Method for determining the temperature in a thermal processing chamber

A process for measuring the temperature of a substrate in a thermal processing chamber comprising the steps of:

• placing a substrate in a thermal processing chamber, said substrate including a coating made from a material comprising an oxidized copper, said coating having a determined thickness;
• heating said substrate within said thermal processing chamber for a determined interval of time in the presence of a reducing atmosphere, said substrate being heated to a temperature sufficient to reduce a portion of said oxidized copper thereby reducing the thickness of said oxidized copper coating on said substrate;
• measuring the reduction of thickness of said oxidized copper coating on said substrate;
• and
• determining a temperature within said thermal processing chamber while said substrate was heated from the measured thickness reduction of said oxidized copper coating.

A process for calibrating a temperature sensing device in a thermal processing chamber comprising the steps of:

• providing a thermal processing chamber, said thermal processing chamber containing a temperature sensing device for monitoring the temperature of a semiconductor wafer placed in said chamber, said thermal processing chamber being in communication with a plurality of light energy sources for heating semiconductor wafers contained in said chamber;
• placing a substrate in said thermal processing chamber, said substrate including a surface made from a material comprising copper;
• heating said substrate within said thermal processing chamber for a determined interval of time in the presence of an oxidizing atmosphere, said substrate being heated to a temperature sufficient to form a coating of oxidized copper on said surface of said substrate;
• measuring the thickness of said oxidized copper coating on said substrate;
• determining a temperature within said thermal processing chamber while said substrate was heated from the measured thickness of said oxidized copper coating;
• and
• calibrating said temperature sensing device contained in said thermal processing chamber based upon said determined temperature.

A process for calibrating a temperature sensing device in a thermal processing chamber comprising the steps of:

• providing a thermal processing chamber, said thermal processing chamber containing a temperature sensing device for monitoring the temperature of a semiconductor wafer placed in said chamber, said thermal processing chamber being in communication with a plurality of light energy sources for heating semiconductor wafers contained in said chamber;
• placing a substrate in said thermal processing chamber, said substrate including a surface made from a material comprising an oxidized copper coating, said coating having a determined thickness;
• heating said substrate within said thermal processing chamber for a determined interval of time in the presence of a reducing atmosphere, said substrate being heated to a temperature sufficient to reduce a portion of said oxidized copper thereby reducing the thickness of said oxidized copper coating on said substrate;
• measuring the reduction of thickness of said oxidized copper coating on said substrate;
• determining a temperature within said thermal processing chamber while said substrate was heated from the measured reduction of said oxidized copper coating;
• and
• calibrating said temperature sensing device contained in said thermal processing chamber based upon said determined temperature.