Key Features
Optimized for 8 inch Wafer: Ability to process large wafer sizes up to 200mm, enabling a smooth transition from R&D to commercial production.
Flexible extended vacuum chamber: Features a larger 304L stainless steel box chamber, providing a "Long throw" height option of up to 36 inches to optimize the distance for thin film deposition.
Safe automation with eKLipse™: Real-time formula management system running on independent hardware, ensuring the deposition process is uninterrupted even if the interface computer fails.
Maximally expandable 8 sputtering sources: Allows simultaneous configuration of up to 8 independent Torus® cathodes, supporting the fabrication of complex high-structure multilayer composite films.
Automatic Low-Profile sample load lock: Integrated slim Load Lock module with automatic sample transfer mechanism, allowing quick wafer changes without losing the vacuum environment of the main chamber.
Temperature and energy control of the substrate: Supports substrate heating up to 850°C in conjunction with a 100W RF bias source, providing ultra-pure and absolutely uniform film bonding quality.
Detailed description
The Kurt J. Lesker PRO Line PVD 200 system operates on the basis of advanced physical vapor deposition (PVD), specifically designed to handle large wafer sizes up to 8 inches (200mm). The core mechanism of the system is based on controlling the kinetics of material particles in an ultra-high vacuum environment to create a thin film coating with absolute purity and uniformity across a large surface area.
In the large volume vacuum chamber of the PVD 200, the system can simultaneously activate multiple deposition techniques including: Magnetron Sputtering with up to 8 Torus® sources, high-energy KJLC KL6/KL8 E-beam evaporation, thermal evaporation, and organic layer evaporation (LTE). When the process begins, the material sources are vaporized or bombarded by plasma ions, releasing free atoms that fly directly toward the substrate.
To ensure excellent thin film uniformity (≤±5%) across the entire surface of the 200mm Wafer, the PVD 200 applies a "Long throw" chamber geometry mechanism with an extended height of up to 36 inches. The large distance from the source to the substrate allows the material particle streams to disperse more evenly before hitting the surface. Simultaneously, the substrate is continuously rotated around its axis at a speed of 20 RPM, combined with evenly distributed heating up to 850°C, helping the material atoms to perfectly rearrange the crystal lattice.
The system allows for simultaneous configuration of magnetron sputtering technology using proprietary Torus® cathodes, e-beam evaporation, thermal evaporation, and low-temperature organic material sputtering sources (LTE). When an inert gas flow (such as Argon) is ionized to create plasma, ions will bombard the target material in the Sputtering mechanism; or a high-intensity electron beam will directly hit the crucible in the E-beam mechanism to vaporize the material. These free material molecules move in an ultra-high vacuum environment -5 × 10⁻⁸ Torr – where the mean free path is extremely large – to travel straight and adhere tightly to the substrate surface.
To control the quality of the thin film, the system uses a continuous substrate rotation mechanism (up to 20 RPM) combined with thickness control using quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). At the same time, the intelligent temperature management system allows heating up to 850°C or direct water cooling, helping to shape the crystal structure of the thin film during the deposition process.