Abstract: An infrared furnace system provides for adjusting the amount of time a workpiece spends in a respective section of the furnace while at the same time minimizing the footprint, i.e., the amount of floor space that the furnace uses. Various embodiments allow for optimizing the required thermal duration of each section which then also optimizes the heating and/or cooling profile within each section. Transfer conveyors are provided to transfer a workpiece from one conveyor operating at a first speed to a second conveyor operating at a second speed, different from the first speed in order to prevent damage to the workpiece. Rollers are provided to support the workpiece and to maintain a proper orientation. A heating lamp support assembly provides power to the lamp and facilitates exchange and replacement of the lamp. An air delivery system provides process gas maintained at the correct temperature. An exhaust system provides air flow with improved turnover and reduced noise considerations.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally relate to apparatuses for chemical vapor deposition (CVD) processes. In one embodiment, a heating lamp assembly for a vapor deposition reactor system is provided which includes a lamp housing disposed on an upper surface of a support base and containing a first lamp holder and a second lamp holder and a plurality of lamps extending from the first lamp holder to the second lamp holder. The plurality of lamps may have split filament lamps and/or non-split filament lamps, and in some examples, split and non-split filament may be alternately disposed between the first and second lamp holders. A reflector may be disposed on the upper surface of the support base between the first and second lamp holders. The reflector may contain gold or a gold alloy.

Abstract: A processing gas is prevented from entering into a space below a placement table. A supporting surface 62 for supporting the lower face of a placement table 58 is provided at an inner circumferential portion of the upper end of a support 56. A circumferentially extending purge gas groove 64 is formed outside the supporting surface 62, in an intermediate circumferential portion of the upper end of the support 56. A narrow flow path 68 is provided outside the purge gas groove 64, at a position corresponding to an outer circumferential portion of the upper end of the support 56. A purge gas fed from purge gas-feeding means 66 into the purge gas groove diffuses in the circumferential direction in the purge gas groove 64 and flows out to the outside from the narrow flow path 68. Such a flow of the purge gas prevents a processing gas from entering into the purge gas groove 64 and a space S1 below the placement table.

Abstract: A light irradiation heating process in which, even in the case of an asymmetrical physical property of an article to be treated, uniform heating is possible, or in which heating can be performed such that the article acquires a desired physical property after heat treatment. Based on the measured value of the local physical property of the article to be treated, the emissivity distribution is obtained and the distribution pattern of the light intensity on the article to be treated is determined. According to this light intensity pattern, the individual intensity of the light emitted from respective light emitting parts of lamp units of the heating device are determined beforehand. According to this determined result, the intensity of the light emitted from the respective light emitting parts of the lamp units are controlled individually, and thus, the article to be treated is irradiated with light.

Abstract: A light fixture (10) is provided having a housing (11), a light diffusor (12), a light source (13), and a heating source (14). The housing includes a mounting plate (17) adapted to be mounted to the ceiling of a structure in conventional fashion. The mounting plate includes a radial array of mounting arms (18) which form air intake openings (19) therebetween. The mounting plate is coupled to a tubular flow channel (21) having a central passage (22) extending therethrough. The bottommost portion of the flow channel includes threaded neck (24). A threaded locking plate (28) rotatably mates with the threaded neck. The locking plate includes a radial array of exhaust openings (32) extending therethrough. The heat source includes a heating element (38) and a motorized fan (39).

Abstract: Method of heating a plastic preform (1) for the manufacture of a container by forming it from the preform (1), this method comprising: a step of transporting the preform (1) along a predetermined path with rotation of the preform (1) about its axis (A); and a step of heating the preform (1) along said path by means of infrared radiation sources (11), wherein the intensity of the emitted radiation is regulated along the path so as to heat selectively at least one angular section (7, 7a, 7b) of the preform (1).

