Standard Operating Manual - PDF Free Download

Contents 1. Picture and Location 2. Process Capabilities 2.1 Cleanliness Standard 2.2 Possible Process 2.3 Process specification 2.3.1 What the SEMI-CLEAN IPC3000 O2 asher CAN do 2.3.2 What the Non-Standard IPC3000 O2 asher CAN do 2.3.3 What the SEMI-CLEAN IPC3000 O2 asher CAN NOT do 2.3.4 What the Non-Standard IPC3000 O2 asher CAN NOT do 3. Useful information to work in NFF 3.1 Emergency Responses and Communications 3.2 Become a Qualified IPC 3000 O2 asher User 4. Operating Safety and Rules 4.1 Operation Safety 4.1.1 General Safety 4.1.2 Equipment Safety 4.2 Operation rules 5. System Operation 5.1 IPC 3000 O2 asher Description 5.2 Initial System Check 5.3 Equipment Operation 5.3.1 Samples loading 5.3.2 Recipe selection 5.3.3 Pump down and Process start 5.3.4 Samples Unloading 5.4 Equipment Limitations 5.4.1 Computer Screen Flash 5.4.2 Chamber Venting Problem 6. Process Recording 7. Clean up 8. Check Out Copyright 2014 by Hong Kong University of Science & Technology. All rights reserved. Page 2

Branson IPC 3000 O 2 Asher 1. Picture and Location Fig.1 Branson IPC 3000 O 2 Asher The IPC 3000 O2 Asher systems are located at NFF Phase II cleanroom, Room 2240. 2. Process Capabilities 2.1 Cleanliness Standard There are two IPC 3000 O2 Asher systems. The upper IPC 3000 Asher is being classified as Non-Standard equipment. The lower IPC 3000 Asher is being classified as Semi-Clean equipment. Please use the O2 asher according to the cleanliness standard of your sample. Copyright 2014 by Hong Kong University of Science & Technology. All rights reserved. Page 3

2.2 Possible process Strip or descum of photo-resist coated on full 2, 4 or small specimens. N2/O2 plasma treatment. 2.3 Process specification 2.3.1 What the SEMI-CLEAN IPC 3000 O2 asher CAN do Photo-resist with normal thickness coated on silicon, Substrate with semi-clean metal film. Semi-clean graded glass or mask 2.3.2 What the NON-STANDARD IPC 3000 O2 asher CAN do Photo-resist that spin coated in NFF yellow room. Substrate with non-standard metal film. Glass or compound semiconductor substrate. Small samples that holding in a glass container. 2.3.3 What the SEMI-CLEAN IPC 3000 O2 asher CAN NOT do Extremely thick photo-resist Only short O2 descum process can be perform for substrate with semi-clean chromium metal film. All photo-resist not provided by NFF Substrates looks fragile and easy break Dirty samples that will contaminate the process chamber Small samples that can be blow away 2.3.4 What the NON-STANDARD IPC 3000 O2 asher CAN NOT do Extremely thick photo-resist Other materials not provided by NFF or coated in NFF, please consult NFF module staff. Substrates looks fragile and easy break Dirty samples that will contaminate the process chamber Copyright 2014 by Hong Kong University of Science & Technology. All rights reserved. Page 4

Small samples that can be blow away Do not put non-standard wafer into semi-clean equipment. 3. Useful information to work in NFF 3.1 Emergency Responses and Communications In case of emergency issues, please contact NFF staffs, Preason Lee Deputy Safety office (x7900) CK Wong senior technician (x7226) In case of technical help, please contact NFF staffs, CK Wong senior technician (x7896) Casper Chung technician (x7896) Brial Kwok technician (x7896) 3.2 Become a Qualified IPC 3000 O2 asher User Please follow the procedures below to become a qualified user of the IPC 3000 O2 asher: Read all materials provided on the NFF website of the IPC 3000 O2 asher. Ask NFF module technicians, and a short briefing will be given. 4. Operation Safety and Rules 4.1 Operation Safety 4.1.1 General Safety O2 asher user must familiar themselves with the following general safety issues: Location of emergency exits and assembly points Procedures for obtaining first aid assistance must be known. Various alarm sounds and emergency call procedures must be known. 4.1.2 Equipment Safety O2 asher user must be aware themselves of the following equipment safety issues: In emergency when using the equipment, please turn the POWER switch off Copyright 2014 by Hong Kong University of Science & Technology. All rights reserved. Page 5

