ICMCTF2004 Session G2: Scale-up, Manufacturing Aspects and Industrial Applications

Wednesday, April 21, 2004 1:30 PM in Room Sunrise

Wednesday Afternoon

Start	Invited?	Item
1:30 PM	Invited	G2-1 Atomic Layer Processing - A Paradigm Shift in Microelectronic Device Processing P.N. Gadgil (Consultant) Recent and timely introduction of Atomic Layer Deposition technique to microelectronic manufacturing offers a variety of critical advantages that have potential to radically change the landscape of microelectronic device processing. ALD offers large area, high quality and atomically precise deposition that is independent of substrate topography. However, conventional ALD reactors and processes are rather slow in terms of throughput. Thus ALD is being applied to niche applications only where thin films below 100 Å are required. This talk will review the fundamentals of ALD process cycle, its operation and recent advances in process chemistry, materials and reactor design. Also design and operational handicaps of current ALD and CVD reactors will be discussed. Removing such shortcomings will allow the tools to significantly enhance the applications of atomic layer deposition by bringing a variety of current deposition processes under its ambit. Potential benefits of combination of ALD with atomic layer etching (reverse ALD) to widen the scope of this technology to atomic layer processing will be presented. Critical issues such as equipment scale-up, process development and a few promising pathways to realize potential benefits of ALP technology will be described. Techno-economic and environmental aspects of potential applications of ALP in terms of improved chemical utilization efficiency, reduced downstream process waste, lower costs of operation, higher device yield, improved product quality and their impact on the overall costs of semiconductor device fabrication plant and processes will be discussed. Sub-nanometer resolution of ALP and its enabling effects on microelectronic device progression will be described.
2:10 PM		G2-3 A New Generation of Filtered Arc Sources for Ultra Thin Top Coats on Magnetic Hard Disks P. Siemroth (Arc Precision GmbH, Germany); J. Berthold (Fraunhofer Institute fuer Material and Beam Technology, Germany); B. Petereit (Naomi Technologies, Germany); H.H. Schneider, H. Hilgers (IBM Germany Storage Technology Division, Germany) Filtered cathodic arc deposition is a promising candidate as an industrial PVD technology for the deposition of challenging films in microelectronics and microsystems. This technique has proven its superiority of depositing high quality films compared to conventional arc applications in numerous laboratory tests. In advanced sources, the number of droplets is reduced to less then one millionth corresponding to less then one micrometer size particle per cm good enough for many advanced tool coatings but still insufficient for such high demanding applications as the deposition of top coat on hard disk. In the present paper, recent improvements of the filtered high current pulsed arc (F-HCA) technique are described, resulting in a nearly complete droplet elimination to only a few ten-nm-size particle on a square meter. With the HCA-Source we are able to produce pinhole-free corrosion protective carbon films with thickness down to 1.7 nm. The thickness profile and uniformity on disk is adjustable by a magnetic field array. The deposition rate is 0.07 - 0.3 nm per pulse, therefore the coating time is below 2 s per disk. The magnetic layer is left undamaged during the HCA deposition process. These aspects are very important for industrial disk production efficiency. Strong particle reduction due to a magnetic filter tube is confirmed by repeatable glide tests. In several important tests, we showed that the HCA source is capable of producing carbon layers within a realistic disk production environment with a yield of approximately 93% which proved to be comparable to current industrial technology. Apart from the hard disk coating, the current F-HCA source is a high potential carbon deposition technique for many other industrial applications, e.g. for acoustic sensors, selective ion-beam mask-layer, and applications needing thermal conductivity layer, etc.
2:30 PM	Invited	G2-4 Mangetic Field Enhanced Plasma (MFEP) Doposition of Inner Surfaces of Tubes R. Wei, T.L. Booker, J.H. Arps (Southwest Research Institute) This paper describes a newly developed technique, magnetic field enhanced plasma (MFEP) deposition, by which inner diameter of tubes or pipes can be deposited with various coatings. Deposition of hard coatings onto inner diameter (ID) of tubes with high aspect ratios is always a challenging task. The MFEP technique is a novel method of plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). It utilizes a magnetic field to generate hollow cathode glow discharge inside a long tube and enhance the plasma production. By proper arrangement of the magnetic field and selection of precursors, hard coatings such as diamondlike carbon and silicon carbide can be deposited on to the ID of tubes. Using this method DLC and SiC films have been deposited on the inner walls of tubes with small diameters and high aspect ratios (0.9 - 2.5 cm in diameter, up to 71 cm long). In this paper, we will also discuss the design and the construction of the MFEP device, properties of the plasma and characteristics of the coatings obtained. Finally, we will present some practical applications.
3:10 PM		G2-6 The First 2 Years of Experience with Industrial Applications Deposited with the LARC®-technology B. Torp (Platit Scandinavia, Denmark); T. Cselle, M. Morstein, O. Coddet (Platit AG, Switzerland); M. Ruzicka, M. Jilek, P. Holubar (PIVOT, Czech Republic) Nanocomposite PVD coatings are now established in the industry and we have two years of experience with industrial applications. This paper will give a short description of the LARC®-technology (Lateral Rotating ARC-Cathodes) used to deposit the nanocomposite coatings. It also allows the production of all the standard coatings in the industry, e.g. TiCN, TiAlN and AlTiN. We will give an update on the status of our nanocomposite coating development and show numerous different results from the end-users. Finally we will discuss the future of nanocomposite coatings in the industry with special emphasis on dry and MQL machining.
