Abstract: A method and apparatus for decorrelating coherent light from a light source, such as a pulsed laser, in both time and space in an effort to provide intense and uniform illumination are provided. The techniques and apparatus described herein may be incorporated into any application where intense, uniform illumination is desired, such as pulsed laser annealing, welding, ablating, and wafer stepper illuminating.

Abstract: A dynamic surface anneal apparatus for annealing a semiconductor workpiece has a workpiece support for supporting a workpiece, an optical source and scanning apparatus for scanning the optical source and the workpiece support relative to one another along a fast axis. The optical source includes an array of laser emitters arranged generally in successive rows of the emitters, the rows being transverse to the fast axis. Plural collimating lenslets overlie respective ones of the rows of emitters and provide collimation along the fast axis. The selected lenslets have one or a succession of optical deflection angles corresponding to beam deflections along the fast axis for respective rows of emitters. Optics focus light from the array of laser emitters onto a surface of the workpiece to form a succession of line beams transverse to the fast axis spaced along the fast axis in accordance with the succession of deflection angles.

Abstract: In a laser annealing system for workpieces such as semiconductor wafers, a pyrometer wavelength response band is established within a narrow window lying between the laser emission band and a fluorescence emission band from the optical components of the laser system, the pyrometer response band lying in a wavelength region at which the optical absorber layer on the workpiece has an optical absorption coefficient as great as or greater than the underlying workpiece. A multi-layer razor-edge interference filter having a 5-8 nm wavelength cut-off edge transition provides the cut-off of the laser emission at the bottom end of the pyrometer response band.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to an optical system that is able to reliably deliver a uniform amount of energy across an anneal region contained on a surface of a substrate. The optical system is adapted to deliver, or project, a uniform amount of energy having a desired two-dimensional shape on a desired region on the surface of the substrate. Typically, the anneal regions may be square or rectangular in shape. Generally, the optical system and methods of the present invention are used to preferentially anneal one or more regions found within the anneal regions by delivering enough energy to cause the one or more regions to re-melt and solidify.

Abstract: Methods used to perform an annealing process on desired regions of a substrate are disclosed. 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: The present invention generally relates to an optical system that is able to reliably deliver a uniform amount of energy across an anneal region contained on a surface of a substrate. The optical system is adapted to deliver, or project, a uniform amount of energy having a desired two-dimensional shape on a desired region on the surface of the substrate. Typically, the anneal regions may be square or rectangular in shape. Generally, the optical system and methods of the present invention are used to preferentially anneal one or more regions found within the anneal regions by delivering enough energy to cause the one or more regions to re-melt and solidify.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for decorrelating coherent light from a light source, such as a pulsed laser, in both time and space in an effort to provide intense and uniform illumination are provided. The techniques and apparatus described herein may be incorporated into any application where intense, uniform illumination is desired, such as pulsed laser annealing, welding, ablating, and wafer stepper illuminating.

Abstract: Disclosed is the method and apparatus for annealing semiconductor substrates. One embodiment provides a semiconductor processing chamber comprising a first substrate support configured to support a substrate, a second substrate support configured to support a substrate, a shuttle coupled to the first substrate support and configured to move the first substrate support between a processing zone and a first loading zone, wherein the processing zone having a processing volume configured to alternately accommodating the first substrate support and the second substrate support.

Abstract: Apparatus for thermally processing a substrate includes a source of laser radiation comprising a plurality diode lasers arranged along a slow axis, optics directing the laser radiation from the source to the substrate, and an array of photodetectors arranged along a fast axis perpendicular to the slow axis and receiving portions of the laser radiation reflected from the substrate through the optics.

Abstract: In a laser annealing system for workpieces such as semiconductor wafers, a pyrometer wavelength response band is established within a narrow window lying between the laser emission band and a fluorescence emission band from the optical components of the laser system, the pyrometer response band lying in a wavelength region at which the optical absorber layer on the workpiece has an optical absorption coefficient as great as or greater than the underlying workpiece. A multi-layer razor-edge interference filter having a 5-8 nm wavelength cut-off edge transition provides the cut-off of the laser emission at the bottom end of the pyrometer response band.

