Thin-film deposition equipment

Thin-film deposition equipment is one of the three core pieces of equipment in a semiconductor production line.

I. What is Thin-Film Deposition?      

Q&A

II. PVD 、 CVD and ALD Detailed introduction      

III. Two Important Types in the Industry Plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition Introduction      

What is thin-film deposition equipment?

IV. Global Semiconductor Thin-Film Deposition Equipment Market

Production-type TGV/TSV/TMV high-vacuum magnetron sputtering coating machine

I. What is Thin-Film Deposition?    

Simply put: thin-film deposition is like “applying a film” to chips. Yes.

The more precise and the more layers a chip has, the greater the demand for “film application.”

The better the chip, the more you need to apply.

Professionally speaking: Classification of Thin-Film Deposition Equipment: Thin-film deposition refers to the process of depositing a thin film material onto a substrate such as a silicon wafer. The materials typically deposited include non-metallic substances like silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, and polycrystalline silicon, as well as metals such as copper. The deposited films can be amorphous, polycrystalline, or single-crystal.

Including CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition), PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) and ALD (Atomic layer deposition), among others, wherein ALD Belongs to CVD of the branch.

Q&A:

Why do we say that the more sophisticated and multi-layered a chip is, “ Film application ” The greater the demand?

Chip manufacturing is like applying a film to a smartphone—except this “film” is nanoscale, and you need to apply dozens or even hundreds of layers. As chip manufacturing processes become increasingly sophisticated and structures grow ever more complex, the demand for “film application” has also risen dramatically.

The more advanced the manufacturing process, the more layers of thin film there are.

At 90nm Process of CMOS In the production line, approximately need... 40 The thin-film deposition process involves: 6 the material; and by the time... 3nm Process of FinFET Production line, the thin-film deposition process has been increased to... 100 The materials are similar in type. 20 Seed. Each “layer” of the membrane is crucial—without any one of them, the chip might fail to function properly.

The more complex the structure, the greater the difficulty in applying the film.

Take storage chips as an example, from... 2D NAND Develop to 3D NAND The structure has evolved from a flat, two-dimensional layout to a three-dimensional one, with a dramatic increase in the number of floors—much like transforming a single-story bungalow into a skyscraper. Each floor requires precise “film deposition,” naturally driving a rapid surge in demand for thin-film deposition equipment.

Therefore, thin-film deposition equipment is the “master of film application” in chip manufacturing— the more precise and the more layers a chip has, the more indispensable it becomes.

II. PVD, CVD

1. PVD: Physical Vapor Deposition

Physical vapor deposition is a thin-film deposition technique that relies on physical mechanisms and does not involve chemical reactions in the process.

Mainly includes Evaporation coating 、 Sputtering Arc plasma coating, ion plating, Molecular Beam Epitaxy Coating Several major categories. Evaporation coating: This is a thin-film deposition technique in which the evaporation material is heated—using resistive heating, electron-beam heating, high-frequency induction heating, arc heating, or laser heating—in a high-vacuum chamber until it reaches its melting or vaporization temperature. As a result, atoms or molecules from the surface of the evaporation material vaporize and escape into a vapor stream, which then impinges upon the surface of the substrate to be coated, condensing there to form a solid thin film.

Vacuum evaporation is currently the mainstream process for OLED panels.

Sputtering: Typically referring to magnetron sputtering, this process leverages the characteristic that charged particles, after being accelerated in an electric field, acquire a certain kinetic energy—specifically, at 1.3 × 10 ^-3 The substrate (anode) and the metal target (cathode) are placed between two electrodes, and a high-voltage DC current is applied. In the vacuum state of the chamber, an inert gas is introduced. The glow discharge generates electrons that excite the inert gas, creating a plasma. This plasma bombards atoms from the metal target, ejecting them and causing them to deposit onto the substrate.

Sputter coating is the most widely used PVD technique.

Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) ： It is a special vacuum coating process in which the thin film is grown layer by layer along the crystal axis direction of the substrate material. MBE It is possible to prepare single-crystal thin films with thicknesses on the order of tens of atomic layers, as well as ultrathin-layer quantum microstructural materials formed by alternately growing thin films with different compositions and varying doping levels.

Ion plating: A combination of vacuum evaporation and sputtering: After the material to be coated is vaporized, it becomes partially ionized in the discharge space. Subsequently, the ions to be deposited are attracted by the electrodes toward the substrate, where they are deposited to form a film.