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for toasting a barrel, in particular, toasting the inside surface of an oak wine barrel. The invention is intended for use in a mobile wine barrel reconditioning system, however, may equally well be used in the manufacture of new barrels. The toasting apparatus includes a plurality of radially disposed infrared heating elements configured to be insertable and removable from inside said barrel, and a means of rotatably oscillating said heating means by a predetermined angle to facilitate uniform heating of said inside surface.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally contemplate an apparatus and method for monitoring and controlling the temperature of a substrate during processing. One embodiment of the apparatus and method takes advantage of an infrared camera to obtain the temperature profile of multiple regions or the entire surface of the substrate and a system controller to calculate and coordinate in real time an optimized strategy for reducing any possible temperature non-uniformity found on the substrate during processing.

Abstract: An oven using radiant heat at infrared wavelengths optimized for producing rapid and uniform cooking of a wide variety of foods. The infrared oven toasts, bakes, broils, and reheats food at a much faster speed while maintaining high quality in taste and appearance of the cooked food. Optimal infrared wavelengths of the radiant heat sources are used for the best balance of cooking performance, while also reducing the time required to cook the food. Typically short to medium wavelength infrared radiant energy will result in good performance for toasting and browning of food. Medium to long wavelength infrared radiant energy is well suited for delivering more deeply penetrating radiant energy into the food. This deep penetration of radiant infrared heat energy results in a more thorough internal cooking of the food than with conventional methods of conduction and convection cooking.

Abstract: A filament lamp has a bulb comprised of a straight light emitting tube from which a pair of flat hermetically sealed portions extend, a plurality of coiled filaments arranged within the light emitting tube, in the tube axis direction a pair of internal leads are connected to ends of the filament by a respective one of a plurality of metal foils that are embedded in the hermetically sealed portions, and external leads are connected to the metal foils. The width of metal foils embedded in the hermetically sealed portions is increased so as not to cause them to melt even when an electric current to be supplied to the filament lamp is increased, the hermetically sealed portions being made wider than the external diameter of the light emitting tube and the width between outer margins of the metal foils in a direction at right angles of the tube axis is greater than the internal diameter of the light emitting tube.

Abstract: An apparatus for decorating includes a kiln provided with a heating chamber for receiving the objects and a carriage for transferring the objects from a more distant position from the chamber to a position nearer to the chamber. The carriage includes a resting arrangement for restingly receiving the objects and configured to serve as a bottom of the heating chamber in the nearer position.

Abstract: A heating body is provided. The heating body includes a tube, a heating member disposed in the tube, and a supporting unit disposed along a length of the tube to maintain a predetermined space between the tube and the heating member.

Abstract: Temperature control in an RTP system can be improved by consideration of one or more witness structures different from the wafer (or other semiconductor object) being processed. For example, power coupling between the RTP heating system and witness structure can be used to adjust one or more control parameters, such as model definitions, that are used by the RTP system to control wafer heating. As another example, a stored trajectory of a desired witness structure temperature or other property can be used as a basis for control during a processing cycle. Thus, the witness structure may be controlled “closed-loop” while the wafer is heated “open-loop.” As a further example, a heat flux between the RTP heating system and witness structure can be used to determine radiant energy from the heating system that is incident on the witness structure. One or more control actions can be taken based on this incident energy.

Abstract: A light emission type heating apparatus comprises a first lamp unit which includes two or more lamps, in which at least one of the lamps includes two or more filaments in its light emission bulb, and intensity of light emitted from each filament is independently controlled, and a second lamp unit which is made up of two or more lamps, and wherein the lamps of the first lamp unit are grouped, in each of which a filament of at least one of the lamps and a filament of another one of the lamps are arranged to form groups, wherein a temperature of the workpiece is detected, and electric power to be applied to each of the groups of filaments is controlled based on the detected temperature of the workpiece.

