S-Series
Production UHV Sputtering Systems for up to 12" wafers
Magnetron sputtering allows deposition of very high-melting point materials, with high film adhesion and deposition rates compared to Effusion Cells.
Key features:
- Substrates up to 12″/300 mm.
- Fully automated UHV substrate/wafer transfer system.
- Advanced sputtering technology with excellent growth uniformity (e.g. Titanium on Silicon (8″/200 mm with +/- 1%).
- Customisation for specific applications/processes (nitrides/oxides) possible.
- Integration of analytical tools (Optical/EIES, RHEED, RGA, Atom Absorption).
Applications:
- Quantum devices (STO & BTO).
- Spintronics and Nanotechnology.
- Semiconductor fabrication.
- Research-grade multilayers.
- High-temperature superconductors (NbN, TiN, VN).
Production of emerging technologies demands reliability, reproducibility and leading edge performance, optimised with fully automated wafer transfer for high throughput.
Facing Target Sputtering (FTS) is used for new devices. It offers low damage deposition for sensitive layers by containing the plasma between two facing targets, leading to reduced substrate damage from energetic ions and electrons.
It also enables high deposition rates and high target utilisation, resulting in high-quality films with smooth surfaces, low defect states, and good electrical/optical properties required in for Quantum Photonics.
The S-Series has been developed to operate at UHV base pressure (in the low 10-10 Torr range), minimising substrate contamination and incorporation of undesirable species into a coating, a key challenge for novel magnetic and quantum devices.
System overview
S-Series for production seamlessly integrates into fully automated processes and is compatible with the fully automated CDC transfer systems. It features a proven chamber design, incorporating all necessary ports for sources, analytical components, pumping, and manipulation.
S-Series at a glance:
- (Multi-) Chamber system design, production ready:
- S800 chamber for up to 8” (200 mm).
- S1000 chamber for up to 12” (300 mm).
- Customised chamber layouts.
- Substrates: wafer without carrier ring, wafer with ring/holder.
- Top-down sputtering:
- Confocal design for co-deposition
- Linear design options for sequential deposition.
- FTS (Facing Target Sputtering) for e.g. large wafers using APEX-L linear sputter magnetron.
- Substrate manipulator:
- Substrate sizes from 6” (150 mm) to 12” (300 mm)
- Rotation (60 rpm), heating (1000 °C)
- DC, RF or magnetic bias
- Manufactured from high temperature resistant materials and compatible with high oxygen pressures
- Magnetron operation:
- DC (typical for materials with high melting point)
- RF (for insulating materials, prevents charge build-up at target)
- Pulsed DC (for reactive sputtering and materials with high impedance)
- HiPIMS (for e.g. materials with high microstructure)
- True UHV compatibility with bakeout up to 200°C.
- Integration of various analytical methods (Optical, RHEED, QCM, RGA)
- Fully automated wafer transfer with UHV cluster tool (central distribution chamber with buffer chamber, sample storage and load lock).
- Integrates perfectly into multi-chamber cluster tools for high throughput production requirements.
Contact us to discuss your system and process requirements in more detail.
Specifications
| S800 / S1000 / Custom | |
| Chamber diameter | 800 mm / 1000 mm / custom |
| Bakeout temperature | 200°C |
| Base pressure | < 5 x10-10 Torr |
| Pump configuration | Turbo Molecular / Cryo Pump and regulated throttling valve (downstream pressure control) |
| Sputter magnetron source ports (confocal) | up to 5 x CF150 (S800) up to 6 x CF150 (S1000) custom configuration to match requirements |
| Linear sputter magnetron source ports | up to 2 x CF350 (off-axis) |
| RF Plasma source port | CF100 |
| RHEED ports | CF63 (source), CF100 (screen) |
| Gauging, RGA, Ellipsometry ports | CF40 |
| QCM, BFM, Optical ports | CF63 |
| Atom absorption ports | CF16 |
| Viewport(s) | CF100 (with shutter) |
| Top flange (wire seal) | Manipulator, Viewports |
