JP5460917B1 - Laser heating device - Google Patents

Abstract

In a conventional laser heating apparatus, since heat is dissipated from a peripheral portion of an object to be heated, it is difficult to make the temperature distribution of the object to be heated uniform.
A laser heating apparatus according to the present invention includes an airtight chamber, a laser light transmission window that transmits the laser light provided in the airtight chamber, and a heated object support means provided in the airtight chamber. 3 and at least two or more laser irradiation means 13 for irradiating the object to be heated 2 supported by the object to be heated support 3 through the laser light transmission window 4 from the outside of the hermetic chamber 1, The laser irradiating means 13 and 15 irradiate the object to be heated 2 with laser beams having different shapes to heat the object to be heated. At least one is characterized in that a peripheral portion of the object to be heated is irradiated with a ring-shaped laser beam to heat the object to be heated.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention irradiates a laser heating device, in particular, an object to be heated such as a semiconductor substrate placed in a specific gas atmosphere with a laser beam enlarged to a desired size to heat the object to be heated. The present invention relates to a laser heating apparatus that generates various films such as a uniform oxide film.

  FIG. 11 shows a conventional laser heating apparatus, wherein 1 is an airtight chamber, 2 is an object to be heated such as a semiconductor substrate, and 3 is provided in the airtight chamber 1 for placing the object 2 to be heated. The object support means 4 is a laser beam transmitting window for laser beam incidence provided on the ceiling of the hermetic chamber 1, 5 is a mass flow for introducing gas into the hermetic chamber 1, and 6 is the hermetic chamber. An exhaust pump for exhausting air in the chamber 1, a pressure control valve for controlling the degree of vacuum in the airtight chamber 1, and an optical lens device holder provided on the upper surface of the airtight chamber 1; 9 is an optical lens device such as a projection lens made up of a convex lens and a concave lens provided on the holder 8 so that the laser beam irradiation port is at the bottom, for example, 10 is formed by stacking a plurality of laser diode bars, for example. A semiconductor laser oscillator that produces a high output of 1 kW or more by continuous oscillation, 10a is a laser beam condensing unit of the laser oscillator 10 provided at the exit of the laser oscillator, and 11 is the laser beam condensing unit For example, an optical fiber having a diameter of 1.5 mm and a length of 5 m is connected to the optical lens device 9.

  In the conventional laser heating apparatus, the laser light from the laser oscillator 10 enters from one end of the optical fiber 11 and exits from the other end, and passes through the optical lens device 9 and the laser light transmission window 4. The object to be heated 2 supported in the airtight chamber 1 in a vacuum or a specific gas atmosphere is irradiated, and at this time, the laser beam is approximately equal to the size of the object to be heated 2 by the optical lens device 9. The object to be heated 2 is heated so as to be enlarged.

  An example of such a laser heating apparatus is Patent Document 1.

JP 2006-294717 A (FIG. 1)

  However, in the conventional laser heating apparatus, when the object to be heated is heated in the gas tight chamber 1 in a specific gas atmosphere such as an oxygen atmosphere, the intensity distribution of the laser light irradiated onto the object to be heated 2 is uniform. However, due to the heat dissipation from the peripheral part of the object to be heated 2 to the atmospheric gas, the temperature difference between the central part and the peripheral part of the object to be heated 2 becomes large, and the object 2 to be heated has a uniform temperature distribution. Therefore, there is a drawback that a uniform thin film cannot be formed on the object 2 to be heated.

  In addition, in order to make the temperature distribution on the object to be heated uniform, an optical lens device in which the peripheral part of the intensity distribution of the laser beam is made stronger than the center part of the object to be heated can be used. Since the intensity distribution of the laser light of the optical lens device cannot be changed, the optical lens device differs depending on conditions such as the type and thickness of the object to be heated, the heating temperature of the object to be heated, the gas atmosphere, and the pressure in the chamber. There is a drawback that the apparatus becomes complicated.

