Semiconductor structure processing using multiple laterally spaced laser beam spots with joint velocity profiling

Abstract

A method is used in processing structures on or within a semiconductor substrate using N series of laser pulses to obtain a throughput benefit, wherein N≧2. The structures are arranged in a plurality of substantially parallel rows extending in a generally lengthwise direction. The N series of laser pulses propagate along N respective beam axes until incident upon selected structures in N respective distinct rows. The method determines a joint velocity profile for simultaneously moving in the lengthwise direction the N laser beam axes substantially in unison relative to the semiconductor substrate so as to process structures in the N rows with the respective N series of laser pulses, whereby the joint velocity profile is such that the throughput benefit is achieved while ensuring that the joint velocity profile represents feasible velocities for each of the N series of laser pulses and for each of the respective N rows of structures processed with the N series of laser pulses. A semiconductor substrate is designed to have a structure layout that takes advantage of the N-fold processing parallelism provided by the N laser beams.

1 . A semiconductor substrate on which structures are positioned to be irradiated by N laser beams more quickly than by a single laser beam, wherein N≧2, and wherein the N laser beams are arranged to be incident on the semiconductor substrate in a given orientation, the semiconductor substrate comprising:
 a plurality of structures arranged in a plurality of rows extending in a generally lengthwise direction, wherein one or more properties of the structures can be altered by irradiation, wherein at least N such rows are composed and positioned so that said N rows have one or more sections of structures positioned to substantially match the given orientation, whereby the semiconductor substrate can be irradiation processed with enhanced throughput by use of the N laser beams, wherein each laser beam spot is simultaneously incident on a structure in a respective row of one of said sections of N rows.   
   
   
       2 . The semiconductor substrate of  claim 1 , wherein the structures are positioned so as to maximize the joint velocity profile for simultaneously moving the N laser beam spots in the lengthwise direction of the row. 
   
   
       3 . The semiconductor substrate of  claim 1 , wherein said N rows include aligned gaps having no structures to be irradiation processed, and the gaps are positioned in substantial alignment in the lengthwise direction along said N rows. 
   
   
       4 . The semiconductor substrate of  claim 1 , wherein the positioning of structures along said N rows is approximately identical in the lengthwise direction of said rows. 
   
   
       5 . The semiconductor substrate of  claim 1 , wherein said N rows are positioned closely enough to each other in the direction perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of said rows such that the N laser beams can be focused on the semiconductor substrate using a single lens. 
   
   
       6 . The semiconductor substrate of  claim 5 , wherein said rows are separated apart by less than about 1 millimeter in the direction perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of said rows. 
   
   
       7 . The semiconductor substrate of  claim 6 , wherein said rows are separated apart by less than about 50 microns in the direction perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of said rows. 
   
   
       8 . The semiconductor substrate of  claim 1 , wherein the sections contain rows having adjacent structures spaced apart by an approximately constant pitch. 
   
   
       9 . The semiconductor substrate of  claim 1 , wherein the given orientation is approximately colinear in a direction substantially perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the rows. 
   
   
       10 . The semiconductor substrate of  claim 1 , wherein substantially all structures of the semiconductor substrate are arranged in rows aligned in the lengthwise direction. 
   
   
       11 . The semiconductor substrate of  claim 1 , wherein the total number of rows in the semiconductor substrate is an integer multiple of N. 
   
   
       12 . The semiconductor substrate of  claim 1 , wherein the structures are links. 
   
   
       13 . A semiconductor device made, in part, by a method of processing structures on or within the semiconductor device using N series of laser pulses to obtain a throughput benefit, wherein N≧2, the structures being arranged in a plurality of substantially parallel rows extending in a generally lengthwise direction, the N series of laser pulses propagating along N respective beam axes until incident upon selected structures in N respective distinct rows, the method comprising:
 determining a joint velocity profile for simultaneously moving in the lengthwise direction the N laser beam axes substantially in unison relative to the semiconductor substrate so as to process structures in the N rows with the respective N series of laser pulses, whereby the joint velocity profile is such that the throughput benefit is achieved while ensuring that the joint velocity profile represents feasible velocities for each of the N series of laser pulses and for each of the respective N rows of structures processed with the N series of laser pulses;   generating the N series of laser pulses; and   moving in the lengthwise direction the N laser beam axes in unison relative to the semiconductor substrate, in accordance with the joint velocity profile, so as to selectively irradiate structures in the N rows with the respective N series of laser pulses.   
   
   
       14 . A semiconductor device according to  claim 13 , wherein the determining step comprises:
 determining for each of the N rows a velocity profile for moving in the lengthwise direction the respective laser beam axis relative to the semiconductor substrate so as to process structures with the respective series of laser pulses, thereby resulting in N individual velocity profiles; and   comparing the N individual velocity profiles to determine the joint velocity profile.   
   
   
       15 . A semiconductor device according to  claim 14 , wherein the joint velocity profile is the minimum velocity value of the N individual velocity profiles at each point along the profile. 
   
   
       16 . A semiconductor device according to  claim 14 , wherein the joint velocity profile does not exceed the minimum value of the N individual velocity profiles while a structure is processed with a laser pulse. 
   
   
       17 . A semiconductor device according to  claim 14 , wherein the N individual velocity profiles include aligned sections having respective constant velocities, and the joint velocity profile includes a corresponding section having a constant velocity that is the minimum of the N corresponding constant velocities. 
   
   
       18 . A semiconductor device according to  claim 14 , wherein one or more of the N rows includes a gap having no structures to be irradiated, and if all N rows include gaps in alignment with each other, then the joint velocity profile includes a gap profile. 
   
   
       19 . A semiconductor device according to  claim 13 , wherein the joint velocity profile includes one or more sections of constant velocity. 
   
   
       20 . A semiconductor device according to  claim 13 , wherein the determining step comprises:
 generating a set of master coordinates;   determining for each structure in the N rows to be laser irradiated a relative offset coordinate from a master coordinate; and   determining the joint velocity profile for the N rows based on the set of master coordinates.