Systems for and methods of laser-enhanced plasma processing of semiconductor materials

摘要

Systems for and methods of laser-enhanced plasma processing of semiconductor materials are disclosed. The method includes supporting a semiconductor material in a processing chamber interior and subjecting the semiconductor material to a plasma process. The method also includes simultaneously heating the wafer surface with a laser beam through a window in the processing chamber to increase the reaction rate of the plasma process. Other methods include performing laser heating of the semiconductor material before or after the plasma process but while the semiconductor material resides in the same chamber interior.

主权项

1. A method of performing enhanced plasma processing of a semiconductor material having a surface, comprising:
containing the semiconductor material surface in an interior of a downstream plasma processing chamber that has an exterior and a window that separates the exterior and the interior, the interior being configured to support a plasma process; subjecting the semiconductor material surface to the plasma process having a reaction rate representative of an etch or deposition process; and simultaneously with the plasma process, irradiating the semiconductor material surface with a laser beam that passes from the chamber exterior to the chamber interior through the window, wherein the laser beam forms a line image that scans over and locally heats the semiconductor material surface to a select temperature that locally increases the reaction rate of the plasma process.