News

8 August 2008

 

RASIRC steamers selected for wet thermal oxidation of VCSELs

RASIRC of San Diego, CA, USA , which supplies steam purifying equipment, says it has sold multiple RASIRC Steamers for wet thermal oxidation of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs). 

The systems were bought by major manufacturers in the USA and Asia for installation in each development lab. The steamers improve yield in the manufacture of the oxide aperture in VCSELs, which is critical for laser performance. Yield is determined by the uniformity, growth rate, and contamination sensitivity of the film, which are improved by using the steamer, RASIRC says, because it eliminates the oxygen carrier gas. 

The steamer combines - in a single system - a clean steam generator (which converts de-ionized (DI) water into high-flow, ultra-high-purity (UHP) water vapor) and a steam purification assembly (which purifies clean steam to UHP steam by selective removal of dissolved gases, metals, and particulates to below levels of detection). 

The system provides an alternative to bubblers and vaporizers by eliminating the need for a nitrogen or argon carrier gas, which can cause furnace uniformity challenges. Only RASIRC Steamer technology can separate oxygen from the steam before entering the furnace, claims the firm.

“VCSEL yield is directly related to the precision of the oxide aperture structure,” says founder and president Jeffrey Spiegelman. “This hinges on the ability to deliver oxygen-free steam and to tightly control the temperature and water vapor uniformity, so the choice of the water vapor delivery system is critical,” he adds. “The RASIRC Steamer provides 100% pure water vapor in a controlled fashion. This is an economical, safe, and very effective method for adding water for wet thermal oxidation,” he concludes.

See related item:

VCSEL transceiver market to grow at 24.5% to $1.1bn in 2012

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