  Further, if the conditions such as the type and thickness of the object to be heated, the heating temperature of the object to be heated, the gas atmosphere, and the pressure in the chamber are slightly different, the amount of heat dissipated from the peripheral portion of the object to be heated 2 to the atmosphere gas Therefore, it was difficult to make the temperature of the object to be heated uniform.

  The present invention eliminates the above-mentioned drawbacks.

  The laser heating apparatus of the present invention includes an airtight chamber, a laser light transmitting window provided in the airtight chamber for transmitting laser light, an object support means provided in the airtight chamber, and an outside of the airtight chamber. It comprises at least two or more laser irradiating means for irradiating the object to be heated, which is supported by the object to be heated supporting means, through the laser light transmitting window, and each of the laser irradiating means includes the object to be heated. In addition to irradiating laser beams of different shapes to heat the object to be heated, at least one of the laser irradiation means applies a ring-shaped laser beam to the peripheral portion of the object to be heated. Irradiation is performed to heat the object to be heated.

  One of the laser irradiation means is characterized in that the entire surface of the object to be heated is irradiated with laser light.

  Further, at least two of the laser irradiation means irradiate the object to be heated with a ring-shaped laser beam.

  The object to be heated has a disk shape, and the ring shape has an annular shape.

  In addition, a temperature measuring unit that measures the temperature of each of a plurality of locations on the object to be heated is provided, and the output of the laser beam of each laser irradiation unit is controlled based on the measured temperature. .

  Further, the object to be heated is vertically irradiated with the laser light emitted from the plurality of laser irradiation means using a superimposing means.

  Further, the superimposing means is provided with a band pass filter between the object to be heated and the laser irradiating means, and laser light is vertically irradiated on the object to be heated through the band pass filter. Features.

  According to the heating device of the present invention, there is a great advantage that an object to be heated can be heated with a uniform temperature distribution even in a gas atmosphere in the hermetic chamber.

  In addition, when the conditions such as the type and thickness of the object to be heated, the heating temperature of the object to be heated, the gas atmosphere, and the pressure in the chamber change, the temperature difference in the peripheral portion in particular compared to the temperature at the center of the object to be heated Although it changes abruptly, by separately irradiating the peripheral portion with a ring-shaped laser beam, the control becomes easy and the heated object can be heated with a uniform temperature distribution.

It is a vertical front view of the laser heating apparatus of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the laser beam irradiated to a to-be-heated material. It is explanatory drawing of the laser beam irradiated to a to-be-heated material. It is explanatory drawing of the laser beam irradiated to a to-be-heated material. It is explanatory drawing of the energy distribution of the laser beam irradiated to a to-be-heated material. It is the front view which abbreviate | omitted a part of other Example of the laser heating apparatus of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the laser beam irradiated to a to-be-heated material. It is explanatory drawing of the laser beam irradiated to a to-be-heated material. It is explanatory drawing of the laser beam irradiated to a to-be-heated material. It is explanatory drawing of the laser beam irradiated to a to-be-heated material. It is a vertical front view of the conventional laser heating apparatus.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the part same as the said conventional laser heating apparatus, and description is abbreviate | omitted.

  In the laser heating apparatus of the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, on a heated object 2 such as a disk-shaped silicon substrate having a diameter of 0.5 inch, for example, disposed in the airtight chamber 1, First laser irradiation means 13 for irradiating a circular laser beam 12 having a size substantially the same as the size of the object to be heated 2 to heat the object to be heated 2, and a peripheral portion of the object to be heated 2 And a second laser irradiation means 15 for irradiating the ring-shaped laser beam 14 to heat the peripheral portion.

  Further, the laser beam 12 from the first laser irradiation unit 13 and the laser beam 14 from the second laser irradiation unit 15 are overlapped, and are coaxially applied to the object to be heated 2 and vertically irradiated respectively. 1 superimposing means is provided.

