Heating device for heating semiconductor wafers in thermal processing chambers
First Claim
1. A process for heating semiconductor substrates comprising the steps of:
- placing a semiconductor substrate in a processing chamber;
heating the semiconductor substrate in the processing chamber with a first heating device; and
heating the semiconductor substrate in the processing chamber by a second heating device, the second heating device comprising a laser diode.
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Accused Products
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. The light energy sources can be placed in various configurations. In accordance with the present invention, tuning devices which are used to adjust the overall irradiance distribution of the light energy sources are included in the heating device. The tuning devices can be either active sources of light energy or passive sources which reflect, refract or absorb light energy. For instance, in one embodiment, the tuning devices can comprise a lamp spaced from a focusing lens designed to focus determined amounts of light energy onto a particular location of a wafer being heated.
214 Citations
48 Claims
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1. A process for heating semiconductor substrates comprising the steps of:
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placing a semiconductor substrate in a processing chamber; heating the semiconductor substrate in the processing chamber with a first heating device; and heating the semiconductor substrate in the processing chamber by a second heating device, the second heating device comprising a laser diode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A process for heating semiconductor substrates comprising:
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placing a semiconductor substrate in a processing chamber; heating the semiconductor substrate by emitting light energy onto the substrate from a plurality of light energy sources, the light energy sources forming an irradiance distribution across a surface of the semiconductor substrate; rotating the semiconductor substrate during heating; and selectively tuning the irradiance distribution across the surface of the semiconductor substrate by emitting energy from at least one tuning device onto a determined location of the semiconductor substrate, the tuning device comprising a laser diode. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A process for heating semiconductor substrates comprising the steps of:
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placing a semiconductor substrate in a processing chamber; heating the semiconductor substrate with a plurality of light energy sources that emit light energy onto the semiconductor substrate, the light energy sources being positioned so as to form an irradiance distribution across a surface of the semiconductor substrate, the light energy sources being horizontally oriented with respect to the semiconductor substrate; and further heating the semiconductor substrate by emitting further amounts of light energy onto the semiconductor substrate from at least one tuning device, the tuning device being generally vertically oriented with respect to the semiconductor substrate and emitting sufficient amounts of light energy to heat the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A process for heating semiconductor substrates comprising the steps of:
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placing a semiconductor substrate in a processing chamber; heating the semiconductor substrate in the processing chamber with a first heating device; and heating the semiconductor substrate in the processing chamber by a second heating device, the second heating device comprising a plurality of laser diodes.
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41. A process for heating semiconductor substrates comprising the steps of:
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placing a semiconductor substrate in a processing chamber; heating the semiconductor substrate in the processing chamber with a first heating device; and heating the semiconductor substrate in the processing chamber by a second heating device, the second heating device comprising a laser diode, and wherein the laser diode is configured to heat an outer edge of the semiconductor substrate. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43)
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44. A process for heating semiconductor substrates comprising the steps of:
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placing a semiconductor substrate in a processing chamber; heating the semiconductor substrate in the processing chamber with a first heating device; and heating the semiconductor substrate in the processing chamber by a second heating device, the second heating device comprising a laser diode and wherein the semiconductor substrate is heated simultaneously by the first heating device and the second heating device. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48)
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Specification