公开(公告)号：US20170162392A1

公开(公告)日：2017-06-08

申请号：US15437055

申请日：2017-02-20

Applicant: Ultratech, Inc.

Inventor： Andrew M. Hawryluk ,  Serguei Anikitchev

IPC: H01L21/268 ,  B23K26/066 ,  B23K26/352 ,  H01L21/263 ,  B23K26/00

CPC classification number: H01L21/268 ,  B23K26/0626 ,  B23K26/066 ,  B23K26/352 ,  B23K2103/56 ,  H01L21/2636

Abstract: High-efficiency line-forming optical systems and methods for defect annealing and dopant activation are disclosed. The system includes a CO2-based line-forming system configured to form at a wafer surface a first line image having between 2000 W and 3000 W of optical power. The line image is scanned over the wafer surface to locally raise the temperature up to a defect anneal temperature. The system can include a visible-wavelength diode-based line-forming system that forms a second line image that can scan with the first line image to locally raise the wafer surface temperature from the defect anneal temperature to a spike anneal temperature. Use of the visible wavelength for the spike annealing reduces adverse pattern effects and improves temperature uniformity and thus annealing uniformity.

公开(公告)号：US09613815B2

公开(公告)日：2017-04-04

申请号：US14929186

申请日：2015-10-30

Applicant: Ultratech, Inc.

Inventor： Andrew M. Hawryluk ,  Serguei Anikitchev

IPC: H01L21/268 ,  H01L21/263 ,  B23K26/00 ,  B23K26/06 ,  B23K103/00

CPC classification number: H01L21/268 ,  B23K26/0626 ,  B23K26/066 ,  B23K26/352 ,  B23K2103/56 ,  H01L21/2636

Abstract: High-efficiency line-forming optical systems and methods for defect annealing and dopant activation are disclosed. The system includes a CO2-based line-forming system configured to form at a wafer surface a first line image having between 2000 W and 3000 W of optical power. The line image is scanned over the wafer surface to locally raise the temperature up to a defect anneal temperature. The system can include a visible-wavelength diode-based line-forming system that forms a second line image that can scan with the first line image to locally raise the wafer surface temperature from the defect anneal temperature to a spike anneal temperature. Use of the visible wavelength for the spike annealing reduces adverse pattern effects and improves temperature uniformity and thus annealing uniformity.

公开(公告)号：US20160240407A9

公开(公告)日：2016-08-18

申请号：US14490446

申请日：2014-09-18

Applicant: Ultratech, Inc.

Inventor： Andrew M. Hawryluk ,  Serguei Anikitchev

IPC: H01L21/67

CPC classification number: H01L21/67115 ,  B23K26/00 ,  B23K26/034 ,  B23K26/08 ,  B23K2103/56 ,  H01L21/00 ,  H01L21/02675 ,  H01L21/268 ,  H01L21/67248

Abstract: Laser annealing systems and methods for annealing a semiconductor wafer with ultra-short dwell times are disclosed. The laser annealing systems can include one or two laser beams that at least partially overlap. One of the laser beams is a pre-heat laser beam and the other laser beam is the annealing laser beam. The annealing laser beam scans sufficiently fast so that the dwell time is in the range from about 1 μs to about 100 μs. These ultra-short dwell times are useful for annealing product wafers formed from thin device wafers because they prevent the device side of the device wafer from being damaged by heating during the annealing process. Embodiments of single-laser-beam annealing systems and methods are also disclosed.

公开(公告)号：US20160306177A1

公开(公告)日：2016-10-20

申请号：US15191941

申请日：2016-06-24

Applicant: Ultratech, Inc.

