Apparatus and method for determining the temperature of objects in thermal processing chambers
AssigneeSteag RTP Systems, Inc.
InventorRobert J. Champetier
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention is generally directed to a system and process for accurately determining the temperature of an object, such as a semiconductive wafer, by sensing and measuring the object radiation being emitted at a particular wavelength. In particular, a reflective device is placed adjacent to the radiating object, which causes thermal radiation being emitted by the wafer to be reflected multiple times. The reflected thermal radiation is then monitored using a light detector. Additionally, a reflectometer is contained within the system which independently measures the reflectivity of the object. The temperature of the object is then calculated using not only the thermal radiation information but also the information received from the reflectometer.
Claims27
An apparatus for measuring the temperature of an object comprising:
- a chamber adapted to receive an object;
- a reflective device contained within said chamber, said reflective device being configured to reflect thermal radiation being emitted by said object between a surface of said object and said reflective device;
- a radiation sensing device for sensing said emitted and reflected thermal radiation between the object and the reflective device, said reflective device being positioned adjacent to said object in a manner that artificially enhances the emissivity of the object;
- a reflectometer configured to determine a reflectivity value for said object;
- and
- a controller configured to receive information from said radiation sensing device and said reflectometer for determining the temperature of said object, said controller being configured to determine the temperature of the object by combining information received from said radiation sensing device and said reflectometer in a mathematical relationship.
An apparatus for measuring the temperature of a semiconductor wafer comprising:
- a chamber adapted to receive said semiconductor wafers;
- a heat source in communication with said chamber for heating said semiconductor wafer when contained therein;
- a reflective device contained within said chamber, said reflective device being configured to reflect thermal radiation being emitted by said semiconductor wafer between a surface of said wafer and said reflective device;
- a radiation sensing device for sensing said emitted and reflected thermal radiation between the object and the reflective device, said reflective device being positioned adjacent to said object in a manner that artificially enhances the emissivity of the object;
- a reflectometer configured to determine a reflectivity value for said semiconductor wafer;
- and
- a controller configured to receive information from said radiation sensing device and said reflectometer for determining the temperature of said semiconductor wafer, said controller being configured to determine the temperature of the object by combining information received from said radiation sensing device and said reflectometer in a mathematical relationship.
A method for measuring the temperature of a radiating body comprising the steps of:
- providing a radiating body;
- reflecting thermal radiation being emitted by said radiating body between a surface of said radiating body and a reflective device in a manner that artificially enhances the emissivity of the radiating body;
- sensing the thermal radiation being reflected between said surface of said radiating body and said reflective device;
- illuminating a location on said radiating body with a predetermined amount of light energy being emitted by a light source;
- sensing the amount of said light energy that is reflected off said radiating body for producing a reflectivity value for said radiating body;
- and
- determining the temperature of said radiating body using a controller from the amount of thermal radiation being sensed between said surface of said radiating body and said reflective device and from said reflectivity value, said temperature being determined by combining the amount of thermal radiation and the reflectivity value in a mathematical relationship.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.