Design of a rapid thermal processing system using a reflection-resolved ray tracing method

The thermal condition of a silicon substrate in a rapid thermal processing system using circular infrared lamps and specular reflectors is systematica lly studied based on the direct approach model using a ray trace simulation with resolving the number of reflections, for the first time, in order to clarify the mechanism that the thermal condition for the silicon substrate is not sensitive to the distance between the circular infrared lamp and the reflector base plate forming the region behind the circular infrared lamp. Since total reflection from the specular reflectors behind the circular in frared lamp causes no energy loss on their surface, the intensity of the ra y emitted from the infrared lamp toward the reflector base plate can be mai ntained and transported to the silicon substrate surface, even if the dista nce between the circular infrared lamp and the reflector base plate influen ces the path of the rays which are approaching the silicon substrate. There fore, it is concluded that the thermal condition of the silicon substrate c an be robust to the geometry of the specular reflectors behind the circular infrared lamp. (C) 2001 The Electrochemical Society.