Abstract:
An integrated platform for processing substrates, comprising: a vacuum substrate transfer chamber; a doping chamber coupled to the vacuum substrate transfer chamber, the doping chamber configured to implant or deposit dopant elements in or on a surface of a substrate; a dopant activation chamber coupled to the vacuum substrate transfer chamber, the dopant activation chamber configured to anneal the substrate and activate the dopant elements; and a controller configured to control the integrated platform, the controller comprising a computer readable media having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the controller, causes the integrated platform to perform a method, the method comprising: doping a substrate with one or more dopant elements in the doping chamber; transferring the substrate under vacuum to the dopant activation chamber; and annealing the substrate in the dopant activation chamber to activate the dopant elements.
Abstract:
An integrated platform for processing substrates, comprising: a vacuum substrate transfer chamber; a doping chamber coupled to the vacuum substrate transfer chamber, the doping chamber configured to implant or deposit dopant elements in or on a surface of a substrate; a dopant activation chamber coupled to the vacuum substrate transfer chamber, the dopant activation chamber configured to anneal the substrate and activate the dopant elements; and a controller configured to control the integrated platform, the controller comprising a computer readable media having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the controller, causes the integrated platform to perform a method, the method comprising: doping a substrate with one or more dopant elements in the doping chamber; transferring the substrate under vacuum to the dopant activation chamber; and annealing the substrate in the dopant activation chamber to activate the dopant elements.
Abstract:
A apparatus (60) and method of thermally treating a wafer (12) or other substrate, such as rapid thermal processing (RTP). An array (24) of radiant lamps (26) directs radiation to the back side of a wafer to heat the wafer. The front side of the wafer on which the patterned integrated circuits (16) are being formed faces a radiant reflector (28). The wafer is thermally monitored (40, 42) for temperature and reflectivity from the side of the reflector. When the lamps are above the wafer, an edge ring (64) supports the wafer in its edge exclusion zone (52). Alternatively (FIG.8), a reactor (100) includes upwardly directed lamps (26) and a reflector (28) above and facing the front side of the wafer.
Abstract:
Method and apparatus for obtaining a tailored heat transfer profile in a chamber housing a microprocessor manufacturing process, including estimating heat transfer properties of the chamber; estimating heat absorptive properties of a wafer; adjusting the physical characteristics of the chamber to correct the heat transfer properties; and utilizing the chamber for manufacturing microprocessors.
Abstract:
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.
Abstract:
Embodiments of the present invention provide apparatus and method for improving gas distribution during thermal processing. One embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus for processing a substrate comprising a chamber body defining a processing volume, a substrate support disposed in the processing volume, wherein the substrate support is configured to support and rotate the substrate, a gas inlet assembly coupled to an inlet of the chamber body and configured to provide a first gas flow to the processing volume, and an exhaust assembly coupled to an outlet of the chamber body, wherein the gas inlet assembly and the exhaust assembly are disposed on opposite sides of the chamber body, and the exhaust assembly defines an exhaust volume configured to extend the processing volume.
Abstract:
Embodiments of the present invention provide apparatus and method for improving gas distribution during thermal processing. One embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus for processing a substrate comprising a chamber body defining a processing volume, a substrate support disposed in the processing volume, wherein the substrate support is configured to support and rotate the substrate, a gas inlet assembly coupled to an inlet of the chamber body and configured to provide a first gas flow to the processing volume, and an exhaust assembly coupled to an outlet of the chamber body, wherein the gas inlet assembly and the exhaust assembly are disposed on opposite sides of the chamber body, and the exhaust assembly defines an exhaust volume configured to extend the processing volume.
Abstract:
A semiconductor wafer processing system (40) including a factory interface (26) operating at atmospheric pressure and mounting plural wafer cassettes and further including plural wafer processing chambers (42, 44) mounted on a frame (16) and connected to the factory interface through respective slit valves. A robot in the factory interface can transfer wafers (32) between the cassettes and the processing chambers. At least one of the processing chambers can operate at reduced pressure and is pumped by a vacuum pump (46) mounted on the frame. The processing chamber may be a rapid thermal processing chamber (52) including an array of lamps (66) irradiating a processing volume (100) through a window (60). The lamphead is vacuum pumped to a pressure approximating that in the processing volume. A multi-step process may be performed with different pressures. The invention also includes a wafer access port (202) of a thermal processing chamber which can flow (210) an inert gas in outside of the slit valve to thereby form a gas curtain outside of the opened slit (206) to prevent the out flow of toxic processing gases.
Abstract:
Methods and apparatus for processing semiconductor substrates are described. A processing chamber includes a substrate support with an in-situ plasma source, which may be an inductive, capacitive, microwave, or millimeter wave source, facing the substrate support and a radiant heat source, which may be a bank of thermal lamps, spaced apart from the substrate support. The support may be between the in-situ plasma source and the radiant heat source, and may rotate. A method or processing a substrate includes forming an oxide layer by exposing the substrate to a plasma generated in a process chamber, performing a plasma nitridation process on the substrate in the chamber, thermally treating the substrate using a radiant heat source disposed in the chamber while exposing the substrate to oxygen radicals formed outside the chamber, and forming an electrode by exposing the substrate to a plasma generated in the chamber.
Abstract:
A semiconductor wafer processing system (40) including a factory interface (26) operating at atmospheric pressure and mounting plural wafer cassettes and further including plural wafer processing chambers (42, 44) mounted on a frame (16) and connected to the factory interface through respective slit valves. A robot in the factory interface can transfer wafers (32) between the cassettes and the processing chambers. At least one of the processing chambers can operate at reduced pressure and is pumped by a vacuum pump (46) mounted on the frame. The processing chamber may be a rapid thermal processing chamber (52) including an array of lamps (66) irradiating a processing volume (100) through a window (60). The lamphead is vacuum pumped to a pressure approximating that in the processing volume. A multi-step process may be performed with different pressures. The invention also includes a wafer access port (202) of a thermal processing chamber which can flow (210) an inert gas in outside of the slit valve to thereby form a gas curtain outside of the opened slit (206) to prevent the out flow of toxic processing gases.