Aaron T Hunter

US Patent:

7041931, May 9, 2006

Filed:

Oct 24, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/280660

Inventors:

Dean Jennings - San Ramon CA, US
Joseph M. Ranish - San Jose CA, US
Brian Haas - San Jose CA, US
Ajit Balakrishna - Sunnyvale CA, US
Sundar Ramamurthy - Fremont CA, US
Aaron Hunter - Santa Cruz CA, US
Mark Yam - Monte Sereno CA, US

Assignee:

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

F27B 5/14

US Classification:

219 39, 219405, 219411, 392416, 392418, 118724, 118725, 118 501

Abstract:

In a system for thermal processing of a semiconductor substrate, a reflector plate has a stepped surface facing the substrate during heating and cooling of the substrate. The raised surface of the reflector plate has reduced reflectivity, providing advantages during, among other things, cooling of the substrate. The reflector plate also includes a number of recesses to which one or more pyrometers are coupled. These recesses have a highly reflective surface, providing advantages in the performance of the pyrometers.

US Patent:

20130112680, May 9, 2013

Filed:

Oct 22, 2012

Appl. No.:

13/657029

Inventors:

Kirk Moritz - Foster City CA, US
Aaron Muir Hunter - Santa Cruz CA, US

International Classification:

F27D 11/00

US Classification:

219385

Abstract:

Embodiments of the invention generally relate to RTP chambers. The chambers generally include a chamber body and chamber lid. The chamber body includes a substrate support having multiple zones of resistive heaters to heat substrates positioned on the substrate support. The chamber body also optionally includes a cooling channel to mitigate thermal stress and a thermally insulating liner disposed therein for containing heat generated during thermal processing. The chamber lid includes a lid body having an opening therethrough, and a reflective plate disposed within the opening. A plurality of pyrometers are positioned within the reflective plate to measure the temperature of a substrate at a plurality of locations across the substrate corresponding to the zones of the substrate support. The temperature of each zone is adjusted in response to the signals from the plurality of pyrometers.

US Patent:

20210053147, Feb 25, 2021

Filed:

Nov 5, 2020

Appl. No.:

17/090709

Inventors:

- Santa Clara CA, US
Haifan LIANG - Oakland CA, US
Mark YAM - Monte Sereno CA, US
Vijay PARIHAR - Fremont CA, US
Abhilash J. MAYUR - Salinas CA, US
Aaron Muir HUNTER - Santa Cruz CA, US
Bruce E. ADAMS - Portland OR, US
Joseph M. RANISH - San Jose CA, US

International Classification:

B23K 26/06
B23K 26/352
B23K 26/073
H01L 21/324
H01L 21/268

Abstract:

A thermal processing apparatus and method in which a first laser source, for example, a COemitting at 10.6 μm is focused onto a silicon wafer as a line beam and a second laser source, for example, a GaAs laser bar emitting at 808 nm is focused onto the wafer as a larger beam surrounding the line beam. The two beams are scanned in synchronism in the direction of the narrow dimension of the line beam to create a narrow heating pulse from the line beam when activated by the larger beam. The energy of GaAs radiation is greater than the silicon bandgap energy and creates free carriers. The energy of the COradiation is less than the silicon bandgap energy so silicon is otherwise transparent to it, but the long wavelength radiation is absorbed by the free carriers.

US Patent:

20180099353, Apr 12, 2018

Filed:

Dec 11, 2017

Appl. No.:

15/838010

Inventors:

- Santa Clara CA, US
Haifan LIANG - Oakland CA, US
Mark YAM - Monte Sereno CA, US
Vijay PARIHAR - Fremont CA, US
Abhilash J. MAYUR - Salinas CA, US
Aaron Muir HUNTER - Santa Cruz CA, US
Bruce E. ADAMS - Portland OR, US
Joseph M. RANISH - San Jose CA, US

International Classification:

B23K 26/06
H01L 21/324
H01L 21/268
B23K 26/073
B23K 26/00
H01L 21/20

Abstract:

A thermal processing apparatus and method in which a first laser source, for example, a COemitting at 10.6 μm is focused onto a silicon wafer as a line beam and a second laser source, for example, a GaAs laser bar emitting at 808 nm is focused onto the wafer as a larger beam surrounding the line beam. The two beams are scanned in synchronism in the direction of the narrow dimension of the line beam to create a narrow heating pulse from the line beam when activated by the larger beam. The energy of GaAs radiation is greater than the silicon bandgap energy and creates free carriers. The energy of the COradiation is less than the silicon bandgap energy so silicon is otherwise transparent to it, but the long wavelength radiation is absorbed by the free carriers.

US Patent:

20170032865, Feb 2, 2017

Filed:

Jul 19, 2016

Appl. No.:

15/213844

Inventors:

- Santa Clara CA, US
Shashank SHARMA - Fremont CA, US
Diwakar N. KEDLAYA - San Jose CA, US
Aaron Muir HUNTER - Santa Cruz CA, US

International Classification:

G21K 5/10

Abstract:

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to thermal processing of substrates. More specifically, embodiments described herein relate to flash on spike annealing processes and apparatus suitable for performing such processes. In one embodiment, a thermal processing apparatus may include a lamp radiation source, a laser source, and a reflector plate disposed between the lamp radiation source and the laser source. One or more apertures may be formed in the reflector plate and the laser source may be positioned adjacent to the reflector plate such that a laser beam emitted from the laser source propagates through the one or more apertures. In one embodiment, the reflector plate may be substantially circular and the one or more apertures may approximate a sector of the reflector plate.

US Patent:

20150069028, Mar 12, 2015

Filed:

Nov 5, 2014

Appl. No.:

14/533997

Inventors:

- Santa Clara CA, US
Haifan LIANG - Oakland CA, US
Mark YAM - Monte Sereno CA, US
Vijay PARIHAR - Fremont CA, US
Abhilash J. MAYUR - Salinas CA, US
Aaron Muir HUNTER - Santa Cruz CA, US
Bruce E. ADAMS - Portland OR, US
Joseph Michael RANISH - San Jose CA, US

International Classification:

B23K 26/06
B23K 26/00
B23K 26/073
H01L 21/268
H01L 21/324

US Classification:

21912173, 2191216

Abstract:

A thermal processing apparatus and method in which a first laser source, for example, a COemitting at 10.6 μm is focused onto a silicon wafer as a line beam and a second laser source, for example, a GaAs laser bar emitting at 808 nm is focused onto the wafer as a larger beam surrounding the line beam. The two beams are scanned in synchronism in the direction of the narrow dimension of the line beam to create a narrow heating pulse from the line beam when activated by the larger beam. The energy of GaAs radiation is greater than the silicon bandgap energy and creates free carriers. The energy of the COradiation is less than the silicon bandgap energy so silicon is otherwise transparent to it, but the long wavelength radiation is absorbed by the free carriers.