Mattson Technology, Inc

Steag Rtp Systems Gmbh

Mattson Thermal Products Gmbh

Yao Zhi Hu

Sing Pin Tay

Sing-Pin Tay

Paul Janis Timans

Daniel J Devine

Randhir P S Thakur

Young Jai Lee

Peter Carl Bordiga

Arnon Gat

Sagy Charel Levy

Markus Hauf

Zsolt Nenyei

Wilfried Lerch

Jens-Uwe Sachse

Conor Patrick O'Carroll

Patrick Schmid

Georg Roters

Wilhelm Kegel

Manfred Falter

Sagy Levy

Yuval Wasserman

Erwin Schoer

Regina Hayn

Steffen Frigge

Jüergen Niess

Jeffrey Gelpey

Igor Fidelman

Rudy Cardema

A customizable chamber spectral response is described which can be used at least to tailor chamber performance for wafer heating, wafer cooling, temperature measurement, and stray light. In one aspect, a system is described for processing a treatment object having a given emission spectrum at a treatment object temperature which causes the treatment object to produce a treatment object radiated energy. The chamber responds in a first way to the heating arrangement radiated energy and in a second way to the treatment object radiated energy that is incident thereon. The chamber may respond in the first way by reflecting the majority of the heat source radiated energy and in the second way by absorbing the majority of the treatment object radiated energy. Different portions of the chamber may be treated with selectively reflectivity based on design considerations to achieve objectives with respect to a particular chamber performance parameter.

Selective reflectivity process chamber with customized wavelength response and method

Process and system for processing wafer-shaped objects, such as semiconductor wafers is disclosed. In accordance with the present disclosure, a multiple of two wafers are processed in a thermal processing chamber. The thermal processing chamber is in communication with at least one heating device for heating the wafers. The wafers are placed in the thermal processing chamber in a face-to-face configuration or in a back-to-back configuration.

Method and system for thermally processing a plurality of wafer-shaped objects

A device for thermally treating semiconductor wafers having at least one silicon layer to be oxidized and a metal layer, preferably a tungsten layer, which is not to be oxidized. The inventive device comprises the following: at least one radiation source; a treatment chamber receiving the substrate, with at least one wall part located adjacent to the radiation sources and which is substantially transparent for the radiation of said radiation source; and at least one cover plate between the substrate and the wall part of the treatment chamber located adjacent to the radiation sources, the dimensions of said cover plate being selected such that it fully covers the transparent wall part of the treatment chamber in relation to the substrate in order to prevent material, comprising a metal, metal oxide or metal hydroxide such as tungsten, tungsten oxide or tungsten hydroxide, from said substrate from becoming deposited on or evaporating onto the transparent wall part of the treatment chamber.

Device and method for thermally treating semiconductor wafers

In a rapid thermal processing system an array of heat lamps generate radiant heat for heating the surfaces of a semiconductor substrate, such as a semiconductor wafer, to a selected temperature or set of temperatures while held within an enclosed chamber. The heat lamps are surrounded by one or more optically transparent enclosures that isolate the heat lamps from the chamber environment and the wafer or wafers therein. The optically transparent enclosures include associated reflectors to direct a higher proportion of emitted radiant heat energy from the lamps toward the semiconductor wafer(s). The lamps with such enclosures are mounted for rotation so that the reflectors may alternately shield all or a portion of emitted lamp radiation from the semiconductor substrate.

Rapid thermal processing system for integrated circuits

The oxynitride or oxide layer is formed on a semiconductor substrate by subjecting the substrate to UV radiation while exposed to a gaseous atmosphere of O and one or more of N , N O, H and NH . Thereafter, a silicon nitride layer is formed according to known 4-step gate stack dielectric processing techniques. Alternatively, a 3-step gate stack process is used, namely following UV-oxidation, a further UV-radiation in NH may be applied, followed by a rapid thermal anneal process in an inert ambient. By using UV-oxidation as the first step in either a 4-step or 3-step gate stack process, very thin composite dielectric films with equivalent oxide thickness (EOT) below 16 &angst; and as low as 14.2 &angst; can be obtained with significant improvement in leakage current density.

