Applied Materials, Inc.

Peter A Knoot

Gary Eugene Miner

Satheesh Kuppurao

Christian M Gronet

Guangcai Xing

David R Lopes

Aaron Muir Hunter

Abhilash J Mayur

Wolfgang R Aderhold

Mark Yam

Bruce W Peuse

Jason Mershon

Gary E Miner

A method of forming an oxide on a substrate. According to the method of the present invention a substrate is placed in a chamber. An oxygen containing gas and a hydrogen containing gas are then fed into the chamber. The oxygen containing gas and the hydrogen containing gas are then caused to react with one another to form water vapor in the chamber. The water vapor then oxidizes the substrate.

Method and apparatus for insitu vapor generation

The invention provides a system for providing a flow of a short-lived, reactive process gas species into an RTP chamber without creating ionic species. An RTP chamber includes a transparent quartz window assembly. The window assembly has a first pane facing a wafer inside the RTP chamber. A second pane is positioned adjacent a heat lamp array on the outside of the RTP chamber. A window side wall joins the first and second panes at their peripheral edges to provide an internal chamber therebetween. A plurality of channels extend through the first pane from the internal chamber to the inside of the RTP chamber. A port communicates between the internal chamber and a process gas source. The window assembly also includes a reflective surface facing the internal chamber. An ultraviolet light source is positioned to illuminate process gas flowing through the window assembly with ultraviolet light such that the ultraviolet light alters the chemistry of the process gas. A process using the reactive gas species can be turned on and off quickly by turning on and off the ultraviolet light.

Gas manifold for uniform gas distribution and photochemistry

A method of correcting a temperature probe reading in a thermal processing chamber for heating a substrate, including the steps of heating the substrate to a process temperature and using a first, a second and a third probe to measure the temperature of the substrate. The first probe has a first effective reflectivity and the second probe has a second effective reflectivity. The first probe produces a first temperature indication, the second probe produces a second temperature indication and the third probe produces a third temperature indication. The first and second effective reflectivities may be different. From the first and second temperature indications, a corrected temperature reading for the first probe may be derived, wherein the corrected temperature reading is a more accurate indicator of an actual temperature of the substrate than an uncorrected readings produced by both the first and second probes. A corrected temperature reading for the third probe may be derived by adjusting the temperature correction calculated for the first probe according to the measured emissivity sensitivity associated with the environment of the third probe to provide a corrected temperature reading that is a more accurate indicator of an actual temperature of the substrate in the environment of the third probe. An apparatus for carrying out the method is also disclosed.

Method and apparatus for measuring substrate temperatures

A technique and system for tuning temperature sensor readings in a thermal processing chamber includes determining an actual temperature profile for a substrate based on measurements of the substrate. A simulated temperature profile for the substrate is calculated using a respective interim temperature correction value for one or more temperature sensors associated with the chamber. A Gaussian-like distribution for thermal contributions from multiple radiation sources in the chamber can be used to simulate the temperature profile. The simulated temperature profile and the actual temperature profile are combined to form an estimated temperature profile. A final value for each respective temperature correction value is determined using an optimization algorithm which results in the estimated temperature profile being substantially uniform across the surface of the substrate. Each final temperature correction value is used as an offset to temperature measurements obtained from the corresponding temperature sensors.

Tuning a substrate temperature measurement system

Method for insitu vapor generation for forming an oxide on a substrate

An apparatus for processing a semiconductor substrate mounted in a thermal processing chamber includes a heating system for heating the substrate, which includes lamps facing a front side of the substrate and a power supply system providing power to at least one of the lamps with a DC power component and an AC power component at a selected frequency. The AC power component is a selected fraction of the DC power component. The apparatus also has a sensor facing a back side of the substrate for providing a detected signal indicative of measured radiation from the back side of the substrate. A lock-in system provides a lock-in signal indicative of a magnitude of an AC component of the detected signal at the selected frequency in response to the detected signal and a reference signal at the selected frequency. A processing system is adapted to determine a transmitted portion of the measured radiation that is transmitted through the substrate based upon the lock-in signal, the detected signal and the selected fraction.

Low temperature control of rapid thermal processes

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San Carlos, CA, United States of America

Peter A Knoot