Reactive Magnetron Sputtering: Hardware (and Software) Improvements and Cost Reduction Strategies...

8/12/2019 Reactive Magnetron Sputtering: Hardware (and Software) Improvements and Cost Reduction Strategies for Large Area Processing

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Martynas Audronis

12014-06-25 ICCG10, Dresden. CONFIDENTIAL. DO NOT DISTRUBUTE.


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SME, based in Lithuania (NorthEU).

Vision: increasing efficiency andeconomy of thin film productionplants. Mission: supply effectiveprocess components andtechnology solutions at anaffordable cost.

Worldwide presence:comprehensive sales network inall major industrial countries:Korea, Taiwan, P.R.C, Japan, EU &US.



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2014-06-25 ICCG10, Dresden. CONFIDENTIAL. DO NOT DISTRUBUTE. 3


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2014-06-25 ICCG10, Dresden. CONFIDENTIAL. DO NOT DISTRUBUTE. 4Image courtesy of Mustang Vacuum Inc. Source: www.reactive-sputtering.info

Image courtesy of Leybold Optics GmbH . Source: www.reactive-sputtering.info

In-line coater

Roll-to-roll coater


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MFC


FloTron

Reactivegas control

Optical monitoring

OptaTron

Power Supply

EnerPulse Duo

12

3

4

5

6


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Basics of Reactive Magnetron Sputtering



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1. Si (target)+ Ar/O2 (gas) ->

2. [reactive sputtering process] ->3. SiO2 coating.

Reactive gas control is useda) to achieve some amount of doping or

b) to produce a fully reacted compound.



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Transition phenomena - target poisoning during

Reactive Sputtering (after B. Sproul).

The transitionphenomenon opens

opportunities to:1. increase production rate,

2. reduce costs (targetmaterials),

3. improve film properties,

4. fine tune coatingchemical composition,

5. control uniformity.



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MF AC provides excellentprocess stability,

Fixed anode-to-cathode ratioMagnetic configurations

Often practiced with twosame polarity arrays,

Closed-field arrays find usewhere plasma-substrateinteraction control is needed.

9

Dual AC setup. BOC, 1995

Dual closed-field setup. BOC, 19892014-06-25 ICCG10, Dresden. CONFIDENTIAL. DO NOT DISTRUBUTE.


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MEDIUM FREQUENCY AC

1. Sine waveform

2. Arc Energy typically >10mJ/kW

3. One frequency (fixed orfloating)

4. Single-mode operation

BIPOLAR PULSE-DC

1. Rectangular waveform

2. Arc Energy typically


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... and software

- denotes cost saving features



12/482014-06-25 ICCG10, Dresden. CONFIDENTIAL. DO NOT DISTRUBUTE. 12

Channel 1 (Algo1)Optical or Voltage input 1

Optical or Voltage input 2

Optical or Voltage input 3 Channel 2 (Algo2)

Optical or Voltage input nChannel n (Alg0 n )

Actuator output 1

Actuator output 2

Actuator output n

(a) SENSOR ::: (b) CONTROL ALGO ::: (c) ACTUATOR

Number and type of optical inputs is flexible and dependsFloTron size and application.

Process A

Process B



(a) SENSOR INPUTS ::: (b) CONTROL ALGO ::: (c) ACTUATOR OUTPUTS

3, 5 & 9 channel standard versions


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1. Sputtering Target Voltage(plasma discharge impedance),

2. Plasma Emission Monitoring (P.E.M.),a) Direct (monitors the sputter cathode),b) Indirect (monitors a remote plasma source),

3. Partial pressure (p.p.) of reactive gas.



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Sputtering Target Voltage

Invented in 1978 (36 years ago) J. Chapin [Applied Films Lab (US), US4166784, 1978]

Advantages Inexpensive

Disadvantages Not suitable for multi-zone monitoring, Works well for some materials (Al, Si) only, Sputtering flux composition is unknown.

New development Harmonic analysis (B. Szyska & N. Malkomes, US6797128,

EP1232293 cover CH, GB, DE, FR, US) Can cover wider range of materials and reduce long term drifts Could be made available in FloTron

162014-06-25 ICCG10, Dresden. CONFIDENTIAL. DO NOT DISTRUBUTE.FloTron X system with 4voltage inputs

Pulse-DC power supply with ananalog voltage output


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Plasma Emission Monitoring (P.E.M.)an OES technique [Von Ardenne (DE) 1982, Bell Labs (US) 1981]

Single wavelength PMT + narrow-band-pass filter

Broadband/multiple wavelength CCD/CMOS Spectrometer

OES/P.E.M. advantages High speed, Excellent signal, Wide process window, Sensitivity, Suitable for large area multi-zone processing, Low cost.

Disadvantages Prone to disturbances and drifts due to moving substrate, target erosion, etc.


FloTron X3 system with 1spectrometer input

FloTron L system with 5optical inputs


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Monitoring1 wavelength permonitoring point

Multiple point PEM(M-PEM) [only]Or M-PEM combinedw Voltage Control

Dual-sensor mode

Gas controlMaster/Slave setup,1+ Master actuatorsw Slave actuators.



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MonitoringReal-time spectramonitoring

Multiple species (max 5)per pointMultiple point PEM (M-PEM)

M-PEM combined wVoltage Control

Dual-sensor mode

Gas controlMaster/Slave setup,

1+ Master actuators wSlave actuators.



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A ration between two OES emissions (e.g. A */B*) inone monitoring point can be used advantageously forprocess control

e.g. Ti*/Ar*, Mo*/Ar*, etc. -- metal over Ar, e.g. In */O*, V*/O* -- metal over reactive gas.