  The first superimposing means reflects, for example, laser light having a specific wavelength such as laser light (for example, wavelength 880 nm) from the first laser irradiation means 13, but from the second laser irradiation means 15. For example, a disk-shaped first bandpass filter 16 that transmits a specific wavelength such as a laser beam (for example, a wavelength of 940 nm) is used. The band pass filter 16 has a function of reflecting or transmitting only a specific wavelength by a dielectric multilayer film, for example.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 1, the second laser beam irradiation port 15a of the second laser irradiation means 15 is arranged above the object to be heated 2, and the object to be heated 2 and the second object are arranged. The first band-pass filter 16 is disposed at an angle of 45 degrees with the laser beam irradiation port 15a, and the first laser irradiation means 13 has a first direction in the lateral direction of the band-pass filter 16. A laser beam irradiation port 13a is disposed.

  Then, the laser beam 14 from the second laser beam irradiation port 15a irradiated downward is transmitted through the first band-pass filter 16 so as to be irradiated perpendicularly to the object 2 to be heated. The laser beam 12 from the first laser beam irradiation port 13a irradiated in the lateral direction is reflected by the first bandpass filter 16 so that the object to be heated 2 is irradiated vertically.

  The first laser irradiation means 13 includes, for example, a first laser oscillator 17, a first optical fiber 18, and a first optical lens device 19. Laser light is incident from one end of the first optical fiber 18 and is emitted from the other end, and the laser light is emitted from the first optical lens device 19, the first bandpass filter 16, and the laser light transmission window. 4, the object to be heated 2 in the hermetic chamber 1 is irradiated.

  Note that the laser light emitted from the first optical fiber 19 is sized by the first optical lens device 19 as shown in FIG. ) Is enlarged to a circular shape having the same shape (for example, 13 mm in diameter), and the entire surface of the object to be heated 2 is irradiated with a uniform (top hat shape) energy intensity distribution. The article to be heated 2 is heated.

  Note that one example of the circular laser beam irradiated to the object to be heated 2 has a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the object to be heated 2, but is the same as or slightly different from the diameter of the object to be heated 2. It may be a large diameter.

  The second laser irradiating means 15 includes, for example, a second laser oscillator 20, a second optical fiber 21, and a second optical lens device 22. Laser light is incident from one end of the second optical fiber 21 and is emitted from the other end. The laser light is transmitted through the second optical lens device 22, the bandpass filter 16, and the laser light transmission window 4. The object to be heated 2 in the airtight chamber 1 is irradiated.

  The laser beam emitted from the second optical fiber 21 is irradiated with a ring so that the second optical lens device 22 irradiates the peripheral portion of the object to be heated 2 as shown in FIG. (For example, an outer diameter of 12.5 mm and an inner diameter of 9 mm), and the peripheral portion of the object to be heated 2 is heated.

  In addition, since it is preferable to irradiate the peripheral part including the outer periphery of the said to-be-heated object with the said ring-shaped laser beam, the outer diameter of the said ring-shaped laser beam is the same as the diameter of the said to-be-heated object 2 Or, a slightly larger diameter is preferable.

  The working distance between the first laser irradiation means 13 and the object to be heated 2 is, for example, 150 mm, and the working distance between the second laser irradiation means 15 and the object to be heated 2 is 150 mm. Similarly, the (working distance) is 150 mm, for example.

  As shown in FIG. 4, if the area of the portion A irradiated only by the second laser irradiation means 15 on the heated object 2 is 1, the irradiation by the first laser irradiation means 13 is performed. By setting the area of the ring-shaped portion B to be an area ratio in the range of 0.5 to 1.5, it becomes easy to adjust the temperature distribution on the object to be heated. In particular, it is preferable that A: B = 1: 1 because the temperature distribution on the object to be heated is most easily adjusted.

  Moreover, temperature measurement means (not shown), such as a radiation thermometer, which respectively measures the temperature of the part A of the object to be heated 2 and the part B of the peripheral part is provided.

  Since the laser heating apparatus of the present invention is configured as described above, for example, in the oxygen gas atmosphere, the first laser irradiation unit 13 and the second laser irradiation unit 15 are used to In order to make the temperature distribution uniform, each laser beam is irradiated onto the object to be heated 2 and heated at, for example, 1200 ° C. for 1 hour to form an oxide film.

