lower portion below the susceptor plate. A gas inlet manifold is in the side wall. The manifold has three inlet ports. One of the ports is connected by passages which open into the lower portion of the deposition chamber. The other two ports are connected by passages which open into the upper portion of the deposition chamber. A gas supply system is connected to the inlet ports so as to provide the same gases into the lower portion of the deposition chamber as well as into the upper portion of the deposition chamber.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an apparatus and method for the turbulent mixing of gases. The invention has particular application when it is desired to produce a gas mixture including a very small quantity (ppm or less) of at least one component gas and/or wherein there is a substantial density difference between the component gases to be used to make up the gas mixture.

Abstract: A wafer processing reactor having an input manifold to enable control of a process gas flow profile over a wafer that is being processed. Both process gas relative concentrations and flow rates can be controlled, thereby enabling an increased uniformity of processing across the wafer.

Abstract: In the exploration for petroleum or natural gas, drilling targets are identified by locating local maxima of horizontal gradient in the top-of-geopressure surface of a region of exploration. The probability of finding hydrocarbon deposits is significantly improved where the drilling targets are local maxima of the horizontal gradient in the top-of-geopressure surface which coincide with local maxima of subsurface heat flow in the region of exploration, particularly where the local maxima in the horizontal gradient of the top-of-geopressured surface is concentrated across major fault offsets and are parallel to the predominant strike directions of the faults. The top-of-geopressure surface may be remotely sensed by performing complex trace analysis on reflection seismic traces gathered for the region of exploration to derive corresponding reflection strength attribute traces.

Abstract: A wafer processing reactor having an input manifold to enable control of a process gas flow profile over a wafer that is being processed. Both process gas relative concentrations and flow rates can be controlled, thereby enabling an increased uniformity of processing across the wafer.

Abstract: A thermal reactor system for semiconductor processing incorporates a reaction vessel with a rectangular quartz tube with reinforcing parallel quartz gussets. The gussets enable sub-ambient pressure processing, while the rectangular tube maximizes reactant gas flow uniformity over a wafer being processed. The gussets facilitate effective cooling, while minimally impairing heating of the wafer by allowing minimal wall thickness. The thermal reactor system further includes a gas source for supplying reactant gas and an exhaust handling system for removing spent gases from and establishing a reduced pressure within the reaction vessel. An array of infrared lamps is used to radiate energy through the quartz tube; the lamps are arranged in a staggered relation relative to the quartz gussets to minimize shadowing. In addition, other non-cylindrical gusseted vessel geometries are disclosed which provide for improved sub-ambient pressure thermal processing of semiconductor wafers.