Specific Process Knowledge/Thermal Process/E1 Furnace Oxidation (8")

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Oxidation (8") furnace (E1)

Oxidation (8") furnace (E1). Positioned in cleanroom E-6. Photo: DTU Nanolab internal

The Oxidation (8") furnace (E1) is a Tempress horizontal furnace for oxidation and annealing of silicon wafers.

Both 150 mm and 200 mm wafers can be processed in the furnace. 100 mm wafers can also be processed in the furnace, but they should normally go in one of the other furnaces in the cleanroom instead. To switch between different wafer sizes, the furnace responsible persons will have to change the quartz boats in the furnace.

The Oxidation (8") furnace is the top furnace tube in the furnace E-stack, which in positioned in cleanroom E-6. New silicon wafers bought from DTU Nanolab can go directly into the furnace. Wafers from the A-stack furnaces, the C1 furnace, the LPCVD furnaces (B- and other E-stack furnaces) and from PECVD4 (not III-V materials) can also go directly into the furnace. All processed wafers have to be RCA cleaned, before they enter the furnace. Please check the cross contamination information in LabManager, before you use the furnace.

Oxygen is used as oxidant for dry oxidation, and for wet oxidation water vapour generated by a Bronkhorst steamer is used as oxidant. The oxidation recipes on the furnace are named e.g. "WET1000" and "DRY1000", where "WET" or "DRY" indicates whether it is a wet or dry oxidation process, and the number indicates the oxidation temperature.

Annealing can be done for silicon wafers with layers of e.g. silicon oxide, silicon nitride, polysilicon or BPSG glass (deposited in PECVD4). The annealing recipes are named e.g. "ANN1000" (for annealing at 1000 ^oC).

The oxidation and annealing temperature can be up to 1100 ^oC.

The user manual, technical information and contact information can be found in LabManager:

Oxidation (8") furnace (E1)

Process knowledge

• Wet oxidation. More information can be found here
• Dry oxidation. More information can be found on the oxidation page
• Annealing. More information can be found on the annealing page

Overview of the performance of Oxidation (8") furnace and some process related parameters

Purpose	Oxidation of (100 mm), 150 mm and 200 mm wafers Annealing of (100 mm), 150 mm and 200 mm wafers	Annealing: Using N2 Oxidation: Dry oxidation using O2. Reaction: Si + O2 -> SiO2 Wet oxidation using water vapour/steam. Reaction: Si + 2H2O -> SiO2 + 2H2(g). The steam is generated by a Bronkhorst steamer injection system.
Performance	Film thickness and quality	Dry oxide: ~ 0 nm to 300 nm (it takes too long to grow thicker dry oxide layers) Wet oxide: ~ 0 nm to 3 µm (~23 hours wet oxidation at 1100 oC) Break-down voltage measurement results
Process parameter range	Process Temperature	800 oC - 1100 oC
	Process pressure	1 atm (no vacuum)
	Gas flows	N2: 0 - 30 slm O2: 0 - 30 slm Steamer flow: 0 - 12.5 slm (9.5 slm in standard recipes)
Substrates	Batch size	(100 mm wafers - 1-50 wafers) 150 mm wafers - 1-50 wafers 200 mm wafers - 1-25 wafers
	Substrate materials allowed	New silicon wafers Silicon wafers with layers of silicon oxide or silicon nitride (processed wafers should be RCA cleaned) Wafers from A-stack furnaces Wafers from C1 furnace Wafers from the LPCVD furnaces (B- and other E-stack furnaces) Wafers from PECVD4 (not III-V materials)