公开(公告)号：US09557111B2

公开(公告)日：2017-01-31

申请号：US13204068

申请日：2011-08-05

申请人： Stephen Moffatt ,  Aaron Muir Hunter

发明人： Stephen Moffatt ,  Aaron Muir Hunter

IPC分类号： F27D5/00

CPC分类号： F27D21/00 ,  F27D5/0037 ,  F27D2021/0078 ,  H01L21/67115

摘要： A method and apparatus for annealing semiconductor substrates is disclosed. The apparatus has an annealing energy source and a substrate support, with a shield member disposed between the annealing energy source and the substrate support. The shield member is a substantially flat member having a dimension larger than a substrate processed on the substrate support, with a window covering a central opening in the substantially flat member. The central opening has a gas inlet portal and a gas outlet portal, each in fluid communication with a gas inlet plenum and gas outlet plenum, respectively. A connection member is disposed around the central opening and holds the window over the central opening. Connection openings in the connection member are in fluid communication with the gas inlet plenum and gas outlet plenum, respectively, through a gas inlet conduit and a gas outlet conduit formed through the connection member.

摘要翻译： 公开了半导体衬底退火的方法和装置。 该装置具有退火能量源和衬底支撑件，其中屏蔽构件设置在退火能量源和衬底支撑件之间。 屏蔽构件是具有大于在基板支撑件上处理的基板的尺寸的基本上平坦的构件，窗口覆盖基本平坦的构件中的中心开口。 中心开口具有气体入口入口和气体出口入口，每个入口入口和气体出口通道分别与气体入口气室和气体出口增压室流体连通。 连接构件设置在中心开口周围并将窗口保持在中心开口的上方。 连接构件中的连接开口分别通过气体入口导管和通过连接构件形成的气体出口导管与气体入口气室和气体出口增压室流体连通。

公开(公告)号：US09376731B2

公开(公告)日：2016-06-28

申请号：US13864959

申请日：2013-04-17

申请人： Stephen Moffatt

发明人： Stephen Moffatt

IPC分类号： C21D9/00 ,  B23K26/00 ,  H01L21/268

CPC分类号： C21D9/0006 ,  B23K26/354 ,  H01L21/268

摘要： An apparatus is disclosed for magneto-thermal processing of substrates comprises a work surface for supporting a substrate for processing, a source of electromagnetic radiation that delivers an intense electromagnetic field to an area of a substrate disposed on the work surface, and a magnetic assembly that delivers a magnetic field to the area of the substrate. The intense electromagnetic field typically has an energy density of at least about 0.2 J/cm2 and a cross-sectional area typically not more than about 10 cm2. The magnetic field typically has a strength at least about 0.5 T and an area not more than about 10 cm2.

摘要翻译： 公开了一种用于基板的磁热处理的装置，包括用于支撑用于处理的基板的工作表面，将电磁辐射源传送到设置在工作表面上的基板的区域的电磁辐射源，以及磁性组件， 向基板的区域传递磁场。 强电场通常具有至少约0.2J / cm 2的能量密度和通常不超过约10cm 2的横截面积。 磁场通常具有至少约0.5T的强度和不超过约10cm 2的面积。

公开(公告)号：US08970963B2

公开(公告)日：2015-03-03

申请号：US13715804

申请日：2012-12-14

申请人： Stephen Moffatt ,  Douglas E. Holmgren ,  Samuel C. Howells ,  Edric Tong ,  Bruce E. Adams ,  Jiping Li ,  Aaron Muir Hunter

发明人： Stephen Moffatt ,  Douglas E. Holmgren ,  Samuel C. Howells ,  Edric Tong ,  Bruce E. Adams ,  Jiping Li ,  Aaron Muir Hunter

IPC分类号： G02B27/12 ,  G02B27/10 ,  G02B27/14 ,  G02B17/08

CPC分类号： G02B27/106 ,  G02B17/0888 ,  G02B27/0025 ,  G02B27/10 ,  G02B27/1006 ,  G02B27/12 ,  G02B27/123 ,  G02B27/126 ,  G02B27/14 ,  G02B27/143 ,  G02B27/30

摘要： Apparatus and methods for combining beams of amplified radiation are disclosed. A beam combiner has a collimating optic positioned to receive a plurality of coherent radiation beams at a constant angle of incidence with respect to an optical axis of the collimating optic. The respective angles of incidence may also be different in some embodiments. The collimating optic has an optical property that collimates the beams. The optical property may be refractive or reflective, or a combination thereof. A collecting optic may also be provided to direct the plurality of beams to the collimating optic. The beam combiner may be used in a thermal processing apparatus to combine more than two beams of coherent amplified radiation, such as lasers, into a single beam.

