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Multipurpose annealing furnace

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The ATV Furnace

The purpose of the ATV Furnace is annealing and oxidation of different samples and resist pyrolysis. Annealling and resist pyrolysis can be done in vaccum or at atmospheric pressure, in a N2_{, H}2_{or a mixture of the two gasses.}

Is is possible to change all quartz ware in the furnace (the furnace tube, the door sealing and the wafer boat). A the moment we have two different sets of quartz ware - One that is dedicated for resist pyrolysis, and one that is dedicated for annealing of oxidation of different sample, e.g. samples with metals. The quartz ware is normally changed once a week.

The furnace tube is heated by use on 12 long heaters situated along the furnace tube and two flat heaters situated in the ends of the furnace tube. The this way the temperature will be very uniform everywhere in the furnace tube. The heating can be done very fast, up to 30 ^oC/min. For atmospheric pressure processes the maximum temperature is 1100 ^oC, and for vacuum processes the maximum temperature is 1050 ^oC.

For resist pyrolysis, where samples with different resist layers are heated up to maximum 1100 ^oC in a nitrogen atmosphere. At high temperatures carbon is formed by pyrolysis of the resist. In this way conductive structures can be made from a resist patterned sample. If oxygen from the air or from outgassing of the resist is present in the furnace, the resist layer will be removed, thus it is important to evacuate the furnace and flush it with nitrogen, before a high temperature for resist pyrolysis is obtained. Pyrolysis of a large amount of resist may also be a problem due to resist outgassing.

During processing the furnace is rapidly heated by use of six long heating lamps situated around the furnace tube, and cooling is done (rather slowly) by use of cooling fans. The furnace is purged with a controlable nitrogen flow. There is no vacuum on the furnace.

The ATV Furnace was installed in the cleanroom in 2014.

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

Furnace: ATV

Process information

Oxidation: look at the Oxidation page
Annealing: look at the Annealing page

Overview of the performance of the ATV furnace and process related parameters

Purpose		Dry oxidation of silicon Annealing in N₂ and H₂ Pyrolysis of different resists
Performance	Film thickness	Dry SiO₂: 50 Å to ~2000 Å (it takes too long to grow a thicker oxide)
Process parameter range	Process Temperature	No vacuum: 25 ^oC - 1100 ^oC Vacuum: 25 ^oC - 1050 ^oC
	Process pressure	1 atm Vacuum down to ~0.1 mbar
	Gasses on the system	N₂ O₂ H₂
Substrates	Batch size	1-30 50 mm, 100 mm or 150 mm wafers per run 1-50 200 mm wafers per run
Substrates	Substrate materials allowed	Depends on furnace tube