Method and apparatus for thermal processing of semiconductor substrates
Abstract
An improved apparatus and method for thermal processing of semiconductor wafers. The apparatus and method provide the temperature stability and uniformity of a conventional batch furnace as well as the processing speed and reduced time-at-temperature of a lamp-heated rapid thermal processor (RTP). Individual wafers are rapidly inserted into and withdrawn from a furnace cavity held at a nearly constant and isothermal temperature. The speeds of insertion and withdrawal are sufficiently large to limit thermal stresses and thereby reduce or prevent plastic deformation of the wafer as it enters and leaves the furnace. By processing the semiconductor wafer in a substantially isothermal cavity, the wafer temperature and spatial uniformity of the wafer temperature can be ensured by measuring and controlling only temperatures of the cavity walls. Further, peak power requirements are very small compared to lamp-heated RTPs because the cavity temperature is not cycled and the thermal mass of the cavity is relatively large. Increased speeds of insertion and/or removal may also be used with non-isothermal furnaces.
- Inventors:
-
- Danville, CA
- Cardiss, CA
- Los Gatos, CA
- Alameda, CA
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), Albuquerque, NM, and Livermore, CA (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 873317
- Patent Number(s):
- 6133550
- Assignee:
- Sandia Corporation (Livermore, CA); Mattson Technology, Inc. (Fremont, CA)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
C - CHEMISTRY C23 - COATING METALLIC MATERIAL C23C - COATING METALLIC MATERIAL
C - CHEMISTRY C30 - CRYSTAL GROWTH C30B - SINGLE-CRYSTAL-GROWTH
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-94AL85000
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- method; apparatus; thermal; processing; semiconductor; substrates; improved; wafers; provide; temperature; stability; uniformity; conventional; batch; furnace; speed; reduced; time-at-temperature; lamp-heated; rapid; processor; rtp; individual; rapidly; inserted; withdrawn; cavity; held; nearly; constant; isothermal; speeds; insertion; withdrawal; sufficiently; limit; stresses; reduce; prevent; plastic; deformation; wafer; enters; leaves; substantially; spatial; ensured; measuring; controlling; temperatures; walls; peak; power; requirements; compared; rtps; cycled; mass; relatively; increased; removal; non-isothermal; furnaces; semiconductor wafers; temperature stability; plastic deformation; power requirements; furnace cavity; semiconductor wafer; thermal stress; semiconductor substrate; improved apparatus; peak power; nearly constant; method provide; rapid thermal; thermal processing; thermal stresses; semiconductor substrates; thermal mass; cavity walls; cavity wall; thermal temperature; thermal cavity; power requirement; /219/373/
Citation Formats
Griffiths, Stewart K, Nilson, Robert H, Mattson, Brad S, and Savas, Stephen E. Method and apparatus for thermal processing of semiconductor substrates. United States: N. p., 2000.
Web.
Griffiths, Stewart K, Nilson, Robert H, Mattson, Brad S, & Savas, Stephen E. Method and apparatus for thermal processing of semiconductor substrates. United States.
Griffiths, Stewart K, Nilson, Robert H, Mattson, Brad S, and Savas, Stephen E. Sat .
"Method and apparatus for thermal processing of semiconductor substrates". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/873317.
@article{osti_873317,
title = {Method and apparatus for thermal processing of semiconductor substrates},
author = {Griffiths, Stewart K and Nilson, Robert H and Mattson, Brad S and Savas, Stephen E},
abstractNote = {An improved apparatus and method for thermal processing of semiconductor wafers. The apparatus and method provide the temperature stability and uniformity of a conventional batch furnace as well as the processing speed and reduced time-at-temperature of a lamp-heated rapid thermal processor (RTP). Individual wafers are rapidly inserted into and withdrawn from a furnace cavity held at a nearly constant and isothermal temperature. The speeds of insertion and withdrawal are sufficiently large to limit thermal stresses and thereby reduce or prevent plastic deformation of the wafer as it enters and leaves the furnace. By processing the semiconductor wafer in a substantially isothermal cavity, the wafer temperature and spatial uniformity of the wafer temperature can be ensured by measuring and controlling only temperatures of the cavity walls. Further, peak power requirements are very small compared to lamp-heated RTPs because the cavity temperature is not cycled and the thermal mass of the cavity is relatively large. Increased speeds of insertion and/or removal may also be used with non-isothermal furnaces.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {2000},
month = {1}
}
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