Specification_ICP-DRIE_.pdf

ICP DRIE Tool N00173-25-RFQ-TJ01 Specification

Inductively Coupled Plasma Deep Reactive Ion Etch (ICP - DRIE) system, using fluorine chemistries optimized for BOSCH Etch

1. General Requirements

1.1 Scope

This specification describes the minimum technical requirements and the minimum acceptable performance standards for an Inductively Coupled Plasma - Deep Reactive Ion Etch (ICP - DRIE) Tool using fluorine chemistries optimized for Bosch etch, to be installed by the vendor in Building 250 at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) Washington, DC. The ICP – DRIE (also referred to as ICP-RIE) Tool will be placed in a multiple user facility and must provide ease of operation and safety to those in the facility.

1.2 Installation Site

The Vendor shall install the Tool, at Naval Research Laboratory, Washington DC 20375, in Building 250 Nano Science Institute Class 100 clean room at a location to be designated by the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR). The Vendor shall install the Tool in a manner consistent with typical clean-room operating procedures. The tool is to be compatible with provided utilities: 208 VAC, single and 3-phase electrical power, < 80 psi compressed air, process chilled water, and liquid and dry gas nitrogen supply.

1.3 Description and Primary Tool Components

The Tool must be capable of dry etching materials including but not limited to silicon, silicon dioxide, and silicon nitride. The Tool must meet the specifications as indicated in the process requirements section of this document. It must be computer controlled via menu-driven and compatible with existing Oxford Instruments tools and current software, Oxford PTiQ Software.

2. Requirements

2.1 Base console housing the electronic sub-systems, control units, pneumatics, and turbo-molecular pump.

2.2 Computer must be configured with a Microsoft-supported Windows operating system for operator interface of process control, wafer handling, real time data logging of process parameters, machine status and recipe management. Vendor will allow for Windows Administrator and User levels of access. The system control application must provide user logon and password control entry for Service, Engineer, and User level access. System control must be standalone and independent of world-wide web internet connectivity.

2.3 ICP process chamber which must be equipped as follows:

1) High conductance pumping port (ISO-200 or larger).

2) Electric resistive heating for heating process chamber walls to reduce condensation of process effluents.

3) View port and end-point-detection ports for optical emission and laser interferometer.

4) A minimum of one KF25 port (or larger) for rough-pumping of the process chamber.

2.4 Tool must have an aluminum lower electrode compatible with wafers up to 200mm diameter. The electrode must be capable of cryo-cooling using liquid nitrogen and resistively heated to provide a process temperature range between -150oC and +400oC with a stability of 1oC (Liquid nitrogen is provided by the B250 cleanroom facility.) The full temperature range must be settable via computer control with no further intervention required by the user.

2.5 The electrode must have mechanical wafer clamping with helium backside cooling with clamping options for wafers up to 200 mm. The system will have a standard 100 mm quartz clamp included. The clamping is to support helium backside cooling to promote heat transfer between the wafers and the electrode.

2.6 Tool must have a high-density 300mm diameter inductively coupled plasma etch source with an alumina discharge chamber of at least a 300mm inside diameter with the following features:

1) a maximum output of no less than 3kW RF power @ 2 MHz

2) an automatic matching network that is close-coupled to the source. The source is to use an electrostatic shield to produce a purely inductive plasma.

2.7 Low Frequency (LF) bias generator 300W or higher generator and auto-matching network required for etch process bias control and connected to lower electrode.

2.8 Radio Frequency (RF) 300W – 600W, 13.56 MHz generator with auto-matching network for RIE processes.

2.9 A 100-milliTorr (mT) full-scale, temperature-stabilized capacitance manometer with isolation valve must be provided for process control. An active Penning gauge is to be provided for chamber base pressure measurement.

2.10 The ISO200 pumping port is to be fitted with a VAT series brand integrated controller or equivalent variable gate valve for chamber isolation and automatic process pressure control.

2.11 An electric heating jacket must be provided for the pump-down pipe to reduce condensation of process effluents.

2.12 Tool must have a capability to supply the following 9 process gases via mass flow controllers to the process chamber:

1) SF6 - sulfur hexafluoride,

2) C4F8 - octaflourocyclobutane,

3) CF4 - carbon tetrafluoride,

4) CHF3 - triflouromethane,

5) CH4 - methane,

6) H2 - hydrogen,

7) O2 - oxygen,

8) Ar - argon,

9) N2 – nitrogen.

