Rapid thermal heating apparatus and method utilizing plurality of light pipes

• US 5,487,127 A
• Filed: 10/05/1993
• Issued: 01/23/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Gibbons, James F., Gronet, Christian M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jeffery, John A.
• Application Number:
  US08/131,830
• Time in Patent Office: 840 Days
• Field of Search: 392/418, 392/419, 392/424, 392/408, 392/416, 219/390, 219/405, 219/411, 219/497, 362/32, 52/204.6, 126/569, 126/704, 126/712, 359/69, 427/542, 427/557, 427/585, 118/724, 118/725, 118/50.1, 437/247
• US Class Current: 392/416
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/481 by radiant heating of the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/482 using incoherent light, UV to IR, e.g. lamps
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 25/10 Heating of the reaction chamber or the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 25/105 by irradiation or electric discharge
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 31/12 Heating of the reaction chamber
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 31/18 Controlling or regulating
• CPC Class Codes: F27B 17/0025 Especially adapted for treating semiconductor wafers
• CPC Class Codes: F27D 99/0006 Electric heating elements or system
• CPC Class Codes: F27D 99/0033 using burners manufacture of steel in an electric arc furnace equipped with burners C21C5/5217
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0003 for sensing the radiant heat transfer of samples, e.g. emittance meter
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/06 Arrangements for eliminating effects of disturbing radiation; Arrangements for compensating changes in sensitivity for adjusting of solid angle of collected radiation G01J5/07; means for wavelength selection G01J5/0801
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67115 mainly by radiation
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/0425 Plinths borders for use between floor or ceiling and wall E04F19/04

Abstract

A rapid thermal heating apparatus in which lamps are disposed in a plurality of light pipes arranged to illuminate and supply heat to a substrate. The light pipes are positioned so that the illumination patterns overlap. The energy supplied to the lamps is controlled to provide a predetermined heating pattern to the substrate. A liquid cooled window cooperates with the light pipes to transmit energy to a wafer disposed in an evacuated chamber.

Claims

1. A vacuum chamber window assembly comprising a plurality of short light pipes brazed to upper and lower flange plates adapted to be sealed to at least one wall of a vacuum chamber and sealed between two thin quartz window plates.

2. A window assembly according to claim 1 wherein there is an opening between the flange plates and the quartz window plates.

3. A window assembly according to claim 2 further comprising means of evacuating the area between the window plates.

4. A window assembly according to claim 3 wherein cooling water is passed into the space between the light pipes.

5. A window assembly according to claim 1 wherein cooling water is passed into the space between the light pipes.

6. A vacuum chamber for processing a substrate comprising

a) means defining an evacuable chamber having at least one wall;

b) a window assembly comprising a plurality of short light pipes brazed to upper and lower flange plates sealed to the at least one wall of said vacuum chamber and sealed between two thin quartz window plates on the one side and sealed to

c) a heat source assembly comprising

a plurality of radiant energy sources, each serving to radiate a predetermined area of a substrate with a pattern of relative intensity;

a plurality of light pipes surrounding each of said radiant energy sources, said light pipes each serving to direct radiant energy from its associated source along the axis of said pipe and towards a substrate for radiating a limited area of a substrate with a pattern of relative radiation, said light pipes being in registration with the short light pipes of said window assembly, and

control means for controlling the intensity of each of said radiant energy sources.

7. A vacuum chamber according to claim 6 wherein the base of each of said radiant energy sources is encased in a low melt temperature alloy to transfer heat away from said base and into said light pipe.

8. A vacuum chamber according to claim 7 Wherein each of said light pipes for said energy sources is lined with a reflective metal sleeve.

9. A vacuum chamber according to claim 8 wherein a quartz sleeve is interposed between said light pipe and said reflective metal sleeve.