Method and system for performing post-etch annealing of a workpiece

A method for performing post-etch annealing of a workpiece in an annealing system, comprising:

• patterning one or more workpieces, each of said one or more workpieces having a multilayer stack of thin films that has been patterned using an etching process sequence to form an electronic device characterized by a cell critical dimension (CD) at or below 45 nanometers (nm), wherein said multilayer stack of thin films includes at least one patterned layer containing magnetic material, wherein said layer containing magnetic material includes a blanket film having a predetermined magnetoresistance ratio (MR);
• disposing, after said patterning is completed, said one or more patterned workpieces in an annealing system;
• and
• annealing, in said annealing system after said disposing said one or more patterned workpieces, said at least one patterned layer containing magnetic material on said one or more workpieces disposed in said annealing system via anneal process conditions that include (1) elevating a temperature of said one or more workpieces relative to ambient temperature for an anneal time period according to an anneal temperature recipe specifying one or more predetermined temperature changes, and (2) exposing said one or more workpieces to a magnetic field during at least part of the anneal time period according to an anneal magnetic field recipe specifying a predetermined magnetic field strength, wherein said anneal process conditions are selected to adjust a property of said at least one patterned layer containing magnetic material,
• achieving a peak MR in said at least one patterned layer containing magnetic material for the cell CD at or below 45 nm (nanometers) as a result of said annealing, the peak MR being at or above 50% of the predetermined MR of the blanket film of said layer containing magnetic material,
• wherein said anneal temperature recipe is a continuous anneal sequence that includes ramping said temperature from ambient temperature to a first anneal temperature during a first time duration, maintaining said first anneal temperature for a second time duration consecutive to the first time duration, ramping said temperature from a first anneal temperature to a second anneal temperature during a third time duration consecutive to the second time duration, and maintaining said second anneal temperature for a fourth time duration consecutive to the third time duration,
• wherein the magnetic field is applied to said one or more patterned workpieces during at least the second and fourth time durations;
• wherein said annealing further comprises:
• sealing said one or more workpieces in a process chamber of said annealing system, and evacuating said process chamber to a reduced pressure relative to ambient pressure;
• energizing one or more arrays of heating elements according to said anneal temperature recipe, said one or more arrays of heating elements being disposed in said annealing system and arranged to surround said process chamber;
• and
• cooling said one or more workpieces in the process chamber of said annealing system at a temperature lower than the second anneal temperature during a fifth time duration, and wherein in at least one region within the annealing system a pressure during cooling in the fifth time duration is higher than during the fourth time duration.