Claims
- 1. A method for processing an object with pulsed energy in a series of pulses, each of which pulses is characterized by a set of pulse parameters, said object including first and second opposing, major surfaces, said method comprising the steps of:
exposing said first surface to a first energy pulse having a first set of pulse parameters to produce a first temperature response of the object; sensing the first temperature response of the object; using said first temperature response in combination with the first set of pulse parameters, establishing at least a second set of pulse parameters for the application of at least a second energy pulse; and exposing said first surface at least to said second energy pulse to at least partially produce a target condition of said object.
- 2. The method of claim 1 wherein said object includes at least one physical characteristic which influences the first temperature response such that the second set of pulse parameters change responsive to changes in the physical characteristic.
- 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the temperature response of said object is an increase in a temperature of the object.
- 4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of heating the object to a first temperature in timed relation to the steps of exposing the object to said first energy pulse and said second energy pulse.
- 5. The method of claim 4 wherein said object is heated to said first temperature at a continuous rate.
- 6. The method of claim 4 including the step of exposing the object to the first and second pulses after the object reaches said first temperature.
- 7. The method of claim 4 including the step of applying the first energy pulse after initiating the step of heating the object to said first temperature, but before the object reaches the first temperature.
- 8. The method of claim 4 including the step of exposing the object to said second energy pulse responsive to the object reaching said first temperature.
- 9. The method of claim 8 including the step of applying the second energy pulse to the object within a selected time interval of the object reaching said first temperature.
- 10. The method of claim 1 wherein said second energy pulse is applied to treat the object by heating at least the first surface of the object to at least partially produce said target condition.
- 11. The method of claim 1 wherein said object includes at least one physical characteristic which influences the first temperature response and wherein the second set of pulse parameters of the second pulse are configured such that the second pulse is incapable of completely producing said target condition of the object and said method further comprises the step of applying a series of one or more additional pulses, each of which is characterized by an additional set of pulse parameters.
- 12. The method of claim 11 wherein the additional set of pulse parameters changes during the series of additional pulses responsive to changes in the physical characteristic.
- 13. The method of claim 1 wherein the second set of pulse parameters of the second pulse are configured such that the second pulse is incapable of completely producing said target condition of the object and said method further comprises the step of applying a series of one or more additional pulses, having an overall set of pulse parameters, which are determined to cooperatively and at least approximately produce said target condition.
- 14. The method of claim 13 including the step of at least intermittently responding to a physical characteristic of the object during the series of additional pulses, which physical characteristic changes during application of the series of additional pulses, based at least on one or more additional temperature responses that are produced by the series of additional pulses.
- 15. The method of claim 14 wherein a second group of the series of additional pulses is interspersed among the first group of additional pulses such that at least one second group pulse follows every first group pulse and each one of the second group pulses at least partially produces said target condition of said object.
- 16. The method of claim 15 wherein each pulse of the first group of pulses is configured in a way which produces a negligible change in said object with respect to said target condition such that each pulse among the first group of pulses is applied for a measurement purpose.
- 17. The method of claim 13 wherein each pulse of the series of additional pulses is applied to at least partially transform said object to said target condition.
- 18. The method of claim 17 including the step of determining one or more additional temperature responses that are produced by selected ones of the series of additional pulses for use in establishing pulse parameters of subsequent ones of the additional pulses.
- 19. The method of claim 17 including the step of determining an additional temperature response after each additional pulse is applied to the object for use in determining the set of pulse parameters for a next one of the additional pulses.
- 20. The method of claim 1 wherein said second energy pulse is applied to treat the object by heating at least the first surface of the object to at least partially produce said target condition and the second set of pulse parameters of the second pulse are configured such that the second pulse is incapable of completely producing said target condition of the object and said method further comprises the step of (i) applying a series of one or more additional pulses for cooperatively changing the object to at least approximately produce said target condition, (ii) prior to at least a selected one of the additional pulses, generating an optical measurement of the object and (iii) determining the set of pulse parameters for the selected additional pulse based, at least in part, on said optical measurement.
