Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.

Other

Ala Moradian

Morgan Evans

Jason M Schaller

William Tyler Weaver

Peter Lawrence Kellerman

Robert Brent Vopat

D Jeffrey Lischer

Frederick M Carlson

David J Morrell

Nandish Desai

David T Blahnik

Klaus Petry

Frank Sinclair

Julian G Blake

Dawei Sun

Paul E Pergande

Brian H Mackintosh

Gregory Thronson

David Morrell

Brian MacKintosh

An apparatus for controlling heat flow within a melt. The apparatus may include a crucible configured to contain the melt where the melt has an exposed surface. The apparatus may also include a heater disposed below a first side of the crucible and configured to supply heat through the melt to the exposed surface, and a heat diffusion barrier assembly comprising at least one heat diffusion barrier disposed within the crucible and defining an isolation region in the melt and an outer region in the melt.

Method for controlling heat flow within a silicon melt using a heat diffusion barrier assembly

An improved system and method of measuring the temperature of a workpiece being processed is disclosed. The temperature measurement system determines a temperature of a workpiece by measuring the amount of expansion in the workpiece due to thermal expansion. The amount of expansion may be measured using a number of different techniques. In certain embodiments, a light source and a light sensor are disposed on opposite sides of the workpiece. The total intensity of the signal received by the light sensor may be indicative of the dimension of the workpiece. In another embodiment, an optical micrometer may be used. In another embodiment, a light sensor may be used in conjunction with a separate device that measures the position of the workpiece.

Semiconductor workpiece temperature measurement system

A system for heating substrates while being transported between the load lock and the platen is disclosed. The system comprises an array of light emitting diodes (LEDs) disposed above the alignment station. The LEDs may be GaN or GaP LEDs, which emit light at a wavelength which is readily absorbed by silicon, thus efficiently and quickly heating the substrate. The LEDs may be arranged so that the rotation of the substrate during alignment results in a uniform temperature profile of the substrate. Further, heating during alignment may also increase throughput and eliminate preheating stations that are currently associated with the processing chamber.

Substrate handling and heating system

Apparatus for controlling heat flow within a silicon melt

A crystallizer for growing a crystalline sheet from a melt may include a cold block having a cold block surface that faces an exposed surface of the melt, the cold block configured to generate a cold block temperature at the cold block surface that is lower than a melt temperature of the melt at the exposed surface. The system may also include a nozzle disposed within the cold block and configured to deliver a gas jet to the exposed surface, wherein the gas jet and the cold block are interoperative to generate a process zone that removes heat from the exposed surface at a first heat removal rate that is greater than a second heat removal rate from the exposed surface in outer regions outside of the process zone.

System and method for crystalline sheet growth using a cold block and gas jet

A system for heating substrates while being transported between processing chambers is disclosed. The system comprises an array of light emitting diodes (LEDs) disposed in the transfer chamber. The LEDs may be GaN LEDs, which emit light at a wavelength which is readily absorbed by silicon, thus efficiently and quickly heating the substrate. A controller is in communication with the LEDs. The LEDs may be independently controllable, so that the LEDs that are disposed above the substrate as it is moved from one processing chamber to another are illuminated. In other words, the illumination of the LEDs and the movements of the substrate handling robot may be synchronized by the controller.

Device and method for substrate heating during transport

An electrostatic chuck with LED heating is disclosed. The electrostatic chuck with LED heating comprises a first subassembly, which comprises a LED heater, and a second subassembly, which comprises an electrostatic chuck. The LED substrate heater subassembly includes a base having a recessed portion. A plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) is disposed within the recessed portion. The LEDs may be GaN or GaP LEDs, which emit light at a wavelength which is readily absorbed by silicon, thus efficiently and quickly heating the substrate. The second subassembly, which comprises an electrostatic chuck, is disposed on the LED substrate heater subassembly. The electrostatic chuck includes a top dielectric layer and an interior layer that are transparent at the wavelength emitted by the LEDs. One or more electrodes are disposed between the top dielectric layer and the interior layer to create the electrostatic force.

Electrostatic chuck with LED heating

A system and method for heating a substrate while that substrate is being processed by an ion beam is disclosed. The system comprises two arrays of light emitting diodes (LEDs) disposed above and below the ion beam. The LEDs may be GaN or GaP LEDs, which emit light at a wavelength which is readily absorbed by silicon, thus efficiently and quickly heating the substrate. The LED arrays may be arranged so that the ion beam passes between the two LED arrays and strikes the substrate. As the substrate is translated relative to the ion beam, the LEDs from the LED arrays provide heating to the substrate.

Apparatus for heating and processing a substrate

An electrostatic clamp having improved temperature uniformity is disclosed. The electrostatic clamp includes an LED array mounted along an annular ring so as to illuminate the outer edge of the workpiece. The LEDs in the LED array may emit light at a wavelength readily absorbed by the workpiece, such as between 0.4 &#x3bc;m and 1.0 &#x3bc;m. The center portion of the workpiece is heated using conductive heating provided by the heated electrostatic clamp. The outer portion of the workpiece is heated by light energy from the LED array. The LED array may be disposed on the base of the electrostatic clamp, or may be disposed on a separate ring. The diameter of the upper dielectric layer of the electrostatic clamp may be modified to accommodate the LED array.

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Beverly, MA, United States of America

Ala Moradian