Mattson Technology, Inc

Beijing E-town Semiconductor Technology, Co., Ltd

Mattson Thermal Products Gmbh

Rolf Bremensdorfer

Michael Xiaoxuan Yang

Dieter Hezler

Joseph Cibere

Manuel Sohn

Markus Lieberer

Dave Camm

Silke Hamm

Alex Wansidler

Yun Yang

Michael Storek

Shawming Ma

Dixit V Desai

Thorsten Hülsmann

Pete Lembesis

Johannes Keppler

Markus Hauf

Paul J Timans

Christoph Merkl

A processing apparatus for a thermal treatment of a workpiece is presented. The processing apparatus includes a processing chamber, a workpiece support disposed within the processing chamber, a gas delivery system, and radiative heat sources for heating the workpiece. The gas delivery system includes a gas showerhead assembly that is transparent to electromagnetic radiation emitted from the one or more radiative heat sources. The gas showerhead assembly includes one or more gas diffusion mechanisms to distribute gas within the enclosure.

Workpiece processing apparatus with gas showerhead assembly

A processing apparatus for a thermal treatment of a workpiece is presented. The processing apparatus includes a processing chamber, a workpiece support disposed within the processing chamber, a gas delivery system configured to flow one or more process gases into the processing chamber from the a first side of the processing chamber, one or more radiative heating sources disposed on the second side of the processing chamber, one or more dielectric windows disposed between the workpiece support and the one or more radiative heating sources, a rotation system configured to rotate the one or more radiative heating sources, and a workpiece temperature measurement system configured at a temperature measurement wavelength range to obtain a measurement indicative of a temperature of a back side of the workpiece.

Workpiece processing apparatus with thermal processing systems

Systems and methods for thermal processing of a workpiece at low temperatures are disclosed. In one example implementation, a thermal processing apparatus includes a processing chamber having a workpiece support. The workpiece support can be configured to support a workpiece. The apparatus can include one or more heat sources configured to emit electromagnetic radiation in a first wavelength range to heat the workpiece to a processing temperature. The processing temperature can be in the range of about 50° C. to 150° C. The apparatus can include one or more sensors configured to obtain a measurement of electromagnetic radiation in a second wavelength range when the workpiece is at the processing temperature. The second wavelength range can be different from the first wavelength range.

Systems and methods for thermal processing and temperature measurement of a workpiece at low temperatures

A thermal processing system for performing thermal processing can include a workpiece support plate configured to support a workpiece and heat source(s) configured to heat the workpiece. The thermal processing system can include window(s) having transparent region(s) that are transparent to electromagnetic radiation within a measurement wavelength range and opaque region(s) that are opaque to electromagnetic radiation within a portion of the measurement wavelength range. A temperature measurement system can include a plurality of infrared emitters configured to emit infrared radiation and a plurality of infrared sensors configured to measure infrared radiation within the measurement wavelength range where the transparent region(s) are at least partially within a field of view the infrared sensors. A controller can be configured to perform operations including obtaining transmittance and reflectance measurements associated with the workpiece and determining, based on the measurements, a temperature of the workpiece less than about 600° C.

Transmission-based temperature measurement of a workpiece in a thermal processing system

Apparatus, systems, and methods for processing workpieces are provided. In one example, such a method for performing a spike anneal rapid thermal process may include controlling a heat source to begin heating a workpiece supported on a workpiece support in a processing chamber. The method may further include receiving data indicative of a temperature of the workpiece. Furthermore, the method may include monitoring the temperature of the workpiece relative to a temperature setpoint. Moreover, the method may include controlling the heat source to stop heating the workpiece based at least in part on the workpiece reaching the temperature setpoint. Additionally, the method may include controlling a cooling system to begin flowing a cooling gas at a rate of about 300 slm or greater over the workpiece based at least in part on the workpiece reaching the temperature setpoint to reduce a t50 peak width of the workpiece.

Rapid thermal processing system with cooling system

A workpiece support for a thermal processing system is provided. The workpiece support includes a rotor configured to support a workpiece. The workpiece support further includes a gas supply. The gas supply can include a plurality of bearing pads. Each of the bearing pads can be positioned closer to a periphery of the rotor than a center of the rotor. Each of the bearing define one or more passages configured to direct gas onto the rotor to control a position of the rotor along a first axis and a second axis that is substantially perpendicular to the first axis. Furthermore, one or more of the bearing pads define at least one additional passage configured to direct gas onto the rotor to control rotation of the rotor about the first axis.

Workpiece support for a thermal processing system

An apparatus for combining plasma processing and thermal processing of a workpiece is presented. The apparatus includes a processing chamber, a plasma chamber separated from the processing chamber disposed on a first side of the processing chamber, and a plasma source configured to generate a plasma in the plasma chamber. A quartz workpiece support is disposed within the processing chamber, the workpiece support configured to support a workpiece. One or more radiative heat sources configured to heat the workpiece are disposed on a second and opposite side of the first side of the processing chamber. A dielectric window is disposed between the workpiece support and the one or more heat sources. In addition, the apparatus includes a temperature measurement system configured to obtain a temperature measurement indicative of a temperature of the workpiece.

Support plates and support structures for thermal processing systems to heat workpieces are provided. In one example, a thermal processing apparatus is provided that includes a plurality of heat sources, a rotatable support plate, and a support structure having a flexibility in the radial direction of the rotatable support plate that is greater than a flexibility in the azimuthal direction of the rotatable support plate. Also provided are support plates for supporting a workpiece in a thermal processing apparatus. The support plate can include a base defining a radial direction and an azimuthal direction and at least one support structure extending from the base having a flexibility in the radial direction of the base that is greater than a flexibility in the azimuthal direction of the base.

Support structure for thermal processing systems

Apparatus, systems, and methods for processing workpieces are provided. An arc lamp can include a tube. The arc lamp can include one or more inlets configured to receive water to be circulated through the arc lamp during operation as a water wall, the water wall configured to cool the arc lamp. The arc lamp can include a plurality of electrodes configured to generate a plasma in a forming gas introduced into the arc lamp via the one or more inlets. The forming gas can be or can include a mixture of a hydrogen gas and an inert gas, the hydrogen gas in the mixture having a concentration less than 4% by volume. The hydrogen gas can be introduced into the arc lamp prior to generating the plasma. The arc lamp may be used for processing workpieces.

Arc lamp with forming gas for thermal processing systems

Systems and methods for reducing contamination of one or more arc lamps are provided. One example implementation is directed to a millisecond anneal system. The millisecond anneal system includes a processing chamber for thermally treating a substrate using a millisecond anneal process. The system further includes one or more arc lamps. Each of the one or more arc lamps is coupled to a water loop for circulating water through the arc lamp during operation of the arc lamp. The system includes a reagent injection source configured to introduce a reagent, such as nitrogen gas, into water circulating through the arc lamp during operation of the arc lamp.

Nitrogen injection for arc lamps

Support plates for localized heating in thermal processing systems to uniformly heat workpieces are provided. In one example implementation, localized heating is achieved by modifying a heat transmittance of a support plate such that one or more portions of the support plate proximate the areas that cause cold spots transmit more heat than the rest of the support plate. For example, the one or more portions (e.g., areas proximate to one or more support pins) of the support plate have a higher heat transmittance (e.g., a higher optical transmission) than the rest of the support plate. In another example implementation, localized heating is achieved by heating a workpiece via a coherent light source through a transmissive support structure (e.g., one or more support pins, or a ring support) in addition to heating the workpiece globally by light from heat sources.

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Bibertal, Germany

Rolf Bremensdorfer