  FIG. 5 shows the energy intensity distribution of the laser beam irradiated onto the object 2 to be heated, and the broken line (1) in FIG. 5 shows the intensity distribution of only the laser beam of the first laser irradiation means 13. The broken line (2) indicates the intensity distribution of only the laser beam of the second laser irradiation unit 15, and the solid line indicates the laser beam of the first laser irradiation unit 13 and the second laser irradiation unit 15. The synthesized intensity distribution is shown. As shown in FIG. 5, the temperature distribution of the heated portion 2 can be made uniform by increasing the intensity of the laser beam at the peripheral portion as compared with the central portion.

  The intensity distribution of the laser beam of the first laser irradiation means 13 is preferably uniform (top hat shape), but when actually irradiated, the central portion is the strongest and the peripheral portion tends to be slightly weak. (About -10%) (see broken line (1) in FIG. 5).

  Further, the temperature measuring means for measuring the temperature of the part A of the object to be heated 2 and the temperature measuring means for measuring the temperature of the part B of the peripheral part are respectively used for the parts A and B of the object to be heated 2. Temperature is measured, and based on this temperature information, the irradiation intensity of the laser beam from the first laser irradiation means 13 and the second laser irradiation means 15 is controlled, respectively, and the temperature distribution of the object to be heated 2 is determined. Adjust to be uniform.

  According to the laser heating apparatus of the present invention, while using two laser irradiation means, laser light having substantially the same shape as the size of the object to be heated, and ring-shaped laser light that irradiates the peripheral portion of the object to be heated, Since each is irradiated with a desired laser output, even if the inside of the hermetic chamber is a gas atmosphere, the temperature difference between the central portion and the peripheral portion of the object to be heated 2 can be reduced. There is a great advantage that the temperature distribution of the object to be heated can be made uniform, and therefore the film thickness can be made uniform.

  Even when the conditions such as the type and thickness of the object to be heated, the heating temperature of the object to be heated, the gas atmosphere, and the pressure in the chamber are different, the output of the laser beam of each of the laser irradiation means 13 and 15 is changed. The object to be heated can be easily made to have a desired temperature and the temperature distribution can be made uniform without changing the optical lens device.

  In particular, when the above conditions change, the temperature difference at the peripheral portion changes abruptly compared to the temperature at the center of the object to be heated. Therefore, it is easy to control by separately irradiating the peripheral portion with a ring-shaped laser beam. Thus, the heated object can be heated with a uniform temperature distribution.

  Further, the film thickness of the object to be heated can be easily adjusted because the output of the laser beam from each of the laser irradiation means 13 and 15 can be changed.

  For example, when the laser intensity applied to the object to be heated is increased in order to increase the film thickness, the amount of heat dissipation from the peripheral part of the object to be heated increases rapidly. Even if the amount of heat dissipation from the object changes, the object to be heated is irradiated with laser light and ring-shaped laser light that are approximately the same size as the object to be heated with the desired laser output. Can be made to have a uniform temperature distribution.

  Further, by measuring the temperature of each part such as the central portion and the peripheral portion in real time using the plurality of temperature measuring means, feeding back the temperature information, and controlling the output of each laser irradiation means, respectively. The heated object can be heated with a more uniform temperature distribution.

  Further, by using a plurality of laser irradiation means, a laser oscillator with a small output can be used, and the cost can be reduced.

  In addition, since a high-power laser oscillator is not used, the laser heating device can be made compact.

  Note that the shape of the ring-shaped laser light varies depending on the shape of the object to be heated. For example, when the object to be heated is a disk, the shape is an annular laser beam. For example, the object to be heated is rectangular. In this case, a rectangular annular laser beam is irradiated.

  When the diameter of the object to be heated is large, three or more laser irradiation means may be provided.

  FIG. 6 shows an embodiment in which three laser irradiation means are provided, and an object 2 to be heated is used by using a third laser irradiation means 23, a fourth laser irradiation means 24, and a fifth laser means 25. To heat. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a main part of another embodiment of the present invention in which the airtight chamber 1 and the like are omitted.

