Heating device for semiconductor wafers
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus for heat treating semiconductor wafers comprising:
- a thermal processing chamber adapted to contain a semiconductor wafer; and
a heating device in communication with said thermal processing chamber for heating a semiconductor wafer contained in said chamber, said heating device comprising concentric rings of light energy sources for heating different radial locations on said semiconductor wafer, at least certain of said concentric rings of said light energy sources being separated by at least one tuning source, said at least one tuning source being configured to only emit a lesser amount of light energy than any adjacent concentric ring of light energy sources, said at least one tuning source supplying predetermined amounts of light energy in between said concentric rings for more uniformly heating said semiconductor wafer.
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Abstract
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. In particular, the light energy sources are positioned such that many different radial heating zones are created on a wafer being heated. The light energy sources form concentric rings. Tuning light sources are then placed in between the concentric rings of light.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. An apparatus for heat treating semiconductor wafers comprising:
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a thermal processing chamber adapted to contain a semiconductor wafer; and a heating device in communication with said thermal processing chamber for heating a semiconductor wafer contained in said chamber, said heating device comprising concentric rings of light energy sources for heating different radial locations on said semiconductor wafer, at least certain of said concentric rings of said light energy sources being separated by at least one tuning source, said at least one tuning source being configured to only emit a lesser amount of light energy than any adjacent concentric ring of light energy sources, said at least one tuning source supplying predetermined amounts of light energy in between said concentric rings for more uniformly heating said semiconductor wafer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus for heat treating semiconductor wafers comprising:
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a thermal processing chamber; a substrate holder contained in said thermal processing chamber for holding a semiconductor wafer, said substrate holder being configured to rotate said wafer; a heating device in communication with said thermal processing chamber for heating a semiconductor wafer held on said substrate holder, said heating device comprising concentric rings of light energy sources for heating different radial locations on said semiconductor wafer, at least certain of said concentric rings of light energy sources being separated by at least one tuning source said at least one tuning source being configured to only emit a lesser amount of light energy than any adjacent concentric ring of light energy sources, said at least one tuning source supplying predetermined amounts of light energy in between said concentric rings for more uniformly heating said semiconductor wafer; arc-shaped reflector plates located in between said concentric rings for directing light energy onto said semiconductor wafer; at least one temperature sensing device for sensing the temperature of said wafer at least at one location; and a controller in communication with said at least one temperature sensing device, said light energy sources, and said tuning sources, said controller being configured to control the amount of light energy being emitted by said light energy sources and said tuning sources in response to temperature information received from said at least one temperature sensing device. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An apparatus for heat treating semiconductor wafers comprising:
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a thermal processing chamber adapted to contain a semiconductor wafer; and a heating device in communication with said thermal processing chamber for heating a semiconductor wafer contained in said chamber, said heating device comprising concentric rings of light energy sources for heating different radial locations on said semiconductor wafer, at least certain of said concentric rings of said light energy sources being separated by at least one tuning source, wherein the number of tuning sources located between adjacent concentric rings is less than the number of light energy sources that comprise either of said adjacent rings, said tuning sources supplying predetermined amounts of light energy in between said concentric rings for more uniformly heating said semiconductor wafer. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification