Thermal considerations for monolithic integration of three-dimensional integrated circuits

A major consideration for practical integration of 3D integrated circuits is compatibility of the thermal processes used to build new transistors in the vertical dimension, with sustained viability of the devices already fabricated beneath. Major contributions to the thermal profile of IC processes are laser-based anneals, rapid-thermal anneals and deposition processes, and traditional furnace processes for both annealing and film deposition. In this work, we consider the thermal compatibility of laser annealing of newly built 3D structures, with the ICs lying beneath.