(Fig. 2) to interrupt the equipment power, and report to the NFF staffs immediately. DO NOT attempt to resume the equipment on before the problem is solved. Fig.2 Power Switch If the equipment fails while being used, never try to fix the problem by your own, please write down the alarm information and report to NFF etching module staffs. Alarm/warning message will be displayed in the touch screen control. DO NOT attempt to resume the equipment on before the alarm/warning message is verified. Be careful to the components of the equipment, which involves electric power, RF radiation and high temperature hazard. Quartz Boats (Fig.3) for holding the wafers are hard but can easily break. Please be careful while using the quartz boats. The chamber with a thermal couple is made of quartz, and expensive (Fig.4). Please be careful while loading the wafers or specimens into the chamber to Copyright 2014 by Hong Kong University of Science & Technology. All rights reserved. Page 6

avoid any damages. Be careful, the quartz chamber surface is in high temperature after ashing process, it can cause hand burn. Fig.3a Non-standard boat Fig. 3b Semi-Clean boat Fig. 4 Quartz chamber with thermal couple 4.2 Operation Rules Do not operate the equipment unless you are properly trained and authorize to Copyright 2014 by Hong Kong University of Science & Technology. All rights reserved. Page 7

operate the equipment. No reservation is required for the IPC 3000 O2 asher, The equipment is under first come first serve basis, user need to check-in the equipment before use and check-out after use. Do not leave an on-going etching process unattended. Do not change details of the recipe unless you are authorized to do. If you need to start a new recipe, please consult NFF etching module staffs. Fill all the details of the log-sheet attached, i.e. date, name, project number, email, project details, material If the equipment alarms during operation, do not try to fix the problem by yourself and you should report to NFF staff immediately. No process longer than 20 minutes will be allowed. 10 minutes cool down time is needed before unloading the wafers or specimens from the chamber after process completed. Do not stop the process in an improper way during operation. For example, turn off the RF generator to stop the process during normal operation. Do not change the machine settings without permission by NFF staff. This equipment is only for purposes of PR stripping or descum. For other usage, please consult with NFF staff. 5. System Operation 5.1 IPC 3000 O2 asher Description Branson IPC 3000 O 2 Asher can generate a low pressure, low temperature gaseous plasma. Ashing, etching and N2/O2 treatment can be performed quickly and reproducibly. It consists of a quartz process chamber, main unit, touch screen panel, RF generator, pressure gauge, thermal couple and power supply. O 2 and N 2 gases are provided for process and chamber vent. 5.2 Initial System Check Copyright 2014 by Hong Kong University of Science & Technology. All rights reserved. Page 8

Users are required to do the following checks before doing the ashing process: Check the system is logged in Production mode, if not please click on the button Process of Production on the top of the main touch screen. If the computer system is not running smooth, please reboot the computer by using the keyboard provided and press clt + alt + del keys. Check the RF generator is turned on by confirming that AC ON red light is on and REMOTE ENABLE green light is on (Fig.5). The quartz boats are under good conditions without cracks. Make sure non-standard wafer can only work with non-standard cassette and equipment. The quartz chamber is under good condition without cracks. The thermal couple inside the chamber is under good condition without cracks. The sealing surface and the sealing rubber of the door are under good conditions without damage. Fig. 5 RF generator 5.3 Equipment Operation 5.3.1 Samples loading Put the wafers or specimens into correct cleanliness quartz boats. The quartz boats are located at the double decker table left hand side of the main unit. Copyright 2014 by Hong Kong University of Science & Technology. All rights reserved. Page 9

