# US 9,437,456 B2 · Heat treatment apparatus emitting flash of light

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- Number: US 9,437,456 B2
- Document ID: US9437456B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/176,262
- Filed: 2014-02-10
- Published: 2014-06-12
- Granted: 2016-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 2007-02-09
- Assignees: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Kenichi Yokouchi
- Inventors: Kenichi Yokouchi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9437456B2

## CPC

- H10P 95/90: Thermal treatments, e.g. annealing or sintering
- F27B 5/18: Arrangement of controlling, monitoring, alarm or like devices
- F27B 17/0025: {specially adapted for treating semiconductor wafers}
- F27D 5/0037: {Supports specially adapted for semi-conductors}
- H10P 14/2923: {being conductive materials, e.g. metallic silicides}
- H10P 72/0432: {mainly by conduction}
- H10P 72/0436: {mainly by radiation}
- H10P 72/7624: {characterised by the mechanical construction of the susceptor, stage or support}
- H10P 72/7626: {characterised by the construction of the shaft}
- F27D 11/02: Ohmic resistance heating
- F27D 13/00: Apparatus for preheating charges; Arrangements for preheating charges
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- F27B: FURNACES, KILNS, OVENS OR RETORTS IN GENERAL; OPEN SINTERING OR LIKE APPARATUS
- F27D: DETAILS OR ACCESSORIES OF FURNACES, KILNS, OVENS OR RETORTS, IN SO FAR AS THEY ARE OF KINDS OCCURRING IN MORE THAN ONE KIND OF FURNACE

## Abstract

Flash lamps connected to short-pulse circuits and flash lamps connected to long-pulse circuits are alternately arranged in a line. The duration of light emission from the flash lamps connected to the long-pulse circuits is longer than the duration of light emission from the flash lamps connected to the short-pulse circuits. A superimposing of a flash of light with a high peak intensity from the flash lamps that emit light for a short time and a flash of light with a gentle peak from the flash lamps that emit light for a long time can increase the temperature of even a deep portion of a substrate to an activation temperature or more without heating a shallow portion near the substrate surface more than necessary. This achieves the activation of deep junctions without causing substrate warpage or cracking.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A heat treatment method irradiating a substrate with flashes of light from flash lamps to heat the substrate, comprising:
(a) a first irradiation step of irradiating said substrate with a flash of light of a first pulse, said first irradiation step being started at a first time;
(b) a second irradiation step of irradiating said substrate with a flash of light of a second pulse having a length different from said first pulse, said second irradiation step being started at a second time later than said first time; and
(c) Performing said second irradiation step such that at least a part of the irradiation of a flash of light of said second irradiation step is superimposed on the irradiation of a flash of light of said first irradiation step.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The heat treatment method according to claim 1,
wherein
said second pulse is longer than said first pulse.