Centura^® Prime^® Epi

Leveraging Applied’s epitaxy expertise gained with the industry-leading Centura RP Epi system over almost two decades, the Centura Prime Epi maintains the core of that system while improving upon the tool configurability and process capabilities of its predecessor. The new single-chamber configuration enhances tool availability and productivity within a 30% smaller footprint. Processes for substrate formation, in-situ doping, and boosting PMOS and NMOS transistor performance in advanced logic and memory devices are interchangeable between the two systems. Targeting the 3x nm node and beyond, the Centura Prime Epi system’s process portfolio encompasses source-drain, channel, and contact for finFET and GAA in logic, and a variety of applications in memory, power, analog, and MEMS.

Integrated on the Centura platform, specialized pre-clean technologies address a broad range of applications without breaking vacuum. Integrating these steps eliminates the HF dip and subsequent high-temperature hydrogen bake steps that can damage devices beyond the 3x nm node. Further, it eliminates queue time and reduces interfacial contamination by more than an order of magnitude over stand-alone systems. These pre-clean processes can be integrated in different application-appropriate combinations.

Siconi^® pre-clean technology delivers low-temperature native oxide removal. Clarion™ technology removes native oxide with high selectivity to low-k spacers. The Ajax^® interfacial, radical-based pre-clean achieves an approximately 10X reduction in carbon and oxygen at the epi-substrate interface, thereby improving epitaxial growth and, in turn, facilitating scaling.