Heat-treating methods and systems

Abstract

A method involves pre-heating a workpiece to an intermediate temperature, heating a surface of the workpiece to a desired temperature greater than the intermediate temperature, and enhancing cooling of the workpiece. Enhancing cooling may involve absorbing radiation thermally emitted by the workpiece. An apparatus includes a first heating source for heating a first surface of a semiconductor wafer, a second heating source for heating a second surface of the semiconductor wafer, and a first cooled window disposed between the first heating source and the semiconductor wafer.

1 . An apparatus comprising: 
 a) a liquid-cooled arc lamp; and    b) a pulsed discharge power supply unit in electrical communication with said arc lamp and configured to supply an electrical discharge pulse to said arc lamp to produce an irradiance flash.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said liquid-cooled arc lamp comprises an envelope, electrodes within said envelope in communication with said pulsed discharge power supply unit and configured to receive said electrical discharge pulse therefrom, and a flow generator configured to generate a cooling flow of liquid along a surface of said envelope.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said liquid-cooled arc lamp comprises a water-wall arc lamp.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said arc lamp is configured to produce said irradiance flash incident upon a semiconductor wafer.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein said water-wall arc lamp comprises a double water-wall arc lamp.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein said water-wall arc lamp comprises an argon plasma water-wall arc lamp.  
   
   
       7 . A method comprising: 
 a) generating a cooling flow of liquid along a surface of an envelope of an arc lamp;    b) producing an irradiance flash, wherein producing comprises discharging an electrical discharge pulse within said envelope.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein discharging comprises discharging said electrical discharge pulse between electrodes within said envelope.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 7  wherein said electrical discharge pulse has a duration on the order of one millisecond.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 7  wherein said electrical discharge pulse has a duration of less than 1×10 1  milliseconds.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 7  wherein said electrical discharge pulse has a duration less than a thermal conduction time of a workpiece upon which said irradiance flash is incident.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 7  wherein generating comprises generating first and second cooling flows of liquid on opposite sides of said envelope.  
   
   
       13 . An apparatus comprising: 
 a) means for generating a cooling flow of liquid along a surface of an envelope of an arc lamp; and    b) means for producing an irradiance flash, wherein said means for producing comprises means for discharging an electrical discharge pulse within said envelope.    
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein said means for discharging comprises electrodes within said envelope.  
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein said means for discharging comprises a pulsed discharge power supply in electrical communication with electrodes within said envelope.  
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein said electrical discharge pulse has a duration on the order of one millisecond.  
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein said electrical discharge pulse has a duration of less than 1×10 1  milliseconds.  
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein said electrical discharge pulse has a duration less than a thermal conduction time of a workpiece upon which said irradiance flash is incident.  
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein said means for generating comprises means for generating a first flow of cooling liquid along a first surface of the envelope, and means for generating a second flow of cooling liquid along a second surface of the envelope.