27 October 2016

Picosun providing production‐scale AlN batch process, targeting power electronics applications

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) thin-film technology firm Picosun Oy of Espoo, Finland says that it is now providing customers with production‐scale aluminum nitride (AlN) batch process with what is claimed to be superior film thickness uniformity (within‐wafer 1σ non‐uniformity of 0.9 %) and high speed (throughput for 10nm of 1300 wafers per day).

Compatibility with III‐V semiconductors makes AlN an excellent material for power electronics, says Picosun, and in mobile communications technology it is used in the production of several key components such as RF filters and microphones.

"We have achieved excellent results in our new AlN batch process, so we are very happy now to offer it to our industry customers for mass-manufacturing applications," says applications & services director Dr Erik Østreng. "AlN is a very sought‐after material amongst our microelectronics production customers," he adds.

High-quality but low-cost microelectronics mass-production is a prerequisite also for rapidly expanding Internet‐of‐Things (IoT) applications, which will require trillions of sensors, actuators, transducers, energy harvesters and other often independently operating electronic components, says Picosun. AlN thin films are also important building blocks in these devices, the firm adds. As well as the quality of thin films (especially their uniformity and purity) being crucial, for end-product prices to stay competitive the films must be manufactured quickly and cost-efficiently in large batches.

Picosun aims to offer comprehensive, turn‐key ALD manufacturing solutions and agile customer service. "A process, tailored, optimized and ramped‐up for each customer's individual needs is the core part of this solution," says managing director Juhana Kostamo.

Picosun says that its production ALD systems are designed to fulfill the the semiconductor industry's most stringent quality and reliability requirements. With the firm's SEMI S2-compliant batch ALD tools equipped with fully automatic 200mm-diameter substrate handling in constant vacuum, what are claimed to be excellent AlN film thickness uniformities and conformality across the batch have been achieved.

See related items:

Picosun launches 150-200mm wafer batch ALD system for LEDs, MEMS and power devices

Tags: ALD

Visit: www.picosun.com