Rotating substrate laser anneal

Abstract

Embodiments of this disclosure relate to the heat treatment of substrates. More specifically, the embodiments described herein relate to flash spike annealing and apparatus suitable for performing such treatment. In one embodiment, the heat treatment apparatus may include a lamp radiation source, a laser source, and a reflector disposed between the lamp radiation source and the laser source. One or more holes may be formed in the reflector, and the laser source may be positioned adjacent to the reflector such that a laser beam emitted from the laser source propagates through one or more holes. In one embodiment, the reflector may be generally circular, and the one or more holes may approximate a fan-shaped region of the reflector.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of the invention patent application filed on July 19, 2016, with application number 201680040639.X and invention title "Laser Annealing of Rotary Substrate". Technical Field

[0002] The embodiments of this disclosure generally relate to apparatus for heat-treated substrates. More specifically, the embodiments described herein relate to apparatus for laser annealing of spin-type substrates. Background Technology

[0003] Integrated circuits have evolved into complex devices that can include millions of transistors, capacitors, and resistors on a single chip. The continuous advancements in chip design demand faster circuits and greater circuit density, requiring increasingly precise manufacturing processes. One commonly used such process is ion implantation.

[0004] Although various other integrated circuit manufacturing processes are frequently used, ion implantation is particularly important for forming transistor structures on semiconductor substrates, and it can be repeated many times during chip manufacturing. During ion implantation, the semiconductor substrate is bombarded with a beam of charged ions, commonly referred to as dopants. Ion implantation alters the properties of the implanted dopant material to achieve specific levels of device performance.

[0005] During ion implantation, the implanted film may develop high levels of internal stress. To relieve this stress by repairing the crystal matrix of the implanted film and to further control the resulting properties, the film is typically subjected to thermal treatment, such as annealing. Annealing is usually performed in a rapid thermal processing (RTP) chamber, which subjectes the substrate to very brief but highly controlled thermal cycling to align the dopants within the crystal matrix of the implanted film. However, if too much heat is applied, or if the heat is applied for too long, the movement of dopant atoms within the implanted film may exceed the desired dopant occupancy area.

[0006] As devices become smaller, the target dopant region also shrinks, making it more challenging to arrange dopants within the crystal matrix while simultaneously preventing undesirable diffusion beyond the target region. Nanosecond annealing using megawatt lasers might be suitable in some cases, but such tools are typically very large and prohibitively expensive for economical implementation.

[0007] Figure 1A simplified isometric view of a prior art RTP chamber is illustrated. The processing chamber 100 includes a non-contact or magnetically levitated substrate support 104 and a chamber body 102, the chamber body 102 having walls 108, a bottom 110, and a top 112 defining an internal volume 120. The walls 108 typically include at least one substrate inlet / outlet 148 to facilitate substrate 140 (a portion of substrate 140 is shown in the diagram). Figure 1 The entry and exit points (in the middle) can be coupled to a transfer chamber (not shown) or a loading locking chamber (not shown), and the entry and exit points can be selectively sealed with a valve, such as a slit valve (not shown). The substrate support 104 can be annular. The chamber 100 includes a radiant heat source 106 disposed within the inner diameter of the substrate support 104.

[0008] The substrate support 104 is adapted to be magnetically levitated and rotated within the internal volume 120, allowing the substrate support 104 to rotate and simultaneously rise and fall vertically during processing. A window 114, made of a material permeable to heat and light of various wavelengths, can be used to shield the radiant heat source 106 from the processing environment while allowing the radiant heat source 106 to heat the substrate 140. The window 114 may include a plurality of lifting pins 144 coupled through the upper surface of the window 114.

[0009] The radiant heat source 106 may be a lamp assembly formed of a housing comprising a plurality of honeycomb tubes 160 coupled to a coolant source 183. The housing may be made of copper or other suitable material in which suitable coolant channels are formed for the flow of coolant from the coolant source 183.

