ALD - Your Solution, Our Passion!Picosun Brochure 2013

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Picosun The ALD companyThere is not a single ALD company in the world with credentials matching those of Picosun

Picosuns history and background date back to the very beginning of the field of Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD). ALD was invented in Finland in 1974 by Dr. Tuomo Sun-tola, who today serves as Member of the Picosun Board of Directors. Picosun founder and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Mr. Sven Lindfors has created outstanding ALD systems since 1975 and is known as worlds most experienced ALD reactor designer.

Almost 40 years exclusively on ALD

Today Picosun combines almost 40 years of continuous, exclusive ALD system development with over 200 person years of first hand know-how in the field. The company was established in 2004 and our core team consists of highly trained academic personnel, all experts in ALD. Picosun team, described by many the best ALD team ever, has contributed to over 100 patents on ALD and our close collaboration with major industries and top research organizations solidifies our frontline position in the global ALD network.

Unique scalability from research to production

Picosun is an international equipment manufacturer with a world-wide sales and service organization. We develop and manufacture ALD reactors for all kinds of micro- and nanotechnology applications. Picosun provides its cus-tomers with user-friendly, reliable and productive ALD process tools with top level after-sales, demo coating and process consulting services. The companys head-quarters are located in Espoo, Finland, its production fa-cilities in Masala, Finland, its US headquarters in Detroit and its Asian headquarters in Singapore. PICOSUN ALD systems are used by leading companies and scientific institutions across four continents.

We get it right

What makes us special in the field is our exclusive focus on ALD. We get it right, where many just struggle. We understand the customers needs and can offer un-matched quality coating solutions that fulfill even the most stringent research and productivity requirements. With our uniquely compact, upscalable and versatile re-actor design, there is no hindrance to the transition from research to industrial production.

Picosun Board of Directors and Managing Director. From left to right: Prof. Lauri Niinist, Mr. Timo Malinen (COO), Mr. Sven Lindfors (CTO), Mr. Juhana Kostamo (Managing Director), Dr. Tuomo Suntola, Mr. Kustaa Poutiainen (CEO), and Prof. Jorma Routti.

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ALD Winner technology for thin filmsAs a surface controlled, self-limiting chemical vapor processing method, ALD ensures 100 % uniform, conformal, de-fect-, crack- and pinhole-free thin film growth both on large area substrates and challenging nanoscale architectures such as ultra-high aspect ratio trenches and high tortuosity through-porous samples. Wide range of e.g. metal oxide, nitride, sulfide, fluoride and pure (also noble) metal coatings as well as nanolaminates, graded layers, mixed oxide and doped thin films can be used in numerous applications for example in semiconductor and integrated circuits (IC) industry, MEMS/NEMS (micro/nanoelectromechanical systems), sensors, optics and optoelectronics, catalyst manu-facturing, clean and renewable energy technologies, corrosion protection, decorative coatings and antitarnishing, water purification and innovative packaging materials.

Examples of ALD applications

ALD application Role of ALD in it ALD material/s

Read heads for hard drives Passivation layer Aluminum oxide Al2O3

MEMS devices/processes Etch stop layers Al2O3Protective layers Al2O3Anti-stiction layers Titanium oxide TiO2Hydrophobic layers Al2O3Adhesive layers Al2O3Layers against friction and wear Al2O3, TiO2Electrical shorting prevention Al2O3Charge dissipative layers Aluminum-doped zinc oxide ZnO:Al

CMOS High-k gate dielectrics Hafnium oxide HfO2, TiO2, tantalum oxide Ta2O5, zirconium oxide ZrO2, hafnium-silicon oxide HfxSiyO

Contact electrodes Tantalumcarbonitride TaCxNy

Memories Ferroelectric materials HfO2 (orthorhombic)Paramagnetic materials Gadolinium oxide Gd2O3, erbium oxide Er2O3,

dysprosium oxide Dy2O3, holmium oxide Ho2O3Non-magnetic coupling Ruthenium, iridiumElectrodes Noble metals

Sensors Passivation of read heads, gap fill in hard drives

Al2O3, silicon oxide SiO2

3D packaging (IC) Through silicon vias Copper, ruthenium, titanium nitride TiN

Medical applications Biocompatible materials TiO2

Flat panel electroluminescent displays

Light emitting layer and passivation layers Doped (e.g. manganese, erbium) zinc sulfide ZnS (light emitting layer) and Al2O3 (passivation layers)

Crystalline silicon solar cells Surface passivation Al2O3

CIGS thin film solar cells Buffer layers Zinc-manganese oxide ZnxMnyOTransparent conductive oxide (TCO) layers ZnO:Al