  Note that, from the third laser irradiation means 23, for example, a laser beam 26 having a wavelength of 880 nm is applied to the object to be heated 2 having a diameter of 12.5 mm, as shown in FIG. It is made to irradiate with the circular shape of diameter 13mm of the magnitude | size of substantially the same shape.

  Further, from the fourth laser irradiation means 24, for example, a laser beam 27 having a wavelength of 940 nm is irradiated in a ring shape having an outer diameter of 12.5 mm and an inner diameter of 7 mm as shown in FIG.

  Further, from the fifth laser irradiation means 25, for example, laser light 28 having a wavelength of 980 nm is irradiated in a ring shape having an outer diameter of 12.5 mm and an inner diameter of 10 mm as shown in FIG.

  Note that the shape of the ring-shaped laser light 27 emitted from the fourth laser irradiation means 24 and the shape of the ring-shaped laser light 28 emitted from the fifth laser irradiation means 25 are irradiated on the object 2 to be heated. However, it is preferable that only the ring width is different, and the outer diameter is substantially the same as the outer diameter of the object to be heated 2.

  In addition, as long as any one of the fourth laser irradiation unit 24 and the fifth laser irradiation unit 25 irradiates the peripheral portion of the object to be heated 2, the other laser irradiation unit is It may be a ring-shaped laser beam that heats only the intermediate part of the article 2 to be heated.

  Further, the laser beam 26 from the third laser irradiation unit 23, the laser beam 27 from the fourth laser irradiation unit 24, and the laser beam 28 from the fifth laser irradiation unit 25 are superimposed, and A second superimposing means for irradiating the object to be heated 2 coaxially and vertically is provided.

  For example, the second superimposing means transmits the laser light having a wavelength of 980 nm and 940 nm, but does not pass the 880 nm and reflects the second bandpass filter 29, and the laser light has a wavelength of 980 nm. A third bandpass filter 30 that reflects without passing through 940 nm is provided.

  And as shown in FIG. 6, the 5th laser beam irradiation port 25a of the said 5th laser irradiation means 25 is arrange | positioned above the said to-be-heated object 2, and the said to-be-heated object 2 and the said 5th The second band pass filter 29 and the third band pass filter 30 are respectively inclined by 45 degrees between the laser beam irradiation port 25a.

  In addition, the third laser beam irradiation port 23a of the third laser irradiation unit 23 is disposed in the lateral direction of the second bandpass filter 29, and the lateral direction of the third bandpass filter 30 is disposed. A fourth laser light irradiation port 24a of the fourth laser irradiation means 24 is disposed.

  Then, the laser beam 28 from the fifth laser beam irradiation port 25a irradiated downward is transmitted through the second and third band-pass filters 29 and 30, and is vertically irradiated onto the object 2 to be heated. So that In addition, the laser beam 26 from the third laser beam irradiation port 23a irradiated in the lateral direction toward the second bandpass filter 29 is reflected by the second bandpass filter 29 and is subjected to the process. The heated object 2 is vertically irradiated. Further, the laser beam 27 from the fourth laser beam irradiation port 24a irradiated in the lateral direction toward the third bandpass filter 30 is reflected by the third bandpass filter 30, and the above-mentioned The light is transmitted through the second band-pass filter 29 so that the object to be heated 2 is vertically irradiated. As described above, the laser beams 26, 27, and 28 are superimposed on each other, and are irradiated on the object to be heated 2 coaxially and vertically.

  The third to fifth laser irradiation means 23, 24, 25 are, for example, laser oscillators 31a, 31b, 31c and optical fibers 32a, 32b, 32c, as in the first and second laser irradiation means. The optical lens devices 33a, 33b, and 33c are formed.

  When these three laser irradiation means 23, 24, and 25 are used, fine adjustment can be performed as compared with the case of using two laser irradiation means, so that the temperature distribution of the object to be heated can be made more uniform. It becomes like this.

