Techniques - thermal processing

Our thermal techniques include two furnace banks and and two rapid thermal processing (RTP) tools. One furnace bank is three-stack Tystar TYTAN 4600 Mini Furnace system, and the other is a four-stack Tempress furnace. These furnace processes are used only for silicon materials and include silicon oxidation, phosphorus or boron dopant diffusion, Low-Pressure Chemical Vapor Deposition (LPCVD) polycrystalline silicon, LPCVD silicon nitride (Si3N4), and high temperature anneal (H2-N2 metal anneal).

An overview of the process ranges can be found below.

Furnace process capabilities

Oxidation Source gases Temperature Targets Range/limits Material Clean
Field oxidation O2 + H2O (steam) 900 - 1050°C Thickness <=2um Si only Pir, SC1 ,SC2
Gate oxidation O2 + Cl (trans_LC) 900 - 1000°C Thickness 5 nm to 150 nm Si only Pir, SC1, SC2, BOE
Boron diffusion Solid source + N2 1000°C Rs = 40 to 5 ohm/sq Solid source B2 wafers/source Si only Pir, SC1, SC2
Phosphorus diffusion Solid source + N2 975°C Rs = ≈20 ohm/sq Solid source P2 wafers/source Si only Pir, SC1, SC2
Metal anneal N2 + N2 - 5%H2 350 - 450°C Anneal time 15min to hours Al, Ti/TiN, Ta,TaN  
High temperature anneal N2 or O2 700 - 1100°C Anneal T & time   Si only Pir,SC1,SC2
LPCVD Silicon deposition            
LPCVD Polysilicon SiH4 650°C Thickness <1um Si or SiO2 only Check
LPCVD amorphous silicon SiH4 550°C Thickness <1um Si or SiO2 only Check
LPCVD Nitride            
Standard nitride DCS + NH3 750°C Thickness <300nm Si only  
Low stress nitride DCS + NH3 835°C Thickness <1um Si only  

 

RTP process capabilities

RTP Temperature Range Materials Times Atmosphere Sample size
AS-One 100 <1000°C Various materials <5 min N2, Ar, or Forming Gas <= 4"
AS-One 150 <1000°C No Au, Ag, or Cu <5 min N2, Ar, or Forming Gas <= 6"