The Nafi Thin Film in-Line Vacuum Deposition Process and Technology

摘要

The report contains information about the materials, equipment, and processes used in a pilot line production facility designed for the fabrication of thin film microelectronic circuits. The process selected for study utilizes a concept in which passive thin film circuit elements are vaporized in a vacuum chamber and deposited on a Pyrex substrate using a through-mask technique. This process is a semi-automatic operation with a potential of becoming fully automated. The equipment consists of four in-line vacuum deposition chambers, and associated pumping systems. Controls and monitoring devices are an integral part of the semi-automatic model. Materials used for circuit element fabrication are silicon monoxide, chromium, and copper, which are evaporated singly or in combinations. Significant improvements have been made toward the goal of continuous, in-line, semi-automatic fabrication of quality-controlled thin film circuits. A limiting factor in through-mask depositions had been the high cost of mask fabrication. The use of graphite masks has made the through-mask method economically feasible for the size and density of circuits being produced at NAFI.