High growth rate atmospheric epi solution delivers high productivity

With the strong growth of power devices into 2020 and beyond (5.3% CAGR from 2016–2021 [1]), average Si Epitaxial (epi) thickness has been increasing to support 400–1000V devices, the largest market segment in power. The current epi chamber offerings are primarily used for thin epi (<20;1m), in some cases for thicknesses up to 60pm, where batch reactors are mostly used because of throughput, cost, and the ability to grow thick epi films without wafer bridging (sticking). However, increasingly stringent requirements for on-wafer performance are exceeding batch reactor performance. Applied Materials has developed a new epi chamber on the Centura platform, which addresses all the challenges of growing thicker films (>40pm) in a single wafer reactor. The new high growth rate (HGR) Atmospheric (ATM) epi chamber enables significantly lower cost of ownership (CoO), while maintaining the same or better on-wafer performance. Growth rate increased up to 6 pm/min, dome coating is significantly reduced, wafer sliding and sticking are eliminated. In addition, the HGR ATM Epi chamber performance enables thin and thick epi growth in the same chamber, eliminating the need to have dedicated chambers for different thicknesses.