Technical-Report

Introduction of the Three-Chamber
CVD System “PD-2203LC”
Process Development Department 2, Samco Inc.

▪ Introduction
Samco Inc., established in 1979, has been a leading provider of plasma CVD
systems and practical process technologies. In recent years, the company has
focused on developing innovative equipment, encompassing film stress control
utilizing dual frequencies and the integration of VHF band frequencies. Inproduction, Samco has greatly improved film deposition stability and reduced
takt time through dry cleaning, receiving widespread acclaim from its clientele.
This report is dedicated to presenting the PD-2203LC, a three-chamber CVD
system tailored for both production and research applications.

▪ Conclusion
The three-chamber CVD system “PD-2203LC” can use SiH4 gas or liquidsource materials for film deposition, with adjustable frequency for diverse
applications. In production contexts, the internal components of the reaction
chamber are engineered to minimize contaminant adhesion, facilitating
efficient dry cleaning. Consequently, it reduces the frequency of opening thereaction chamber to the atmosphere annually, ensuring optimal maintainability.
Adhering to our management philosophy of “contributing to global industrial
science through thin-film technology,” we remain committed to advancing
equipment and processes for the progression of science and industrialtechnology.

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35.0
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Deposition rate [nm/min]

Uniformity [±%]

SiH4-SiN ∅8" deposition (13.56 MHz)
10.0
9.0
8.0
7.0
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Wafer No.

(a) RC1: SiH4-SiN deposition,
13.56 MHz only

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Wafer No.

7891030.0
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Deposition rate [nm/min]

SiH4-SiO2 ∅8" deposition (13.56 MHz + 400 kHz)
10.0
9.0
8.0
7.0
6.0
5.0
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3.0
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1.0
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(b) RC2: SiH4-SiO2 deposition,
13.56 MHz + 400 kHz superposition
TEOS-SiO2 ∅8" deposition (13.56 MHz + 400 kHz)
10.0
9.0
8.0
7.0
6.0
5.0
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1.0
0.0

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Deposition rate [nm/min]▪ Deposition Data
Figure 1 illustrates the deposition outcomes utilizing PD-2203LC. Using
8-inch wafers, deposition of SiH4-SiN solely at 13.56 MHz in RC1, SiH4-SiO2
with dual-frequency deposition in RC2, and TEOS-SiO2 with dual-frequency
deposition in RC3 was carried out for ten consecutive batches each. Theuniformity of the SiO2 films in RC2 and RC3, affected by the dual-frequency
deposition, indicates slightly higher uniformity values. However, it is evident
that in both processes, the uniformity and deposition rates remain highly
stable throughout ten consecutive batches.

Figure 1: Results from 10 consecutive deposition
batches using PD-2203LC.

Uniformity [±%]In addition to SiH4, SiO2 and SiN can be deposited using liquid source materials
such as TEOS and SN-2™. The implementation of 13.56 MHz and 400 kHz
superimposed dual-frequency processes provide excellent stress control byutilizing ionic deposition at 400 kHz. Moreover, the usage of higher frequencies
in the VHF band—27, 40, or 60 MHz—instead of 13.56 MHz, generates a highdensity plasma, facilitating a faster deposition rate and utilization of radical
reactivity in the process.

Photo 1.
Three-Chamber CVD System PD-2203LC

Uniformity [±%]▪ Equipment Specifications
The PD-2203LC is a CVD system integrated with three reaction chambers (RC),incorporating the established functionalities of the PD-220NL CVD system.
Photo 1 exhibits the system's external configuration. This system offers
options of either an atmospheric cassette chamber or a vacuum cassettechamber. The vacuum cassette chamber is preferable for direct wafer transfer,while the atmospheric cassette chamber is recommended for tray transfer, as
it expedites heat dissipation in the post-process atmosphere. For research
applications, distinct film types can be deposited within each reaction chamber,mitigating contamination effects. For production needs, the same film type canbe processed simultaneously in three reaction chambers, effectively reducing
the takt time per cassette.

Wafer No.

(c) RC3: TEOS-SiO2 deposition,
13.56 MHz + 400 kHz superposition

Samco Inc.
For more information please email: info@samco.co.jp
vol.123 / 2023. OCT.

URL: https://www.samco.co.jp/en/

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