- 21. The method of claim 20 wherein said object is exposed to at least two of said additional pulses and said optical measurement is periodically repeated for tracking an optical property during the series of additional pulses.
- 22. The method of claim 1 wherein the first set of pulse parameters of the first pulse is configured to produce said target condition to a limited extent.
- 23. The method of claim 1 wherein the first set of pulse parameters of the first pulse is configured in a way which produces a negligible change in said object with respect to said target condition such that the first pulse is applied for a measurement purpose.
- 24. The method of claim 1 including the step of exposing the first surface to said first pulse using a particular geometric arrangement and wherein the step of exposing the first surface to said second energy pulse uses said particular geometric arrangement.
- 25. The method of claim 24 including the step of emitting said first and second pulses from one radiation source such that the first and second energy pulses are at least angularly incident on the object in an identical way.
- 26. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second pulses are incident upon the first surface with an energy density in the range of 1 nJ/cm2 to 100 J/cm2.
- 27. The method of claim 1, wherein the first pulse has lesser energy than the second pulse.
- 28. The method of claim 1, wherein the second pulse has a substantially identical set of pulse parameters as the first pulse.
- 29. The method of claim 1, wherein the first pulse is from a laser and said first pulse includes a duration of from 1 ns to 10 ms.
- 30. The method of claim 1, wherein the second pulse is from a laser and said second pulse includes a duration of from 1 ns to 10 ms.
- 31. The method of claim 1, wherein the first pulse is from a flash lamp and said first pulse includes a duration of from 10 μs to 50 ms.
- 32. The method of claim 1, wherein the second pulse is from a flash lamp and said second pulse includes a duration of from 10 μs to 50 ms.
- 33. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second pulses are applied in series with a gap of from 1 μs to 100 seconds therebetween.
- 34. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of: maintaining the second surface of the object at a temperature at or near a first temperature while at least one of the first and second pulses of energy is applied.
- 35. The method of claim 34 including the steps of applying the first and second pulses using a first heat source and maintaining a selected temperature of the second surface of the object using a second heat source.
- 36. The method of claim 35 wherein the second heat source includes at least one of a tungsten-halogen lamp and an arc lamp.
- 37. The method of claim 35 wherein the temperature of the second surface of the object is maintained by controlling power to the second heating source.
- 38. A system for processing an object with pulsed energy in a series of pulses, each of which pulses is characterized by a set of pulse parameters, said object including first and second opposing, major surfaces, said system comprising:
a heating arrangement for exposing said first surface to a first energy pulse having a first set of pulse parameters to produce a first temperature response of the object; a sensing arrangement for sensing the first temperature response of the object; and a control arrangement for using said first temperature response in combination with the first set of pulse parameters to establish at least a second set of pulse parameters for the application of at least a second energy pulse and for causing the heating arrangement to expose said first surface at least to said second energy pulse to at least partially produce a target condition of said object.
- 39. The system of claim 38 in a configuration for treating a semiconductor substrate as said object.
- 40. The system of claim 38 wherein said object includes at least one physical characteristic which influences the first temperature response and said control arrangement determines the second set of pulse parameters responsive to changes in the physical characteristic.
- 41. The system of claim 38 wherein the temperature response of said object is an increase in a temperature of the object produced by said heating arrangement.
- 42. The system of claim 38 wherein said heating arrangement and said control arrangement are cooperatively configured to heat the object to a first temperature in timed relation to exposing the object to said first energy pulse and said second energy pulse.
- 43. The system of claim 42 wherein said heating arrangement heats said object to said first temperature at a continuous rate.
- 44. The system of claim 42 wherein the heating arrangement exposes the object to the first and second pulses after the object reaches said first temperature.