摘要翻译： 公开了用于组合放大辐射束的装置和方法。 光束组合器具有准直光学器件，其被定位成以相对于准直光学器件的光轴的恒定入射角接收多个相干辐射束。 在一些实施例中，相应的入射角也可以不同。 准直光学元件具有使光束准直的光学特性。 光学性质可以是折射或反射的，或其组合。 还可以提供收集光学器件以将多个光束引导到准直光学元件。 光束组合器可以用在热处理装置中，以将多于两个的相干放大辐射束（例如激光器）组合成单个光束。

公开(公告)号：US20130128905A1

公开(公告)日：2013-05-23

申请号：US13674319

申请日：2012-11-12

申请人： STEPHEN MOFFATT

发明人： STEPHEN MOFFATT

IPC分类号： H01S3/10

CPC分类号： H01S3/10092 ,  H01S3/0602 ,  H01S3/08086 ,  H01S3/091 ,  H01S3/10007 ,  H01S3/10015 ,  H01S3/10038 ,  H01S3/10084 ,  H01S3/11 ,  H01S3/1611 ,  H01S3/163 ,  H01S3/1643 ,  H01S3/2375 ,  H01S5/0622

摘要： A laser that emits light at all available frequencies distributed throughout the spectral bandwidth or emission bandwidth of the laser in a single pulse or pulse train is disclosed. The laser is pumped or seeded with photons having frequencies distributed throughout the superunitary gain bandwidth of the gain medium. The source of photons is a frequency modulated photon source, and the frequency modulation is controlled to occur in one or more cycles timed to occur within a time scale for pulsing the laser.

摘要翻译： 公开了一种在单个脉冲或脉冲串中分布在激光束的整个光谱带宽或发射带宽内的所有可用频率发光的激光器。 激光器被泵浦或种子，光子的频率分布在增益介质的超级增益带宽内。 光子源是调频光子源，并且频率调制被控制在一个或多个周期内发生，定时发生在用于脉冲激光的时间尺度内。

公开(公告)号：US08372667B2

公开(公告)日：2013-02-12

申请号：US12761306

申请日：2010-04-15

申请人： Stephen Moffatt

发明人： Stephen Moffatt

IPC分类号： G01R31/26 ,  H01L21/66

CPC分类号： B23K26/0604 ,  B23K26/0006 ,  B23K26/12 ,  B23K26/127 ,  B23K2103/56

摘要： Embodiments of the present invention pertain to substrate processing equipment and methods incorporating light sources which provide independent control of light pulse duration, shape and repetition rate. Embodiments further provide rapid increases and decreases in intensity of illumination.

摘要翻译： 本发明的实施例涉及提供对光脉冲持续时间，形状和重复率的独立控制的光源的基板处理设备和方法。 实施例进一步提供了照明强度的快速增加和降低。

公开(公告)号：US20120183915A1

公开(公告)日：2012-07-19

申请号：US13433780

申请日：2012-03-29

申请人： Nir Merry ,  Stephen Moffatt ,  Kailash Patalay ,  David Keith Carlson

发明人： Nir Merry ,  Stephen Moffatt ,  Kailash Patalay ,  David Keith Carlson

IPC分类号： F27D19/00

CPC分类号： F27B17/0025 ,  C23C16/481 ,  C23C16/52 ,  H01L21/67115 ,  H01L21/67248

摘要： Embodiments of the invention generally contemplate an apparatus and method for monitoring and controlling the temperature of a substrate during processing. One embodiment of the apparatus and method takes advantage of an infrared camera to obtain the temperature profile of multiple regions or the entire surface of the substrate and a system controller to calculate and coordinate in real time an optimized strategy for reducing any possible temperature non-uniformity found on the substrate during processing.

摘要翻译： 本发明的实施例通常考虑用于在处理期间监测和控制衬底的温度的装置和方法。 该装置和方法的一个实施例利用红外相机获得多个区域或基板的整个表面的温度分布，以及系统控制器实时计算和协调用于降低任何可能的温度不均匀性的优化策略 在加工过程中在基板上发现。

公开(公告)号：US20110239421A1

公开(公告)日：2011-10-06

申请号：US13076231

申请日：2011-03-30

申请人： Leonid M. Tertitski ,  Krishna Kumar Kuttannair ,  Aaron Muir Hunter ,  Stephen Moffatt

发明人： Leonid M. Tertitski ,  Krishna Kumar Kuttannair ,  Aaron Muir Hunter ,  Stephen Moffatt

IPC分类号： H01L21/00 ,  B23K26/08

CPC分类号： B23K26/127 ,  B23K26/0006 ,  B23K26/0823 ,  B23K26/0876 ,  B23K26/12 ,  B23K26/352 ,  B23K2101/40 ,  B23K2103/52 ,  B23K2103/56 ,  Y10T29/41

摘要： A method and apparatus for targeting a beam of radiation is provided. A beam steering mirror and a beam capture mirror are movably disposed along an optical pathway. A controller moves the beam steering mirror and the beam capture mirror in an x-y plane, and rotates the mirrors, to target the beam to a target location on a surface, while keeping the optical path length substantially constant for all target locations on the surface. The surface is rotated by a rotational actuator to bring all target locations to positions accessible by the beam targeting optics. Imprecision in targeting and optical path length may be compensated by providing an actuated aperture at the beam entry point and/or a variable focus lens with an optical range finding detector, all in communication with the controller.

