Reflectance method to determine and control the temperature of thin layers or wafers and their surfaces with special application to semiconductors

• US 5,098,199 A
• Filed: 08/06/1990
• Issued: 03/24/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ITT Corporation (ITT, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ITT Corporation (ITT, Inc.)
• Inventors: Amith, Avraham
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FULTON, CHRISTOPHER W
• Application Number:
  US07/563,812
• Time in Patent Office: 596 Days
• Field of Search: 374/120, 374/121, 374/127, 374/129, 374/132, 374/133, 374/161
• US Class Current: 374/121
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 11/12 using changes in colour, translucency or reflectance

Abstract

A method of accurately determining the temperature of a thin layer of bandgap material without requiring contact to the layer involves the use of optical radiation reflected off the bandgap material and the detection of the reflected energy. The relationship between the temperature varying bandgap energy and the resulting reflection characteristics provides an indication of temperature, independent of ambient temperature.

Claims

1. An improved temperature detection apparatus for a workpiece of a material having a bandgap energy which varies as a function of temperature, said apparatus comprising:

a source of optical energy having a first spectral component with a photon energy greater than said bandgap energy at a given workpiece temperature;

an optical detection means for detecting said first spectral component of said optical energy from said source;

positioning means for causing said workpiece to be located on an indirect path between said source and said detection means whereby optical energy from said source is reflected off said workpiece at said first spectral component prior to detection of said optical energy by said detection means; and

processing means for receiving a signal from said detection means and for providing an output indicative of the temperature of said workpiece as a function of the energy level of optical energy reflected by said workpiece.

2. The improved temperature detection apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:

a second optical detection means for detecting optical energy directly from said source or said first spectral component to provide a reference signal for said processing means.

3. An improved temperature detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said workpiece comprises a layer of GaAs.

4. An improved temperature detection apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said layer of GaAs is on a substrate.

5. An improved temperature detection apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said substrate comprises a glass layer.

6. An improved temperature detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said workpiece is a photocathode comprising a layer of GaAs on a glass faceplate.

7. An improved temperature detection apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said layer of GaAs is directly on a layer of GaAlAs and said GaAllAs is on said glass faceplate.

8. An improved temperature detection apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a layer of GaAlAs is between said layer of GaAs and said glass faceplate.

9. An improved temperature detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said source of optical energy is a heat source thermally coupled to said workpiece.

10. An improved temperature detection apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said heat source is an incandescent lamp emitting "white light".

11. A temperature detection apparatus for detecting the temperature of a bandgap material at a temperature of interest, said bandgap material having a first bandgap energy at said temperature of interest, said apparatus comprising:

a source of optical energy including a first spectral component having a first photon energy slightly greater than said first bandgap energy,

a sample optical detector for detecting the amplitude of said first spectral component of said optical energy and generating a first signal representative of the detected amplitude of said first spectral component,

means for positioning said bandgap material on an indirect path between said source of optical energy and said sample optical detector, to cause said first spectral component of said optical energy to be reflected off said bandgap material to said sample optical detector,

means for heating said bandgap material,

a reference optical detector for detecting said first spectral component of said optical energy and generating a second signal representative of the detected amplitude of said first spectral component,

comparison means for comparing said first and second signals representative of the detected amplitude of said first spectral component and for generating a signal representative of the temperature of said bandgap material based on said comparison.

12. A temperature detection apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said signal representative of the temperature of said bandgap material based on said comparison is provided as a feedback input to said means for heating said bandgap material.

13. A temperature detection apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said means for heating said bandgap material comprises said source of optical energy.

14. A temperature detection apparatus as claimed in claim 13, which said source of optical energy is an incandescent projection lamp.

15. A method of indicating the temperature of a layer of bandgap material comprising the steps of:

directing optical energy to said layer at a narrow band spectral range which has an energy slightly above the bandgap of said material,

detecting the amplitude of optical energy reflected by said layer,

processing said reflected energy to determine the temperature of said layer.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein said layer of bandgap material is GaAs.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein the step of directing optical energy includes projecting optical energy from an incandescent projection lamp.