[0010] The chamber 100 may also include one or more sensors 116, which are typically adapted to detect the height of the substrate support 104 (or substrate 140) within the internal volume 120 of the chamber body 102. The sensors 116 may be coupled to the chamber body 102 and / or other portions of the processing chamber 100, and are adapted to provide an output indicating the distance between the substrate support 104 and the top 112 and / or bottom 110 of the chamber body 102, and may also detect misalignment of the substrate support 104 and / or substrate 140.

[0011] The RTP chamber 100 may also include a cooling block 180, which is adjacent to, coupled to, or formed on the top 112. Generally, the cooling block 180 is spaced apart from or opposite the radiant heat source 106. The cooling block 180 includes one or more coolant channels 184 coupled to an inlet 181A and an outlet 181B. The cooling block 180 may include a reflector coupled to the surface of the cooling block 180 facing the substrate support 104.

[0012] The RTP chamber 100 utilizing a lamp heat source may have an excessively large time constant for some applications. In some cases, the lamp heat source and the housing surrounding it may heat or cool too slowly to perform effective annealing without significant dopant diffusion.

[0013] Therefore, what is needed in the art is improved equipment for rapid heat treatment. Summary of the Invention

[0014] In one embodiment, an apparatus for processing a substrate is provided. The apparatus includes a chamber defining an internal volume, and a radiant heat source may be disposed within the internal volume. A rotatable support may be disposed adjacent to the radiant heat source within the internal volume. A laser source may be disposed adjacent to the substrate support within the internal volume, and a window may be disposed within the internal volume and between the radiant heat source and the laser source.

[0015] In another embodiment, an apparatus for processing a substrate is provided. The apparatus includes a chamber defining an internal volume, within which a radiation source may be disposed. A rotatable substrate support may be disposed adjacent to the radiation source within the internal volume, and a laser source may be disposed adjacent to the substrate support within the internal volume. A reflector may be disposed within the internal volume and between the laser source and the substrate support, and the reflector may have one or more holes formed therein.

[0016] In yet another embodiment, an apparatus for processing a substrate is provided. The apparatus includes a chamber defining an internal volume and a lamp radiation source disposed within the internal volume. A rotatable substrate support may be disposed adjacent to the lamp radiation source within the internal volume, and a laser source may be disposed adjacent to the substrate support within the internal volume. A window may be disposed within the internal volume and between the lamp radiation source and the laser source, and a circular reflector may be disposed within the internal volume and between the laser source and the window. The circular reflector may have one or more fan-shaped holes formed therein. Attached Figure Description

[0017] To enable a more detailed understanding of the features described above, a more specific description of the present disclosure, which has been briefly outlined above, can be obtained by referring to embodiments, some of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. However, it should be noted that the drawings illustrate exemplary embodiments only and should not be construed as limiting their scope; other equivalent embodiments are permissible.

[0018] Figure 1 A simplified isometric view of a prior art RTP chamber is illustrated according to the embodiments described herein.

[0019] Figure 2A schematic diagram of the laser source is shown according to the embodiments described herein.

[0020] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of an RTP chamber, comprising multiple radiation modules, is illustrated according to an embodiment described herein.

[0021] Figure 4A A partial cross-sectional view of an RTP chamber with a laser source is shown according to the embodiment described herein.

[0022] Figure 4B A partial plan view of the laser source and reflector is shown according to the embodiments described herein.

[0023] Figures 5A to 5E Schematic plan views of various reflectors are shown based on the various embodiments described herein.

[0024] Figure 6A A schematic cross-sectional view of the batch substrate support is shown according to the embodiments described herein.

[0025] Figure 6B Illustrations based on the embodiments described herein Figure 6A A schematic plan view of the batch substrate support.

[0026] To facilitate understanding, the same reference numerals have been used as much as possible to denote common elements in the figures. It should be considered that elements and features of one embodiment may be beneficially incorporated into other embodiments without further detail. Detailed Implementation

[0027] Embodiments of this disclosure relate to the heat treatment of substrates. More specifically, the embodiments described herein relate to flash-on-spike annealing and suitable apparatus for performing such a process. In one embodiment, the heat treatment apparatus may include a lamp radiation source, a laser source, and a reflector disposed between the lamp radiation source and the laser source. One or more holes may be formed in the reflector, and the laser source may be positioned adjacent to the reflector such that a laser beam emitted from the laser source propagates through the one or more holes. In one embodiment, the reflector may be generally circular, and the one or more holes may approximate a fan-shaped region of the reflector.

