Pre-heat processes for millisecond anneal system
View Patent ↗Preheat processes for a millisecond anneal system are provided. In one example implementation, a heat treatment process can include receiving a substrate on a wafer support in a processing chamber of a millisecond anneal system; heating the substrate to an intermediate temperature; and heating the substrate using a millisecond heating flash. Prior to heating the substrate to the intermediate temperature, the process can include heating the substrate to a pre-bake temperature for a soak period.
1. A heat treatment process for a millisecond anneal system, the process comprising:
receiving a substrate on a wafer support in a processing chamber of a millisecond anneal system;
heating the substrate to an intermediate temperature; and
after heating the substrate to the intermediate temperature, then heating the substrate using a heating flash to a temperature that is greater than the intermediate temperature;
wherein prior to heating the substrate to the intermediate temperature, the process comprises heating the substrate to a pre-bake temperature for a soak period;
wherein heating the substrate to the intermediate temperature is implemented by ramping a temperature of the substrate from the pre-bake temperature to the intermediate temperature during a ramp phase.
2. The heat treatment process of claim 1 , wherein the pre-bake temperature is selected to reduce a reaction rate for oxidation associated with the substrate.
3. The heat treatment process of claim 1 , wherein the pre-bake temperature is selected to prevent inter-layer growth associated with the substrate.
4. The heat treatment process of claim 1 , wherein the pre-bake temperature is in the range of about 200° C. to about 500° C.
5. The heat treatment process of claim 1 , wherein the soak period is between about 0.5 seconds and about 10 minutes.
6. The heat treatment process of claim 1 , wherein the soak period is less than about 100 seconds.
7. The heat treatment process of claim 1 , wherein the soak period is less than about 30 seconds.
8. The heat treatment process of claim 1 , wherein the process comprises admitting an ambient gas into the processing chamber.
9. The heat treatment process of claim 8 , wherein the ambient gas comprises nitrogen, argon, or helium.
10. The heat treatment process of claim 8 , wherein the ambient gas is at atmospheric pressure.
11. The heat treatment process of claim 8 , wherein the ambient gas is at a pressure below about 1 Torr.
12. The heat treatment process of claim 8 , wherein the ambient gas comprises one or more of hydrogen, deuterium, ammonia, or hydrazine species.
13. The heat treatment process of claim 1 , wherein the process comprises inducing a plasma to create chemically reducing species.
14. The heat treatment process of claim 1 , wherein the process comprises creating species using UV light.