- 45. The system of claim 42 wherein the heating arrangement applies the first energy pulse after initiation of heating the object to said first temperature, but before the object reaches the first temperature.
- 46. The system of claim 42 wherein said heating arrangement exposes the object to said second energy pulse responsive to the object reaching said first temperature.
- 47. The system of claim 46 wherein the heating arrangement applies the second energy pulse to the object within a selected time interval of the object reaching said first temperature.
- 48. The system of claim 38 wherein said object includes at least one physical characteristic which influences the first temperature response and wherein the second set of pulse parameters of the second pulse are configured by the control arrangement such that the second pulse is incapable of completely producing said target condition of the object and said control arrangement applies a series of one or more additional pulses, each of which is characterized by an additional set of pulse parameters.
- 49. The system of claim 38 wherein said control arrangement cooperates with said heating arrangement to treat the object by changing the additional set of pulse parameters during the series of additional pulses responsive to changes in the physical characteristic.
- 50. The system of claim 49 wherein the control arrangement configures the second set of pulse parameters of the second pulse such that the second pulse is incapable of completely producing said target condition of the object, and said control arrangement and said heating arrangement further cooperate to apply a series of one or more additional pulses, having an overall set of pulse parameters, which are determined to cooperatively bring the object at least approximately to said target condition.
- 51. The system of claim 50 wherein said control arrangement at least intermittently responds to a physical characteristic of the object, which physical characteristic changes during application of the series of additional pulses, based at least on one or more additional temperature responses that are produced by the series of additional pulses.
- 52. The system of claim 51 wherein said control arrangement intersperses a second group of the series of additional pulses among the first group of additional pulses such that at least one second group pulse follows every first group pulse and each one of the second group pulses at least partially produces said target condition.
- 53. The system of claim 52 wherein said control arrangement configures each pulse of the first group of pulses in a way which produces a negligible change in said object with respect to said target condition such that each pulse among the first group of pulses is applied for a measurement purpose.
- 54. The system of claim 50 wherein each pulse of the series of additional pulses is applied to at least partially transform said object to said target condition.
- 55. The system of claim 54 wherein said control arrangement uses the sensing arrangement to determine one or more additional temperature responses that are produced by selected ones of the series of additional pulses for use in establishing pulse parameters of subsequent ones of the additional pulses.
- 56. The system of claim 54 wherein said control arrangement uses the sensing arrangement to determine an additional temperature response after each additional pulse is applied to the object for use in determining the set of pulse parameters for a next one of the additional pulses.
- 57. The system of claim 38 wherein the sensing arrangement includes means for generating an optical measurement characterizing said object and wherein said control arrangement and said heating arrangement cooperate to apply the second energy pulse to treat the object by heating at least the first surface of the object to at least partially produce said target condition and the second set of pulse parameters of the second pulse are configured such that the second pulse is incapable of completely producing said target condition of the object and said heating arrangement and said control arrangement are further configured for cooperatively (i) applying a series of one or more additional pulses for cooperatively changing the object to at least approximately produce said target condition, (ii) prior to at least a selected one of the additional pulses, using the sensing arrangement to produce said optical measurement of the object and (iii) determining the set of pulse parameters for the selected additional pulse based, at least in part, on said optical measurement.
- 58. The system of claim 57 wherein said heating arrangement exposes the object to at least two of said additional pulses and said optical measurement is periodically repeated for tracking an optical property during the series of additional pulses.
- 59. The system of claim 38 wherein the first set of pulse parameters of the first pulse is configured to produce said target condition to a limited extent.
- 60. The system of claim 38 wherein said heating arrangement is configured for exposing the first surface to said first pulse using a particular geometric arrangement and wherein the heating arrangement exposes the first surface to said second energy pulse using said particular geometric arrangement.
- 61. The system of claim 60 wherein said heating arrangement emits said first and second pulses from one radiation source such that the first and second energy pulses are angularly incident on the object in an identical way.