[0028] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a processing chamber 100 is shown according to an embodiment described herein, wherein an additional radiation module 201 is added to the processing chamber 100. Figure 2The processing chamber 100 shown may also include a substrate support 104 and a shifting mechanism 218. The substrate support 104 may include a heat source, such as a resistance heater or the like, to heat the substrate independently of the radiation source 202. The radiation module typically includes a radiation source 202 and a focusing optics element 220 disposed between the radiation source 202 and the substrate support 104.

[0029] Radiation source 202 may be a laser source capable of emitting continuous electromagnetic radiation waves or pulsed electromagnetic radiation. In some embodiments, a single radiation source 202 is used to generate a laser beam. In other embodiments, multiple radiation sources 202 are used to generate a laser beam. In one embodiment, radiation source 202 includes multiple fiber lasers. Alternatively, radiation source 202 may be a non-laser radiation source, such as a flash lamp, halogen lamp, light-emitting diode source, or the like. For example, a non-laser low incident flux source may be a suitable example of radiation source 202. Typically, radiation source 202 is used to heat the substrate during annealing or surface modification treatments. More specifically, radiation source 202 is used to induce a temperature increase in the substrate surface more deeply throughout the substrate thickness. After the substrate is exposed to radiation source 202, the substrate can be cooled laterally through the bulk of the substrate. Alternatively or in combination, substrates with low thermal conductivity, such as less than about 3 W / m / L, may be suitable for surface heat treatment. However, it should be considered that substrates can be treated in a variety of different ways using any combination of processing techniques and temperatures.

[0030] Radiation emitted from radiation source 202 can be absorbed at or near the surface of substrate 140. Therefore, radiation with wavelengths within the absorption range of substrate 140 can be emitted from radiation source 202. Typically, for silicon-containing substrates, the radiation wavelength can be between approximately 190 nm and approximately 950 nm, for example, approximately 810 nm. Alternatively, a high-power UV laser can be used as radiation source 202.

[0031] Radiation source 202 may be able to continuously emit radiation for a duration greater than about 1 second, such as greater than about 10 seconds, or for example, greater than about 15 seconds. Alternatively, radiation source 202 may be able to emit radiation pulses for a duration greater than about 1 second, such as greater than about 10 seconds, or for example, greater than about 15 seconds. Radiation source 202 may include multiple laser diodes, each laser diode producing uniform spatially coherent light of substantially the same wavelength. The power of the laser diodes may be in the range of about 0.5 kW to about 50 kW, such as about 5 kW.

[0032] The focusing optics 220 may include one or more collimators 206 to collimate the radiation 204 from the radiation source 202 into a generally parallel beam. The collimated radiation 208 may then be focused at the upper surface 222 of the substrate 140 into a line radiation 212 by at least one lens 210. The term "line radiation" as used herein is intended to describe the spatial distribution of the radiation 212 at the upper surface 222 of the substrate 140. It should be understood that the shape of the spatial distribution of the radiation 212 may resemble a line or band, a fan, a spot, or multiple spots and the like. Typically, the substrate 140 may be a circular substrate having a diameter of about 200 mm, about 300 mm, or about 450 mm. The line radiation 212 may extend across the substrate 140 with a width 228 between about 3 μm and about 500 μm. The length of the line radiation 212 may approximate the radius of the substrate 140 in one embodiment and the diameter of the substrate 140 in another embodiment. For example, for a substrate with a diameter of 300 mm, the length of the line radiation 212 can be approximately 150 mm. Alternatively, for a substrate with a diameter of 300 mm, the length of the line radiation 212 can be approximately 300 mm.

[0033] Typically, the length of the line radiation 212 can be greater than the width 228. In one embodiment, the line radiation 212 can linearly cross the substrate 140 such that the line radiation 212 is generally perpendicular to the direction of movement of the substrate 140, that is, the line radiation 212 remains parallel to a fixed line or chord of the substrate 140, which is perpendicular to the direction of movement of the substrate.

