Scanned laser light source

• US 8,829,393 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2012
• Issued: 09/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Jennings, Dean C., Yam, Mark, Mayur, Abhilash J., Behrens, Vernon, O'Brien, Paul A., Tertitski, Leonid M., Goldin, Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Ross, Dana
• Assistant Examiner(s): SPURLOCK, BRETT SHANE
• Application Number:
  US13/442,128
• Publication Number:
  US 20120205347A1
• Time in Patent Office: 883 Days
• Field of Search: 219/121.78, 219/121.83, 219/121.84, 372/50.12, 372 34- 36, 372/50.1, 372/50.121, 372/50.11, 372/108, 349 7- 9, 353 30- 38, 353/81, 353/94, 353/98, 353/99, 353/119, 359/618, 359634-640, 385 31- 51
• US Class Current: 219/121.8
• 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 laser radiation source emitting radiation in a processing beam of sufficient intensity to thermally process a substrate, comprising:

a combiner;

a first laser light source comprising a plurality of first laser diode modules disposed on a first side of the combiner, arranged along a first direction and having respective first emission faces emitting perpendicular thereto a plurality of first laser light beams on respective paths initially extending to the combiner parallel to a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and

a second laser light source comprising a plurality of second laser diode modules disposed on a second side of the combiner, arranged along a direction parallel to the first direction, and having respective second emission faces opposed to the first emission faces across the combiner and emitting perpendicular to the second emission faces a plurality of second laser light beams on respective paths initially extending to the combiner anti-parallel to the second direction,

wherein the first laser diode modules are staggered with respect to the second laser diode modules such that the first laser light beams are interdigitated between the second laser light beams; and

wherein the combiner receives the first and second laser light beams and combines them into the processing beam and directs them to be parallel to a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions as an elongate processing beam containing the first and second laser light beams.

2. The radiation source of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of cylindrical optical lenses arranged parallel to the first direction and receiving the combined first and second laser light beams.

3. The radiation source of claim 1, wherein the combiner includes at least one multi-layer dielectric mirror.

4. The radiation source of claim 3, wherein the combiner includes a plurality of multi-layer dielectric mirrors.

5. The radiation source of claim 1, wherein the combiner comprises an interleaving prism assembly.

6. The source of claim 1 configured as a radiation source for a thermal processing device to process the substrate with a scanned line beam as the processing beam.

7. The radiation source of claim 1, wherein the first and second laser diode modules comprise a plurality of laser diode light emitters arranged along the third direction.

8. The source of claim 1, wherein the first and second light beams are all of a same optical wavelength.