Site-Isolated Rapid Thermal Processing Methods and Apparatus
AssigneeIntermolecular, Inc.
InventorsEd Korczynski, Dipankar Pramanik
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and apparatus are described that allow the investigation of process variables used in RTP systems to be varied in a combinatorial manner across a plurality of site-isolated regions designated in the surface of a substrate. The methods and apparatus allow process variables such as power, dwell time, light source, cooling gas composition, cooling gas flow rate, reactive gas composition, reactive gas flow rate, and substrate support temperature and the like to be investigated.
Claims16
A method for processing a site isolated region, the method comprising
- providing a substrate;
- contacting the substrate with a shield, wherein the shield comprises an opening, wherein the shield comprises an inlet and an outlet for a circulated coolant to regulate the temperature of the shield;
- processing a region in the opening of the shield using a RTP process.
A method for processing a site isolated region in a high productivity combinatorial equipment, the method comprising
- providing a substrate;
- contacting the substrate with a shield, wherein the shield comprises an opening, wherein the shield comprises an inlet and an outlet for a circulated coolant to regulate the temperature of the shield, wherein the shield forms a first site-isolated region on the substrate surface;
- processing a first layer in the opening of the shield in the first site-isolated region using a first RTP process;
- moving the shield to a second site-isolated region;
- processing a second layer in the opening of the shield in the second site-isolated region using a second RTP process, wherein at least one of the material or the process condition of the first and second layers is varied in a combinatorial manner between the first and second site isolated regions.
An apparatus combinatorially processing a substrate, comprising:
- an array of reactor cells, each reactor cell defining a site-isolated region on a surface of the substrate’
- wherein each reactor cell further comprises a RTP light source,
- wherein each of the reactor cells is defined by walls that are operable to prevent radiation from the RTP light source from illuminating adjacent site-isolated regions;
- a gas distribution manifold;
- and
- a plurality of gas delivery conduits, each gas delivery conduit operable to deliver gas to one of the reactor cells.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.