Inventor： Serguei Anikitchev

IPC: G02B27/09 ,  G02B17/06 ,  H01L21/268 ,  B23K26/082 ,  H01L21/225 ,  B23K26/06 ,  B23K26/073 ,  B23K26/00 ,  G02B17/00 ,  H01L21/324

CPC classification number: G02B27/0927 ,  B23K26/0006 ,  B23K26/0643 ,  B23K26/0648 ,  B23K26/066 ,  B23K26/0738 ,  B23K26/082 ,  B23K26/0823 ,  B23K26/083 ,  B23K26/352 ,  B23K26/354 ,  B23K2101/40 ,  B23K2103/56 ,  G02B17/008 ,  G02B17/061 ,  G02B27/0983 ,  G02B27/0988 ,  H01L21/2253 ,  H01L21/268 ,  H01L21/322 ,  H01L21/324 ,  H01L21/428 ,  H01L21/477

Abstract: A line-forming optical system and method are disclosed that form a line image with high-efficiency. A method includes forming a laser beam having a first intensity profile with a Gaussian distribution in at least a first direction and passing at least 50% of the laser beam in the first direction to form a first transmitted light. The method also includes: focusing the first transmitted light at an intermediate image plane to define a second intensity profile having a central peak and first side peaks immediately adjacent the central peak; then truncating the second intensity profile within each of first side peaks to define a second transmitted light; and then forming the line image at an image plane from the second transmitted light.

公开(公告)号：US09411163B2

公开(公告)日：2016-08-09

申请号：US14744207

申请日：2015-06-19

Applicant: Ultratech, Inc.

Inventor： Serguei Anikitchev

IPC: G02B27/09 ,  B23K26/06 ,  H01L21/477 ,  B23K26/00 ,  H01L21/324 ,  H01L21/322 ,  G02B17/06 ,  H01L21/428 ,  B23K26/073 ,  B23K26/08

CPC classification number: G02B27/0927 ,  B23K26/0006 ,  B23K26/0643 ,  B23K26/0648 ,  B23K26/066 ,  B23K26/0738 ,  B23K26/082 ,  B23K26/0823 ,  B23K26/083 ,  B23K26/352 ,  B23K26/354 ,  B23K2101/40 ,  B23K2103/56 ,  G02B17/008 ,  G02B17/061 ,  G02B27/0983 ,  G02B27/0988 ,  H01L21/2253 ,  H01L21/268 ,  H01L21/322 ,  H01L21/324 ,  H01L21/428 ,  H01L21/477

Abstract: A line-forming optical system and method are disclosed that form a line image with high-efficiency. A method includes forming a laser beam having a first intensity profile with a Gaussian distribution in at least a first direction and passing at least 50% of the laser beam in the first direction to form a first transmitted light. The method also includes: focusing the first transmitted light at an intermediate image plane to define a second intensity profile having a central peak and first side peaks immediately adjacent the central peak; then truncating the second intensity profile within each of first side peaks to define a second transmitted light; and then forming the line image at an image plane from the second transmitted light.

Abstract translation: 公开了以高效率形成线图像的线形成光学系统和方法。 一种方法包括在至少第一方向上形成具有高斯分布的第一强度分布的激光束，并使激光束的至少50％沿第一方向通过以形成第一透射光。 该方法还包括：将第一透射光聚焦在中间像平面处，以限定具有中心峰的第二强度分布，并且紧邻中心峰的第一侧峰; 然后截断每个第一侧峰内的第二强度分布，以限定第二透射光; 然后从第二透射光在像平面处形成线图像。

公开(公告)号：US09343307B2

公开(公告)日：2016-05-17

申请号：US14497006

申请日：2014-09-25

Applicant: Ultratech, Inc.

Inventor： Serguei Anikitchev

IPC: H01L21/02 ,  H01L21/324 ,  H01L21/268 ,  B23K26/06 ,  B23K26/073

CPC classification number: H01L21/02683 ,  B23K26/0608 ,  B23K26/0736 ,  H01L21/02532 ,  H01L21/268 ,  H01L21/324

Abstract: The disclosure is directed to laser spike annealing using fiber lasers. The method includes performing laser spike annealing of a surface of a wafer by: generating with a plurality of fiber laser systems respective CW output radiation beams that partially overlap at the wafer surface to form an elongate annealing image having a long axis and a length LA along the long axis; heating at least a region of the wafer to a pre-anneal temperature TPA; and scanning the elongate annealing image over the wafer surface and within the pre-heat region so that the annealing image has a dwell time tD in the range 30 ns≦tD≦10 ms and raises the wafer surface temperature to an annealing temperature TA.