Corrosion protection Corrosion protection film on the surface Ta2O5, Al2O3

Water purification membranes Antibacterial layer ZnO, TiO2

Recyclable, paper/cardboard-based packaging materials

Gas/moisture diffusion barrier Al2O3

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ALD application Role of ALD in it ALD material/s

Fuel cells Catalytes Palladium, platinum, rhodium

Optical applications Microchannel plates (e.g. X-ray optics) re-flective coating

Iridium

Fresnel-zone lenses for X-ray optics Iridium

Decorative coatings Colored, "metallic" films Al2O3, TiO2

Anti-tarnisning Protection of noble metal items against darkening

Al2O3, TiO2

Lighting OLED (organic light-emitting diode) passiva-tion

Al2O3

Low n layers on glass Magnesium fluoride MgF2, SiO2

High n layers on glass ZnS, TiO2, Ta2O5, HfO2, ZrO2

Window layers on glass TiO2

Glass strengthening Anti-cracking layers on glass SiO2

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PICOSUN R-SERIES ALD process toolsManual or semi-automatic processing for research and development

High standard R&D requires the best equipment. PICOSUN R-series ALD tools unique hot-wall top-flow dual-chamber design guarantees the deposition of highest quality ALD films with excellent uniformity even on the most challenging structures such as through-porous samples, ultra-high aspect ratio trenches or nanoparticulate powders. Our highly functional and eas-ily exchangeable precursor sources for liquid, gaseous and solid chemicals enable particle-free processing of a wide range of materials on wafers, 3D objects and all nanoscale features.

Although capable of serving even the most stringent overall requirements of thin film research of the highest calibre, PICOSUN R-series reactors are specifically de-signed for research that aims to bring its achievements out of the laboratory, into industrial manufacturing. Un-matched versatility, speed and quality are combined with a compact, space-saving package ready to be integrated e. g. to vacuum line, glove box etc. systems. R-series ALD tools invite corporate funding -- because of their unique scalability the results do not fall into the usual technology gap between research and production but can be directly transferred into production with PICOSUN P-series. R-series ALD tools are the systems of choice for the most productive research work.

Material Non-uniformity (1)

Single (S) / batch (B)

process

AI2O3 0.13 % B

SiO2 0.77 % B

TiO2 0.28 % S

ZnO 0.94 % S

Ta2O5 1.0 % S

HfO2 1.83 % S

Pt 3.41 % S

TiN 1.10 % S

PEALD Al2O3 0.50 % S

PEALD AlN 0.62 % S

PEALD TiN 2.16 % S

PEALD TiAlN 2.87 % S

PEALD In2O3 0.87 % S

PEALD ZnO 2.64 % S

Excellent film uniformities achieved in Picosun thermal and plasma (PEALD) processes. Wafer size 6, 49 point measurement.

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PICOSUN R-200 Standard ALD system technical featuresBasic features

Substrate size and type 50 200 mm single wafersWafer minibatch up to 150 mm156 mm x 156 mm solar Si wafers3D objectsPowders and particlesThrough-porous and HAR samples

Process temperature 50 500 C, higher on request

Substrate loading options Pneumatic lift (manual loading)Load lock with magnetic manipulator arm

Precursors Liquid, solid, gas, ozoneUp to 6 sources with 4 separate inlets

Measures

Weight 350 kg

Dimensions (W x H x D) Depending on optionsMinimum 146 cm x 146 cm x 84 cmMaximum 189 cm x 206 cm x 111 cm

Utilities

Power supply 200-240 VAC, 1-phase, 50/60 HzFuse 1 x 16 AmpsPower depending on options

Vacuum pump Recommendation min. 100 420 m3/h, mechanical particle trap and afterburner included

Carrier gas 99.999 % N2 / Ar, min 2 slm

Compressed dry air 4 5.5 bar overpressure

Cooling water Only required for dry vacuum pump, not for the reactor

Exhausts Vacuum pump, process enclosure

Options

PICOFLOW diffusion enhancer, QCM, RGA, N2 generator, gas scrubber, customized designs, glove box compatibility for inert loading

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PICOSUN R-200 Advanced ALD system technical featuresBasic features

Substrate size and type 50 200 mm single wafersWafer minibatch up to 150 mm156 mm x 156 mm solar Si wafers3D objectsPowders and particlesThrough-porous and HAR samples

Process temperature 50 500 C, higher on request

Substrate loading options Pneumatic lift (manual loading)Load lock with magnetic manipulator armSemi-automatic loading with handling robotCassette-to-cassette loading with cluster tools

Precursors Liquid, solid, gas, ozone, plasmaUp to 12 sources with 6 separate inlets

Measures

Weight 350 + 200 kg

Dimensions (W x H x D) Depending on optionsMinimum 146 cm x 146 cm x 84 cmMaximum 189 cm x 206 cm x 111 cm

Utilities

Power supply 400 VAC, 3-phase with N