UV-enhanced oxy-nitridation of semiconductor substrates

In a rapid thermal processing system an array of heat lamps generate radiant heat for heating the surfaces of a semiconductor substrate, such as a semiconductor wafer, to a selected temperature or set of temperatures while held within an enclosed chamber. The heat lamps are surrounded individually or in groups by one or more optically transparent enclosures that isolate the heat lamps from the chamber environment and the wafer or wafers therein. The optically transparent enclosures may include associated reflectors and/or lenses to direct a higher proportion of emitted radiant heat energy from the lamps toward the semiconductor wafer(s). Thin planar quartz liners may also be interposed between the lamps and the substrate. By controlling radiant energy distribution within the chamber, and eliminating thick planar quartz windows commonly used to isolate the lamps in prior art RTP systems, higher processing rates and improved reliability are obtained.

The oxynitride or oxide layer formed on a semiconductor substrate is pre-treated with UV-excited gas (such as chlorine or nitrogen) to improve the layer surface condition and increase the density of nucleation sites for subsequent silicon nitride deposition. The pre-treatment is shown to reduce the root mean square surface roughness of thinner silicon nitride films (with physical thicknesses below 36 &angst;, or even below 20 &angst; that are deposited on the oxynitride layer by chemical vapor deposition (CVD).

UV pretreatment process for ultra-thin oxynitride formation

A system and process is disclosed for rapidly heating semiconductor wafers coated with a highly reflective material on either the whole wafer or in a patterned area. The wafers are heated in a thermal processing chamber by a plurality of lamps. In order for the wafer coated with the highly reflective material to more rapidly increase in temperature with lower power intensity, a shield member is placed in between the wafer and the plurality of lamps. The shield member is made from a high emissivity material, such as ceramic, that increases in temperature when exposed to light energy. Once heated, the shield member then in turn heats the semiconductor wafer with higher uniformity. In one embodiment, the shield member can also be used to determine the temperature of the wafer as it is heated.

System for controlling the temperature of a reflective substrate during rapid heating

An apparatus for heat treating semiconductor wafers is disclosed. In accordance with the present invention, the apparatus includes a temperature measuring system for determining the temperature of semiconductor wafers being heated within the apparatus. The temperature measurement system includes a shield member made from, for instance, ceramic which is placed adjacent to the semiconductor wafer being heated. A temperature measuring device, such as a thermocouple, is placed in association with the shield member. As the wafer is heated, the temperature of the shield member is monitored. Based on a predetermined calibration curve, by knowing the temperature of the shield member, the temperature of the semiconductor wafer can be estimated with reasonable accuracy.

System for measuring the temperature of a semiconductor wafer during thermal processing

A system and method for determining the temperature of substrates in a thermal processing chamber in the presence of either an oxidizing atmosphere or a reducing atmosphere is disclosed. Specifically, temperature determinations made in accordance with the present invention are generally for calibrating other temperature sensing devices that may be used in conjunction with the thermal processing chamber. The method of the present invention is generally directed to heating a substrate containing a reactive coating within a thermal processing chamber in an oxidizing atmosphere or reducing atmosphere. As the wafer is heated, the reactive coating reacts with gases contained within the chamber based upon the temperature to which the substrate is exposed. After heated, the thickness of any coating that is formed on the substrate is then measured for determining the temperature to which the substrate was heated. This information can then be used to calibrate other temperature sensing devices, such as thermocouples and pyrometers.

Method for determining the temperature in a thermal processing chamber

A process and system for preventing gases from either leaking into or out of a thermal processing chamber that is designed to operate at or near atmospheric pressure is disclosed. For instance, in one embodiment, gases are prevented from leaking into a thermal processing chamber by maintaining the pressure within the chamber at levels that are slightly greater than atmospheric pressure. In an alternative embodiment, in order to prevent gases from leaking out of the chamber, the pressure within the chamber is maintained at levels slightly less than atmospheric pressure. During operation of the thermal processing chamber, a gas is continuously circulated through the chamber. In order to carry out the process of the present invention, a pressure control device can be placed upon the gas outlet for maintaining the pressure within the chamber within a desired range.

Growing community of inventors

San Jose, CA, United States of America

Yao Zhi Hu