Methods for determining wafer temperature
Granted: April 17, 2012
Patent Number:
8157439
Methods and apparatus for wafer temperature measurement and calibration of temperature measurement devices may be based on determining the absorption of a layer in a semiconductor wafer. The absorption may be determined by directing light towards the wafer and measuring light reflected from the wafer from below the surface upon which the incident light impinges. Calibration wafers and measurement systems may be arranged and configured so that light reflected at predetermined angles to…
Method and system for determining optical properties of semiconductor wafers
Granted: April 10, 2012
Patent Number:
8152365
A method and system are disclosed for determining at least one optical characteristic of a substrate, such as a semiconductor wafer. Once the optical characteristic is determined, at least one parameter in a processing chamber may be controlled for improving the process. For example, in one embodiment, the reflectivity of one surface of the substrate may first be determined at or near ambient temperature. From this information, the reflectance and/or emittance of the wafer during high…
Rapid thermal processing using energy transfer layers
Granted: March 20, 2012
Patent Number:
8138105
A method that is performed for heat treating a semiconductor wafer in a process chamber, as an intermediate part of an overall multi-step technique for processing the wafer, includes applying an energy transfer layer to at least a portion of the wafer, and exposing the wafer to an energy source in the process chamber in a way which subjects the wafer to a thermal profile such that the energy transfer layer influences at least one part of the thermal profile. The thermal profile has at…
Heating device for heating semiconductor wafers in thermal processing chambers
Granted: March 20, 2012
Patent Number:
8138451
An apparatus for heat treating semiconductor wafers is disclosed. The apparatus includes a heating device which contains an assembly of light energy sources for emitting light energy onto a wafer. The light energy sources can be placed in various configurations. In accordance with the present invention, tuning devices which are used to adjust the overall irradiance distribution of the light energy sources are included in the heating device. The tuning devices can be either active sources…
Endeffectors for handling semiconductor wafers
Granted: February 7, 2012
Patent Number:
8109549
Various endeffector designs are disclosed for handling semiconductor wafers. For instance, an endeffector for handling wafers at a relatively low temperature is disclosed along with an endeffector for handling wafers at a relatively high temperature. Both endeffectors include uniquely designed support members that are configured to only contact a wafer at the wafer's edge. The endeffectors may also include a wafer detection system. The endeffector for handling wafers at relatively low…
Advanced processing technique and system for preserving tungsten in a device structure
Granted: January 10, 2012
Patent Number:
8093157
Removing photoresist from a workpiece is described when a region of tungsten is exposed. A plasma is generated from a gas input consisting essentially of hydrogen gas and oxygen gas in a predetermined ratio. The plasma causes the photoresist to be removed from the workpiece while the region of tungsten is left substantially unmodified. The ratio of the hydrogen to oxygen can be adjusted to a particular value which causes the photoresist to be removed at about a maximum removal rate that…
Multi-workpiece processing chamber
Granted: November 29, 2011
Patent Number:
8066815
A multi-workpiece chamber includes at least two processing stations, for exposing workpieces to a treatment process. A partition cooperates with the chamber such that the partition is disengagably removable from the chamber and re-engagable with the chamber for selectively dividing the processing stations. The partition is configured to provide for non-line-of-sight travel of certain ones of the process related products between the processing stations. An exhaust arrangement divides…
Irradiance pulse heat-treating methods and apparatus
Granted: August 23, 2011
Patent Number:
8005351
A method of heat-treating a workpiece includes generating an initial heating portion and a subsequent sustaining portion of an irradiance pulse incident on a target surface area of the workpiece. A combined duration of the initial heating portion and the subsequent sustaining portion is less than a thermal conduction time of the workpiece. The initial heating portion heats the target surface area to a desired temperature and the subsequent sustaining portion maintains the target surface…
Pulsed processing semiconductor heating methods and associated system using combinations of heating sources
Granted: August 16, 2011
Patent Number:
8000587
Pulsed processing methods and systems for heating objects such as semiconductor substrates feature process control for multi-pulse processing of a single substrate, or single or multi-pulse processing of different substrates having different physical properties. Heat is applied a controllable way to the object during a background heating mode, thereby selectively heating the object to at least generally produce a temperature rise throughout the object during background heating. A first…
Method and system for thermally processing a plurality of wafer-shaped objects
Granted: July 12, 2011
Patent Number:
7977258
Process and system for processing wafer-shaped objects, such as semiconductor wafers is disclosed. In accordance with the present disclosure, a multiple of two wafers are processed in a thermal processing chamber. The thermal processing chamber is in communication with at least one heating device for heating the wafers. The wafers are placed in the thermal processing chamber in a face-to-face configuration or in a back-to-back configuration.
