Single wafer furnace and its thermal processing applications

A resistively heated, vacuum and atmospheric pressure compatible, single wa fer furnace (SWF) system is proposed to improve operational flexibility of conventional furnaces and productivity of single wafer rapid thermal proces sing (RTP) systems. The design concept and hardware configuration of the SW F system are described. The temperature measurement/control techniques and thermal characteristics of the SWF system are described. Typical process re sults in TiSi formation, implant anneal and thin oxide formation using the SWF system are reported. Due to the vertically stacked, dual chamber config uration and steady state temperature control, very flexible operation with a high throughput at a minimal power consumption (<3.5 kW per process chamb er at 1150 degrees C) was realized. Many thermal processes used in furnaces and RTP systems can easily be converted to SWF processes without decreasin g cost performance and/or deteriorating process results by using the SWF sy stem.