Heat-treating methods and systems
AssigneeMattson Technology Canada, Inc.
InventorsDavid Malcolm Camm, J. Kiefer Elliott
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method involves pre-heating a workpiece to an intermediate temperature, heating a surface of the workpiece to a desired temperature greater than the intermediate temperature, and enhancing cooling of the workpiece. Enhancing cooling may involve absorbing radiation thermally emitted by the workpiece. An apparatus includes a first heating source for heating a first surface of a semiconductor wafer, a second heating source for heating a second surface of the semiconductor wafer, and a first cooled window disposed between the first heating source and the semiconductor wafer.
Claims118
A method of heat-treating a workpiece, the method comprising:
- a) pre-heating the workpiece to an intermediate temperature;
- b) heating an entire surface of the workpiece to a desired temperature greater than the intermediate temperature, within a time period less than a thermal conduction time of the workpiece;
- and
- c) enhancing cooling of the workpiece.
A system for heat-treating a workpiece, the system comprising:
- a) a pre-heating device operable to pre-heat the workpiece to an intermediate temperature;
- b) a heating device operable to heat an entire surface of the workpiece to a desired temperature greater than the intermediate temperature, within a time period less than a thermal conduction time of the workpiece;
- and
- c) a cooling enhancement system for enhancing cooling of the workpiece to a temperature below the intermediate temperature.
A system for heat-treating a workpiece, the system comprising:
- a) means for pre-heating the workpiece to an intermediate temperature;
- b) means for heating an entire surface of the workpiece to a desired temperature greater than the intermediate temperature, within a time period less than a thermal conduction time of the workpiece;
- and
- c) means for enhancing cooling of the workpiece.
A selective-filtering system for use in heat-treating a workpiece, the system comprising:
- a) a first filtering device configured to transmit radiation from a pre-heating device to the workpiece to pre-heat the workpiece to an intermediate temperature, and configured to absorb radiation thermally emitted by the workpiece;
- and
- b) a second filtering device configured to transmit radiation from a heating device to a surface of the workpiece to heat the surface to a desired temperature greater than the intermediate temperature, and configured to absorb radiation thermally emitted by the workpiece.
A method of heat-treating a workpiece, the method comprising:
- a) pre-heating the workpiece to an intermediate temperature;
- and
- b) heating a surface of the workpiece to a desired temperature greater than the intermediate temperature, said heating commencing substantially immediately when the workpiece reaches the intermediate temperature.
A system for heat-treating a workpiece, the system comprising:
- a) a pre-heating device operable to pre-heat the workpiece to an intermediate temperature;
- and
- b) a heating device operable to heat a surface of the workpiece to a desired temperature greater than the intermediate temperature, and operable to commence the heating of the surface substantially immediately when the workpiece reaches the intermediate temperature.
A system for heat-treating a workpiece, the system comprising:
- a) means for pre-heating the workpiece to an intermediate temperature;
- and
- b) means for heating a surface of the workpiece to a desired temperature greater than the intermediate temperature, comprising means for commencing the heating substantially immediately when the workpiece reaches the intermediate temperature.
A semiconductor heating apparatus, comprising:
- a first heating source for heating a first surface of a semiconductor wafer to heat the wafer to an intermediate temperature;
- a second heating source for heating an entire second surface of the semiconductor wafer within a time period less than a thermal conduction time of the wafer, to heat the second surface to a desired temperature greater than the intermediate temperature;
- and
- a first cooled window disposed between the first heating source and the semiconductor wafer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.