Apparatus and method of improving beam shaping and beam homogenization
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus for thermally processing a substrate, comprising:
- a plurality of energy sources, wherein each energy source is adapted to deliver an energy pulse;
a first micro-lens array having a plurality of micro-lenses that are adapted to receive at least a portion of each energy pulse;
a second micro-lens array having a plurality of micro-lenses that are adapted to receive at least a portion of the energy transmitted from the first micro-lens array;
a first lens that is positioned to receive at least a portion of the energy transmitted from the micro-lenses in the second micro-lens array and transmit the energy received from the second micro-lens array to one or more components that are used to direct the energy received to a surface of the substrate; and
a variable aberration control lens that is positioned to receive at least a portion of each energy pulse and project an image to the first micro-lens array from the received energy pulses, wherein the variable aberration control lens is configured to reduce an intensity variation between an edge of the image relative to a center of the image by reducing a first intensity at the edge of the image relative to a second intensity at the center of the image.
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Abstract
The present invention generally relates to an optical system that is able to reliably deliver a uniform amount of energy across an anneal region contained on a surface of a substrate. The optical system is adapted to deliver, or project, a uniform amount of energy having a desired two-dimensional shape on a desired region on the surface of the substrate. Typically, the anneal regions may be square or rectangular in shape. Generally, the optical system and methods of the present invention are used to preferentially anneal one or more regions found within the anneal regions by delivering enough energy to cause the one or more regions to re-melt and solidify.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus for thermally processing a substrate, comprising:
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a plurality of energy sources, wherein each energy source is adapted to deliver an energy pulse; a first micro-lens array having a plurality of micro-lenses that are adapted to receive at least a portion of each energy pulse; a second micro-lens array having a plurality of micro-lenses that are adapted to receive at least a portion of the energy transmitted from the first micro-lens array; a first lens that is positioned to receive at least a portion of the energy transmitted from the micro-lenses in the second micro-lens array and transmit the energy received from the second micro-lens array to one or more components that are used to direct the energy received to a surface of the substrate; and a variable aberration control lens that is positioned to receive at least a portion of each energy pulse and project an image to the first micro-lens array from the received energy pulses, wherein the variable aberration control lens is configured to reduce an intensity variation between an edge of the image relative to a center of the image by reducing a first intensity at the edge of the image relative to a second intensity at the center of the image. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An apparatus for thermally processing a substrate, comprising:
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an energy source assembly that has an output that is adapted to deliver a first energy pulse; a first micro-lens array having a plurality of micro-lenses that are adapted to receive at least a portion of the first energy pulse; a second micro-lens array having a plurality of micro-lenses that are adapted to receive at least a portion of the energy transmitted from the first micro-lens array; a first lens that is positioned to receive at least a portion of the energy transmitted from the micro-lenses in the second micro-lens array and transmit the energy received from the second micro-lens array to one or more components that are used to direct the energy received to a surface of the substrate; a variable aberration control lens that is positioned to receive at least a portion of the first energy pulse and project an image to the first micro-lens array from the received first energy pulse, wherein the variable aberration control lens is configured to reduce an intensity variation between an edge of the image relative to a center of the image by reducing a first intensity at the edge of the image relative to a second intensity at the center of the image; and a diffuser that is positioned to receive at least a portion of the first energy pulse and transmit the at least a portion of each energy pulse towards the first micro-lens array. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An apparatus for thermally processing a substrate, comprising:
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an energy source assembly that has an output that is adapted to deliver a first energy pulse; a first micro-lens array having a plurality of micro-lenses that are adapted to receive at least a portion of the first energy pulse; a second micro-lens array having a plurality of micro-lenses that are adapted to receive at least a portion of the energy transmitted from the first micro-lens array; a first lens that is positioned to receive at least a portion of the energy transmitted from the micro-lenses in the second micro-lens array and transmit the energy received from the second micro-lens array to one or more components that are used to direct the energy received to a surface of the substrate; and a variable aberration control lens that is positioned to receive at least a portion of the first energy pulse and project an image to the first micro-lens array from the received first energy pulse, wherein the variable aberration control lens is configured to reduce an intensity variation between an edge of the image relative to a center of the image by reducing a first intensity at the edge of the image relative to a second intensity at the center of the image. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification