Method and system for laser thermal processing of semiconductor devices

A system for performing laser thermal processing (LTP) of a semiconductor structure that includes a substrate having a top surface, the system comprising:

• an oxide layer and a temperature-sensitive element on said oxide layer formed on a portion of said top surface of the substrate with edges of said oxide layer and temperature-sensitive element substantially in vertical alignment with each other;
• a dielectric cap of a first thickness formed atop the temperature-sensitive element with edges of said dielectric cap substantially in vertical alignment with the edges of said temperature sensitive element and said oxide layer forming a three layer stack;
• a conformal dielectric barrier layer of a second thickness formed on said substrate top surface and said three layer stack with the combined dielectric layers on said three layer stack having a thickness equal to the sum of said first and second thicknesses;
• and
• an absorber layer formed atop the conformal dielectric barrier layer, wherein during LTP the absorber layer is heated sufficiently for the heat to pass through the second thickness of the conformal dielectric barrier layer to melt a region of the top surface of the substrate and insufficient to pass through the sum of the first and second thicknesses of the combined layers of the dielectric cap and the conformal dielectric barrier layer thus preventing melting of the temperature-sensitive element.