Rapid thermal heating apparatus and method

Claim 2

A heat source for heating a substrate during rapid thermal processing of said substrate comprising a plurality of radiant energy sources, a plurality of light pipes, each light pipe surrounding and extending beyond an associated radiant energy source, said light pipes being mounted next to each other and each serving to direct radiant energy from its associated source along the axis of said pipe and towards said substrate to radiate a predetermined limited area of said substrate with a pattern of relative radiation intensity, said light pipe being spaced so that a portion of the predetermined radiated area of adjacent light pipes overlaps and the intensities at said portions add to provide a radiation intensity across said substrate which is dependent upon the intensity of each of said radiant energy sources.

Claim 3

A heat source as in claim 1 including means for detecting the temperature at various points on said substrate and controlling the radiant energy from each of said sources to maintain a predetermined temperature profile in said substrate.

Claim 4

A heat source as in claim 2 in which said temperature detecting means comprises pyrometers which sense radiation from said points on said substrate.

Claim 5

A thermal heating apparatus for heating a substrate including, a plurality of radiant energy sources, a plurality of spaced light pipes one for each of said energy sources, said light pipes surrounding and extending beyond the energy sources and serving to direct energy from said light sources along said pipes and onto predetermined limited overlapping areas on the surface of said substrate, a substrate processing chamber including a window through which said radiant energy passes into said chamber to irradiate the surface of said substrate, means for supporting said substrate in said chamber adjacent to said window, means for sensing the temperature of said substrate at various locations, and control means responsive to said temperature for controlling the radiant energy from each of said radiant energy sources to maintain a predetermined temperature profile on said substrate.

Claim 6

A thermal heating apparatus for heating a substrate including, a plurality of radiant energy sources, a plurality of spaced light pipes one for each of said energy sources, said light pipes surrounding and extending beyond the energy sources and serving to direct energy from said light sources along said pipes and onto predetermined limited overlapping areas on the surface of said substrate, a substrate processing chamber including a window through which said radiant energy passes into said chamber to irradiate the surface of said substrate, means for supporting said substrate in said chamber adjacent to said window, means for sensing the temperature of said substrate at various locations, and control means responsive to said temperature for controlling the radiant energy from each of said radiant energy sources to maintain a predetermined temperature profile on said substrate.

Claim 7

A thermal heating apparatus as in claim 4 in which each said radiant energy source is an elongated high intensity lamp.

Claim 8

A thermal heating apparatus as in claim 5 in which said light pipes extend through a cooling chamber through which coolant can be circulated for cooling the light pipes and associated lamp.

Claim 9

A thermal heating apparatus as in claim 6 in which said lamp includes an envelope with a base portion and a thermal conductor is disposed directly between the base and the light pipe to transfer heat energy away from the base of the lamp to the light pipe and coolant.

Claim 10

A thermal heating apparatus as in claim 5 in which said lamp includes an envelope with a base portion and a thermal conductor is disposed directly between the base and the light pipe to transfer heat energy away from the base of the lamp to the light pipe.

Claim 11

A thermal heating apparatus as in claim 8 in which said thermal conductor comprises a pliable material.

Claim 12

A thermal heating apparatus as in claim 4 in which said window comprises a water cooled quartz window assembly.

Claim 13

A thermal heating apparatus as in claim 10 in which said quartz window assembly includes a plurality of short light pipes which register with said plurality of light pipes, said plurality of short light pipes having their ends secured to spaced flange plates and an outer wall secured to the edges of said flange plates, and short light pipes flange plates and outer wall defining a cooling chamber, first and second quartz windows sealed to said flange plates to define therewith and with the light pipes a vacuum chamber.

Claim 14

A thermal heating apparatus as in claim 4 in which said means for supporting the substrate includes means for rotatably mounting said support in said chamber.

Claim 15

A thermal heating apparatus as in claim 12 in which said mounting means is mounted on bearings and includes magnets with magnetic fields extending through said wall for coupling to magnetic drive means whereby said mounting means can be rotated.