Benefits

1. Cancelation or minimization of long term process drifts (e.g. due to target erosion),

2. More precise thin film stoichiometry (i.e. chemicalcomposition) and property control.

2014-05-26 Nova Fabrica Ltd. CONFIDENTIAL. DO NOT DISTRIBUTE. 20


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Partial pressure of reactive gas

Mass spectrometer [Bill Sproul, 1983] Good performance, Too big , complicated and expensive.

L oxygen sensor Detects O2 only Slow, needs constant air reference, heating,

external power source and electronics, Difficult to locate, Poor Process Window resolution, Works with some materials and process

parameters only Surface & Coatings Technology 206 (2012) 4930 4939 Surface & Coatings Technology 204 (2010) 2159 2164

Some designs can lead to limited life time



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Very highdeposition rate,

Very tightprocess control,

Enhancedopticalproperties.


Vacuum 107 (2014) 159-163


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Reactive sputtering PROCESSCHARACTERISTICS

Fast transition Drifts (short and long term) Disturbances

FEEDBACK-BASED CONTROL Stability & process-to-process

reproducibility Required for manufacturing and

controlled experimenting

ALGORITHMS (proprietary) PID PDF


The concept of closed-loopcontrolled system


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1. MFC [gas flow]2. Power supply, [discharge power]



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MicroFlo Features & Benefits Flow Range: up to 1000 SCCM Linearity Error: 0.05% FS Repeatability: 0.15% FS Response Time: 40ms (analog)

Economy solution

540.00 EUR /piece* * - Terms and Conditions apply.

262014-04-17 Nova Fabrica Ltd. (www.novafabrica.biz) CONFIDENTIAL. DO NOT DISTRIBUTE.

Pneucleus MFCs


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...leading to cost reduction



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INPUTS 4 analog voltage inputs (BNC, 0-

10V),

2 PMT-based optical inputs,

1 CCD spectrometer-based opticalinputs,

OUTPUTS 5 or 9 actuator (e.g. MFC) outputs.

A more flexible system than eitherPMT or CCD spectrometer -basedones.

2 P.E.M. technologies in one system


PMTs (+ filters)

Spectrometer


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RAPID INTEGRATION: industrial interfaces.PROFIBUS, PROFINET, Ethernet/IP, Well documented,A few weeks can be saved

RAPID SETUP: built-in automated sensor and process windowcalibration procedures.Sensor set-up,Hours a day can be saved

EASE OF USE:

User friendly GUI,Easy-to-tune control algorithms

OVERALL QUALITY: minimize needs for tech. support / service.



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FloTron GCU - SLIDE 43-46 New HW/SW development from Nova Fabrica Ltd.

..next software.



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Poorly developed UI Users sabotage systems they dont understand, Users make more errors, that lead to waste, systems

down, etc. Many days and weeks can be lost

Well developed + flexible UI Increased productivity, Reduced training and tech. support costs, Reduced production waste due to user errors, Days, weeks and a lot of frustration can be saved.



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1. Simple

2. Clear

3. Intuitive

4. Predictable

5. Configurable

6. Light

7. Noinstallation

8. JAVA based

9. Import/Exportsettings

10. Full control from onewindow

342014-05-26 Nova Fabrica Ltd. CONFIDENTIAL. DO NOT DISTRIBUTE.


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Multiple species monitoredin a single channel window

Process control information

Flexible adjustment of s/div


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FloTron logs productionrun data in 24-hour-longblocks

Log process data,

Log processcharacterization data,

Easy maintenance of olddata.

Convenient selection ofdata logging frequency.

FloTron Archiveapplication for processdata review at a laterdate.



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Costs and cost reduction strategies for large area processing



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1. Controller with sensor inputs2. Accessories

1) Cabling Optical Electrical

2) Actuators MFCs MFC cables Actuators

3) Gas bars


Data is based on NF market survey, which may be not accurate or subject to errors. Data is based on NF market survey, which may be not accurate or subject to errors. Data is based on NF market survey, which may be not accurate or subject to errors.


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FLOTRON - ~0.7 OTHER SYSTEM 1.0


OTHERCONTROLLER

Note: data is based on NF market survey, which may be not accurate or subject to errors.


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1

Cathode #1

2

Cathode #2

n

Cathode #n

The total hardware cost is proportional to the number of cathodes.


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2014-06-25 ICCG10, Dresden. CONFIDENTIAL. DO NOT DISTRUBUTE. 42Note: data is based on NF market survey, which may be not accurate or subject to errors.


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1

Cath.#1 Cath.#2 Cath.#n

Email for information.


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2014-06-25 ICCG10, Dresden. CONFIDENTIAL. DO NOT DISTRUBUTE. 44Note: data is based on NF market survey, which may be not accurate or subject to errors.


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the GAP



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~x3.5! ~x3!



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1. Nova Fabrica Ltd. continue advancing components andsolutions for Reactive Sputtering with ground breakingdevelopments resulting

Simpler, cleaner and less expensive installations, Total process control HW and SW cost can be reduced drastically 3

3.5 times.

2. 3-zone and 5- zone gas control is possible using FloTron

GCU.3. Performance already confirmed for cathodes up to ~

2000 mm long. Strong potential for lengths 2000 - 4000 mm.



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www.novafabrica.biz

[email protected]

BOOTHS:1. EN TECHNOLOGIES2. SPM AG/NOVA FABRICA LTD

Reactive Magnetron Sputtering: Hardware (and Software) Improvements and Cost Reduction Strategies...

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