Gary Van Schooneveld, CT Associates, Inc., Minnesota, USA

ABSTRACT

The reduction in semiconductor device critical dimensions puts pressure on the suppliers of fluid handling components and systems to continuously reduce their contamination contribution.  The ITRS’ (International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors) critical particle dimension for a number of devices is below the detection limit of commercially available particle counting instruments.  Industry standard test methods such as SEMI F57 and F40 have not necessarily kept up with the requirements being identified by the ITRS and end users. 

Sang Hyun Park, Oerlikon Leybold Vacuum, USA

ABSTRACT 

It is remarkable that vacuum-based processes used to produce low density/large scale devices have also been used for controlling and making devices in high density processes utilizing some of the smallest scales humans have ever made.  People involved in science, materials, semiconductor, flat panel displays (FPDs), and research and development have preferred the use of vacuum processes to non-vacuum processes, the advantages of which are outlined below. There are different ways to analyze processes at process chambers and along vacuum lines depending upon your point of interest.  The general approach will be to look at the materials point of view (chemistry of materials), control of energy point of view and vacuum point of view to better understand the process characteristics that will result in improved tool uptime.  Depending upon the purpose of your process analyses, one aspect can be more important than the rest.  This article will be focused on how to evaluate the chemistry and materials of processes and cleaning with vacuum at the chamber(s) and along vacuum lines.

By William Glime, Swagelok Company, USA, and Thomas Seidel, Genus, Inc., USA

ABSTRACT

High-productivity Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) processes are being driven by semiconductor applications (e.g., capacitor, gate and interconnects) requiring ultra-thin films or conformal coatings with precise thickness control. ALD is particularly effective on surfaces with high aspect ratios or where graded compositions (i.e., where one layer consists of one material and the next layer of another) are required.  Future memory devices referenced in the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS) - such as Magnetic RAM (MRAM) and Phase Change Memories, Nanofloating Gates, Single-Electron and Molecular Memories - may initially employ topologies with relatively relaxed aspect ratios, as compared to today’s DRAM devices. However, they all require ultra-thin films, and eventually, they will all migrate toward moderate, if not extreme, aspect ratios. The ITRS projects that DRAM capacitor deep trenches made circa 2010 will require step coverage on high aspect ratios approaching 100:1 at 45nm sizes. The active area would be 20× the planar silicon. The challenge to provide conformal coating on such high-density structures will depend on significant advances over conventional ALD, including advances in ALD chemical precursors, delivery systems, and operating systems. 

Alan Levine, Jasen Sanders, CA, USA

ABSTRACT

The use of new ultrapure poly silicon furnaceware has a dramatic impact on the cost of ownership for the entire LPCVD polysilicon process. Benefits are demonstrated in cost reduction and increased productivity. Further benefits are demonstrated for yield, which is quantified in cost of ownership as a change in scrap costs. Sensitivity analysis allows these results to be extrapolated to a wide range of situations.

By Bipin Parekh, Michael Clarke, Anni Xia and Joseph Smith, Entegris, USA

ABSTRACT

Driven by increasing consumer demand, semiconductor manufacturers have increased chip capacity at staggering rates using optical lithography by shrinking the circuit line widths.  To print these finer lines, manufacturers have relied on a progressively smaller wavelength light source, which currently is 193nm laser targeted to the 65nm features.  In order to extend the 193nm illumination beyond 65nm, semiconductor manufacturers are gearing up for a transition from dry lithography to a processing technique, Immersion Lithography, using ultra-pure water (UPW). 

Discussion panel contributors include: Dr. Vivek Bakshi, SEMATECH, Austin, Texas, USA, Dr. Martin McCallum, Manager, Advanced Lithography and Technology, Nikon Precision Europe GmbH, & Dr. Vadim Banine, ASML, Veldhoven, The Netherlands

ABSTRACT

Significant improvements in EUV light sources have been made in the last 12 months, resulting in renewed hope that one of several key barriers to the eventual adoption of EUV as the mainstream lithography technology below the 32nm node may be close to being overcome. Development work has been carried out around the world and within key working groups. We asked some of these groups to provide insight into what has been achieved and what is still needed to be done before EUV lithography shows the light of day!

Mark Osborne, Semiconductor Fabtech, Editor-in-Chief

Andreas Neuber, M+W Zander , Germany

ABSTRACT

High purity polymer piping and components are used extensively in semiconductor manufacturing facilities for process chemicals, slurries and ultrapure water.  Polymer piping materials are chosen because of their low leachout of metals and lower installation costs.  In the last ten years the main high purity materials used in fabs are PVDF for ultrapure water and PFA for acids, caustics, oxidizers as well as corrosive solvents with the secondary containment for chemical lines being clear PVC or stainless steel for flammable process liquids.  However, cost pressure is continuously increasing in the highly competitive semiconductor industry.  This has required value engineering efforts to be undertaken to explore whether other materials can be used for specific applications.  This paper provides an overview of current purity requirements in state-of-the-art fabs and what factors need to be considered in selection of alternative polymer materials for the most cost effective solution in the design, construction and operation of wafer fab facilities.  Specific characteristics of different polymer materials are discussed and applied to the range of purities required in this industry. 

Sunniva Collins, Ph.D, Swagelok Company, Solon, Ohio, USA

ABSTRACT

SEMI F78 and F81, together with revisions to F20, represent important steps in the evolution of the semiconductor industry. Contamination and corrosion are issues of great concern in the semiconductor industry - and they will remain so, as line widths continue to shrink and new processes are brought on line. Gas Tungsten Arc (GTA) welding involves practices and procedures - variables - in the equation. A systematic, standardized approach, as outlined in new SEMI standards, ensures that human error is held to a limit and unsuccessful welds are understood as the result of specific, identifiable variables. The SEMI standards concerning GTA welding are useful and specific, and are intended to improve outcomes in everyday applications. 

Kevin Pate, Intel Corporation, Oregon, USA

ABSTRACT

Trace metal contamination in process chemicals can detrimentally affect performance of the electronic device on the wafer. Bulk chemical delivery systems use ‘high purity' plastics (generally PFA based) for distribution system tubing, valves, fittings, and vessels to enable clean delivery of process chemicals to wafer processing tools. This trace metals extraction (leaching) study determined the amount and rate that trace metals diffuse out of PFA plastics into process chemicals over time. The study also determines whether transition to higher purity PFA resins will be required in the near future to meet increasingly stringent purity requirements for the wafer manufacturing process.

Jon Owyang, Jeff Bailey & Subrata Chatterji, Aviza Technology, Inc., CA, USA

ABSTRACT

Fundamentally,atomiclayer deposition (ALD) is a straightforward and tolerant deposition technique. Most chemical vapor deposition (CVD)  reactors (i.e. batch and single wafer) can be modified to deposit materials in an ALD mode. However, the critical barriers in making ALD a production-worthy process lies in the challenge of processing films in ALD mode that is quick enough to meet the technical film requirements for uniformity, step coverage, defect density and electrical properties. The design of the liquid/gas delivery/distribution system, the chamber and exhaust mechanism are the key differentiators between R&D tools vs. high-volume manufacturing tools.