Abstract: An Active Energy Assist (AEA) baking chamber includes an AEA light source assembly and a heater pedestal. The AEA baking chamber further includes a controller for controlling a power input to the AEA light source assembly and a power input to the heater pedestal. A method of forming interconnects on a substrate includes etching a substrate and wet cleaning the etched substrate. The method further includes active energy assist (AEA) baking the substrate after the wet-cleaning. The AEA baking includes placing the substrate on a heater pedestal in an AEA chamber, exposing the substrate to light having a wavelength equal to or greater than 400 nm, wherein said light is emitted by a light source and controlling the light source and the heater pedestal using a controller.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to semiconductor wafer fabrication and more particularly but not exclusively to advanced process control methodologies for controlling oxide formation using pressure. The present invention, in one or more implementations, includes a pressure stabilization system to dynamically adjust scavenger pressure in a furnace during wafer fabrication in relation to a pressure formation range, value, or one or more pressure indicators in a wafer fabrication process.

Abstract: A manufacturing method for a semiconductor device including: determining pattern dependency of a radiation factor of an element forming surface of one wafer having a predetermined pattern formed on the wafer; determining a heating surface of the wafer, based on the pattern dependency of the radiation factor; holding the one wafer having the determined heating surface and another wafer having a determined heating surface, spaced at a predetermined distance in such a manner that non-heating surfaces of the one wafer and the another wafer oppose to each other; and heating the each heating surface of the one wafer and the another wafer.

Abstract: Disclosed is a heat treatment unit 4 serving as a heat treatment apparatus, which includes a chamber 42 for containing a wafer W on which a low dielectric constant interlayer insulating film is formed, a formic acid supply device 44 for supplying gaseous formic acid into the chamber 42, and a heater 43 for heating the wafer W in the chamber 42 which is supplied with formic acid by the formic acid supply device 44.

Abstract: In general, the system provides for soft baking a semiconductor wafer so that photoresist layers on the wafer are free of surface voids or craters. In particular, the system provides for manufacturing a semiconductor wafer having no photoresist craters at the completion of a two-step post-apply resist bake (soft bake) in the fabrication of an integrated circuit. In the system, the semiconductor wafer is coated with resist and then baked at both a low-bake temperature and a high-bake temperature. It is theorized that the lower temperature bake either hardens the resist layer before trapped air expands through the resist or displaces the trapped air while the resist layer remains fluid and returns to its conformal shape.

Abstract: A method is described for repairing failure points, regions or locations in an electronic device to have a perfect function when a semiconductor device including an LCD of other electronic device has defects. Described is a method of transferring a single or multi-layer thin film piece into a recess with the physical properties of the thin film piece unchanged. An electronic device is described incorporating a substrate; and a plurality of thin films laminated on the substrate and part of the thin films are formed on a predetermined circuit pattern, wherein a transfer film for repairing a defect is fitted into a recess where the low layers of the thin films are exposed by removing part of a single or multi-layer thin films covering a defective portion included on the thin films and its surrounding portion.

Abstract: A system and method for providing substantially defect free rapid thermal processing. The present invention includes a wafer processing system used to process semiconductor wafers into electronic devices. In accordance with the present invention, once the wafer is processed, a shield can be inserted into the reactor to a position between the reactor heating surface and the wafer. The shield causes the temperature of the wafer to be reduced. Once the temperature of the wafer has been reduced to below a predetermined critical temperature, the robot picks up the wafer and removes the wafer from the processing chamber.

Abstract: An apparatus that includes a pumping plate having a skirt, where the skirt contains a number of holes and a wafer access slot, and where the number of holes are sized and positioned to provide uniform heating of a susceptor.

Abstract: Methods of optimizing a preheat recipe for rapid thermal processing workpieces are provided. In one aspect, a method of manufacturing is provided that includes preheating a rapid thermal processing chamber according to a preheating recipe and processing a first plurality of workpieces in the rapid thermal processing chamber. Parameter measurements are performed on a first workpiece and a second workpiece of the first plurality of workpieces. The parameter measurements are indicative of processing differences between the first and second workpieces. An output signal is formed corresponding to the parameter measurements and a control signal based on the output signal is used to adjust the preheating recipe for preheating the rapid thermal processing chamber for processing a second plurality of workpieces in the rapid thermal processing chamber to reduce processing differences between first and second workpieces of the second plurality of workpieces.

Abstract: A firing apparatus for a green ceramic compact including: a furnace; and a firing tube provided in the furnace with a given space from the side wall of the furnace. The bottom end of the firing tube can be placed on a first stage loaded with a casing containing the green ceramic compact so as to substantially close the casing, the firing tube having a space for firing the green ceramic compact therein and being formed from a highly heat-conductive material.

Abstract: A horizontal-type silicon-nitride furnace (HOSINF) having two tubes is provided. The HOSINF includes an outer tube and an inner tube. One end of the outer tube is coupled to a pump. The other end of the outer tube can be well sealed by a door through a flange. The inner tube is located inside the outer tube. The inner tube has a closed end and an opened end, in which the opened end is near to the door, and the closed end is near to the pump. The inner tube includes a first gas inlet and a second gas inlet. Desired reaction gases are flushed into the inner tube from the first inlet and the second inlet. The inner tube surrounds a paddle carrying several wafers, on which a silicon nitride layer is to be formed. The paddle is mounted on the door. A heater is located on a side periphery of the outer tube.

Abstract: A method of sintering ceramic formed bodies, in which a container for sintering is disposed in a sintering space of a sintering furnace, and atmospheric gas is introduced from an atmospheric gas inlet port provided on a bottom surface of the container for sintering into a large number of ceramic formed bodies piled up in the container for sintering, thereby to sinter the large number of ceramic formed bodies piled upon each other while introducing the atmospheric gas into spaces between the ceramic formed bodies.

Abstract: A method of sintering ceramic formed bodies, in which a container for sintering is disposed in a sintering space of a sintering furnace, and atmospheric gas is introduced from an atmospheric gas inlet port provided on a bottom surface of the container for sintering into a large number of ceramic formed bodies piled up in the container for sintering, thereby to sinter the large number of ceramic formed bodies piled upon each other, while introducing the atmospheric gas into spaces between the ceramic formed bodies.

Abstract: A reverberatory furnace for melting aluminum or other metals which includes a preheater (12) which utilizes exhaust flue gasses from the furnace (10) to preheat the metal before it enters the furnace. A set of horizontal flue ducts (18, 20, 22) conduct the flue gasses to a preheater chamber (26) where they heat the metal. An air entrance port (50) is provided in the preheater chamber (26) to allow secondary combustion of the volatile flue gasses for additional efficiency.

Abstract: A preheating apparatus for preheating the material, such as scrap, to be charged into steel making equipment with the heat of exhaust gas from the equipment. The apparatus comprises a plurality of preheating units for dischargeably accommodating the charge. The preheating units are connected together in series by ducts to pass the exhaust gas through the units in series and preheat the charge in the units.

Abstract: A side for a furnace used in the manufacture of silicon carbide from silicon dioxide and carbon comprises a plurality of gates which are removably affixed to the furnace or plant floor. Each gate has a base portion intended to be supported by a plant floor and a plurality of upstanding supports. Affixed to each of the upstanding supports are a series of vanes which vanes are sloped downwardly and inwardly toward the center line of the furnace. The width, configuration and vertical spacing between vertically adjacent vanes are all chosen such that the silica sand and carbon mixture cannot flow outwardly through the side of the furnace under the effects of gravity while at the same time gases produced during the reaction may flow readily outwardly through the furnace sides.