Vacuum Applications in Nanomanufacturing
• Objectives– To demonstrate the use of vacuum in
manufacturing processes– To quantify the need for vacuum conditions in
each process– To define the levels of vacuum present in the
process– To identify how these levels of vacuum are
attained and measured
Vacuum in Lithography Process
• Objective of Process – Create temporary features on silicon wafer to
guide etch and deposition processes– Role of Vacuum in Process
• Electron Beam Lithography– Exclude atmospheric gases from lithography chamber to
avoid particle collisions with beam and loss of energy– Eliminate secondary emission from particles that were
inadvertently “struck” through increased MFP– Extremely high vacuum level required (10-7 to 10-9 T)
Vacuum in Deposition Processes
• Objective of Process– Add new layers or substances to a defined
region of a silicon wafer– Physical Vapor Deposition
• Sputtering• Evaporation
– Chemical Vapor Deposition• LPCVD – Low Pressure Chemical Vapor Deposition• PECVD – Plasma Enhanced CVD
Vacuum in Physical Deposition
• Sputtering– A target anode material is hit by a high energy
electron beam, dislodging atoms• Pressures of 5 – 10 mTorr• De-gas step at much higher vacuum (10-9 T) may be
used to remove oxide from target and drive off contaminants (vacuum provides a clean environment)
– Vacuum is also key to process as it minimizing gas phase collisions of particles being dislodged from target to wafer (Mean Free Path is larger)
Vacuum in Physical Deposition
• Thermal Evaporation– A material is heated to its melting point in a
vacuum environment• Pressures of 10-2 Torr to begin• Minimizes oxide formation in metals• Inert gas at higher pressure (Ar) used to transport
vapor phase element to location
– Vacuum role is to remove contaminants and, with lower atmospheric pressure, to sustain evaporation.
Vacuum in Chemical Deposition
• Chemical vapor deposition– LPCVD
• Low pressure CVD (0.1 – 1 Torr)• Deposits oxides nitrides, or polysilicon• Relatively high temperature process (>650 Deg C)
– UHVCVD – Ultra high vacuum (10 -9T)• Extremely High vacuum eliminates contaminants from reaching
surface
– PECVD - Plasma Enhanced CVD• Gas plasma used to control deposition rate
– Not possible to create a plasma at higher pressures due to mean free path being too short
– Electrons cannot gain enough energy without collision
Vacuum in The Etch Processes
• Objective– Remove material from a defined region of a
silicon wafer– Physical Etching
• Sputtering – Similar to deposition, but the “target” is the wafer! Less common today, but a low pressure method (<50mTorr)
• A purely physical process where ions from introduced gas in RF powered chamber bombard the surface
Vacuum in Etch Process (2)
• Plasma Etching– Vacuum is used to remove atmospheric gases
– Low pressure etchant gas such as CF4 is introduced into chamber where RF stream is flowing
– Gas breaks down into ions, electrons, and radicals
– CF4 dissasociates into CF3 + and F radical, which attacks silicon causing etching(2)
Vacuum in Ion Implantation
• Ion Implantation– Used to create conductive species in silicon– Creates the source and drain areas for
transistors and many other features– Ion beam of defined impurity is used– High Vacuum conditions are required to
• Ensure that no contaminant species exists• Increase mean free path so no collisions in ion beam
result
Vacuum Environments
• Creation of different vacuum levels requires different components– Pumping systems– Piping
• Measuring vacuum levels accurately requires different techniques– Gauge types– Physical Processes
Low or Rough Vacuum
760 Torr to a few Torr
Medium Vacuum A few Torr to 10-3 Torr
High Vacuum 10-3 to 10-7 Torr
Ultra-high Vacuum (UHV)
Below 10-7 Torr
Ranges of Vacuum
Vacuum Levels and Pumps
Pump Categories
Pumps
Gas Transfer Entrapment
MomentumTransfer
DragFluid
EntrainmentTurbo
Molecular
PositiveDisplacement
Rotary Pumps
VaneLobe
Piston
Dry pumps DiffusionWater JetVapor Jet
CryogenicCryosorptionSputter-IonSublimation
WorkChamber
Cryo
Blower
Rotary Vane
Ion Gauge(Hi Vac)
ThermocoupleGauge (TC)(Rough Vac)
TC Gauge
Rough Valve
Soft StartValve
ForelineValve
Heater
Purge GasValves
TemperatureTransducer
Hi VacValve
Exhaust
ConvectronGauge(Rough line)
N2 roughline backfill
Oil Trap
N2 purge(vent)
MATEC MODULE 101
Complete High Vacuum Work Chamber
Pumpdown Sequence• All valves are initially CLOSED• Soft start valve OPENS• Chamber pumps down for 60 seconds• Soft start valve CLOSES• Rough Valve OPENS• Chamber pumps down to 100 mT• Rough Valve CLOSES• Hi Vac Valve OPENS• Ion Gauge turns ON• Chamber pumps down to base pressure • Process begins at operating pressure
Pumpdown Sequence• Two different pump types are used
– Rotary Vane type for rough vacuum• Rotary vane pump is a positive displacement pump• Prior to the rotary vane pump reaching its “ultimate pressure”
(pressure at which its pumping speed goes to 0), the sequence shuts it off and the valve is closed to avoid backstreaming oil from the input.
• Crossover pressure is where this takes place
– Cryo pump for high vacuum• Cryo Pump is an entrapment type pump
– Contaminant particles are captured on its inside walls through use of very low temperatures
– Periodically Cryo pumps must be regenerated
How Can We Measure Vacuum?
• To ascertain the pressure level, gauges of different types are used– Direct gauges use pressure from the gas to
deflect a needle or move a column of mercury or other liquid
– Indirect gauges use principles of heat transfer or electrical changes that take place based on the number of gas molecules present
– Both processes are gas type dependent
Vacuum Gauges –Direct Type
• Mechanical gauges such as the diaphragm gauge shown here are usable for rough vacuum. Pressure from the gas deflects the diaphragm
Vacuum Gauges - Indirect
• Indirect gauges such as the thermocouple gauge are usable for rough to medium vacuum levels where direct pressure is too low to mechanically deflect a gauge.
Vacuum Gauges - Indirect
• Ionization gauges are useful for high vacuum measurement. where direct pressure is too low to mechanically deflect a gauge.
Typical Ranges of Gauges
Source: MATEC Module 101
references
(1)http://www.pfonline.com/articles/069901.html
(2) SS 11.26 Introduction to Semiconductor Manufacturing, Hong Xaio, Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ C 2001
(3) MATEC Module 74 Narrative – Etch
(4) MATEC Module 26 PowerPoint
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