Ultratech Intros Dual-beam Laser Spike Anneal System

Ultratech Inc. has launched the LSA100L, a dual-beam laser spike anneal (DB-LSA) system for leading-edge logic devices. The Ultratech LSA100L is designed for front-end-of-line (FEOL) and middle-of-line (MOL) applications, and expands the company's LSA capabilities to include low-temperature processes such as nickel silicide formation.

Built on the customizable Unity Platform, the dual-beam system delivers the same inherent advantages as the LSA100A, such as superior within-die uniformity, layout-independent process results, and closed-loop wafer temperature control. With multiple beta systems in the field, the production version of Ultratech's LSA100L will be available in the first quarter of 2011.

In the LSA100A system, a single narrow CO₂ laser beam is used to heat the wafer surface from a substrate temperature of approximately 400°C to the peak annealing temperature in the range 1100°C to 1350°C. In the DB-LSA system, a second laser beam is added that is wider than the narrow CO2 beam. This second laser beam is used to locally preheat the wafer, which enables lower chuck temperatures required for MOL processes such as nickel silicide formation. In addition, a new low-temperature measurement and control system has been developed, which extends the operating range to temperatures down to 400°C. For leading-edge logic nodes, the short time scale of millisecond annealing has been shown to minimize nickel silicide diffusion and diffusion-related yield loss, while the higher temperatures available from millisecond annealing have been shown to enhance device performance.

Ultratech