Cassettes of the upper level are Non-Standard grade, and cassettes of the lower level are Semi-Clean grade (Fig.3). Check the chamber has been vented, and the chamber door can be released. If the door is locked, turn the knob in clockwise direction. Unlock and open the chamber door. Use the fork to load the boats into the chamber. Leave the boats at center position of the chamber. Be careful to the thermal couple which is located at the top left of the chamber (Fig.4). Close the door, turn the knob in anti-clockwise direction and push the knob to lock the chamber door. 5.3.2 Recipe selection In the operation software, go to Process for Production menu. Inside the Production menu, the available recipes can be selected at the lower right column Recipe File (Fig.6). Select the correct recipe for resist strip or descum process. Fig.6 Recipe selection Copyright 2014 by Hong Kong University of Science & Technology. All rights reserved. Page 10

Then click START PROCESS button to initiate the process, and a process confirmation message will be displayed with process data details (Fig.7) Fig.7 Auto process starting page The recipes for resist strip and descum have been set for user. For descum process, naming with DES42.RCP, represents descum process time is 42 seconds. For resist strip process, naming with STRIP03.RCP, represents resist strip time is 3 minutes. Please select the right recipe by your own. If you need other process time, please consult NFF staff for help. 5.3.3 Pump down and Process start Once recipe starts, the chamber pump down automatically to reach its vacuum set point which is 0.01Torr. Then, a pop-up message shows Waiting for Vacuum Pump down (Fig.8). Copyright 2014 by Hong Kong University of Science & Technology. All rights reserved. Page 11

Fig.8 Vacuum pump down waiting screen After pressure reached 0.01Torr, process starts with real time process information showing (Fig.9). Those process feedback values are presented in formats of graphs and bars. Fig9. Process real time feedback data During the process, check the process feedback values to make sure the values are correct, otherwise report to NFF staff. Copyright 2014 by Hong Kong University of Science & Technology. All rights reserved. Page 12

Once the RF power is given out, and the impedance is matched, then plasma will be ignited (Fig.10). Fig.10 Plasma ignited If the process needs to be aborted during running, Click ABORT WITH PURGE, then the process stop and chamber will be purged. When the process is done, chamber will be vent automatically. When the chamber has been vented, Process Completed will be shown on the screen (Fig.11). Fig.11 Process complete and chamber vented Copyright 2014 by Hong Kong University of Science & Technology. All rights reserved. Page 13

5.3.4 Samples unloading After venting to atmosphere, turn the knob in clockwise direction. Wait 10 minutes for chamber cool down. Open the chamber door and take out the quartz boats by the fork. Don t touch the quartz boats or chamber by hands because they might be still hot. Click CANCEL to exit auto process complete message, and back to the recipe selection page. 5.4 Equipment Limitations There are some limitations of the Branson IPC3000, please read the following: 5.4.1 Computer Screen Flash Once the computer screen is flashing and cannot control normally, please reboot the computer. 5.4.2 Chamber Venting Problem In case the chamber cannot return to atmosphere pressure and the door still not released, please click the VENT TO ATM button to vent the chamber again (Fig. 12). Fig.12 Chamber vent button Copyright 2014 by Hong Kong University of Science & Technology. All rights reserved. Page 14

6. Process Recording Please be reminded you are required to fill all the details of the log sheets. If users fail to do this, a heavy punishment will be given. Write down the problems happened or any comments in the log sheets. 7. Clean up Clean up the area. Return the cassettes to its original position. Return the folk to its original position. 8. Check out Check out the equipment in the NFF equipment reservation website immediately after use. Copyright 2014 by Hong Kong University of Science & Technology. All rights reserved. Page 15