Abstract: An impurity-activating thermal process is performed after a target is subjected to an impurity introduction step. In this thermal process, while a spike RTA process including a holding period for holding a temperature at a predetermined temperature is performed, at least one iteration of millisecond annealing at a temperature higher than the predetermined temperature is performed during the holding period of the spike RTA process.

Abstract: A handheld heating tool has a pair of elliptical reflectors with the major axes of the ellipses being at an acute angle to each other and intersecting in a focal region including one focus of each ellipse. A pair of incandescent bulbs are mounted so that each bulb filament is at the other focus of one of the elliptical reflectors. Thus, radiant energy from both bulbs is concentrated at the focal region. This focal region lies in a channel at the front of the housing of the tool. An object to be heated lying in the channel receives radiant energy from the lamps and reflectors. A blower directs cooling air toward the reflectors and along different paths within the housing to exit through the channel. One such path is between the outside of the reflectors and adjacent reflector shields.

Abstract: The invention provides a heating apparatus which has a high heating efficiency, can locally heat a part to be heated, can achieve a rated temperature for an extremely short time after starting the heating, reduces a large rush current and flicker at a time of lighting, has a long service life, and can correspond to a plurality of modes having different heating widths, an infrared ray lamp suitable for the heating apparatus, and a high reliable electronic apparatus having the above-mentioned heating apparatus. The infrared ray lamp in accordance with the invention seals one or a plurality of heat generating elements in a glass tube, the heat generating elements having a shape extending in a longitudinal direction at a fixed width and an opening part extending substantially in a longitudinal direction provided only in a part in the longitudinal direction.

Abstract: Light irradiation type heat treatment device composed of a plurality of lamps, including multi-filament lamps, the filaments of which can be independently supplied with power. The filaments are divided into a plurality of filament groups composed of filaments of one lamp put together with filaments of other lamps. Power control units are provided for each group, and drive units are provided corresponding to the power control units. The drive units adjust the electric power supplied from the power supply according to a command from the power control units to supply power to each filament belonging to the group. In a preferred arrangement, the plurality of lamps are arranged in parallel with at least one filament within each lamp having a length so as to form a concentric circle with filaments of other lamps arranged in parallel and the filaments forming the concentric circle are divided into a plurality of filament groups.

Abstract: Filament lamps whose individual filament coils can be set to specific temperatures in filament lamps that are supplied with electric power independently and to provide a heat treatment device of the light irradiation type that uses said lamps. Inside of a light emitting tube of each lamp, which has the hermetically sealed portions at each end, are multiple filament modules which have been made by linking pairs of leads which supply electrical power to both ends of coiled filaments and individual filaments that are placed so that they extend along the axis of the light emitting tube. In the electrically connected filament lamps, whose individual leads are connected to the respective electrically conductive material placed in the hermetically sealed portions, at least one of the individual filaments is made up of a single wire and at least two are made up of bundled wires with the single wire being located between the bundled wires.

Abstract: A furnace of controlled heating and treatment of material using infrared radiation. The furnace is capable of continuous infrared treating of material with consistent radiation being applied to the material, ease of access to the furnace for maintenance cleaning and repair, excellent control of radiant cooling of the material to be treated, and ease of maintenance of a volatile component condenser.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods of thermally treating a wafer or other substrate, such as rapid thermal processing (RTP) apparatus and methods are disclosed. An array of radiant lamps directs radiation to the back side of a wafer to heat the wafer. In one or more embodiments, the front side of the wafer on which the patterned integrated circuits are being formed faces a radiant reflector. In one or more embodiments, the wafer is thermally monitored for temperature and reflectivity from the side of the reflector.

Abstract: A radiant shield and a furnace employing a radiant shield for controlled heating and treatment of material using infrared radiation. The furnace is capable of improved temperature control where material treated by the furnace may interfere with the quality of a measured temperature signal and temperature control based on that signal.

