1 000 000 °C/s thin film electrical heater: In situ resistivity measurements of Al and Ti/Si thin films during ultra rapid thermal annealing

We introduce a new technique for rapidly heating (106 °C/s) thin films using an electrical thermal annealing (ETA) pulse technique. By applying a high-current dc electrical pulse to a conductive substrate-heater material (Si), joule heating occurs thus heating the thin film. This method was demonstrated by heating thin films of aluminum at rates ranging from 103 to 106 °C/s. The temperature of the system is measured by using the substrate heater as a thermistor and is found to be within ≊±10 °C during anneals at ≊105 °C/s. Phase transformations in the Ti-Si system were also observed using in situ resistivity measurements during ETA at ≊104 °C.