IP Library Granted Patent US 12,261,062
Granted Patent B2
US 12,261,062 · App. 18/223,923 · Granted Mar 25, 2025

Spot heating by moving a beam with horizontal rotary motion

Inventors: Shu-Kwan Danny Lau (Sunnyvale, CA); Toshiyuki Nakagawa (Narita, JP); Zhiyuan Ye (San Jose, CA)
Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
H01L21/67115B23K26/0006B23K26/0648B23K26/0869F27B17/0025F27D5/0037H01L21/268H01L21/68764B23K2103/56F27D2009/007
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,261,062
App. No.
18/223,923
Granted
Mar 25, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to apparatus and methods for semiconductor processing, more particularly, to a thermal process chamber. In one or more embodiments, a process chamber comprises a first window, a second window, a substrate support disposed between the first window and the second window, and a motorized rotatable radiant spot heating source disposed over the first window and configured to provide radiant energy through the first window.

Claims (31)

1. A process chamber, comprising:

a first window;

a second window;

a substrate support disposed between the first window and the second window,

the substrate support configured to support a substrate;

a rotary stage disposed in a first plane above the first window; and

a rotatable radiant spot heating source disposed over the first window and configured to provide radiant energy through the first window, such that the rotatable radiant spot heating source is mounted to the rotary stage and positioned at an acute angle with respect to the first plane, wherein the rotary stage is rotatable to rotate the rotatable radiant spot heating source about a rotational axis orthogonal to the first plane, the rotatable radiant spot heating source configured to direct the radiant energy toward the substrate supported on the substrate support in a sweeping motion at least partially along an arcuate path, the arcuate path extending from a center of the substrate to a circumference of the substrate.

2. The process chamber of claim 1 , wherein the rotational axis passes through the rotary stage and the rotary stage is coupled with an actuator configured to rotate the rotatable radiant spot heating source about the rotary stage.

3. The process chamber of claim 2 , wherein the rotational axis also passes through the rotatable radiant spot heating source.

4. The process chamber of claim 3 , wherein the rotational axis is non-parallel with a longitudinal axis of the rotatable radiant spot heating source.

5. The process chamber of claim 4 , wherein a cooling plate is disposed in a second plane parallel to the first plane.

6. The process chamber of claim 5 , wherein the rotary stage is disposed in direct contact with the cooling plate.

7. The process chamber of claim 3 , wherein the rotatable radiant spot heating source is configured to direct radiant energy in a ring-shaped pattern across a surface of a substrate disposed of the substrate support.

8. The process chamber of claim 7 , wherein a distance from the rotatable radiant spot heating source to the ring-shaped pattern on the surface of the substrate is equidistant at all points along the ring-shaped pattern.

9. The process chamber of claim 2 , wherein the rotatable radiant spot heating source comprises:

a collimator holder; and

a collimator disposed in the collimator holder.

10. A process chamber, comprising:

a first window;

a substrate support disposed proximate the first window, the substrate support configured to support a substrate;

a rotary stage disposed in a first plane; and

a rotatable radiant spot heating source mounted to the rotary stage and configured to provide radiant energy through the first window toward the substrate support, the rotatable radiant spot heating source positioned at an acute angle with respect to the first plane, wherein the rotary stage is rotatable to rotate the rotatable radiant spot heating source about a rotational axis orthogonal to the first plane,

the rotatable radiant spot heating source configured to direct the radiant energy to the substrate supported on the substrate support in a sweeping motion at least partially along an arcuate path, the arcuate path extending from a center of the substrate to a circumference of the substrate.

11. The process chamber of claim 10 , wherein the rotational axis passes through the rotary stage and the rotary stage is coupled with an actuator configured to rotate the rotatable radiant spot heating source about the rotary stage.

12. The process chamber of claim 11 , further comprising:

a collimator disposed on a collimator holder; and

a laser coupled to the collimator.

13. The process chamber of claim 12 , wherein the collimator holder comprises at least one lens mounted therein.

14. The process chamber of claim 13 , wherein the rotational axis is non-parallel with a longitudinal axis of the rotatable radiant spot heating source.

15. The process chamber of claim 14 , wherein the rotatable radiant spot heating source is configured to direct radiant energy in a ring-shaped pattern across a surface of a substrate disposed of the substrate support.

16. The process chamber of claim 15 , wherein a distance from the rotatable radiant spot heating source to the ring-shaped pattern on the surface of the substrate is equidistant at all points along the ring-shaped pattern.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 21, 2023
From: LAU, SHU-KWAN DANNY; NAKAGAWA, TOSHIYUKI; YE, ZHIYUAN
To: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
Reel/Frame 064336/0668 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 16923949 · Jul 8, 2020
Related Publication 20230369077A1 · Nov 16, 2023
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