Abstract: To provide a filament lamp and light irradiation type heat treatment device that eliminates device-by-device variation of the irradiation-intensity distribution on the article to be treated, a filament lamp (1) has multiple filament assemblies (41 to 45) with coiled filaments (411 to 451) connected to leads (412a to 452a, 412b to 452b) that supply electrical power to the filaments arranged within a tubular bulb (3), which is formed with hermetic seal areas (2a, 2b), extending along the bulb axis of the bulb, with power being supplied to each filament independently by electrical connection of the leads of the filament assemblies to multiple conductive parts (81a to 85a, 81b to 85b) located in the seal areas, and in which the leads (412a to 452a, 412b to 452b) of the filament assemblies (41 to 45) are inserted through the inside of the filaments (411 to 451).

Abstract: A filament lamp includes multiple filament assemblies having filaments connected to paired leads, arrayed in order within a light emitting tube and following a tube axis thereof. Each lead is electrically connected in a seal area. Each filament is powered independently. The light emitting tube includes insulating walls or inner tubes between the filaments and leads that have openings through which the leads pass, and located along the tube axis in proximity to the inner wall of the light emitting tube. Multiple lead accommodation spaces corresponding to the number of leads are provided in the light emitting tube by the insulating walls with each lead passing through an opening in the insulating wall and placed without short circuits in its lead accommodation space.

Abstract: Disclosed is a quartz heater tube module in which the individual quartz heater tube proper has a first and a second coverings covered on the outer surface of the glass tube. The first covering is provided with a first electrode in electrical connection with an electrode of the quartz heater tube proper; and the second covering is provided with a second electrode in electrical connection with the other electrode of the quartz heater tube proper. In this manner, the quartz heater tube proper is securely protected by the aforesaid two coverings from breaking with an external impact. A plurality of tube propers can be connected in series or parallel by adaptive sleeves so as to form an impact resistant quartz heater tube module.

Abstract: Flash lamps connected to short-pulse circuits and flash lamps connected to long-pulse circuits are alternately arranged in a line. The duration of light emission from the flash lamps connected to the long-pulse circuits is longer than the duration of light emission from the flash lamps connected to the short-pulse circuits. A superimposing of a flash of light with a high peak intensity from the flash lamps that emit light for a short time and a flash of light with a gentle peak from the flash lamps that emit light for a long time can increase the temperature of even a deep portion of a substrate to an activation temperature or more without heating a shallow portion near the substrate surface more than necessary. This achieves the activation of deep junctions without causing substrate warpage or cracking.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for achieving uniform heating or cooling of a substrate during a rapid thermal process are disclosed. More particularly, apparatus and methods for controlling the temperature of an edge ring supporting a substrate and/or a reflector plate during a rapid thermal process to improve temperature uniformity across the substrate are disclosed, which include a thermal mass or plate adjacent the edge ring to heat or cool the edge ring.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention include a heated load lock chamber. In one embodiment, a heated load lock chamber includes a chamber body having a plurality of lamp assembles disposed at least partially therein. Each lamp assembly includes a transmissive tube housing a lamp. The transmissive tube extends into the chamber body and provides a pressure barrier isolating the lamp from the interior volume of the load lock chamber. In another embodiment, an open end of the transmissive tube extends through a sidewall of the chamber body. A closed end of the transmissive tube is surrounded by the interior volume of the chamber body and is supported below a top of the chamber body in a spaced apart relation. The open end of the tube is sealed to the sidewall of the chamber body such that the interior of the tube is open to atmosphere.

Abstract: The device is a seat trim heater. It employs electric infrared lamps to heat the seat trim before the trim is placed over the frame and cushion material of the seat. The device consists of a basic frame on which the trim is placed. The frame is made from a series of adjustable fabricated parts. Within this frame are infrared heaters and reflectors. The reflectors can direct the infrared heat both to the front and back so that the whole seat trim can be heated. Integral to the system is the control box that controls the heating of the seat trim. The seat trim heater uses instant on/off T-3 quartz lamps. The control box consists of a control panel that is NEMA rated, a disconnect switch, appropriate fusing, a SCR and appropriate circuitry. Further, the control panel allows the heat to be infinitely variable.

