US 7,321,722 B2
Method for thermal processing a semiconductor wafer
Tsung-Hsun Tsai, Tai-Nan (Taiwan)
Assigned to United Microelectronics Corp., Hsin-Chu (Taiwan)
Filed on Jun. 13, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/160,199.
Prior Publication US 2006/0291831 A1, Dec. 28, 2006
Int. Cl. A21B 2/00 (2006.01); F26B 3/30 (2006.01); L23C 16/00 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 392—416  [392/418; 118/724] 6 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for thermal processing a semiconductor wafer, comprising:
providing a rapid thermal processing (RTP) chamber comprising at least a heating means, a rotation means, and a cooling system for cooling walls of said RTP chamber;
cooling said walls of said RTP chamber to a first temperature by said cooling system;
loading a semiconductor wafer into said RTP chamber at said first temperature, wherein when loading said semiconductor wafer into said RTP chamber, said semiconductor wafer has a temperature that is lower than said first temperature, thereby causing a tendency of particle deposition from said walls of said RTP chamber onto said semiconductor wafer;
pre-heating said semiconductor wafer to a second temperature higher than said first temperature with said heating means, thereby eliminating said tendency of particle deposition; and
upon reaching said second temperature, activating said rotation means to start to rotate said semiconductor wafer, wherein said semiconductor wafer is ramped up to a third temperature higher than said second temperature after starting to rotate said semiconductor wafer.