[0034] In one embodiment, the shape of the line radiation 212 may resemble a "pie slice." For example, the line radiation 212 may approximate a sector of the substrate 140, the sector extending from the origin of the circular substrate 140 to an arc at the periphery of the substrate 140, the arc being defined by a sector measurement angle. In one embodiment, the sector measurement angle may be between about 0.005° and about 140°, for example, between about 0.01° and about 20°. In another embodiment, the shape of the line radiation 212 may resemble a pie slice, the pie slice approximating the diameter of the substrate 140. In yet another embodiment, the line radiation 212 may be a Gaussian laser spot. In this embodiment, one or more Gaussian laser spots may be generated in a strip (line) shape or in a pie slice shape (i.e., through multiple radiation sources such as fiber lasers).

[0035] Lens 210 can be any suitable lens or a series of lenses, adapted to form the linear radiation 212 of a desired shape. In one embodiment, lens 210 can be a cylindrical lens. Alternatively, lens 210 can be one or more concave lenses, convex lenses, plane mirrors, concave mirrors, convex mirrors, refractive lenses, diffractive lenses, Fresnel lenses, gradient index lenses, or the like. Typically, lens 210 can be configured to influence the radial or diametrical power distribution of the linear radiation 212 from the origin of substrate 140 to the periphery of substrate 140.

[0036] The power distribution of linear radiation 212 can be approximately 10 kW / cm². 2 With approximately 200kW / cm 2 Between. For line radiation 212 with a radius approximately equal to or near the origin of substrate 140, the power distribution of line radiation 212 at or near the origin of substrate 140 may be approximately 0 kW / cm. 2 The power distribution of the linear radiation 212 may increase from the origin to the periphery or edge of the substrate 140. In some embodiments, the power distribution may increase linearly or exponentially from the origin to the edge. Alternatively, the uniform power distribution along the linear radiation 212 may be substantially constant. In this embodiment, the exposure of the substrate to the radiation 212 may be modulated by the shape or spatial distribution of the radiation 212 located at the upper surface 222 of the substrate 140. It should be considered that the substrate 140 may be heated to a temperature up to about 1000°C by the radiant heat source 106, and the radiation module 201 may be configured to heat the substrate 140 by an additional 20°C to about 250°C. The ramp-up rate and ramp-down rate of the radiation module may exceed about 4,000,000°C / second.

[0037] Examples of different processing conditions are provided in Tables 1 and 2. Table 1 illustrates different processing conditions for a 300mm diameter substrate, and Table 2 illustrates different processing conditions for 200mm and 450mm diameter substrates.

[0038] Table 1 – Single substrate

[0039]

[0040]

[0041] Table 2 – Multi-board Turntable

[0042]

[0043] Stator assembly 118 may be configured to rotate substrate 140 within chamber 100. Stator assembly 118 typically rotates substrate support 104 to apply a rotational rate to substrate 140 disposed on substrate support 104. In some embodiments, stator assembly 118 may be configured to rotate substrate 140 at a rate between about 10 revolutions per minute and about 500 revolutions per minute, such as between about 200 revolutions per minute and about 300 revolutions per minute, for example between about 230 revolutions per minute and about 250 revolutions per minute.

[0044] In one embodiment, a shifting mechanism 218, such as a stepper motor, may be coupled to the radiation module 201. In this embodiment, the shifting mechanism 218 may be configured to move the radiation module 201, or various components of the radiation module 201, relative to the upper surface 222 of the substrate 140. For example, the shifting mechanism 218 may move the line radiation 212 from the center of the substrate 140 toward the edge of the substrate 140. Alternatively, the shifting mechanism 218 may move the line radiation 212 from the edge of the substrate 140 toward the center of the substrate 140. In one embodiment, the shifting mechanism 218 may be configured to rasterize the line radiation 212. In this embodiment, the raster scanning period may be greater than about 1 Hz, such as greater than about 1 kHz. Furthermore, the shifting mechanism 218 and the stator assembly 118 may be in electrical communication with each other, and the actions performed by either the shifting mechanism 218 and / or the stator assembly 118 may be controlled by the controller 124.