  As shown in FIG. 10, if the area of the portion C (inner circle) irradiated only on the laser 26 of the third laser irradiation means 23 on the heated object 2 is 1, the third will be described. The area of the portion D (intermediate ring) irradiated with the laser beam 26 of the laser irradiating unit 13 and the laser beam 27 of the fourth laser irradiating unit 24 superimposed is an area in the range of 0.5 to 1.5. Further, the area of the ring-shaped portion E (outer ring) irradiated by the laser light 28 of the fifth laser irradiation means 25 is set to an area ratio in the range of 0.5 to 1.5. This makes it easier to adjust the temperature distribution on the object to be heated. In particular, C: D: E = 1: 1: 1 is most preferable because the temperature distribution on the object to be heated is most easily adjusted.

  Further, a temperature measuring means (not shown) such as a radiation thermometer for measuring the temperatures of the parts C, D, E is provided, the temperature of each part is measured, and the third information is based on the temperature information. The intensity of the laser beam from each of the fifth to fifth laser irradiation means 23, 24, and 25 may be controlled to adjust the temperature distribution of the object to be heated 2 to be uniform.

  Note that superimposing means other than the bandpass filter may be used, and when it is not necessary to irradiate the laser light from the plurality of laser irradiation means coaxially with the object to be heated and vertically irradiated, superimposition such as a bandpass filter is performed. Means may be omitted. In this case, the wavelength of the laser beam of each laser irradiation means can be made the same.

  Moreover, in the said Example, although the example which heats a to-be-heated material was shown, you may make it change and change the temperature of each area | region.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Airtight chamber 2 Heated object 3 Heated object support means 4 Laser light transmission window 5 Mass flow 6 Exhaust pump 7 Valve 8 Holder 9 Optical lens device 10 Laser oscillator 10a Laser light condensing means 11 Optical fiber 12 Laser light 13 First Laser irradiation means 13a Laser light irradiation opening 14 Laser light 15 Second laser irradiation means 15a Laser light irradiation opening 16 First band pass filter 17 First laser oscillator 18 First optical fiber 19 First optical lens device 20 Second laser oscillator 21 Second optical fiber 22 Second optical lens device 23 Third laser irradiation unit 23a Laser light irradiation port 24 Fourth laser irradiation unit 24a Laser light irradiation port 25 Fifth laser irradiation unit 25a Laser beam irradiation port 26 Laser beam 27 Laser beam 28 Laser beam 29 Second band pass filter 30 3 of band-pass filter 31a laser oscillator 31b laser oscillator 31c laser oscillator 32a optical fiber 32b optical fiber 32c optical fiber 33a the optical lens device 33b optical lens device 33c optical lens device

Claims (7)

An airtight chamber, a laser light transmission window that transmits laser light, provided in the airtight chamber, a heated object support means provided in the airtight chamber, and the laser light transmission window from the outside of the airtight chamber through the laser light transmission window. It comprises at least two or more laser irradiation means for irradiating a laser beam onto the object to be heated supported by the object to be heated support means,
Each of the laser irradiation means irradiates the object to be heated with laser beams having different shapes to heat the object to be heated.
At least one of the laser irradiation means irradiates a peripheral portion of the object to be heated with a ring-shaped laser beam to heat the object to be heated.   2. The laser heating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein one of the laser irradiation means irradiates the entire surface of the object to be heated with laser light.   3. The laser heating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least two of the laser irradiation means irradiate the object to be heated with a ring-shaped laser beam.   4. The laser heating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the object to be heated has a disc shape, and the ring shape has an annular shape.   The temperature measurement means for measuring the temperature of each of a plurality of locations on the object to be heated is provided, and the output of the laser beam of each laser irradiation means is controlled based on the measured temperature. The laser heating apparatus according to 1, 2, 3 or 4.   6. The laser heating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the object to be heated is vertically irradiated with the laser light emitted from the plurality of laser irradiation means by using a superimposing means. .   The superimposing means is characterized in that a band pass filter is provided between the object to be heated and the laser irradiating means, and laser light is vertically irradiated on the object to be heated through the band pass filter. The laser heating apparatus according to claim 6.

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