Patent ID: 7326877
Filing Date: 2008-02-05
Classification: B23K,H01L

Abstract:
1. A heater module apparatus for a laser thermal processing chuck, comprising: a housing having a planar upper surface, a lower surface, and an enclosed interior chamber with a chamber peripheral interior surface; a metal in liquid and vapor form (“metal liquid/vapor”) held in the chamber at a substantially constant background temperature; one or more heating elements arranged within the chamber interior and adapted to heat the housing and the metal liquid/vapor to a background temperature; and one or more wicks arranged adjacent the chamber peripheral interior surface and adapted to supply liquid metal to at least a portion of the chamber peripheral interior surface; wherein at least some of the metal liquid absorbs heat from a spatially varying thermal load provided to the housing upper surface, and redistributes the absorbed heat over the chamber via evaporation and condensation of the metal.