Optimizing the thermal budget during a pulsed heating process

A system for thermal treatment of an object within a chamber, comprising:

• a heating arrangement configured to direct a pulse of energy towards a surface of an object;
• the pulse of energy configured to increase the average temperature of the object by a temperature difference ΔT between the average temperature of the wafer just prior to the pulse (T1) and the maximum average temperature of the wafer after the pulse has ceased (T2);
• and
• a thermal transfer plate positioned parallel to a surface of the object, the thermal transfer plate having a thermal mass no greater than about three times the thermal mass of the object;
• the thermal transfer plate being positioned such that the average temperature of the wafer decreases from T2 by at least 50% of the value of ΔT within 1.0 s.

A method of processing a semiconductor wafer, the method comprising:

• placing a semiconductor wafer into a rapid thermal processing chamber;
• pre-heating the semiconductor wafer to an average temperature T1;
• after pre-heating, subjecting the semiconductor wafer to at least one pulse of energy for less than 1 s, such that the average temperature of the semiconductor wafer increases by a temperature difference ΔT between the average temperature of the wafer just prior to the pulse (T1) and the maximum average temperature of the wafer after the pulse has ceased (T2);
• enhancing heat transfer from the wafer by placing a thermal transfer plate in close thermal communication with the wafer, the thermal transfer plate having a thermal mass no greater than about three times the thermal mass of the semiconductor wafer;
• wherein the thermal transfer plate is configured and positioned such that the average temperature of the wafer decreases from T2 by at least 50% of the value of ΔT within 1.0 s.

A system for thermal treatment of an object within a chamber, comprising:

• a heating arrangement configured to direct a pulse of energy towards a surface of an object;
• and
• a thermal transfer plate positioned parallel to a surface of the object, the thermal transfer plate having a thermal mass no greater than about three times the thermal mass of the object;
• and
• at least one temperature measurement device.

A system for thermal treatment of an object within a chamber, comprising:

• a heating arrangement configured to direct a pulse of energy towards a surface of an object;
• and
• a thermal transfer plate positioned parallel to a surface of the object, the thermal transfer plate having a thermal mass no greater than about three times the thermal mass of the object;
• wherein the thermal transfer plate includes a plurality of holes with diameters smaller than about 2 mm.

A system for thermal treatment of an object within a chamber, comprising:

• a heating arrangement configured to direct a pulse of energy towards a surface of an object;
• and
• a thermal transfer plate positioned parallel to a surface of the object, the thermal transfer plate having a thermal mass no greater than about three times the thermal mass of the object;
• wherein the thermal transfer plate includes a discontinuity selected from the group consisting of:
• slits, ribs, recesses, protrusions, and holes;
• and wherein the discontinuity is smaller than the thermal diffusion length associated with the thermal treatment process.

A system for thermal treatment of an object within a chamber, comprising:

• a heating arrangement configured to direct a pulse of energy towards a surface of an object;
• and
• a thermal transfer plate positioned parallel to a surface of the object, the thermal transfer plate having a thermal mass no greater than about three times the thermal mass of the object;
• wherein the surface of the thermal transfer plate is textured.