Tetsuya Takagaki

Radiation thermometry of silicon wafers in a diffusion furnace for fabrication of LSI

A radiation thermometry technique suitable for measuring the temperature of silicon wafers in a diffusion furnace has been developed. A principal feature of this technique is that it measures the temperature of wafers that are not in the line of sight of a conventional pyrometer. An optical guide, consisting of two quartz prisms, gives optical access to interior wafers in the load. A measuring wavelength of 0.9 mu m is selected since a silicon wafer is opaque and its emissivity does not depend on temperature at this wavelength. The accuracy of the thermometry is examined by comparing the measured value of the pyrometer with that of a thermocouple. The two measured values agree within +or-2 degrees C in a steady state. When wafers are being inserted into or drawn out from the furnace, however, an error is caused by the veiling glare at the optical guide and the wafer. >

Temperature distribution in semiconductor wafers heated in a vertical diffusion furnace

The transient temperature distribution in a row of wafers heating in a vertical diffusion furnace was calculated as the heating power of the furnace was PID (proportional plus integral plus derivative) controlled. Radiative heat transfer was combined with axisymmetric unsteady conduction in wafers and the furnace. With feedforward control of the heating power (which means that when wafers are inserted into the furnace, the heater temperature is set higher than the desired heating temperature), the temperature of the wafers reached the heating temperature rapidly. The radiative properties of silicon wafers changed from semitransparent to opaque at 500 degrees C, and the effect of this change on the temperature distribution in the wafers was calculated. Thermoplastic deformation of the wafers is more likely to occur during withdrawal than during insertion.<<ETX>>

Temperature distribution in semiconductor wafers heated in a hot-wall-type rapid diffusion furnace

Transient temperature distribution was calculated for wafers heated in a new hot-wall-type rapid diffusion furnace. Two-dimensional radiative heat transfer was combined with unsteady conduction in wafers and the furnace. The furnace is composed of parallel plate heaters, and heats wafers to a temperature of about 1000/spl deg/C. The heaters are divided into four zones and their heating powers are PID-controlled. Two wafers on a holder are inserted vertically from the bottom of the furnace, and heated for three minutes. The calculated results show the wafer temperature approached the desired heating temperature about one minute after insertion, agreeing with experimental results. The average temperature distribution in the wafers during heating is found to be within /spl plusmn/1/spl deg/C at 1000/spl deg/C, when the heating power (temperature) of the four zones is properly controlled. The effects of heater temperature, insertion speed, and holder thickness on the temperature distribution in wafers were calculated. The new hot-wall-type rapid diffusion furnace can be used to manufacture future VLSI.<<ETX>>

RADIATION THERMOMETRY OF SILICON WAFERS IN A DIFFUSION FURNACE WITH ROD-TYPE AND PRISM-TYPE OPTICAL GUIDES

This article examines the accuracy of radiation thermometry in measuring the temperature of silicon wafers in a diffusion furnace. This technique uses optical guides to bring thermal radiation from the wafers to the outside of the furnace. The error due to veiling glare of a rod-type optical guide is 40°C and that of a prism-type is 0.5°C at steady state.