公开(公告)号：US10083843B2

公开(公告)日：2018-09-25

申请号：US14941712

申请日：2015-11-16

Applicant: Ultratech, Inc.

Inventor： Andrew M. Hawryluk ,  Serguei Anikitchev

IPC: H01L21/324 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/268

CPC classification number: H01L21/324 ,  H01L21/268 ,  H01L21/67115 ,  H01L21/67248

Abstract: Laser annealing systems and methods with ultra-short dwell times are disclosed. The method includes locally pre-heating the wafer with a pre-heat line image and then rapidly scanning an annealing image relative to the pre-heat line image to define a scanning overlap region that has a dwell time is in the range from 10 ns to 500 ns. These ultra-short dwell times are useful for performing surface or subsurface melt annealing of product wafers because they prevent the device structures from reflowing.

公开(公告)号：US20160181120A1

公开(公告)日：2016-06-23

申请号：US14941712

申请日：2015-11-16

Applicant: Ultratech, Inc.

Inventor： Andrew M. Hawryluk ,  Serguei Anikitchev

IPC: H01L21/324 ,  B23K26/352 ,  H01L21/67 ,  B23K26/06 ,  B23K26/082 ,  H01L21/66 ,  B23K26/00 ,  B23K26/0622

CPC classification number: H01L21/324 ,  H01L21/268 ,  H01L21/67115 ,  H01L21/67248

Abstract: Laser annealing systems and methods with ultra-short dwell times are disclosed. The method includes locally pre-heating the wafer with a pre-heat line image and then rapidly scanning an annealing image relative to the pre-heat line image to define a scanning overlap region that has a dwell time is in the range from 10 ns to 500 ns. These ultra-short dwell times are useful for performing surface or subsurface melt annealing of product wafers because they prevent the device structures from reflowing.

Abstract translation: 公开了具有超短停留时间的激光退火系统和方法。 该方法包括用预热线图像局部预热晶片，然后相对于预热线图像快速扫描退火图像，以限定具有停留时间的扫描重叠区域在10ns至 500 ns。 这些超短停留时间对于进行产品晶片的表面或次表面熔融退火是有用的，因为它们阻止了器件结构的回流。

公开(公告)号：US10353208B2

公开(公告)日：2019-07-16

申请号：US15210399

申请日：2016-07-14

Applicant: Ultratech, Inc.

Inventor： Serguei Anikitchev

IPC: G02B27/09 ,  H01L21/268 ,  G02B19/00

Abstract: High-efficiency line-forming optical systems and methods that employ a serrated aperture are disclosed. The line-forming optical system includes a laser source, a beam conditioning optical system, a first aperture device, and a relay optical system that includes a second aperture device having the serrated aperture. The serrated aperture is defined by opposing serrated blades configured to reduce intensity variations in a line image formed at an image plane as compared to using an aperture having straight-edged blades.

公开(公告)号：US20190006189A1

公开(公告)日：2019-01-03

申请号：US16106850

申请日：2018-08-21

Applicant: Ultratech, Inc.

Inventor： Andrew M. Hawryluk ,  Serguei Anikitchev

IPC: H01L21/324 ,  H01L21/268 ,  H01L21/67

Abstract: Laser annealing systems and methods with ultra-short dwell times are disclosed. The method includes locally pre-heating the wafer with a pre-heat line image and then rapidly scanning an annealing image relative to the pre-heat line image to define a scanning overlap region that has a dwell time is in the range from 10 ns to 500 ns. These ultra-short dwell times are useful for performing surface or subsurface melt annealing of product wafers because they prevent the device structures from reflowing.