[0045] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of an RTP chamber 300, illustrated according to an embodiment described herein, is shown. The RTP chamber 300 includes at least two radiation modules. The chamber 300 may be a chamber 100 including a radiation module 201 and a reflector 302 disposed between a substrate support 104 and the radiation module 201. Typically, a heat source 106 (not shown) is configured to heat the substrate 140 to a target temperature, such as greater than about 800°C, for example, about 1000°C, and then perform flash annealing on the heated substrate using the radiation module 201. In one embodiment, the radiation module 201 is a laser source.

[0046] It is known that the thermal conductivity of the heated substrate 140 is relatively low (e.g., compared to a substrate at room temperature). Consequently, the penetration of flash annealing radiation into the surface of substrate 140 is shallow and is rapidly dissipated through cooling conducted to the rest of the substrate. Typically, this reduction in thermal diffusion is achieved at high temperatures (i.e., approximately 1000°C or higher), which allows flash annealing to be performed using a lower power radiation source.

[0047] Figure 4AA partial cross-sectional view of an RTP chamber 300 having a radiation module 201 is illustrated according to the embodiment described herein. The chamber 300 includes a radiating heat source 106 coupled to a window 114. A substrate 140 is supported by an annular ring 111 disposed on an annular extension 115. The substrate can be positioned within an internal volume 120 and between the window 114 and a reflector 302. When the substrate 140 is positioned for processing, the reflector 302 can be positioned at a distance between approximately 1 mm and approximately 10 mm from the substrate 140, for example, between approximately 3 mm and approximately 5 mm. A substrate support 104, typically including the annular extension 115 and the annular ring 111, is connected to a stator assembly 118, and the substrate support 104 can be configured to rotate about a rotation axis, typically about the center or origin of a circular substrate.

[0048] Chamber 300 also includes one or more temperature sensors 117, such as pyrometers, coupled to one or more optical transmission elements 402. The optical transmission elements 402, such as optical tubes or the like, may be optically coupled to reflector 302 or may physically extend through reflector 302. Electromagnetic radiation sensed by temperature sensors 117 can be converted into temperature measurements, and controller 404, which can communicate with controller 124, can be configured to provide real-time temperature feedback. Temperature feedback can be used to correct for temperature non-uniformity during heat treatment.

[0049] The reflector 302 may be coupled to the top of the chamber 112 or other chamber components, and the shape and size of the reflector 302 may approximate the shape and size of the substrate 140. For example, the reflector 302 may be generally circular in shape, having the same diameter as the substrate 140. However, it should be considered that the size and shape of the reflector 302 may differ from those of the substrate 140, depending on certain rapid thermal processing variables. The reflector may be formed of a material suitable for undergoing the temperatures common in rapid thermal annealing processes. For example, the reflector may be made of quartz or other similar materials. The reflector 302 may also have an embedded filter element, or may have a filter layer coated on the surface of the reflector 302 to improve temperature measurement by the temperature sensor 117.

[0050] The reflector 302 may also have holes 401 formed therein. The holes 401 can be of various shapes, depending on the desired implementation, and multiple holes may be formed or defined by the reflector 302. In the illustrated embodiment, the holes 401 may extend radially outward from near the center 406 of the reflector 302. The illustrated embodiment depicts the holes 401 not extending to the peripheral edge of the reflector 302; instead, the holes 401 are completely closed and defined by the reflector 302.

[0051] Figure 4AThe radiation module 201 is aligned with the aperture 401 and coupled to the reflector 302. A schematic partial plan view depicting the radiation module 201 and the reflector 302 is shown below. Figure 4B In another embodiment illustrated, the aperture 401 may extend from the center 406 of the reflector along substantially the entire radius of the reflector 302 to the edge of the reflector. In this embodiment, the periphery of the reflector 302 may be discontinuous, as the aperture 401 may represent a sector.

