Dual wavelength thermal flux laser anneal

A thermal processing system, comprising:

• a stage configured to receive a substrate thereon to be thermally processed;
• a first source of a first beam of optical radiation having a first wavelength;
• first optics for directing said first beam to form a first incident beam incident upon a surface of said substrate;
• a second source of a second beam of optical radiation having a second wavelength smaller than said first wavelength;
• second optics for focusing said second beam to form an incident second beam incident upon said surface of said substrate which surrounds said first beam;
• and
• a translation mechanism to scan said first and second incident beams about said surface of said substrate such that said first incident beam remains surrounded by said second incident beam.

A method of thermally treating a substrate comprising a semiconductor having a bandgap energy, comprising the steps of:

• directing the output of a first source of electromagnetic radiation having a first photon energy greater than said bandgap energy onto said substrate as an elongate first beam having a first dimension along a first axis substantially smaller than a second dimension along a perpendicular second axis;
• directing the output of a second source of electromagnetic radiation having a second photon energy less than said bandgap energy onto said substrate as a second beam which surrounds said first beam;
• and
• scanning said first and second beams together along said first axis so that said second beam continues to surround said first beam.