Activities in Plasma Process Technology at SENTECH Instruments GmbH, Berlin

Dr. Frank Schmidt

The Company

Company

Private company, founded 1990

80 employees

ISO 9001

Location

Science & Technology Park, Berlin-Adlershof, Germany

Business fields

Equipment for Plasma Process Technology

Equipment for Thin Film Metrology

Strengths:

Application support

After sales service

Plasma process single tools for CVD, RIE and ALD

Plasma process tools combined in clusters

Plasma process tools with combined technologies

Plasma process single tools for Etching, Deposition and ALD

SI 500

ICP-RIE and RIE

SI 500 CCryogenic RIE

SI 500 DRIEBosch

SI 500 D

ICPECVD and PECVD

Etching

Deposition

SI ALD

ALD and PEALD processes

Atomic Layer DepositionApplications:AR coatings, Pass filters, Transparent coatings, Barrier layers, Dielectric layers, Isolating layers, Doping and Contact layers, Etch stop layers and masking, MEMS, Lab On Chip, Encapsulation, Scratch protection, Passivation layers, …

Materials:Si (doped), SiOx, SixNy, SiC, Si-C-N, Si-O-N, a-Si, a-C:H, DLC, InP, In(Ga)As, (Al)GaAs, (Al)GaN, HgCdTe, ZnO, AZO, Al2O3, HfO2, SiO2, TiO2, GaO2, SixNy, TiN, TaN, AlN, Ag, Pt, …

Advantages:• ICP source Planar Triple Spiral Antenna

High plasma density; Tight energy distribution; Low pressure ignition

• Dynamic temperature controlStable process temperatures; Fast heating/cooling

• Adaptive substrate handlingFlexibility in wafer sizes; No reactor modification; Processing of pieces for R&D

• Loading by Loadlock, Cassette or manually• Processing up to 300mm• Compatibility in cluster configuration• Through The Wall installation• SECS/GEM compatibility

Plasma process tools combined in clusters

Loading station: Load-Lock or Cassette• Processing of single substrates and carriers, especially sample pieces• Processing of multiple substrates and carriers, including mapping and slide-out

sensors

Transfer module• Available as 3-, 4-, 6-port configuration• Allows higher throughput• Avoid crossing effects• Minimize operator impact

Integrable process modules• Reactive Ion Etching: RIE, ICP-RIE, DRIE, Cryogenic• Chemical Vapor Deposition: PECVD, ICPECVD• Atomic Layer Deposition: Thermal ALD, PEALD

3-Port-Cluster 4-Port-Cluster 6-Port-Cluster

4M2C Cluster Application (Example):

• ICP-RIE1, ICP-RIE4:• Metal Etching• Chlorine based chemistry• Temperature range 0…80°C

• ICP-RIE2, ICP-RIE3• Resist Etching• Oxygen chemistry• Temperature range -20…40°C

Advantages

• Compatibility with 8” Wafers (thickness 0,5…6,5mm)

• 6-Port Transfer system for high throughput of 60wafers/h and process mixing

• 2 vacuum cassette loading ports with 5, 16, 18 or 25 slots

• ICP-RIE process module include:• PTSA ICP source• RF Substrate Bias• Height adjustable Electrode System• OES process control

ICP-RIE 1

ICP-RIE 2

ICP-RIE 3

ICP-RIE 4

Further Example (3M2C):

2 cassette loading ports; compatibility with 6” wafers; 3 process ports: • ICPECVD: Silicon-Oxide and Silicon-Nitride deposition (RT…300°C)• ICP-RIE 1: Fluorine based chemistry Silicon-Oxide and Silicon-Nitride etching (-20…200°C)• ICP-RIE 2: Fluorine based chemistry Si etching (-20…200°C)• Empty port: optional for DRIE or Cryo process

ICP-RIE 1

ICP-RIE 2

ICPECVDICP-RIE 1 ICP-RIE 2

Further Example (2M1L):

1 manual loading port; compatibility with 8” wafers; 2 process ports: • ICP-RIE 1: Chlorine based chemistry etching of III-V compounds with SLI (-30…250°C)

• ICP-RIE 2: Fluorine based chemistry etching of dielectrics and Si (-30…250°C)

Further Example (2M1L):

1 manual loading port; compatibility with 6”; 2 process ports:• ICPECVD: Silicon Oxides and Nitrides (RT…400°C)• PEALD: Al2O3, HfO2, TiO2, Ta2O5, ZrO2, SiO2, Si3N4 with RTM (RT…500°C)

ICP-RIE 2 ICP-RIE 1

Plasma process tools with combined technologies

SILAYO

Inductive Coupled Plasma Enhanced Atomic Layer Depositionfor Optical Coatings

SILAYO Applications:

• Optical AR coatings• Multilayers for optical filters

SILAYO Advantages

• Flexible Sample size up to 300mm in diameter and 100mm in height• Deposition of optical materials: Al2O3, SiO2, TiO2 HfO2, Ta2O5, ZrO2, Nb2O5

• PTSA plasma source for high thin-film uniformity of less than 1% @ 8”• Processing of 3D shape structures with high conformity• ICP enhancement for low deposition temperatures• Tuning of layer properties by independent plasma and bias control

SIPAR

Combining Inductive Coupled Plasma Enhanced CVD and ALD in one reactorfor Encapsulation layers

SIPAR Applications:

• ICPECVD of Silicon based Oxides, Nitrides and Oxynitrides• ALD of Oxides (Al2O3, TiO2)• Hybrid multilayers for encapsulation

SIPAR Advantages

• PTSA plasma source for high thin-film uniformity• Efficient and flexible processes, switching between ICPECVD and ALD• Fully automated deposition of hybrid multilayers• ICP enhancement for low deposition temperatures and low damage for sensitive

samples• Cost effective solution with optimized footprint for hybrid multilayers

Applications - Examples

Silicon: Microfluidic Devices and MEMS

Ra = 1.3 nmSidewall surface after etching:

Courtesy of TU Braunschweig

Using CRYOGENIC etch processReactor SI 500 C

Etch rate 4 µm/min

Etch gases SF6/O2

Selectivity (Si:SiO2 mask) 350:1

Temperature ‒75°C

Application: Lab On Chip

measured scallop depth < 30 nm(roughness)

Parameter ValueEtch depth ≈ 50 µm

Etch rate 1.6 μm/min

Selectivity (Si:PR) ≈ 45:1

4 inch wafer with >75% open silicon

Silicon: pillar etching with low sidewall roughness

Using BOSCH etch process

Application: Catalytic Electrodes for Energy Harvesting

Dielectrics: ALD of Al2O3

Application: Insulator layers with high 3D conformity for electrical devices

T1T2T3T4T5

T3 top

T3 bottom

AR = 1050 nm Al2O3

PEALD: 30 nm Al2O3

deposited at 200°C

=> 8 MV/cm breakthrough field strength

MIM structure

How to find us at SEMICON

Visit us Hall A4, Booth A401

- Thanks for your attention -

SENTECH GmbH (Krailling bei München) SENTECH Instruments GmbH (Berlin)