ASM release innovative epitaxial process
ASM International has introduced its PowerFill epitaxial silicon (Epi Si) trench fill process. The new process enables void free filling of deep trenches with doped, epitaxial silicon. PowerFill is an enabling process technology as it is about 3 times faster than competing processes, reducing manufacturing costs and creating an additional degree of freedom in power device design.
Fairchild Semiconductor is the first customer to qualify the process for its advanced power management devices, having completed verification at its fab in Korea. For this application, ASM's PowerFill process enables power management devices and circuits to be realized in a smaller footprint thereby reducing die cost and form factor.
"Requirements on discrete power MOSFETs are demanding lower on-resistance, lower gate charge and higher current capability," said C.B. Son, Fairchild's Director of Process Technology. "The Epsilon tool's performance with PowerFill has been impressive and was a significant enabling factor as we have worked to integrate this advanced trench Epi
process, allowing us to realize considerable cost savings as a result of its significant improvement in process throughput."
Compared to alternative processes that require multiple passes through an epitaxy reactor to realize a similar device structure, the innovative trench fill technique developed in the ASM Epsilon system enables a void free Epi process in a single deposition step. The single step process is able to triple the throughput for the epitaxial Si process, while maintaining void free filling characteristics, good uniformity and high yield.
"The development of this high-speed trench fill process is yet another example of how ASM works with its customers to enable advanced materials and epitaxy processes in high-volume manufacturing," said Shawn Thomas, Director of Epi Technology at ASM.
