Method and apparatus for selectively annealing heterostructures using microwaves
AssigneeCalifornia Institute of Technology
InventorsHarry A. Atwater, Ruth A. Brain, Martin B. Barmatz
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Abstract
The present invention discloses a process for selectively annealing heterostructures using microwaves. A heterostructure, comprised of a material having higher microwave absorption and a material having lower microwave absorption, is exposed to microwaves in the cavity. The higher microwave absorbing material absorbs the microwaves and selectively heats while the lower microwave absorbing material absorbs small amounts of microwaves and minimally heats. The higher microwave absorbing material is thereby annealed onto the less absorbing material which is thermally isolated.
Claims4
A method for selectively post annealing a heterostructure comprised of a lower microwave absorption material having patterned grooves and a physical vapor deposited high microwave absorption metal film deposited thereon, comprising the steps of:
- placing said heterostructure into a cavity producing microwaves;
- exposing said heterostructure in said cavity to pulsed microwaves resonant with a mode of said cavity so that said metal film is heated by absorbing power from said microwaves sufficient to cause diffusion of said metal film within said patterned grooves, said pulsed microwaves having a characteristic pulse width and duty cycle tending to prevent localized heating of said lower microwave absorption material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.