Temperature Control and System Design Aspects in Rapid Thermal Processing

Abstract

AbstractThe main factors influencing the thermal performance (and thus product yield) of a rapid thermal processor are the heat source, the reaction chamber, the temperature measurement system, and as complicating factors, their total configuration and the optical wafer properties.The characteristics of 19 currently available commercial RTP systems are highlighted with focus on temperature control including the spectral characteristics and measures to suppress perturbations due to stray radiation.In addition recent developments and trends in the system configuration and in the optimization of temperature or layer thickness control are discussed. The improvements in temperature control focus especially on in situ temperature control, irrespective of wafer condition, and at system constructions that optimize dynamic temperature uniformity. Some novel optical process control and novel system design aspects to compensate for emissivity changes and temperature non-uniformity are included.