Aspects of the present disclosure relate to apparatus, systems, and methods of measuring edge ring distance for thermal processing chambers. In one example, the distance measured is used to determine a center position shift of the edge ring.

Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to simplified, high voltage, tungsten halogen lamps for use as source of heat radiation in a rapid thermal processing (RTP) chamber or other lamp heated thermal processing chambers. Embodiments include a lamp design that includes an external fuse while reducing the number of part and expense of prior art lamps. In addition, embodiments of the lamps described herein provide sufficient rigidity to handle compressive forces of inserting the lamps into a heating assembly base, while maintaining a simplified fuse design.

Systems and methods for reducing contamination of one or more arc lamps are provided. One example implementation is directed to a millisecond anneal system. The millisecond anneal system includes a processing chamber for thermally treating a substrate using a millisecond anneal process. The system further includes one or more arc lamps. Each of the one or more arc lamps is coupled to a water loop for circulating water through the arc lamp during operation of the arc lamp. The system includes a reagent injection source configured to introduce a reagent, such as nitrogen gas, into water circulating through the arc lamp during operation of the arc lamp.

A semiconductor wafer held by a holding part in a chamber is irradiated and heated with halogen light emitted from a plurality of halogen lamps. A cylindrical louver and an annular light-shielding member, both made of opaque quartz, are provided between the halogen lamps and the semiconductor wafer. The outer diameter of the light-shielding member is smaller than the inner diameter of the louver. Light emitted from the halogen lamps and passing through a clearance between the inner wall surface of the louver and the outer circumference of the light-shielding member is applied to a peripheral portion of the semiconductor wafer where a temperature drop is likely to occur. On the other hand, light travelling toward an overheat region that has a higher temperature than the other region and appears in the surface of the semiconductor wafer when only a louver is installed is blocked off by the light-shielding member.

The semiconductor wafer is preheated by halogen lamps and then heated by a flash of light irradiation from flash lamps. A length of a light emission waveform of a flash of light applied from the flash lamps can be adjusted as appropriate. A data collection cycle (sampling interval) of a radiation thermometer that measures a surface temperature of the semiconductor wafer is made variable, and the longer the light emission waveform of the flash of light, the longer the data collection cycle. Even when a rising and falling time of the surface temperature of the semiconductor wafer changes due to the length of the light emission waveform of a flash of light, a temperature change can be included in a temperature profile with a constant number of data points until the surface temperature rises, goes through a maximum reaching temperature, and falls.

A rapid thermal processing method and apparatus used for programming the pinned layer of spintronic devices, the apparatus comprising a rapid thermal annealing light source, a reflective cover, a magnet, a wafer, and a substrate. The light source is used for heating the substrate. The reflective cover at least comprises a transparent insulating layer and a reflective layer. The magnet is used to produce a constant magnetic field. An antiferromagnetic layer on a wafer may be locally programmed by controlling the exposure time, for heating a specific area on the wafer to a temperature above the blocking temperature of the antiferromagnetic layer, and then turning off the magnetic field after the heating area has cooled in the presence of the applied magnetic field. This rapid thermal processing method is used to improve the spatial resolution of laser annealing. It provides excellent performance, and it is suitable for mass production.

A semiconductor wafer held by a holding part in a chamber is irradiated and heated with halogen light emitted from a plurality of halogen lamps. A cylindrical louver and an annular light-shielding member, both made of opaque quartz, are provided between the halogen lamps and the semiconductor wafer. The outer diameter of the light-shielding member is smaller than the inner diameter of the louver. Light emitted from the halogen lamps and passing through a clearance between the inner wall surface of the louver and the outer circumference of the light-shielding member is applied to a peripheral portion of the semiconductor wafer where a temperature drop is likely to occur. On the other hand, light travelling toward an overheat region that has a higher temperature than the other region and appears in the surface of the semiconductor wafer when only a louver is installed is blocked off by the light-shielding member.

A substrate fixing device includes: an electrostatic chuck that is configured to adsorb and retain an object thereon, and including a base body on which the object is mounted, and an electrostatic electrode that is provided in the base body; and a base plate on which the electrostatic chuck is mounted, and having a plurality of through holes each exposing a first face of the base body facing the base plate. Laser light is emitted from each of the through holes toward the base body.

An arrangement of linear heat lamps is provided which allows for localized control of temperature nonuniformities in a substrate during semiconductor processing. A reactor includes a substrate holder positioned between a top array and a bottom array of linear heat lamps. At least one lamp of the banks includes a filament having a varying density and power output along the length of the lamp. In particular, at least one lamp of the banks includes a filament having a higher filament winding density within a central portion of the lamp relative to peripheral portions of the lamp. In some embodiments, the at least one lamp is a central lamp extending across a central portion of the substrate heated by the lamp. Furthermore, at least one lamp of the banks has a higher power output within a central portion of the lamp than at peripheral portions of the lamp.

An arrangement of linear heat lamps is provided which allows for localized control of temperature nonuniformities in a substrate during semiconductor processing. A reactor includes a substrate holder positioned between a top array and a bottom array of linear heat lamps. At least one lamp of the arrays includes a filament having a varying density and power output along the length of the lamp. In particular, at least one lamp of the arrays includes a filament having a higher filament winding density within a central portion of the lamp relative to peripheral portions of the lamp. In some embodiments, the at least one lamp is a central lamp extending across a central portion of the substrate heated by the lamp. Furthermore, at least one lamp of the arrays has a higher power output within a central portion of the lamp than at peripheral portions of the lamp.