Process Description

An atmospheric furnace process is a heat treatment in an oxidizing, reducing or inert environment.
Thermal oxidation is very often used in the semiconductor industry to produce high quality silicon oxide layers. The chemical reaction at higher temperatures (starting at approximately 800 ^oC) converts silicon into silicon oxide.
Annealing, gas source (phosphorus) doping, alloying or curing can be done at different temperatures to change the electrical and/or mechanical characterics/structure of the surface or the bulk of layers.
Depending on both the process and the substrate the temperature varies from approximately 200 to 1200 ^oC.
 

Process Parameters

Reactor chamber temperature (up to 1150 ^oC).
Gas flowrate (N2, H2, O2, PH3 and H2O)
 

 

7 atmospheric horizontal furnaces
Tempress Systems model TS 8603. Capable for max. 200 mm wafers, handling of (small) parts is also possible. “High” temperature processing: SiC tube: Maximum temperature elements 1300 oC. High Temperature Heating element 5 zone. Thermal flat zone 550 – 600 mm, (600 – 1300 oC) 600 – 700 oC: ± 1.0 oC. 700 – 1100 oC: ± 0.5 oC. 1100 – 1300 oC: ± 1.0 oC.	“Middle” temperature processing: Quartz tube: Maximum temperature elements 1100 oC. High Temperature Heating element 5 zone. Thermal flat zone 550 – 600 mm, (600 – 1100 oC) 500 – 600 oC: ± 1.0 oC. 600 – 1050 oC: ± 0.5 oC. “Low” temperature processing: Quartz tube: Maximum temperature elements 1000 oC. High Temperature Heating element 5 zone. Thermal flat zone 550 – 600 mm, (200 – 1000 oC) 400 – 1000 oC: ± 0.5 oC. 300 – 400 oC: ± 1.0 oC. 200 – 300 oC: ± 2.0 oC.
1 atmospheric vertical furnace Tempress Systems, model SBVF (Small Batch Vertical Furnace). Capable for max. 200 mm wafers. High Temperature Heating element 3 zones. Maximum temperature elements 1100 oC. Thermal flat zone 350 mm, (500 – 1100  oC). 500 – 1190 oC: ± 0.5 oC.

Types of atmospheric processes

Dry oxidation
Wet Oxidation (steam oxidation using water bubbler system)
Annealing process N2
Alloy process (forming gas N2H2)
Phosphor gas doping process (PH3)
 

Characteristics atmospheric processing

Very reproducible process.
High throughput (batch process).