摘要翻译： 提供了一种用于瞄准辐射束的方法和装置。 光束导向镜和光束捕获镜沿着光学路径可移动地设置。 控制器将光束导向反射镜和光束捕获镜移动到x-y平面中，并且使反射镜旋转以将光束瞄准到表面上的目标位置，同时保持光学表面上的所有目标位置的光程长度基本恒定。 该表面由旋转致动器旋转以将所有目标位置移动到由光束瞄准光学器件接近的位置。 可以通过在光束入口点处提供致动孔径和/或具有光学测距探测器的可变焦距透镜来全部与控制器通信来补偿瞄准和光路长度的不精确性。

公开(公告)号：US20110129959A1

公开(公告)日：2011-06-02

申请号：US12953103

申请日：2010-11-23

申请人： Stephen Moffatt

发明人： Stephen Moffatt

IPC分类号： H01L31/18 ,  H01L21/20

CPC分类号： H01L21/02686 ,  C30B13/24 ,  C30B29/403 ,  H01L21/02532 ,  H01L21/02568 ,  H01L21/2636 ,  H01L21/268 ,  H01L29/685 ,  H01L31/1872 ,  H01L33/0095 ,  Y02E10/50 ,  Y02P70/521

摘要： A method and apparatus for forming a crystalline semiconductor layer on a substrate are provided. A semiconductor layer is formed by vapor deposition. A pulsed laser melt/recrystallization process is performed to convert the semiconductor layer to a crystalline layer. Laser, or other electromagnetic radiation, pulses are formed into a pulse train and uniformly distributed over a treatment zone, and successive neighboring treatment zones are exposed to the pulse train to progressively convert the deposited material to crystalline material.

摘要翻译： 提供了一种在基板上形成晶体半导体层的方法和装置。 通过气相沉积形成半导体层。 进行脉冲激光熔融/再结晶工艺以将半导体层转变成晶体层。 激光或其他电磁辐射脉冲形成脉冲序列并均匀地分布在处理区域上，并且连续的相邻处理区域暴露于脉冲序列以逐渐将沉积的材料转化为结晶材料。

公开(公告)号：US20110065264A1

公开(公告)日：2011-03-17

申请号：US12764723

申请日：2010-04-21

申请人： STEPHEN MOFFATT ,  Aaron Muir Hunter ,  Bruce E. Adams

发明人： STEPHEN MOFFATT ,  Aaron Muir Hunter ,  Bruce E. Adams

IPC分类号： H01L21/20

CPC分类号： H01L21/02686 ,  C30B13/24 ,  C30B29/06 ,  H01L21/02521

摘要： Embodiments of the present invention provide methods of solid phase recrystallization of thin film using a plurality of pulses of electromagnetic energy. In one embodiment, the methods of the present invention may be used to anneal an entire substrate surface or selected regions of a surface of a substrate by delivering a plurality of pluses of energy to a crystalline seed region or layer upon which an amorphous layer is deposited to recrystallize the amorphous layer so that it has the same grain structure and crystal orientation as that of the underlying crystalline seed region or layer.

摘要翻译： 本发明的实施例提供使用多个电磁能脉冲进行薄膜固相重结晶的方法。 在一个实施例中，本发明的方法可以用于通过将多个能量递送到沉积非晶层的结晶种子区域或层来退火整个衬底表面或衬底的表面的选定区域 使非晶层重结晶，使其具有与下面的结晶种子区域或层相同的晶粒结构和晶体取向。

公开(公告)号：US20100068898A1

公开(公告)日：2010-03-18

申请号：US12212157

申请日：2008-09-17

申请人： STEPHEN MOFFATT ,  Abhilash J. Mayur ,  Sundar Ramamurthy ,  Joseph Ranish ,  Aaron Hunter

发明人： STEPHEN MOFFATT ,  Abhilash J. Mayur ,  Sundar Ramamurthy ,  Joseph Ranish ,  Aaron Hunter

IPC分类号： H01L21/00 ,  F27D11/00

CPC分类号： H01L21/67115 ,  B23K26/0042 ,  B23K26/064 ,  B23K26/08 ,  B23K26/127 ,  F27B17/0025 ,  H01L21/67248

摘要： A method and apparatus are provided for treating a substrate. The substrate is positioned on a support in a thermal treatment chamber. Electromagnetic radiation is directed toward the substrate to anneal a portion of the substrate. Other electromagnetic radiation is directed toward the substrate to preheat a portion of the substrate. The preheating reduces thermal stresses at the boundary between the preheat region and the anneal region. Any number of anneal and preheat regions are contemplated, with varying shapes and temperature profiles, as needed for specific embodiments. Any convenient source of electromagnetic radiation may be used, such as lasers, heat lamps, white light lamps, or flash lamps.

摘要翻译： 提供了一种处理基板的方法和装置。 衬底位于热处理室中的支撑件上。 电磁辐射被引向衬底以退火衬底的一部分。 其他电磁辐射被引向衬底以预热衬底的一部分。 预热减少了预热区域和退火区域之间的边界处的热应力。 根据具体实施方案的需要，预期任何数量的退火和预热区域具有变化的形状和温度曲线。 可以使用任何方便的电磁辐射源，例如激光器，加热灯，白光灯或闪光灯。