Determining the temperature of silicon at high temperatures
Granted: July 12, 2011
Patent Number:
7976216
The temperature of an object such as a semiconductor wafer that includes silicon can be determined based on the variation of the optical absorption coefficient of silicon with temperature. Temperatures above about 850° C., can be found by measuring phenomena that are affected by the magnitude of the optical absorption coefficient, especially at wavelengths >˜1 ?m. Phenomena could include measuring light reflected, transmitted, emitted, absorbed, or scattered by the wafer and…
Workpiece support with fluid zones for temperature control
Granted: July 5, 2011
Patent Number:
7972444
A workpiece support is disclosed defining a workpiece-receiving surface. The workpiece support includes a plurality of fluid zones. A fluid, such as a gas, is fed to the fluid zones for contact with a workpiece on the workpiece support. The fluid can have selected thermoconductivity characteristics for controlling the temperature of the workpiece at particular locations. In accordance with the present disclosure, at least certain of the fluid zones are at different azimuthal positions.…
System and process for calibrating pyrometers in thermal processing chambers
Granted: June 7, 2011
Patent Number:
7957926
A method and system for calibrating temperature measurement devices, such as pyrometers, in thermal processing chambers are disclosed. According to the present invention, the system includes a calibrating light source that emits light energy onto a substrate contained in the thermal processing chamber. A light detector then detects the amount of light that is being transmitted through the substrate. The amount of detected light energy is then used to calibrate a temperature measurement…
Post ion implant photoresist strip using a pattern fill and method
Granted: May 24, 2011
Patent Number:
7947605
A method is described for use in a system that removes an implant crust that is formed as an outermost layer of photoresist in a photoresist pattern that is supported by a workpiece. The photoresist pattern defines apertures which lead to an active device region. The active device region is formed by an ion implantation which produces the implant crust. A filler material is applied such that the filler material reaches a fill depth in each aperture. The workpiece and the filler material…
Heating configuration for use in thermal processing chambers
Granted: May 24, 2011
Patent Number:
7949237
An apparatus for heat treating semiconductor wafers is disclosed. The apparatus includes a heating device which contains an assembly linear lamps for emitting light energy onto a wafer. The linear lamps can be placed in various configurations. In accordance with the present invention, tuning devices which are used to adjust the overall irradiance distribution of the light energy sources are included in the heating device. The tuning devices can be, for instance, are lamps or lasers.
System and process for heating semiconductor wafers by optimizing absorption of electromagnetic energy
Granted: December 7, 2010
Patent Number:
7847218
An apparatus for heat treating semiconductor wafers is disclosed. The apparatus includes a heating device which contains an assembly linear lamps for emitting light energy onto a wafer. The linear lamps can be placed in various configurations. In accordance with the present invention, tuning devices which are used to adjust the overall irradiance distribution of the light energy sources are included in the heating device. The tuning devices can be, for instance, are lamps or lasers.
System and method for removal of photoresist in transistor fabrication for integrated circuit manufacturing
Granted: September 21, 2010
Patent Number:
7799685
In a technique for fabricating an integrated circuit to include an active device structure which supports an electrical interconnect structure, a photoresist layer is used prior to forming an electrical interconnect structure on the active device structure. The photoresist and related residues are removed by exposing the photoresist and exposed regions of the active device structure to one or more reactive species that are generated using a gas mixture including hydrogen gas, as a…
Apparatus and methods for producing electromagnetic radiation
Granted: August 24, 2010
Patent Number:
7781947
An apparatus for producing electromagnetic radiation includes a flow generator configured to generate a flow of liquid along an inside surface of an envelope, first and second electrodes configured to generate an electrical arc within the envelope to produce the electromagnetic radiation, and an exhaust chamber extending outwardly beyond one of the electrodes, configured to accommodate a portion of the flow of liquid. In another aspect, the flow generator is electrically insulated. In…
Optimizing the thermal budget during a pulsed heating process
Granted: June 29, 2010
Patent Number:
7745762
An approach for optimizing the thermal budget during a pulsed heating process is disclosed. A heat sink or thermal transfer plate is configured and positioned near an object, such as a semiconductor wafer, undergoing thermal treatment. The heat sink is configured to enhance the thermal transfer rate from the object so that the object is rapidly brought down from the peak temperature after an energy pulse. High thermally-conductive material may be positioned between the plate and the…
Selective reflectivity process chamber with customized wavelength response and method
Granted: June 15, 2010
Patent Number:
7737385
A customizable chamber spectral response is described which can be used at least to tailor chamber performance for wafer heating, wafer cooling, temperature measurement, and stray light. In one aspect, a system is described for processing a treatment object having a given emission spectrum at a treatment object temperature which causes the treatment object to produce a treatment object radiated energy. The chamber responds in a first way to the heating arrangement radiated energy and in…
