Producer Dielectric Deposition System

Featured at Semicon West

The Producer (Applied Materials) is an ultra-high productivity system for depositing blanket dielectric films on sub-180 nm devices. A new platform architecture combines the throughput benefits of twin wafer handling with the advantages of single-wafer process technology in a simple and reliable system design.

Compared to currently available systems, the new platform offers a major improvement in productivity as well as reduced facilities cost and a smaller system footprint. A central transfer chamber transfers the wafers in pairs to up to three Twin Chamber CVD modules. Up to six wafers can be processed simultaneously, achieving throughputs of more than 110 wafers per hour. To simplify system design without sacrificing the flexibility and control of single-wafer processing, each Twin Chamber set uses the same pumps, mass flow controllers and gas delivery components. Process parameters such as deposition rate and particle performance are virtually identical to, or better than, those demonstrated by the advanced chambers found on other Applied Materials platforms.

Producer is currently offered for PECVD applications including blanket oxides (TEOS or silane-based), silicon nitrides and dielectric anti-reflective coatings.

Each Twin Chamber module uses Applied Materials' remote clean technology to remove deposited byproducts while minimizing damage to system hardware and reducing cost of ownership. This "soft" clean process creates virtually no global-warming perfluorocompounds (PFC) and significantly reduces chamber clean frequency for very high equipment uptime and availability.

Applied Materials, Inc., 3050 Bowers Avenue, Santa Clara, CA 95054-3299. Tel: 408-727-5555; Fax: 408-748-5119.