Dynamic optical valve for mitigating non-uniform heating in laser processing
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorBruce E. Adams
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to an optical valve that modifies a laser beam to allow more energy to be irradiated onto less absorbing areas on a substrate and less energy to be irradiated onto more absorbing areas on the substrate, thus creating a more uniform heating field. The optical valve is a layered structure comprising a reflective switch layer, an absorbing layer, a thermal resistor and a thermal bath.
Claims20
An apparatus for thermally processing a substrate, comprising an optical valve, the optical valve comprising:
- a thermal bath layer comprising aluminum oxide;
- a thermal resistor layer in contact with the thermal bath layer;
- an absorbing layer;
- and
- a reflectivity switch layer.
An apparatus, comprising:
- a substrate support;
- a source of electromagnetic energy operable to produce pulses of electromagnetic energy that propagate toward the substrate support;
- and
- an optical system located between the source of electromagnetic energy and the substrate support, wherein the optical system comprises an optical valve, wherein the optical valve comprises:
- a reflectivity switch layer facing the substrate support;
- an absorbing layer located on the reflectivity switch layer;
- a thermal resistor layer located on the absorbing layer;
- and
- a thermal bath layer located on the thermal resistor layer, wherein the thermal bath layer faces the source of electromagnetic energy.
An apparatus for thermally processing a substrate, comprising an optical valve, the optical valve comprising:
- a thermal bath layer;
- a thermal resistor layer;
- an absorbing layer;
- and
- a reflectivity switch layer, wherein the reflectivity switch layer comprises a first dielectric layer and a second dielectric layer contacting the first dielectric layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.