Abstract: A rapid thermal processing apparatus comprises a processing chamber which subjects a semiconductor substrate to rapid thermal processing. A substrate support part is arranged in the processing chamber and supports the substrate. A lamp part optically irradiates the substrate supported by the substrate support part and heats the substrate. A thermo sensor is provided to measure a temperature of the substrate. A temperature computing part computes the temperature of the substrate based on an output signal of the thermo sensor. A control part controls an irradiation intensity of the lamp part according to the temperature computed by the temperature computing part. In this apparatus, the control part is provided to correct a control parameter of the irradiation intensity of the lamp part based on a measured reflectivity of a surface of the substrate.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method for easily forming a polycrystalline semiconductor thin-film, such as polycrystalline silicon having high crystallinity and high quality, or a single crystalline semiconductor thin-film at inexpensive cost, the crystalline semiconductor thin-film having a large area, and to provide an apparatus for processing the method described above.

Abstract: A portable barbecue box includes a cooking chamber, a heating tube a plurality of sticks, a mechanical compartment and a motor. The heating tube is disposed inside the cooking chamber. A plurality of slots are provided on one side of the chamber so as to hold the sticks in place. The motor, disposed in the compartment, may be turned on so that the sticks with food on may be rotated around. The output axle of the motor is connected with a set of cogwheels, which includes a plurality of cogwheels. The cogwheels may mesh with each other or a transmission wheel may be provided between each pair of the cogwheels. A positioning piece is provided on each cogwheel, and a positioning hole is centrally provided on each positioning piece. Whence, the proximal end and distal end of each stick may be positioned in a slot and a positioning hole, respectively.

Abstract: An improved apparatus is provided for curing powdered coatings on the face of porous wood products, such as medium density fiberboard (MDF), wherein a pair of inclined infrared catalytic heaters are used to apply heat directly onto the side edges of the board. In addition, catalytic heaters that are normally used to heat and cure the face surface of the board are moved father back to reduce their effectiveness and to limit out-gassing of entrapped air from the inner low density core of the board. This arrangement also allows the coating to cure at the side edges of the board at approximately the same rate as the face of the board, promoting a more uniform curing of the powder coating.

Abstract: A device for thermally treating semiconductor wafers having at least one silicon layer to be oxidized and a metal layer, preferably a tungsten layer, which is not to be oxidized. The inventive device comprises the following: at least one radiation source; a treatment chamber receiving the substrate, with at least one wall part located adjacent to the radiation sources and which is substantially transparent for the radiation of said radiation source; and at least one cover plate between the substrate and the wall part of the treatment chamber located adjacent to the radiation sources, the dimensions of said cover plate being selected such that it fully covers the transparent wall part of the treatment chamber in relation to the substrate in order to prevent material, comprising a metal, metal oxide or metal hydroxide such as tungsten, tungsten oxide or tungsten hydroxide, from said substrate from becoming deposited on or evaporating onto the transparent wall part of the treatment chamber.

Abstract: A pipe heating assembly includes a housing that has a pair of openings extending therethrough. The openings are axially aligned. A light emitter is hingedly attached to the housing and is selectively positioned in a first position facing inward of the housing or in a second position facing outwardly of the housing. A pipe may be positioned in the housing and heated by the light emitter.

Abstract: A magnetic ring of ferromagnetic is attached to a wire for supplying electric power to a flash lamp. The magnetic ring is removable and is easily attachable to and detachable from the wire. When turning on the flash lamp, a high electrical current momentarily flows through the wire and intense magnetic fields occur around the wire, so that the magnetic ring attached around the wire is momentarily magnetized. As the result, induced electromotive force is generated and the current momentarily flowing through the wire is weakened, so that the irradiation intensity of the flash lamp is slightly lowered. In contrast, if desired to slightly increase the irradiation intensity of the flash lamp, the magnetic ring may be detached from the wire.