2.13 It is necessary that certain process gases supporting the Bosch process be regulated with minimal volume between mass flow controls, the mixing chamber and process chamber. This ‘close-coupled’ gas pod must deliver the following gases at the associated maximum flow rates:

1) SF6 – 500 SCCM,

2) C4F8 – 200 SCCM,

3) O2 – 200 SCCM,

4) O2 – 20 SCCM, and

5) Ar – 200 SCCM.

(Note ‘SCCM” is “standard cubic centimeters per minute.”)

2.14 An additional gas pod, typically wall-mounted, must support delivery of the following gases at maximum flow rates:

1) SF6 – 20 SCCM,

2) C4F8 – 10 SCCM,

3) CF4 – 100 CFM,

4) CHF3 – 100 SCCM,

5) CH4 – 100 SCCM,

6) H2 – 100 SCCM,

7) N2 – 100 SCCM.

2.15 A split-gas manifold is required to deliver oxidizing and flammable gases to the process chamber via separate lines ensure mixing of these gases at lowest pressure and safe conditions.

2.16 All gases supplied through mass-flow controllers must be configured with an in-line, computer controlled isolation valve unique to that mass flow controller.

2.17 Application software must include fail-safe interlocks to prevent concurrent delivery of oxygen and hydrogen to the process chamber.

2.18 Tool must include load lock chamber for vacuum loading of a single wafer into the process chamber. The load lock is to be provided with its own pumping components to allow safe and automated transfer to/from the process chamber. Pumping and venting processes must not disturb location of wafer on transfer arm.

2.19 Process and base-pressure pumping must be accomplished by:

Corrosive compatible magnetic bearing 1360 l/s or higher turbo-molecular pump; Adixen by Pfeiffer ATH1666MT or equivalent. The pump must be configured with a heated turbo backing valve.

Backing pump having capacity of 110 m3/hr or greater at 60 Hz with extended low temperature operation capability; Pfeiffer A124H ELT or equivalent. Backing pump will be placed in utility space located up to 10 m from process chamber and cabling must be included.

The foreline piping must be configured with a heating system to minimize process effluent deposition.

3. Minimum process specifications:

Etch Process SiNx (silicon nitride) Bosch Deep Silicon

SiO2 (silicon dioxide)

Wafer size(s) 100 mm 100 mm 100 mm

Feature size/type >10 micrometer/trench

> 50 micrometer/trench

> 10 micrometer/trench

Etch rate > 150 nanometers/min > 10 micrometer/min

> 200 nanometers/min

Etch depth 1 micrometer 50 micrometer 1 micrometer

Selectivity to mask >1 (PR)

>100:1 (PR); >200:1

(SiO2) >1 (PR)

Profile/sidewall > 87° 90±1° > 88° Sidewall variation N/A < 350 nanometers N/A

Within wafer uniformity

< ±5% (7 mm edge exclusion zone)

<±5% (7 mm edge exclusion zone)

< ±5% (7 mm edge exclusion zone)

Reproducibility (run-to-run uniformity) < ±3% <±3% <±3%

*PR: photoresist

4. Training

4.1 Vendor will provide 1 day of Tool hardware and software familiarization as a standalone event for up to 4 NRL cleanroom personnel.

4.2 Vendor will provide process training concurrent with Process Acceptance for up to 4 NRL cleanroom personnel.

5. Warranty

5.1 Vendor will provide a twelve (12) month warranty from the date of Process Acceptance at the NRL site, including all parts and labor and telephone response during normal business hours with 3 day or less on-site response to breakdowns. Any required parts to be shipped Priority 1 overnight whenever possible.

6. Trade-in of existing plasma processing system.

6.1 The vendor will accept the plasma processing system Oxford ICP-RIE 65 serial number 219933 in trade.

7. Documentation

7.1 Vendor shall provide electronic copies of the following:

1) Full operating instructions suitable for use in teaching new users.

2) Nitrogen, water, air, vacuum, and Electrical schematics.

3) Complete mechanical schematics suitable to guide future modifications and repairs.

4) Trouble shooting manual for common servicing and repairs.

8. Additional Requirements

8.1 Extended Maintenance. Vendor shall provide an option for multi-year extended maintenance beyond the warranty period.

8.2 The vendor will provide necessary clamping and transfer hardware to support 200 mm DIA silicon wafer processing.