Due to its relative complexity, ion plating has a limited range of applications.

In summary, during the PVD process, only the physical state of the material changes; no chemical reactions are involved, making it a purely physical transformation. Throughout the entire semiconductor manufacturing process, PVD is an essential and critical technique for depositing ultra-pure metal and transition-metal nitride thin films.

2. CVD Chemical Vapor Deposition

Deposition of dielectric film layers and semiconductor film layers CVD It is a coating process in which solid thin films are deposited onto the substrate surface via gas-phase chemical reactions; it is classified as a chemical reaction.

CVD The reactant precursors typically include gaseous materials such as silanes, phosphines, boranes, ammonia, and oxygen. The resulting products are generally solid thin films, including nitrides, oxides, nitrogen oxides, carbides, and polycrystalline silicon. The reaction conditions usually involve high temperature, high pressure, and plasma environments.

The CVD film deposition process generally includes eight steps:

1. The reaction gas is transported to the deposition zone;
2. Formation of membrane precursors;
3. The precursor material for the membrane diffuses to the substrate surface;
4. Membrane precursor adhesion;
5. The precursor molecules diffuse toward the membrane growth region;
6. Surface chemical reactions occur, leading to film precipitation and gradual growth, ultimately forming a continuous film while simultaneously generating byproducts.
7. The byproduct is removed from the substrate surface;
8. The byproducts are removed from the reaction chamber. As process technology continues to advance, demands such as trench filling and deep-hole filling have given rise to new... CVD Technology—currently, the mainstream technologies in use are: Low-pressure chemical vapor deposition 、 Plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition , future development directions include: HDPCVD 、 SACVD 。

Two important types in the industry Plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition Introduction:

According to the frequency at which plasma occurs, PE CVD The plasma used in the process can be categorized as radio-frequency plasma ( Radio Frequency Plasma ) and microwave plasma ( Microwave Plasma ) Two types.

Currently, the radio frequency bands commonly used in the industry are generally: 13.56MHz Among these, the radio-frequency plasma coupling method is typically categorized as: Capacitive coupling ( CCP ) and Inductive coupling ( ICP ) Two types.

3. ALD Atomic Layer Deposition

ALD It features precise film-thickness control, with exceptional uniformity and consistency in deposited film thickness. Moreover, it boasts outstanding step coverage capability, making it ideal for thin-film deposition in deep-trench structures. ALD At SADP 、 HKMG It plays an important role in multiple processes, such as metal copper interconnect diffusion barrier layers.

ALD Principle : By alternately introducing gaseous precursor pulses into the reactor and depositing thin films layer by layer onto the substrate surface in a monolayer-by-monolayer fashion, the reaction steps include:

1 Precursor A Enter the reaction chamber and adsorb onto the substrate surface;

2 Inert gas purges the reaction chamber, removing any remaining precursors. A Clean thoroughly;

3 Precursor B Enter the reaction chamber and adsorb onto the substrate surface, interacting with the precursor. A A chemical reaction occurs, forming the target film;

4 The reaction chamber is purged with an inert gas to remove byproducts generated during the chemical reaction, thereby completing one cycle of atomic-layer deposition. By repeating this process cyclically, thin films can be deposited at the level of individual atoms.

3. What is thin-film deposition equipment?

Thin-film deposition is a key process in semiconductor manufacturing. As the name suggests, it primarily handles the deposition of dielectric and metal layers during various process steps.

1. Vacuum and pressure control system components: Mechanical pumps, molecular pumps, vacuum valves, vacuum gauges, and more.

Function: To provide a stable vacuum environment for the deposition process and minimize the impact of nitrogen, oxygen, and water vapor on film quality, a dry pump is used to achieve low vacuum, thereby avoiding oil contamination of the substrate. A molecular pump is employed to attain high vacuum, with excellent capability for removing water vapor and ensuring the cleanliness of the reaction chamber.

Importance: A vacuum environment is the foundation for thin-film deposition and directly affects the purity and uniformity of the film.

2. Composition of the sedimentary system: Radiofrequency power supply, water-cooling system, substrate heater, and others.

Function: RF power supply: ionizes the reaction gas, generates plasma, and promotes chemical reactions.