Abstract: An infrared welder for thermoplastic materials comprising the combination of a halogen lamp producing illumination in the infrared band located at the focal point of a first parabolic reflector. The parabolic reflector is joined in a substantially continuous fashion with a non-imaging lower reflector such as a Winston cone or a “CPC” having a lower aperture through which essentially all of the radiation from the source is directed. The aperture defines the shape and size of the weld area. The lower reflector may be brought into contact with the thermoplastic materials during the welding operation. Alternatively, a selectively operable press device may be used. Several embodiments are disclosed including embodiments which produce circular spot welds, linear welds, curved welds and corner welds.

Abstract: The present invention relates to heating systems for umbrella-shaped structures. The heating system may include a shroud or umbrella-shaped structure defining an inner volume, and a plurality of electrical infrared heating elements positioned generally downward facing in the inner volume of the shroud. The shroud may include radially extending support structures to which the heating elements are mounted.

Abstract: An improved support is provided for locating a lamp filament axially within a lamp sleeve. The illustrated support is a spiral coil that includes a small diameter center portion that makes contact with the filament. On either side of the filament-contacting portion, the coil opens up to larger diameters for contacting the inner wall of the quartz sleeve within which the filament is housed. The support thus appears H-shaped when viewed from the side. A lamp filament is also provided with expansion compensation sections at either end of a central section. The filament wire in the compensation sections is wound into coils having a greater diameter and also a greater spacing between windings, as compared to coil in the central section. The expansion compensation sections are preferably capable of compressing and thereby absorbing thermal expansion of the filament during operation, without shorting the filament across adjacent windings.

Abstract: A radiant source for heating a workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer includes a plurality of radiant heating elements, arranged in an array that is generally concentric about a source center axis. A reflector has a reflecting surface that bounds a cavity or channel that contains the heating elements, the reflector comprising walls that extend around the center axis and that are finished for reflecting radiant energy emitted by the heating elements to a region occupied by a wafer. The channel reflecting surfaces comprise at least a part of a plane and/or cylinder and/or a cone and/or a convex to the heating elements curved surface of revolution bordering or spanning two or more adjacent heating elements.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing a semiconductor substrate, including a process chamber having a plurality of walls and a substrate support to support the substrate within the process chamber. A radiative heat source is positioned outside the process chamber to heat the substrate through the walls when the substrate is positioned on the substrate support. In some embodiments, lenses are positioned between the heat source and the substrate to focus or diffuse radiation from the heat source and thereby selectively alter the radiation intensity incident on certain portions of the substrate. In other embodiments, diffusing surfaces are positioned between the heat source and the substrate to diffuse radiation from the heat source and thereby selectively reduce the radiation intensity incident on certain portions of the substrate.

Abstract: A heat treatment apparatus achieves a uniform and rapid temperature rise of an object to be processed. A plurality of double-end lamps heat the object to be processed so as to apply a heat treatment process to the object. A plurality of reflectors reflect radiation heat of the double-end lamps toward the object to be processed. Each of the double-end lamps includes a rectilinear light-emitting part and at least two double-end lamps among the plurality of double-end lamps are arranged along a longitudinal direction of the light-emitting part, or each of the double-end lamps includes a rectilinear light-emitting part and the plurality of double-end lamps are arranged so that the light-emitting parts are parallel to each other and positioned in at least two stages.

Abstract: A magnetic ring of ferromagnetic is attached to a wire for supplying electric power to a flash lamp. The magnetic ring is removable and is easily attachable to and detachable from the wire. When turning on the flash lamp, a high electrical current momentarily flows through the wire and intense magnetic fields occur around the wire, so that the magnetic ring attached around the wire is momentarily magnetized. As the result, induced electromotive force is generated and the current momentarily flowing through the wire is weakened, so that the irradiation intensity of the flash lamp is slightly lowered. In contrast, if desired to slightly increase the irradiation intensity of the flash lamp, the magnetic ring may be detached from the wire.

