Ultra-fast Thermal Processing

Thermal processing in the subsecond range comprises modern, non-equilibrium annealing techniques which allow various material modifications at the surface without affecting the bulk. Flash lamp annealing (FLA) is one of the most diverse methods of short time annealing with applications ranging from the classical field of semiconductor doping to the treatment of polymers and flexible substrates. The presentation focuses on several FLA aspects which are especially important for thin film applications. In detail, it briefly introduces to the technological background, deals with the broad subject of temperature distributions and addresses constraints and other process issues like thermal stress or homogeneity. Finally, an overview of the various applications of FLA is given.