Batch-furnace oxidation

摘要

A computer simulation tool was developed to understand and optimize 3D radical generation and transport in batch reactors. Balancing the lifetime and residence time of radicals is critical to achieve acceptable radical oxidation growth rates and uniformities in large batch reactors. Radical oxidation rates in a 300mm batch furnace were compared to experimental low-pressure wet oxidation. Oxidation of silicon by oxygen and hydroxyl radicals instead of steam greatly increases the oxidation rate and reduces the oxide thickness dependence on crystal orientation. Furnace radical oxidation also produces oxides with better electrical properties than wet oxidation. Batch radical oxidation can be applied in many advanced applications, such as base oxide for high-performance gate dielectrics, tunnel oxide for flash memory, gate oxide for DRAM transistors, fabrication of interpoly dielectrics for flash memory, and manufacturing of advanced STI structures.