Method and apparatus for real-time wafer temperature measurement using infrared pyrometry in advanced lamp-heated rapid thermal processors

Apparatus for monitoring and adjusting real-time temperature of a silicon semiconductor wafer in a single-wafer rapid thermal processing reactor having a heating lamp module, comprising:

• at least one pyrometer for detecting wafer emitted infrared radiation;
• a light pipe passing through the lamp module;
• an infrared laser;
• an infrared mirror over said light pipe for directing an incident light beam from said laser to the wafer, and for directing a reflected light beam from the wafer to an infrared photo-detector, and
• a computer interconnecting said pyrometer, said laser and said detector such that the wafer is monitored and adjusted for the real-time temperature.

A method for determining and adjusting temperature of a semiconductor wafer in a single-wafer rapid thermal processing reactor, comprising the steps of:

• providing a single-wafer rapid thermal processing reactor having a heating lamp module and at least one pyrometer;
• optically coupling a semiconductor wafer to said at least one pyrometer;
• detecting with said at least one pyrometer infrared radiation emitted from said wafer to determine the temperature of said wafer;
• and
• adjusting the amount of heat provided to said wafer by said heating lamp module in response to control means responsive to said pyrometer.

A method for monitoring and adjusting real-time temperature of a silicon semiconductor wafer in a single wafer rapid thermal processing reactor having a heat lamp module, comprising the steps of:

• detecting infrared radiation emitted from the wafer with at least one pyrometer optically coupled to the wafer;
• directing a laser beam against the wafer;
• detecting power changes in the laser beam reflected from the wafer;
• and
• adjusting the output of a power supply to the lamp module in response to said detected radiation and said power change, such that the real-time temperature of the wafer is monitored and adjusted.