Patent ID: 6727474
Filing Date: 2004-04-27
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
A multiwafer thermal processing system comprising:a cold wall thermal processing chamber defining a plurality of walls, the processing chamber including a cooling system for actively cooling at least one wall, the cooling system comprising at least one cooling conduit placed adjacent to a wall of the thermal processing chamber, the cooling conduit being configured to circulate a cooling fluid adjacent to the wall, the chamber defining a vertical axis and being adapted to receive a plurality of stacked semiconductor wafers disposed about said vertical axis of said chamber, each of said semiconductor wafers having a top surface and a bottom surface; a plurality of light energy sources in communication with said thermal processing chamber for heating semiconductor wafers contained in said chamber, said plurality of light energy sources encircling said vertical axis of said thermal processing chamber; and a substrate holder contained within said thermal processing chamber, said substrate holder being configured to hold said plurality of semiconductor wafers, said wafers being held in a stacked arrangement wherein adjacent wafers are spaced a distance sufficient for light energy being emitted by said plurality of light energy sources to contact the top and bottom surfaces of said wafers.