Ambient laminar gas flow distribution in laser processing systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017082367-A1
Application number	US-201615366908-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 1, 2016
Priority date	Feb 21, 2011
Publication date	Mar 23, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method and apparatus for annealing semiconductor substrates is disclosed. The apparatus has an annealing energy source and a substrate support, with a shield member disposed between the annealing energy source and the substrate support. The shield member is a substantially flat member having a dimension larger than a substrate processed on the substrate support, with a window covering a central opening in the substantially flat member. The central opening has a gas inlet portal and a gas outlet portal, each in fluid communication with a gas inlet plenum and gas outlet plenum, respectively. A connection member is disposed around the central opening and holds the window over the central opening. Connection openings in the connection member are in fluid communication with the gas inlet plenum and gas outlet plenum, respectively, through a gas inlet conduit and a gas outlet conduit formed through the connection member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An apparatus for annealing a semiconductor substrate, comprising:
a shield member comprising:
a substantially flat member having an upper surface and a lower surface and a central opening defined by a wall having:
a first end at the upper surface;
a second end at the lower surface;
a gas inlet portal between the first end and the second end; and
a gas outlet portal between the first end and the second end; and

a window covering the central opening and coupled to the first end of the wall.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the gas inlet portal is in fluid communication with a gas inlet conduit formed in the substantially flat member, and the gas outlet portal is in fluid communication with a gas outlet conduit formed in the substantially flat member.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a substrate support and a ratio of a distance between the window and the substrate support to a distance between the lower surface and the substrate support is between about 10:1 and about 100:1.

4 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the ratio is between about 15:1 and about 50:1.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a substrate support and a distance between the lower surface and the substrate support is about 3 mm.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the central opening has a dimension of about 11 mm by about 31 mm.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the central opening is shaped as a cylindrical hole.

8 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the central opening has a radius between about 10 mm and about 100 mm.

9 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the central opening has a radius of about 25 mm.

10 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the gas inlet portal or the gas outlet portal has a shape selected from the group consisting of rectangular, circular, oval, and polygonal.

11 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the gas inlet portal or the gas outlet portal is rectangular.

12 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the rectangular portal has a dimension in an angular direction between about 0.1 mm and about 5 mm.

13 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the rectangular opening has a dimension in an axial direction between about 0.5 mm and about 2 mm.

14 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the gas inlet portal is in fluid communication with a gas inlet plenum disposed around the central opening, and the gas outlet portal is in fluid communication with a gas outlet plenum disposed around the central opening.

15 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the gas inlet plenum or the gas outlet plenum is a channel having a rectangular cross-section.

16 . The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the channel has a width between about 0.1 mm and about 5 mm.

17 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein a central axis of the gas inlet plenum or gas outlet plenum is spaced apart from the wall of the central opening between about 1 mm and about 10 mm.

18 . A shield for a thermal annealing apparatus, comprising:
a substantially flat member having an upper surface and a lower surface and a central opening defined by a wall having:
a first end at the upper surface;
a second end at the lower surface;
a gas inlet portal between the first end and the second end; and
a gas outlet portal between the first end and the second end;
a window covering the central opening and coupled to the first end; and an annular connection member attached to the substantially flat member in a coaxial relationship, wherein the window is disposed between the substantially flat member and the annular connection member.

19 . The shield of claim 18 , wherein the connection member has a thickness between about 50 mm and about 500 mm.

20 . The shield of claim 19 , wherein the connection member has an outer radius of between about 50 mm and about 150 mm.

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Moffatt Stephen
• Hunter Aaron Muir

Classifications

• H10P72/0436

  mainly by radiation · CPC title

• H10P95/90 Primary

  Thermal treatments, e.g. annealing or sintering · CPC title

• H10P95/00 Primary

  Generic processes or apparatus for manufacture or treatments not covered by the other groups of this subclass · CPC title

• F27D2021/0078

  against the presence of an undesirable element in the atmosphere of the furnace · CPC title

• F27D21/00 Primary

  Arrangement of monitoring devices; Arrangement of safety devices · CPC title