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: An illumination system has a light source, an optical train, and a wavelength beam splitter. The optical train focuses light from the light source into a defined geometrical pattern on a surface. The wavelength beam splitter transmits light of a first wavelength and redirects light of a second wavelength. One of these wavelengths is included by the light from the light source, while the other is an emission wavelength generated by thermal excitation of the surface by the focused geometrical pattern.

Abstract: Substrate processing equipment and methods are used to improve the uniformity of illumination across an illuminated portion of a substrate by processing light with multiple optical homogenizers. The multiple optical homogenizers each include micro-lens arrays and Fourier lens. The multiple optical homogenizers are arranged so that the output numerical aperture of one of the optical homogenizers is within 5% of the input numerical aperture of another optical homogenizer.

Abstract: In a laser annealing system for workpieces such as semiconductor wafers, a pyrometer wavelength response band is established within a narrow window lying between the laser emission band and a fluorescence emission band from the optical components of the laser system, the pyrometer response band lying in a wavelength region at which the optical absorber layer on the workpiece has an optical absorption coefficient as great as or greater than the underlying workpiece. A multi-layer razor-edge interference filter having a 5-8 nm wavelength cut-off edge transition provides the cut-off of the laser emission at the bottom end of the pyrometer response band.

Abstract: A laser beam is modulated at a very high frequency to produce uniform radiant flux densities on substrate surface processing regions during thermal processing. Beam modulation is achieved by passing the laser beam through a plasma which causes phase randomization within the laser beam. This method may be used for any application where intense, uniform illumination is desired, such as pulsed laser annealing, ablating, and wafer stepper illuminating.

Abstract: A thermal processing system includes a source of laser radiation emitting at a laser wavelength, beam projection optics disposed between the reflective surface and a substrate support capable of holding a substrate to be processed, a pyrometer responsive to a pyrometer wavelength, and a wavelength responsive optical element having a first optical path for light in a first wavelength range including the laser wavelength, the first optical path being between the source of laser radiation and the beam projection optics, and a second optical path for light in a second wavelength range including the pyrometer wavelength, the second optical path being between the beam projection optics and the pyrometer. The system can further include a pyrometer wavelength blocking filter between the source of laser radiation and the wavelength responsive optical element.

Abstract: A dynamic surface anneal apparatus for annealing a semiconductor workpiece has a workpiece support for supporting a workpiece, an optical source and scanning apparatus for scanning the optical source and the workpiece support relative to one another along a fast axis. The optical source includes an array of laser emitters arranged generally in successive rows of the emitters, the rows being transverse to the fast axis. Plural collimating lenslets overlie respective ones of the rows of emitters and provide collimation along the fast axis. The selected lenslets have one or a succession of optical deflection angles corresponding to beam deflections along the fast axis for respective rows of emitters. Optics focus light from the array of laser emitters onto a surface of the workpiece to form a succession of line beams transverse to the fast axis spaced along the fast axis in accordance with the succession of deflection angles.

Abstract: Apparatus for thermally processing a substrate includes a source of laser radiation comprising a plurality diode lasers arranged along a slow axis, optics directing the laser radiation from the source to the substrate, and an array of photodetectors arranged along a fast axis perpendicular to the slow axis and receiving portions of the laser radiation reflected from the substrate through the optics.

Abstract: A dynamic surface anneal apparatus for annealing a semiconductor workpiece has a workpiece support for supporting a workpiece, an optical source and scanning apparatus for scanning the optical source and the workpiece support relative to one another along a fast axis. The optical source includes an array of laser emitters arranged generally in successive rows of the emitters, the rows being transverse to the fast axis. Plural collimating lenslets overlie respective ones of the rows of emitters and provide collimation along the fast axis. The selected lenslets have one or a succession of optical deflection angles corresponding to beam deflections along the fast axis for respective rows of emitters. Optics focus light from the array of laser emitters onto a surface of the workpiece to form a succession of line beams transverse to the fast axis spaced along the fast axis in accordance with the succession of deflection angles.

Abstract: A laser beam is modulated at a very high frequency to produce uniform radiant flux densities on substrate surface processing regions during thermal processing. Beam modulation is achieved by passing the laser beam through a plasma which causes phase randomization within the laser beam. This method may be used for any application where intense, uniform illumination is desired, such as pulsed laser annealing, ablating, and wafer stepper illuminating.