Research: Deposition Station (Home Dep Main Loadlock & Wafer Handler Clean Station Sputter Station )

Silicon dioxide deposition is the main process performed in this system. The wafer is placed on a receiver stage in the second half of the chamber where a US Gun MAK 6 sputter gun with a silicon dioxide target is suspended above it. At this point high vacuum and a stable pressure are maintained by a combination of a CTI Cryo-Torr 8 cryogenic pump and a venetian blind type throttle valve with a feedback loop from a thermally stabilized capacitance diaphragm vacuum gauge. A gas mixture of argon and oxygen is introduced and when the pressure stabilizes at a preset point a plasma is struck and the silicon dioxide from the target begins to deposit on the wafer. After a given amount of time, calculated from the deposition rate, the plasma is stopped and thus also the process. At this point the gas mix is turned off and the gate valve to the cryo pump is shut. We now open the gate valve to the loadlock and the wafer is removed to the loadlock stage. At this point the loadlock gate valve is closed and the loadlock is vented with nitrogen so the wafer can be removed.

Updated 5/15/2002