- 62. The system of claim 38, wherein the first and second pulses are incident upon the first surface with an energy density in the range of 1 nJ/cm2 to 100 J/cm2.
- 63. The system of claim 38, wherein the heating arrangement emits the first pulse with less energy than the second pulse.
- 64. The system of claim 38, wherein the second pulse is characterized by a substantially identical set of pulse parameters as compared to the first pulse.
- 65. The system of claim 38, including a laser for generating the first pulse and said first pulse includes a duration of from 1 ns to 10 ms.
- 66. The system of claim 38, including a laser for generating the first pulse and the second pulse, and said second pulse includes a duration of from 1 ns to 10 ms.
- 67. The system of claim 38, including a flash lamp for generating said first pulse and said first pulse includes a duration of from 10 μs to 50 ms.
- 68. The system of claim 38, including a flash lamp for generating the second pulse and said second pulse includes a duration of from 10 μs to 50 ms.
- 69. The system of claim 38, wherein said heating arrangement applies the first and second pulses in series with a gap of from 1 μs to 100 seconds therebetween.
- 70. The system of claim 38, wherein the control arrangement is further configured to cooperate with the heating arrangement by maintaining the second surface of the object at a temperature at or near a first temperature while at least one of the first and second pulses of energy is applied.
- 71. The system of claim 70 wherein said heating arrangement includes a first heat source for applying the first and second pulses and a second heat source for maintaining a selected temperature of the second surface of the object.
- 72. The system of claim 71 wherein the second heat source includes at least one of a tungsten-halogen lamp and an arc lamp.
- 73. The system of claim 71 wherein said second heating source requires an input power level and the temperature of the second surface of the object is maintained by controlling the input power level to the second heating source using said control arrangement.
- 74. A method for processing an object with pulsed energy in a series of pulses, each of which pulses is characterized by a set of pulse parameters, said method comprising the steps of:
exposing said object to a first energy pulse having a first set of pulse parameters to produce a first temperature response of the object; sensing the first temperature response of the object; using said first temperature response in combination with the first set of pulse parameters, determining a predicted response of the object to a second set of pulse parameters for exposure of the object to at least a second energy pulse based at least in part on a target condition for said object; and exposing said object to said second energy pulse to at least partially produce said target condition of said object.
- 75. The method of claim 74 wherein said object is a semiconductor substrate.
- 76. The method of claim 74 wherein said first energy pulse and said second energy pulse are configured so as to be capable of no more than partially producing said target condition and said method includes the step of applying a set of additional pulses such that exposing the object to the set of additional pulses causes the object to incrementally approach said target condition.
- 77. A system for processing an object with pulsed energy in a series of pulses, each of which pulses is characterized by a set of pulse parameters, said system comprising:
a heating arrangement for exposing said object to said series of pulses including a first energy pulse having a first set of pulse parameters to produce a first temperature response of the object; a sensing arrangement for sensing the first temperature response of the object;
a control arrangement for using said first temperature response in combination with the first set of pulse parameters to determine a predicted response of the object to a second set of pulse parameters for exposing said object to at least a second energy pulse based at least in part on a target condition of said object and for causing the heating arrangement to expose said first surface at least to said second energy pulse to at least partially produce said target condition of said object.
- 78. The system of claim 77 wherein said object is a semiconductor substrate.
- 79. The system of claim 77 wherein said first energy pulse and said second energy pulse are configured so as to be capable of no more than partially producing said target condition and said control arrangement is configured for applying a set of additional pulses such that exposing the object to the set of additional pulses causes the object to incrementally approach said target condition.
RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] The present application is a divisional application of copending U.S. application Ser. No. 10/209,155 filed Jul. 30, 2002, which claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/368,863, filed on March 29, 2002, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60368863 |
Mar 2002 |
US |
Divisions (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
10209155 |
Jul 2002 |
US |
Child |
10747592 |
Dec 2003 |
US |