# US 2014/0154891 A1 · Beam Delivery Systems for Laser Processing Materials and Associated Methods

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- Number: US 2014/0154891 A1
- Document ID: US20140154891A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/931,624
- Filed: 2013-06-28
- Published: 2014-06-05
- Earliest claimed: 2012-08-22
- Assignees: SiOnyx, Inc.
- Applicants: SiOnyx, Inc.
- Inventors: Keith Donaldson; Jason Sickler; James E. Carey; Romek Nowak
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140154891A1

## CPC

- H10P 72/0436: {mainly by radiation}
- H10P 34/42: with electromagnetic radiation, e.g. laser annealing (laser cutting H10P54/20)
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

Devices, systems, and methods for laser processing semiconductor materials are provided. In one aspect, a system for uniformly laser irradiating at least one wafer can include a wafer platter operable to receive and support a one or more wafers, a rotational movement system coupled to the wafer platter, the rotational movement system being operable to rotate the wafer platter in at least one of a clockwise or a counter clockwise direction, and a linear movement system coupled to the wafer platter and operable to move the wafer platter along one or more linear axes. The system can also include a laser source oriented to deliver laser radiation onto a wafer supported by the wafer platter at a fixed angle relative to the surface of the wafer, where the rotational movement system and the linear movement system are operable to maintain the fixed angle across the entirety of the wafer surface.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for uniformly laser irradiating at least one wafer, comprising:
a wafer platter operable to receive and support one or more wafers;
a rotational movement system coupled to the wafer platter, the rotational movement system operable to rotate the wafer platter in at least one of a clockwise or a counter clockwise direction;
a linear movement system coupled to the wafer platter and operable to move the wafer platter along one or more linear axes; and
a laser source oriented to deliver laser radiation onto a wafer supported by the wafer platter at a fixed angle relative to the surface of the wafer, the rotational movement system and the linear movement system operable to maintain the fixed angle across the entirety of the wafer surface.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising a housing configured to at least partially enclose the wafer platter.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The system of claim 2, further comprising a fluid input system coupled to the housing and operable to deliver a fluid therein.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The system of claim 2, further comprising a fluid output system coupled to the housing and operable to remove a fluid therefrom.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the linear movement system is operable to move the wafer platter along at least two linear axes.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the linear movement system is operable to move the wafer platter along at least three linear axes.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the fixed angle is substantially normal to the surface of the wafer.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the fixed angle is within about ±15° of the Brewster's angle for the wafer material.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising multiple wafer platters for processing multiple wafers.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising multiple laser sources for processing one or more wafers.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the laser source is a short pulse laser source having an output power of greater than 10 W.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the laser source is a short pulse laser source having an output power of greater than 30 W.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the laser source is operable to emit short pulses having a duration of from about 10 femtoseconds to about 500 picoseconds.

### Claim 14

A method of uniformly lasing at least one wafer, comprising:
applying short-pulse laser radiation to a wafer disposed on a wafer platter from a laser source, wherein the laser radiation is emitted at a fixed angle relative to the wafer surface;
performing a combination of rotating and translating of the wafer to deliver the laser radiation to a target region of the wafer while maintaining the laser radiation at the fixed angle, wherein the combination of rotating and translating is operable to provide a substantially identical fluence exposure history regardless of position over the entire target region of the wafer.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the target region is substantially all of the wafer surface.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the combination of rotating and translating is operable to maintain a substantially identical fluence exposure history where the laser radiation contacts the wafer at an edge region of the wafer as compared to a center region of the wafer.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the fixed angle is substantially normal to the surface of the wafer.

### Claim 18

A method of uniformly lasing a plurality of wafers in a single batch process, comprising:
loading a plurality of wafers onto at least one wafer platter in a single housing;
delivering short-pulse laser radiation to the plurality of wafers at a fixed angle relative to the surface of the wafer; and
performing a combination of rotating and translating of each of the plurality of wafers to laser irradiate a target region on each of the plurality of wafers while maintaining the laser radiation at the fixed angle, wherein the combination of rotating and translating is operable to maintain a substantially identical fluence exposure history across substantially the entire target region of each of the plurality of wafers to uniformly lase the target region.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, wherein the fixed angle is substantially normal to the surface of the wafer.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, wherein the target region is substantially all of the wafer surface.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20, wherein delivering short-pulse laser radiation further includes delivering short-pulse laser radiation from a plurality of laser sources.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The method of claim 21, wherein delivering short-pulse laser radiation from a plurality of laser sources further includes delivering short-pulse laser radiation to at least a portion of the plurality of wafers simultaneously.

### Claim 23 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, wherein the short-pulse laser radiation has a laser pulse duration of from about 10 femtoseconds to about 500 picoseconds.