Deposition

Part of the nanofabrication cleanrooms

The nanofabrication cleanrooms offer a wide range of capabilities for thin film vacuum deposition of:

• metals
• dielectrics
• semiconductors
• chalcogenides
• organic materials

Deposited thin film thicknesses typically range from nanometres (nm) to several micrometres (μm). We can accommodate up to 200 millimetre (mm) wafers, non-SEMI standard wafers, diced substrates, and flexible substrates.  

There may be limitations on compatible materials and substrates, depending on the tool and process required. 

Processes and equipment

Evaporation

• short throw resistance and electron beam evaporation for up to 100mm wafers. Metal, dielectric, organic and chalcogenide capable  
• long throw electron beam evaporation for lift off, single wafer or up to 4 simultaneous 200mm wafer processing. Ion beam assisted deposition and wafer pre-cleaning, constantly variable angle stage (single wafer load only). Metal and dielectric capable

Sputtering

• Radio Frequency (RF), pulsed Direct Current (DC), and DC sputtering of metals up to 200mm wafer
• RF and pulsed DC reactive sputtering of dielectrics up to 200mm wafer
• RF sputtering of dielectrics and chalcogenides up to 150mm wafer  
• high temp sputtering to 500°C, up to 200mm wafer
• production capable 12x200mm wafer mid-kilohertz sputtering tool for metals and dielectrics, high-rate oxides, low-loss optical applications, and volume work
• ion beam deposition for up to 100mm wafer

Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapour Deposition (PECVD) 

• non-metal PECVD for up to 200mm wafers at 400°C, to deposit silicon dioxide (SiO₂) via gas phase or TEOS, silicon nitride (Si₃N₄), amorphous silicon, amorphous germanium, and in-situ boron and phosphorus doping  
• metals-capable 900°C PECVD carbon nanotubes (CNT) growth, silicon nanowire growth, deposition of amorphous and polysilicon, amorphous germanium, silicon carbide (SiC), and boron nitride (BN). In-situ boron and phosphorus doping, and high-temperature plasma assisted annealing

Low Pressure Chemical Vapour Deposition (LPCVD)

• non-metal amorphous silicon and polycrystalline silicon deposition for up to 25x200mm wafers  
• non-metal low stress or stoichiometric silicon nitride (Si₃N₄) deposition, for up to 25x200mm wafers

Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD)

• thermal ALD for up to 200mm wafer, exposure and boost mode for high aspect ratio feature coating, up to 300°C, water and ozone reactants  
• plasma-assisted ALD for up to 200mm wafer size, oxides and nitrides, up to 400°C 
• aluminium, zinc, hafnium, titanium, tungsten, molybdenum, nickel, vanadium dielectrics demonstrated. Other sources considered

Furnace Oxidation

• non-metal dry and wet thermal oxidation up to 1000°C for 100-200mm wafers  
• dry thermal oxidation up to 1000°C for 100-150mm wafers with some metals permitted

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