Abstract of LPCVD Oxidation Furnace
6inch 8inch 12inch LPCVD Oxidation Furnace for Uniform Thin-Film Deposition of Polysilicon and Silicon Oxide
LPCVD (Low Pressure Chemical Vapor Deposition) systems serve as critical thin-film deposition equipment in semiconductor manufacturing, primarily employed for growing polysilicon, silicon nitride, and silicon oxide films. The technology's key advantages include: 1) Low-pressure environment (0.1-10 Torr) ensuring exceptional film uniformity within ±1.5%; 2) Vertical reactor design enabling high-throughput processing of 150-200 wafers per batch; 3) Thermal-activated deposition at 300-800°C without plasma-induced damage, making it particularly suitable for precision processes like gate dielectric formation. This technology has been widely adopted in advanced node manufacturing (5nm and beyond) for both logic chips and memory devices.
The LPCVD process operates under reduced pressure conditions where the extended mean free path of gas molecules (significantly greater than at atmospheric pressure) contributes to superior film uniformity. The vertical wafer arrangement not only maximizes batch capacity but also enhances production efficiency, making the system ideally suited for industrial-scale semiconductor fabrication.
LPCVD Oxidation Furnace Specifications
Technology | LP-SiN TEST Item | Control | |
Nitride Deposition | Particle(EA) | Transfer particle | <15EA (>0.32μm) |
Process particle | <60EA (>0.32μm), <80EA (>0.226μm) | ||
Thickness(A) | NIT1500 | 1500±50 | |
Uniformity | within wafer <2.5% Wafer to wafer<2.5% Run to run <2% | ||
Wafer size
| 6/8/12 inch wafer | ||
Process temperature range
| 500°C-900°C | ||
Length of constant temperature zone
| ≥800mm | ||
Temperature control accuracy
| ±1°C |
Product Features of LPCVD Equipment:
♦ Automated operation with high-precision wafer handling
♦ Ultra-clean process chamber with minimal particle contamination
♦ Superior film thickness uniformity
♦ Intelligent temperature control with real-time adjustment
♦ SiC wafer support for reduced friction and particle generation
♦ Automatic pressure regulation for consistent process performance
♦ Customizable configurations for diverse process requirements
LPCVD deposition principle:
1. Gas Introduction: Reactant gases are introduced into the tube, maintaining a low-pressure environment within the tube necessary for the reaction, typically ranging from 0.25 to 1 Torr .
2. Surface Transport of Reactants: Under low-pressure conditions, reactants can freely move on the wafer surface .
3. Reactant Adsorption on Substrate Surface: Reactants adhere to the substrate surface .
4. Chemical Reaction on Wafer Surface: The reactants undergo thermal decomposition or reaction on the wafer surface, forming products .
5. Removal of Non-Product Gases: Gases other than the reaction products are removed from the surface to maintain the low-pressure environment and prevent interference with the deposition process .
6. Accumulation of Reaction Products to Form Film: The reaction products accumulate on the surface to form a solid film .
The application of oxidation process
Silicon oxidation processes are fundamental in the entire semiconductor manufacturing process. Silicon dioxide (SiO2) has numerous applications:
1. Shielding Oxide Layer: It acts as a barrier to prevent contamination of the silicon wafer by blocking photoresist, and it can also scatter ions before they enter the single-crystal silicon to reduce channeling effects .
2. Pad Oxide Layer: This layer is used to reduce stress between silicon and silicon nitride. Without a silicon dioxide pad layer as a stress buffer, the tensile force of up to 10^10 dyn/cm² from LPCVD silicon nitride layers could cause cracks or even breakage in silicon wafers .
3. Gate Oxide Layer: Serving as the dielectric layer in MOS structures, it enables current conduction pathways and performs field-effect control .
Classification of LPCVD Systems: Vertical vs. Horizontal Configurations
LPCVD equipment is categorized into vertical and horizontal types, nomenclature derived from the furnace chamber orientation or equivalently, the substrate placement direction. These two predominant low-pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) system configurations are principally differentiated by their substrate arrangement and gas flow dynamics.
Vertical LPCVD Systems:
In vertical LPCVD, process gases are typically introduced from the top of the reaction chamber and flow downward through the substrates before being exhausted from the bottom. This design helps ensure uniform gas flow across each substrate, thereby achieving consistent thin-film deposition.
Horizontal LPCVD Systems:
Horizontal LPCVD systems are designed to allow precursors to flow from one end of the substrates to the other. This creates a continuous gas stream from the inlet to the outlet, which can contribute to uniform film formation. However, it may also result in thicker deposition near the gas inlet side compared to the opposite end.
Machining effect——LPCVD Oxidation Furnace
Q&A
1. Q: What is LPCVD used for?
A: LPCVD (Low Pressure Chemical Vapor Deposition) is primarily used in semiconductor manufacturing to deposit uniform thin films like polysilicon, silicon nitride, and silicon oxide at low pressure for advanced chip fabrication.
2. Q: What is the difference between LPCVD and PECVD?
A: LPCVD uses thermal activation at low pressure for high-purity films, while PECVD employs plasma for faster, low-temperature deposition but with lower film quality.
Tag: #LPCVD Oxidation Furnace, #Uniform Thin-Film Deposition, #6inch/8inch/12inch, #Polysilicon, #Silicon Oxide