Scanning laser light source

• US 20070114214A1
• Filed: 09/15/2006
• Published: 05/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Yam, Mark, O'Brien, Paul, Behrens, Vernon, Goldin, Alexander, Jennings, Dean, Mayur, Abhilash, Tertitski, Leonid
• Application Number:
  US11/522,179
• Publication Number:
  US 20070114214A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/121.830
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2101/34 Coated articles , e.g. plated or painted; Surface treated articles
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2101/40 Semiconductor devices
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/08 Non-ferrous metals or alloys
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/50 Inorganic material, e.g. metals, not provided for in B23K2103/02 – B23K2103/26
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/032 using optical means
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/034 Observing the temperature of the workpiece
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/04 Automatically aligning, aiming or focusing the laser beam, e.g. using the back-scattered light
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0608 in the same heat affected zone [HAZ] B23K26/0613, B23K26/0619 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/064 by means of optical elements, e.g. lenses, mirrors or prisms
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0643 comprising mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0648 comprising lenses
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0652 comprising prisms
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0665 by beam condensation on the workpiece, e.g. for focusing
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0738 into a linear shape
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/082 Scanning systems, i.e. devices involving movement of the laser beam relative to the laser head
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/083 Devices involving movement of the workpiece in at least one axial direction
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0838 by using an endless conveyor belt
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0869 Devices involving movement of the laser head in at least one axial direction
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/123 in an atmosphere of particular gases
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/125 of mixed gases
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/142 : for the removal of by-products
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/32 : taking account of the properties of the material involved
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/34 : Laser welding for purposes other than joining
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/705 : Beam measuring device
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/047 : using irradiation by energy or particles
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/481 : by radiant heating of the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 8/00 : Solid state diffusion of only non-metal elements into metallic material surfaces diffusion of silicon C23C10/00; Chemical surface treatment of metallic material by reaction of the surface with a reactive gas, leaving reaction products of surface material in the coating, e.g. conversion coatings, passivation of metals C23C14/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 8/10 : Oxidising
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 8/22 : of ferrous surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0955 : Lenses lenses per se G02B3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/00 : Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02381 : Silicon, silicon germanium, germanium
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0242 : Crystalline insulating materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02422 : Non-crystalline insulating materials, e.g. glass, polymers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02678 : Beam shaping, e.g. using a mask
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02683 : Continuous wave laser beam
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02691 : Scanning of a beam
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67115 : mainly by radiation

Abstract

The thermal processing device includes a stage, a continuous wave electromagnetic radiation source, a series of lenses, a translation mechanism, a detection module, a three-dimensional auto-focus, and a computer system. The stage is configured to receive a substrate thereon. The continuous wave electromagnetic radiation source is disposed adjacent the stage, and is configured to emit continuous wave electromagnetic radiation along a path towards the substrate. The series of lenses is disposed between the continuous wave electromagnetic radiation source and the stage, and are configured to condense the continuous wave electromagnetic radiation into a line of continuous wave electromagnetic radiation on a surface of the substrate. The translation mechanism is configured to translate the stage and the line of continuous wave electromagnetic radiation relative to one another. The detection module is positioned within the path, and is configured to detect continuous wave electromagnetic radiation.

Claims

1. A thermal processing device, comprising:

a continuous wave electromagnetic radiation source configured to emit a beam of continuous wave electromagnetic radiation;

a stage configured to receive a substrate thereon;

at least one expander lens disposed between said continuous wave electromagnetic radiation source and said stage, where said at least one expander lens is configured to expand said beam of continuous wave electromagnetic radiation into an expanded beam of continuous wave electromagnetic radiation;

multiple axially non-rotationally symmetric lenses arranged in series between said at least one expander lens and said stage, where said multiple axially non-rotationally symmetric lenses are configured to focus said expanded beam of continuous wave electromagnetic radiation into a line of continuous wave electromagnetic radiation on the surface of the substrate; and

a translation mechanism configured to translate said stage and said line of continuous wave electromagnetic radiation relative to one another.

2-16. -16. (canceled)

17. A laser light source, comprising:

a plurality of first laser diode modules arranged along a first direction and emitting respective first light beams in parallel to a second direction;

a plurality of second laser diode modules arranged along a direction parallel to the first direction and emitting respective second light beams in parallel to a third direction anti-parallel to the second direction;

a combiner receiving the first and second light beams and combining them and directing them to be parallel to a fourth direction perpendicular to the first and second directions.

18. The source of claim 17, wherein the first and second laser diode modules are staggered with respect to each other such that the first and second light beam are interdigitated.

19. The source of claim 17, wherein each of the first and second diode modules emit a plurality of first and second light beams respectively arranged along the fourth direction.

20. The source of claim 17, further comprising a plurality of optical lenses arranged along the fourth direction and receiving the combined first and second light beams.

21. The source of claim 20, wherein the optical lenses comprise cylindrical lenses.

22. The source of claim 21, wherein some of optical lenses have flat sides.

23. The source of claim 17, wherein the combiner includes at least one multi-layer dielectric mirror.

24. The source of claim 23, wherein the combiner includes a plurality of multi-layer dielectric mirrors.

25. The source of claim 17, wherein the combiner comprises an interleaving prism assembly.

26. The source of claim 17 configured as a radiation source for a thermal processing device.

27. A laser light source, comprising:

at least one laser light module emitting a plurality of laser light beams parallel to a first direction and spaced in a first sequence along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and

an interleave combiner receiving the laser light beams and deflecting them parallel to the second direction and spaced in a second sequence which is interleaved from the first sequence.

28. The source of claim 27, wherein the interleave combiner comprise a plurality of multi-leave dielectric mirrors extending obliquely to the first and second directions and reflecting different ones of the laser light beams.

29. The source of claim 27, wherein the interleave combiner comprises an interleaving prism assembly.

30. The source of claim 27, comprising a plurality of the laser light modules arranged along a third direction perpendicular to first and second directions, wherein the interleave combiner receives the laser light beams from all of the laser light modules.

31. The source of claim 30, wherein the plurality of the laser light modules are disposed on opposed sides of the interleave combiner and emit their respective laser light beams in anti-parallel directions.

32. The source of claim 27, further comprising a plurality of optical lenses arranged along the second direction and receiving the deflected laser light beams.

33. The source of claim 32, wherein the optical lenses comprise cylindrical lenses.

34. The source of claim 33, wherein some of the optical lenses have flat sides.

35. The source of claim 27 configured as a radiation source for a thermal processing device.