[0052] Figures 5A to 5E Schematic plan views of various reflectors are illustrated according to the various embodiments described herein. The reflectors described below are typically used in rapid thermal processing systems that utilize radiative heat sources and laser sources, and that have substrate rotation capability. The reflector aperture can be configured to compensate for the dwell time and power of laser radiation exposed to the substrate through the aperture. In some embodiments, a progressive aperture width from the center to the edge can be used to compensate for the radiation dwell time or residence time. In embodiments where the aperture approximates a fan-shaped region, the angle of the fan-shaped region can be measured between about 0.01° and about 20°. Typically, the power density of the laser radiation from the center to the edge can be constant, linearly increasing, exponentially increasing, or a combination of the above.

[0053] Figure 5A A reflector 302 with a body 502 is illustrated, defining an aperture 401. In this embodiment, the aperture 401 approximates a fan-shaped region; however, the origin of the fan-shaped region is offset from the center 406 of the reflector 302. It should be considered that, for a rotating substrate, the stagnation time of laser radiation from the radiation module 201 at the center of the substrate is infinitely high. To account for the potential problem of overheating the center of the substrate, the aperture 401 may be offset from the center 406 of the reflector 302. It is believed that the center of the substrate can receive sufficient laser radiation exposure through lateral thermal diffusion, and the aperture is positioned such that the extended distance is slightly smaller than the radius of the reflector 302, thus preventing the center of the substrate from being directly exposed to laser radiation. Furthermore, the laser power density along the radius of the substrate through the aperture 401 can be modulated by the laser power, the aperture shape, and / or optical elements used to modify the laser radiation before reaching the substrate to produce a uniform annealing distribution from the center to the edge of the substrate.

[0054] Figure 5B A reflector 302 with a body 504 is illustrated, the body 504 defining an opening 401. In this embodiment, the opening 401 approximates a fan-shaped area, which is similar to a reference... Figure 5AThe described off-center aperture 401 extends around the center 406 of the reflector 302 to form a generally circular aperture 506 adjacent to aperture 401. In this embodiment, the power density of laser radiation along the substrate from the center to the edge can be modulated such that the central region of the substrate exposed through the circular aperture 506 receives continuous, but lower density, exposure compared to other regions along the radius toward the edge of the reflector 302. In this embodiment, the power density may have a contoured profile, increasing from the center of the substrate to the periphery.

[0055] Figure 5C A reflector 302 with a body 508 is illustrated, defining an aperture 401. In this embodiment, the aperture 401 is generally strip-shaped or rectangular. The aperture 401 may extend from the center of the reflector 302 to its periphery. In this embodiment, the power density of the laser radiation may be a profiled power density, which increases generally linearly from the center of the substrate to the edge of the substrate. Here, the power profile may take into account the stagnation time difference between substrate regions near the center and the edge, rather than using the exposure area of ​​the aperture to compensate for the stagnation time difference.

[0056] Figure 5D A reflector 302 with a body 510 defining an aperture 401 is illustrated. The body 510 may be a single disc-shaped structure, or it may be two separate plates joined at a point on the periphery defined by the two plates. In another embodiment, the body 510 may be two semi-circular plates defining the aperture 401, which may extend along the diameter of the reflector. In this embodiment, assuming a constant power density of laser radiation across the radius or diameter of the substrate, the maximum and minimum values ​​of the dwell time will be approximately 180° apart during substrate rotation. Alternatively, the power density may have a profile that increases from the center of the substrate to the edge, since the center of the substrate may experience constant exposure to laser radiation.

[0057] Figure 5E A reflector 302 with a body 512 defining an aperture 401 is illustrated. In this embodiment, the aperture 401 is a double aperture. A first aperture, approximately fan-shaped, extends from the center of the reflector 302, and a second aperture, also approximately fan-shaped, extends from the center of the reflector 302 opposite to the first aperture. The body 512 may be a single disc-shaped structure. Alternatively, two plate-like structures may be joined at the center 406 of the reflector 302, the two plate-like structures having dimensions configured to define the aperture 401. Given that the aperture 401 gradually increases in size from the center 406 of the reflector to the periphery, the power density of the laser radiation propagating through the aperture may be substantially constant from the center to the edge.

