Systems and methods for annealing semiconductor structures

• US 10,037,906 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2017
• Issued: 07/31/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Tsai, Chun-Hsiung, Fang, Zi-Wei, Wang, Chao-Hsiung
• Primary Examiner(s): Lebentritt, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Klein, Jordan
• Application Number:
  US15/639,055
• Publication Number:
  US 20170301572A1
• Time in Patent Office: 396 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/324 Thermal treatment for modifying the properties of semiconductor bodies, e.g. annealing, sintering H01L21/20 - H01L21/288 and H01L21/302 - H01L21/322 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67115 mainly by radiation
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/6482 combined with radiant heating, e.g. infrared heating
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/6491 combined with the use of susceptors H05B6/80 and subgroups takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/80 Apparatus for specific applications stoves or ranges F24C7/02
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/806 for laboratory use

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for annealing a semiconductor structure. In one embodiment, the method includes providing an energy-converting structure proximate a semiconductor structure, the energy-converting structure comprising a material having a loss tangent larger than that of the semiconductor structure; providing a heat reflecting structure between the semiconductor structure and the energy-converting structure; and providing microwave radiation to the energy-converting structure and the semiconductor structure. The semiconductor structure may include at least one material selected from the group consisting of boron-doped silicon germanium, silicon phosphide, titanium, nickel, silicon nitride, silicon dioxide, silicon carbide, n-type doped silicon, and aluminum capped silicon carbide. The heat reflecting structure may include a material substantially transparent to microwave radiation and having substantial reflectivity with respect to infrared radiation.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a radiation source for generating first radiation;

an energy-converting structure disposed over a semiconductor structure, the energy-converting structure configured to convert first radiation into second radiation; and

a second radiation reflecting structure positioned between the semiconductor structure and the energy-converting structure, wherein the second radiation reflecting structure reflects second radiation generated by the semiconductor structure back towards the semiconductor structure.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first radiation includes microwave radiation and the second radiation includes thermal radiation.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the second radiation reflecting structure includes a semiconductor substrate having dopants therein.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the second radiation reflecting structure includes a semiconductor substrate without having dopants therein.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the second radiation reflecting structure has a reflectivity of about 95% or greater with respect to the second radiation.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the energy-converting structure includes at least one material selected from the group consisting of boron-doped silicon germanium, silicon phosphide, titanium, nickel, silicon nitride, silicon dioxide, silicon carbide, n-type doped silicon, and aluminum cap silicon carbide.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the second radiation reflecting structure physically contacts the energy-converting structure.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising another energy-converting structure disposed under the semiconductor structure, the another energy-converting structure configured to convert first radiation into second radiation.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a metal shell at least partially surrounding the energy-converting structure and the second radiation reflecting structure.

10. A system comprising:

a first energy-converting structure disposed over a semiconductor structure;

a second energy-converting structure disposed below the semiconductor structure;

a thermal radiation reflecting structure arranged between the first energy-converting structure and the second energy-converting structure; and

a radiation source for generating radiation to anneal the semiconductor structure.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the thermal radiation reflecting structure physically contacts the first energy-converting structure.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the thermal radiation reflecting structure includes a semiconductor substrate.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the thermal radiation reflecting structure is transparent to radiation generated from the radiation source.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the first energy-converting structure is spaced apart from the semiconductor structure by a first distance and the second energy-converting structure is spaced apart from the semiconductor structure by a second distance that is different than the first distance.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the radiation source is a microwave radiation source,

wherein the first energy-converting structure is configured to convert microwave radiation into thermal radiation, and

wherein the thermal radiation reflecting structure reflects thermal radiation generated by the semiconductor structure back towards the semiconductor structure.

16. A method comprising:

providing a first energy-converting structure and a thermal radiation reflecting structure proximate a semiconductor structure such that the thermal radiation reflecting structure is between the semiconductor structure and the first energy-converting structure; and

providing radiation to the first energy-converting structure.

17. The method of claim 16, providing a second energy-converting structure proximate the semiconductor structure.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein providing the first energy-converting structure and the thermal radiation reflecting structure proximate the semiconductor structure includes positioning the first energy-converting structure a first distance away from the semiconductor structure, and

wherein providing the second energy-converting structure proximate the semiconductor structure includes positioning the second energy-converting structure a second distance away from the semiconductor structure, the second distance being different than the first distance.

19. The method of claim 16, positioning the first energy-converting structure closer to the semiconductor structure after providing radiation to the first energy-converting structure.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the thermal radiation reflecting structure is disposed directly on the first energy-converting structure.