Water-cooling system: Provides cooling for the pump and reaction chamber, preventing equipment overheating and triggering an alarm in case of excessive temperature. The cooling water piping is made of insulating materials to avoid electrical interference. Substrate heater: Heats the substrate to remove surface impurities and enhance the adhesion between the thin film and the substrate.

Importance: The deposition system is the core of thin-film deposition and directly affects the quality and performance of the thin film.

3. Gas and Flow Control System Components: Gas cylinders, gas cabinets, mass flow meters, gas transmission pipelines, and the like.

Function:

1. Gas source: The reaction gases (such as silane, ammonia, nitrogen, etc.) are supplied by gas cylinders.
2. Gas delivery: The gas is delivered to the process chamber via a gas holder.

(3) Flow Control: A mass flow meter is used to precisely control the gas flow rate, ensuring stable proportions and flow rates of the reaction gases.

Importance: Gas flow control directly affects the composition, thickness, and uniformity of the thin film.

4. Reactor chamber system components: Reaction chamber, substrate holder, gas distributor, electrodes, and so on.

Function:

(1) Reaction chamber: Provides the reaction space for thin-film deposition and is typically made of high-temperature and corrosion-resistant materials.

(2) Substrate tray: Secures the substrate and ensures uniform heating.

(3) Gas distributor: Ensures uniform distribution of the reaction gas, thereby guaranteeing the uniformity of thin-film deposition.

(4) Electrode: In Plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition In the process, it is used to generate plasma.

Importance: The reaction chamber is the core area for thin-film deposition, and its design directly affects the quality and performance of the thin film.

5. Control system composition: PLC (Programmable Logic Controller), sensors, human-machine interface ( HMI ) etc.

Function:

(1) Automation control: via PLC Implement automated operation of all equipment systems.

(2) Parameter Monitoring: Real-time monitoring of key parameters such as temperature, pressure, and gas flow rate.

(3) Fault alarm: Triggers an alarm and automatically shuts down the machine under abnormal conditions.

Importance: The control system ensures stable operation of the equipment and enhances the consistency and reliability of the process.

6. System components for cleaning and maintenance: Cleaning gases (such as NF₃ 、 CF₄ ) Clean pipelines, exhaust gas treatment equipment, and the like.

Function:

(1) Cavity Cleaning: Regularly remove deposits from the reaction cavity to prevent contamination.

(2) Waste gas treatment: Treat the harmful gases generated during the reaction process to ensure environmental protection and safety.

Importance: The cleaning and maintenance system extends the equipment’s lifespan and ensures the stability and consistency of thin-film deposition.

IV. International Market for Thin-Film Deposition Equipment

In semiconductor manufacturing equipment, lithography machines, etching machines, and thin-film deposition equipment are the three major types of equipment, according to... SEMI Calculate data, Lithography machines, etching machines, and thin-film deposition equipment each account for approximately [a certain percentage] of the semiconductor equipment market. 24%、20% and 20%。

Thin-film deposition equipment is one of the three core pieces of equipment in semiconductor manufacturing lines, and its market size will continue to grow along with advancements in process technology.

2022 In the year, the global market size for thin-film deposition equipment was approximately 200 hundred million dollars. It is expected that by... 2026 Year, The market size will grow to 300 hundred million dollars , average annual compound growth rate ( Compound Annual Growth Rate ) is approximately 8-10% 。

Growth drivers:

1. Advanced process requirements: As semiconductor process technology advances toward... 3nm、2nm As the process progresses to the following nodes, the number and complexity of thin-film deposition steps increase significantly. For example, 3nm The thin-film deposition process in the manufacturing procedure is compared to... 90nm The process has been enhanced. 2.5 Twice.

2. Storage chip upgrade: From 2D NAND towards 3D NAND Development has led to a significant increase in the number of thin-film deposition layers. 3D NAND The number of stacked layers has been reduced from 32 Layer development to 200 Above the layer, demand for thin-film deposition equipment has surged accordingly.

3. Emerging application-driven: 5G The demand for high-performance chips driven by emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, and autonomous driving continues to grow, fueling the expansion of the thin-film deposition equipment market.

4. Market share by segment ： CVD Equipment: accounts for approximately the film deposition equipment market. 60% , is the largest sub-sector. PVD Equipment: accounts for approximately the film deposition equipment market. 25%。 ALD Equipment: accounts for approximately the film deposition equipment market. 15% , but with the fastest growth rate, projected for the next five years. Compound Annual Growth Rate Exceeds 15%。

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