Epiluvac, Sweden, supplies ground-breaking WBG-Multi-Reactor-CVD-System to Lukasiewicz Research Network – Institute of Microelectronics and Photonics, Poland

Epiluvac in Lund, Sweden, has received the first order for two new Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) systems in a double configuration including robotics for waferhandling. The systems will be used by Lukasiewicz Research Network – Institute of Microelectronics and Photonics in Warsaw, Poland. This institute is one of the world leading research facilities for advanced semiconductors. The CVD-systems are designed with Epiluvac´s ER3 reactors for 8-inch wafers epitaxy of silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN). They are intended to be used for R&D in new materials technology.

Roger Nilsson, Epiluvac’s CTO says: “The reactor development started years ago in cooperation with Linköping University. During the last years, we have refined the design into a brand-new platform. From the beginning, it is designed for 8inch wafers that requires new solutions for controlling the temperature profile and gas flow concentration over the large wafer. It has also the unique feature that allows two or more systems to be put together to a WBG-Multi-Reactor-CVD-System. This multi-system approach allows the user to optimize the chemistry in each reactor, thereby achieving a very high yield and a minimum of memories effect, if at all.”

The systems are equipped with an automatic wafer handler interfacing both reactors. To increase production capacity, the wafers are pre-heated and cooled down outside the reactor in the hot-load area in inert atmosphere or vacuum. Also as a customer option Cassette-to-Cassette wafer loading can be installed. Epiluvac offers a turnkey solution, including support to get the system up and running with basic epitaxial growth. The new ER3 also includes a patented feature where the wafer bow is minimized. Optionally, customers can add in-situ measurements for GaN.

Rolf Elmér, Chairman of Epiluvac, adds: “There is a huge potential for sales of this new platform to the semiconductor industry. The new wide band-gap (WBG) semiconductor materials are used to produce more efficient power electronics devices. These devices are used in e.g. electrical vehicles, transformers for solar cells and smart micro power grids.”