[0058] In the above-described embodiment, the substrate area undergoes two laser radiation exposures during a complete substrate rotation. Therefore, multiple flash annealings can be achieved with each substrate rotation. Furthermore, it should be considered that three, four, or five or more holes can be used to increase the frequency of radiation exposures during a single substrate rotation. It is believed that increasing the frequency of flash annealing during rapid flash spike thermal processing can benefit uniformity without causing substrate deformation, a result of the low thermal diffusion, shallow penetration, and rapid radiation dissipation in this system.

[0059] Figure 6A A schematic cross-sectional view of a batch substrate support 600 is illustrated according to the embodiments described herein. The batch substrate support 600 may include an annular ring 111 adapted to carry two or more substrates 140 during rotary rapid heat treatment. The batch substrate support 600 may be used in the chambers 100, 300 described herein to simultaneously heat treat multiple substrates 140. The substrates 140 may be 200mm substrates, 300mm substrates, or smaller substrates, such as 4-inch substrates.

[0060] Figure 6B Illustrations based on the embodiments described herein Figure 6A A schematic plan view of the batch substrate support 600. As shown, an annular ring 111 is configured to support a plurality of substrates 140. The substrates may be exposed to laser radiation in a processing chamber (e.g., chamber 300), and a reflector 302 may be configured to have one or more holes 401 to improve the uniformity of radiation exposure during flash annealing.

[0061] In summary, the embodiments described herein relate to apparatus for flash spike annealing. Laser radiation power and stagnation time variables can be modulated by a reflector having a plurality of apertures configured to compensate for center-to-edge exposure stagnation time differences that can cause uneven heating distribution during annealing. Furthermore, a combination of laser heating and radiative heating using a reflector with one or more apertures can provide an improved flash annealing process with improved heat dissipation time and increased temperature. The embodiments described herein can also be used in substrate processing operations in which there are temperature differences between two or more processing operations. For example, deposition processes, deposition and processing (i.e., doping) processes, and deposition and etch-back processes may find the modulated substrate temperature according to the embodiments described herein useful during each processing operation. Therefore, the embodiments described herein are considered useful in other substrate processing operations besides flash spike annealing and annealing applications.

[0062] While the foregoing description is directed at embodiments of this disclosure, other and further embodiments of this disclosure may be devised without departing from the basic scope of this disclosure, the scope of which is determined by the following claims.

Claims

1. An apparatus for processing a substrate, the apparatus comprising: A chamber, the chamber defining an internal volume; A radiant heat source, wherein the radiant heat source is disposed within the internal volume; A rotatable substrate support is disposed within the internal volume adjacent to the radiant heat source; A laser source, which is disposed within the internal volume adjacent to the substrate support and configured to emit laser radiation; A window, wherein the window is disposed within the internal volume and between the radiant heat source and the laser source; and A reflector is disposed in the internal volume and between the laser source and the rotatable substrate support. The reflector has one or more holes formed therein, the holes being configured to compensate for the stagnation time and power of the laser radiation exposed to the substrate through the holes, in order to produce a uniform annealing distribution from the center to the edge of the substrate.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the laser source comprises one or more of the following: a continuous wave laser source, a pulsed laser source, a fiber laser source, and a combination thereof, and wherein the laser source is coupled to the shifting mechanism.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the laser radiation emitted from the laser source is approximately equal to the radius of the substrate being processed in the chamber.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the laser radiation emitted from the laser source approximates a sector of the substrate.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the laser radiation emitted from the laser source has a profiled power density that increases from the central region of the substrate to the periphery of the substrate.

6. The device of claim 4, wherein the laser radiation emitted from the laser source has a profiled power density that increases from the origin of the sector to the arc defined by the sector.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the reflector is generally circular.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein one or more holes approximate the sector area of ​​the reflector.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the measuring angle of the sector is between 0.01° and 20°.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the laser source is positioned adjacent to the one or more apertures such that a light beam emitted from the laser source propagates through the one or more apertures.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the laser beam emitted from the laser source approximates the radius of the reflector.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the reflector is formed of a material that is opaque to the wavelength of radiation emitted from the laser source.

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