Ultratech, Inc.

Veeco Instruments Inc.

Xiaohua Shen

Yun Yu Wang

Xiaoru Wang

Andrew M Hawryluk

Matthew Earl Wallace Reed

High bandwidth time-and-space resolved scatter phase transition microscopy systems configured to detect melt onset in a wafer being processed by laser annealing systems with ultra-short dwell times and spot size.

Scatter melt detection to determine phase transition of semiconductor during laser annealing

Methods of annealing a thin semiconductor wafer are disclosed. The methods allow for high-temperature annealing of one side of a thin semiconductor wafer without damaging or overheating heat-sensitive electronic device features that are either on the other side of the wafer or embedded within the wafer. The annealing is performed at a temperature below the melting point of the wafer so that no significant dopant redistribution occurs during the annealing process. The methods can be applied to activating dopants or to forming ohmic contacts.

Non-melt thin-wafer laser thermal annealing methods

Systems and methods are disclosed for performing laser annealing in a manner that reduces or minimizes wafer surface temperature variations during the laser annealing process. The systems and methods include annealing the wafer surface with first and second laser beams that represent preheat and anneal laser beams having respective first and second intensities. The preheat laser beam brings the wafer surface temperate close to the annealing temperature and the anneal laser beam brings the wafer surface temperature up to the annealing temperature. The anneal laser beam can have a different wavelength, or the same wavelength but different orientation relative to the wafer surface. Reflectivity maps of the wafer surface at the preheat and anneal wavelengths are measured and used to select the first and second intensities that ensure good anneal temperature uniformity as a function of wafer position. The first and second intensities can also be selected to minimize edge damage or slip generation.

Two-beam laser annealing with improved temperature performance

Systems and methods are disclosed for performing laser annealing in a manner that reduces or minimizes wafer surface temperature variations during the laser annealing process. The systems and methods include annealing the wafer surface with first and second laser beams that represent preheat and anneal laser beams having respective first and second intensities. The preheat laser beam brings the wafer surface temperate close to the annealing temperature and the anneal laser beam brings the wafer surface temperature up to the annealing temperature. The anneal laser beam can have a different wavelength, or the same wavelength but different orientation relative to the wafer surface. Reflectivity maps of the wafer surface at the preheat and anneal wavelengths are measured and used to select first and second intensities that ensure good anneal temperature uniformity as a function of wafer position.

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Fremont, CA, United States of America

Xiaohua Shen