	US 12,249,522 B2
	Processing chamber with annealing mini-environment
Michael Honan, Danvers, MA (US); David Blahnik, Round Rock, TX (US); Robert Brent Vopat, Austin, TX (US); Jeffrey Blahnik, Volente, TX (US); and Charles Carlson, Cedar Park, TX (US)
Assigned to Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed by Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed on Sep. 8, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/244,041.
Application 18/244,041 is a division of application No. 16/665,343, filed on Oct. 28, 2019, granted, now 11,791,176.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/751,680, filed on Oct. 28, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2023/0420275 A1, Dec. 28, 2023
Int. Cl. H01L 21/67 (2006.01); C30B 33/02 (2006.01); C30B 35/00 (2006.01); F27D 7/02 (2006.01); H01L 21/324 (2006.01); H01L 21/673 (2006.01)

CPC H01L 21/67109 (2013.01) [C30B 33/02 (2013.01); C30B 35/00 (2013.01); F27D 7/02 (2013.01); H01L 21/324 (2013.01); H01L 21/67248 (2013.01); H01L 21/67323 (2013.01)]

11 Claims

1. A method of annealing a plurality of wafers, the method comprising:

positioning the plurality of wafers in a heater assembly within a lower interior portion of a chamber body, the heater assembly comprising a sidewall with a double-walled labyrinthine exit flow path to provide fluid communication between an interior of the heater assembly and an upper interior portion of the chamber body, the chamber body including a steam source in fluid communication with the interior of the heating assembly through a steam injection port;

heating the plurality of wafers; and

pressurizing the chamber body to a predetermined pressure by flowing steam into the heater assembly through the steam injection port, wherein the steam injection port provides a fluid path into the interior of the heater assembly and the double-walled labyrinthine exit flow path defining an exit flow path of steam from the interior of the heater assembly into the upper interior portion of the chamber body through the double-walled labyrinthine exit flow path in the heater assembly.