Technologies
Batch thermal processing
Oxidation, diffusion, anneal and LPCVD remain the quiet backbone of power-device, sensor and specialty-CMOS flows. Batch furnaces deliver these steps with an economy single-wafer tools cannot match — when temperature uniformity, ambient control and automation fit the application.
What it does
Batch furnace systems process stacks of wafers through precisely controlled thermal and gas-ambient recipes: growing oxides, driving dopants, densifying and annealing films, and depositing LPCVD layers such as polysilicon and nitride. Vertical architectures dominate modern installations; the right choice depends on wafer size, throughput and cleanroom integration.
Evaluation dimensions that decide projects
- Temperature uniformity
- Across the load and along the recipe — the direct driver of film and junction uniformity.
- Ambient & contamination control
- Gas purity, moisture behaviour and metallic contamination performance appropriate to the device class.
- Recipe flexibility
- The realistic set of oxidation, anneal and deposition processes one system serves without compromise.
- Automation & integration
- Loading architecture, wafer handling and factory-automation fit for the intended cleanroom.
- Cost per wafer pass
- Batch size, cycle time, energy and maintenance profile over the tool’s life — where batch thermal earns its keep.
Where it is used
Questions worth asking early
Batch or single-wafer?
Batch wins on cost for long, stable thermal steps at volume; single-wafer wins on cycle time and per-wafer ambient control. The crossover is application-specific — model it with your real recipe mix.
What matters in a furnace evaluation?
Uniformity data on full loads, ramp behaviour with your thermal budget, particle and contamination performance, and the automation interface your fab actually uses.
Have a structure, film or thermal step to discuss?
Send a short description of your application — device type, material, wafer size and what a good result looks like. An engineer will reply with a concrete next step.