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RTP2 Jipelec - Rapid Thermal Processor

The main purpose of the RTP2 Jipelec (Jipelec JetFirst 200 RTP) is to perform thermal processes, using faster heating rates and shorter process durations when compared to conventional methods. This is called rapid thermal processing (RTP) and can be used to treat different types of samples.

Rapid thermal processing typically includes RTA, i.e. Rapid Thermal Annealing, where samples are heated up very rapidly in a nitrogen or argon atmosphere. Contact alloying and RTN, i.e. Rapid Thermal Nitridation, might also be possible for some samples.

The Set-Up

The machine consists of a reactor chamber, in which different samples can be processed/annealed at temperatures up to 1200 °C.

The chamber can be heated up very rapidly by the use of 18 infrared halogen lamps that are situated in the chamber lid. A quartz plate is placed below the lamps, i.e. between the lamps and the sample(s). Below the platen, there is an optical pyrometer aligned with the center of the substrate, that is placed on the bottom part of the chamber. The platen presents additional inlets where multiple thermocouples can be mounted. These details are exemplified in the images on the right.

[[|400px|thumb|Schematic representation of the RTP2 Jipelec reactor. Image: DTU Nanolab]]

The lamps are divided in three zones so that a uniform temperature can be obtained over the substrate. During the heating, the quartz window below the lamps will get warm. However, the chamber walls are cooled by a cooling water flow and thus remain cold to prevent sample contamination. As already mentioned, the cooling unit is located under the machine. The lamps are cooled by cooling fans (no noisy compressed air cooling like in the old Jipelec RTP). The halogen lamps and the quartz plate are visible in the image below.

The samples are placed above the round metal plate in the bottom of the chamber, i.e. below the halogen lamps. The substrates are meant to be placed on top of three quartz pins. Depending on the type and size of the substrate, there are three types of quartz pins available (for the SiC-coated graphite susceptor, a 100 mm wafer and for a 150 mm wafer). Nonetheless, the susceptor should always be used, when possible (except for 8" wafers).

Temperature Measurement and Control

Samples and Process Specifications

Specifics		Range	Comments
Temperature	Pyro Control	400 ^oC to 1200 ^oC
Temperature	Thermocouple Control	Room temperature to 1200 ^oC
Process gas	Argon (Ar)	40-2000 sccm
	Nitrogen (N₂)	40-2000 sccm	Limited use.
	Forming gas (4% H₂/ 96% N₂)	40-2000 sccm	Gas line not connected yet.
	Nitrogen purge (N₂)	Not possible to control the flow	Do not use for processing.
Pressure	No vacuum	Up to atmospheric pressure.
Pressure	Vacuum	Low vacuum (min. 2/3 mbar)	5/6 mbar, if minimum gas flow during process.
Process time (Check image below)	At 1200 ^oC	Max. 10 min
	At 1100 ^oC	Max. 30 min
	At 1000 ^oC	Max. 60 min
Heating rate		Max. 100 ^oC/s with carrier wafer or sample wafer Max. 50 ^oC/s with SiC-coated graphite susceptor	Different heating rates can be set under temperature control, as well as the step duration.
Substrates	Batch size	Single-wafer process
	Substrate size	Chips on carrier 100 mm or 150 mm wafers	Small samples must be placed on dedicated carrier wafers. These do not need to and should not be bonded to the carriers.
	Allowed materials	Silicon Silicon Nitride Aluminum Oxide	During previous testing, silicon nitride and aluminum oxide were only used as coating/masking materials and have been proven capable of sustaining this type of high temperature processing.

Additional information

The user manual, user APV, technical and contact information can be found in LabManager: RTP2 Jipelec