Cleaner Thermal Processing

Semiconductor devices are sensitive to trace metallic contamination. Mobile ions in oxide can cause threshold drifts in MOS transistors, and fast-diffusing impurities in silicon can degrade gate oxide integrity, lifetimes and refresh times, and increase junction leakage. Traditionally, the industry has tried to keep wafers clean in front-end processes by minimizing equipment contamination through materials selection and careful procedures, and frequent cleaning with chlorine-containing gases.

ELEMENT EFFECTS SIA 130 nm node (/cm2)

Na

mobile ion in silicon dioxide

<2x109

K

mobile ion in silicon dioxide

<2x109

Fe

precipitates lead to junction leakage

<2x109

Cu

precipitates lead to junction leakage; degrades lifetime

<2x109

Cr

fast diffuser in Si; degrades lifetime

<2x109


Now process engineers have a new tool to actively protect wafers from contamination. Sizary's unique patented Promecon™ technology creates an electric field between the wafers and the process environment during annealing and oxidation, driving metallic contaminants away and protecting sensitive device structures from degradation. With Promecon process engineers can improve yields, guard against contaminant "spikes", reduce or eliminate chlorine-based cleans, and improve tool utilization.


Sizary Inc.
170 Knowles Dr., Suite 201
Los Gatos, CA 95032 USA
Phone 408-364-3810
FAX 408-364-3811

Sizary Ltd.
PO Box 40
Migdal Tefen 24959 Israel
Phone 972-4-9872278
FAX 972-4-9872289

Crystec Technology Trading Gmbh
Bachstrasse 3 D-84524
Neuotting, Germany
Phone 49-8671-8821-73
FAX 49-8671-8821-77

 

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Site last updated 3/22/2000