SBIR Phase I: Millisecond Microwave Annealing for Next Generation Ultra-Shallow Junction Formation

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project seeks to develop the next generation of rapid thermal processing (RTP) equipment for advanced CMOS technology. This research will investigate the commercial feasibility of millisecond microwave anneal system for 300 mm silicon wafers. The anticipated goals of this research are (1) to demonstrate the maximum power/heating capabilities of millisecond microwave RTP, (2) to demonstrate that millisecond microwave RTP will satisfy the CMOS technology nodes for the years 2005-2015, and (3) to illustrate the commercial feasibility of millisecond microwave RTP. The development of a novel rapid heating technology directly satisfies a CMOS requirement and introduces a new field of rapid heating technology for novel materials processing. The establishment of this technique as a viable anneal technology should attract significant funding from the semiconductor industry. Finally, millisecond heating has materials processing applications beyond the scope of silicon processing technology. Once established in silicon, this technology may expand into related fields, most notably ultra-rapid ceramics sintering.