Title: Modelling spectral absorptance of patterned wafers

Authors: Aihua Wang

Addresses: School of Materials and Metallurgy, Northeastern University, 3-11, Heping District, Shenyang, 110819, China

Abstract: This paper presents a parametric study of the radiative properties of silicon patterned wafers, considering the effect of wavelength and polarisation. The finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method has been employed to examine the effect of various trench and gate sizes on the spectral absorptance via numerically solving the Maxwell's equations. The effective medium theory (EMT) was also used to help explain the absorptance prediction. In the cases with trench size variation, clear interference effects were shown at long wavelengths for the TE wave, but the multiple reflection effect started at a much shorter wavelength for the TM wave. In the cases with polysilicon gate variation, while the gate sizes were very small compared to wavelength, the results showed rather unusual phenomena. The effects of the diffraction, wave interferences on the spectral absorptance were also discussed. This work is of great importance for optimisation of advanced annealing techniques in semiconductor manufacturing.

Keywords: finite difference time domain; FDTD; effective medium theory; EMT; radiative property; periodic nanostructures; patterned wafers; modelling; spectral absorptance; silicon wafers; diffraction; wave interference; trench size variation; polysilicon gate variation; optimisation; advanced annealing; semiconductor manufacturing.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNM.2014.058992

International Journal of Nanomanufacturing, 2014 Vol.10 No.1/2, pp.3 - 12

Received: 12 Jan 2013
Accepted: 04 Mar 2013
Published online: 17 May 2014 *

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