Process for annealing layers of metal, silicon and metal/silicon on substrates in an extremely dry inert gas atmosphere

摘要

In a process for annealing layers (6) of metal, silicon and metal/silicon on substrate wafers (5) in an extremely dry inert gas atmosphere, the coated substrate wafers (5, 6) to be treated are first placed in a zone (a) at less than 100 DEG C in the annealing system. The annealing gas, which has an oxygen or moisture content of less than 0.5 ppm, is introduced into the system from the loading side (1, 2) and the system is purged by flushing with the annealing gas. The substrate wafers (5, 6) are then transferred to the annealing zone in the centre of the furnace (4), heated to the annealing temperature, returned to the starting zone (a) after the annealing time has elapsed via a furnace zone at 400 to 500 DEG C, and cooled to temperatures of less than 100 DEG C. The process is used in semiconductor technology for the manufacture of VLSI circuits and in thin-film technology. IMAGE