Abstract: In a flash emitting device, a flash from the plurality of flash discharge lamps is emitted on a work piece. The flash emitting device has a plurality of flash discharge lamps arranged in parallel including side flash discharge lamps located on sides of the flash emitting device and center flash discharge lamps located at the center portion of the flash emitting device, side main condensers, each of which is connected to one of the side flash discharge lamps, and center main condensers, each of which is connected to one of the center flash discharge lamps, wherein a voltage to which the side main condensers is charged is higher than that to which the center main condensers are charged.

Abstract: A radiant source for heating a workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer including a plurality of radiant heating elements, arranged in an array that is generally concentric about a source center axis. A reflector has a reflecting surface that bounds a cavity or channel that contains the heating elements, said reflector comprising walls that extend around the center axis and that are finished for reflecting radiant energy emitted by the heating elements to a region occupied by a wafer. The channel reflecting surfaces comprise at least a part of a plane and/or cylinder and/or a cone and/or a convex to said heating elements curved surface of revolution bordering or spanning two or more adjacent heating elements.

Abstract: A radiant energy device for shrinking a thin film onto an open top of a container, the radiant energy device comprising: a source of power, to provide power to the radiant energy device; a plurality of fixed energy-emitting units, each of the units when energized being configured to emit radiant energy towards the shrinking film on said open top of the container; and a switching means, operatively connected between the source of power and each of the energy-emitting units, to independently activate at least two groups of the energy-emitting units; wherein, a first group of the energy-emitting units partially shrinks the thin film onto the container, and a second group finishes the shrinking.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and to a device for thermally treating objects. The aim of the invention is to facilitate a better control of the temperature profile of an object to be thermally treated. To this end, the invention provides a method and a device for thermally treating an object in a heating system, especially for treating semiconductor wafers (2) in a rapid heating system (1). The objects are thermally treated at a predetermined temperature progression and the temperature of the object is controlled via a PID control and a feedforward control that are based on a simulation model of the heating system and the object. Said model consists of individual models of components of the heating system and/or the object. The parameters of at least one of the individual models are monitored during the thermal treatment and the model is adapted to the monitored parameters.

Abstract: The present technique provides a system and method for curing a material, such as a finish coating. The system may have a closed-loop control coupled to an infrared curing device, wherein the closed-loop control is adapted to terminate a cure cycle if temperature feedback indicates an unresponsive over-bake or under-bake condition.

Abstract: A heating device infrared radiation lamps 24, 26 designed to perform rapid thermal processing of the substrate 12 inside a reaction chamber 14 with a transparent window 34. The infrared lamps 24, 26 are arranged in two superposed stages A, B extending on a single side of the substrate 12, the lamps 24 of the lower stage A being arranged perpendicularly with respect to the lamps 26 of the upper stage B. Adjusting the supply power by of lamps for greater heating on the edges than in the center of the substrate 12. A reflector 36 in the form of a distribution grid 38 is designed to reflect the infrared radiation to control the power ratios between the different heating zones. This results in uniform heating of the substrate 12 regardless of the geometry and dimensions thereof.

Abstract: A rapid thermal anneal (RTA) chamber having one or multiple openings in a chamber wall and a reflective index monitor in the opening or openings, respectively. The reflective index monitor or monitors each measures the infrared reflective index of the reflector plate of the rapid thermal anneal chamber, and sends a corresponding signal to a process controller, an alarm, or both a process controller and an alarm. In the event that the measured reflective index of the reflector plate deviates from the reflective index of a control, the process controller terminates heating operation of the chamber to prevent damage to the semiconductor wafer in the chamber. The alarm may be activated to alert personnel to the need for immediate replacement of the contaminated reflector plate.