Large variation of materials and layers

Various oxides and nitrides can be deposited by using various target materials and the safety gases, such as argon, oxygen, and nitrogen.

Controllability of refractive index

The solid source (target) and the dry gases, such as oxygen and nitrogen provide a high controllability for refractive index of the films.

Deposition chemistry

The ECR plasma stream promotes a high reactivity between the materials from the target and the safety gases, providing high-speed reactive sputtering deposition.

Low temperature, less damage, surface treatment

The ion energies (10-30 eV) in the ECR plasma stream present a high-quality and less-damage deposition. Cleaning or ultra-thin oxide/nitride film deposition is available by using ECR-plasma-stream irradiation on the sample surface.

• Automatic carrier system with 200 mmφ samples, 3 ECR plasma deposition room (max.)
• High throughput by simultaneous deposition with the 3 ECR sources
• By setting recipes, desired multilayer is automatically produced.
• Sample rotation and inclined ECR-source installation provide excellent uniformity and coverage.
• Option:Spectrometer to measure film thickness and refractive index (NEW)
• Need no waste gas processing system by using the solid source (target) and safety gases, such as argon, oxygen, and nitrogen.

ECR Principle

Electrons rotating within the confines of lines of magnetic force of a field strength of 87.5 mT (Tesla) are excited by an alternating electric field at 2.45 GHz (electronic cyclotron resonance), and absorb energy to rotate at high speed. This ensures that gas molecules collide, even at low pressures where discharge is difficult, to generate a plasma efficiently.

High refractive index control

• No electrical power, low gas pressure (0.01-0.2 Pa), large-current ion bombardment effect at low energies (10-30 eV) to a high-density (5-10 mA/cm²) substrate surface
• Formation of precise, smooth, high-quality thin films, with low heating and low damage

Physical properties of ECR thin films

Flatness

Tiny irregularities at the single-atom level (Rmax of Al2O3 film = 0.48 nm at a film thickness of 100 nm)

Hardness

SiN films and carbon films have hardnesses similar to those of diamond

Strictness

Waterproofing characteristics of SiN film (reliable blocking with SiN film coating)

Hydrogen barrier characteristics of AI2O3 film (barrier ability similar to bulk)

Superior optical characteristics

Highly precise refractive index control, high optical permeability (SiO2, SiN, AI2O3, AIN, Ta2O5, ZrO2, etc.)

Impurity-free

High-purity target and gas used as ingredients to achieve high levels of purity with no reaction products (H, F, CI, etc.)

High compoundability

Orientation of AIN films, MgO films, etc. Low-resistivity TiN films and α-Ta films.

Coatability

Coatability of bumps is much higher than with general sputtering, by formation of inclined rotation film at low gas pressure and high ionization rate.

High voltages

High-voltage insulation film similar to bulk. 10 MV/cm for SiO2 and Al2O3 films (similar to 1000°C thermal oxidation film).

Low damage

C-V characteristics of MOS capacitor using ECR-SiO2 film (implementation of superior boundary characteristics by unheated ECR oxide) Low boundary levels and boundary charges of MOS capacitor

High permittivity

Formation of boundary oxide films inhibited by metal-mode deposition