3:30 PM	Invited	G2-7 Methodology for Qualification of Advanced Coatings on Functional Aircraft Components B.D. Sartwell (U.S. Naval Research Laboratory); K.O. Legg (Rowan Technology Group) The qualification of new coatings technologies on components considered flight critical (i.e., failure could lead to loss of the aircraft and potential loss of life) is a lengthy and complex process. There has to be a strong motivation for making the change and multiple benefits must be demonstrated before such investments are made. This presentation will describe the methodology for qualification of WC/Co HVOF thermal spray coatings on landing gear and hydraulic actuator aircraft components and gas turbine engine components. The qualification covered both new components produced by original equipment manufacturers (OEM) and the repair/overhaul of components already in service at military depots. The motivations for executing the qualification studies included enhancing performance, reducing life-cycle costs and eliminating environmental and worker safety concerns by replacing hard chrome plating. Through extensive consultation with the entire stakeholder community, materials and components tests were developed and executed. Producibility issues such as machining and removal of the coatings were addressed and detailed cost/benefit analyses were conducted. These efforts are leading to the implementation of the HVOF thermal spray coatings within several OEMs and military repair depots.
4:10 PM		G2-9 Characteristics of Saw Cutting Edges for Advanced Coating Technologies M. Sarwar (Northumbria University, United Kingdom) New and modern coating technologies have great potential to improve and, or enhance the life of cutting tools. The surface conditions or characteristics of the tool surface and cutting edge to provide better wear resistance and hence improvement in tool life, is governed by having a good knowledge of the tool geometry, especially the condition of the cutting edges - and of the surface characteristics. The performance and failure modes in multi-point cutting tools such as circular saws and band saws are more complex than those in single point tools. Consequently the coating possibilities, requirements and limitations for multi-point tools are different to single point tools. The paper characteristics the cutting tool geometry and the surface properties of industrial saws. Surface requirements and tool preparations, which are necessary for wear resistant coatings, are described. Suitable advanced coating processes are shown and the performance of the coated tools determined through cutting tests and metallographic analysis are presented. The paper should be of interest to the materials engineer, surface coater, cutting tool designer and manufacturer.
4:30 PM		G2-10 Precision Performance or the Coating of High End Cutting Edges J. Rechberger (Fraisa Sa, Switzerland) Edge effect phenomena in modern PVD coating processes are well known and several research groups have in the past done intensive investigations on this subject. However, the impact of edge effects on coated industrial 3D objects is rather rarely described in the coating literature. In the field of cutting tools the deficiencies of coatings along edges is obviously crucial. In particular if coating features are similar in size to for example edge radius, grinding marks, substrate microstructure or depth of tool engagement. It also must be seen that coating properties obtained on flat reference samples may not always translate into useful data for a cutting tool development. This presentation provides some insight into optimization procedures on coated high end cutting edges combining microgeometrical aspects with different substrate materials and coatings.
4:50 PM		G2-11 The Development of Duplex Nitrided and Closed Field Unbalanced Magnetron Sputter Ion Plated CrTiAlN-based Coatings for H13 Aluminium Extrusion Dies. D. Beale (SECO Aluminium Limited); K.E. Cooke (Teer Coatings Limited, United Kingdom); A.K. Kennedy, C. Selcuk (University of Nottingham, United Kingdom); S. Yang, D.G. Teer (Teer Coatings Ltd., United Kingdom) Extruded aluminium alloy is already a ubiquitous engineering material but there is increasing demand for aluminium-based metal matrix composites (MMCs) with improved stiffness and wear resistance to further extend the material's range of application. The extrusion of MMCs containing significant quantities of hard, second-phase particulates places particular demands on the die, which must obviously maintain its critical mechanical and tribological characteristics, while resisting chemical and abrasive wear during exposure to the flowing aluminium MMC under conditions of high temperature and pressure. Many advanced applications demand the fine control of both the dimensional tolerance and surface finish of the extrudate, while maximising the productive lifetime of the associated die, and minimising scrap, setup costs, etc. The development of an advanced duplex treatment for H13 steel extrusion dies, combining gas nitriding and closed field unbalanced magnetron sputter ion plating (CFUBMSIP) of high performance CrTiAlN-based coatings, is described. Both the detailed laboratory testing of coated substrates, using the pin-on-disc geometry, and the critical practical evaluation of coated dies in an industrial aluminium extrusion process are discussed.
5:10 PM		G2-12 PVD Coatings by Combined Electron Beam and Magnetron Techniques N. Watson, M. Joseph, J.C. Batista, E.A.F. Spain, J Housden (Tecvac Ltd., United Kingdom); V. Bellido-Gonzalez (Gencoa Ltd., United Kingdom); A. Matthews (University of Sheffield, United Kingdom) PVD coatings can be successfully deposited by a range of well known techniques such as Electron beam (eB), Arc and Magnetron Sputtering. All these techniques produce industrial PVD coatings of roughly similar quality and performance. However each technique has its own particular advantages and disadvantages in terms of ease and cost of process operation in an industrial environment and differences in the finer detail of the coating quality and performance. An unusual PVD coating system has been produced by installing magnetrons in an industrial Plasma Assisted, triode enhanced eB PVD coating machine enabling a combination of the benefits of eB and Magnetrons to be investigated. Initial experiments have been carried out starting with simple TiN and TiAlN coatings on HSS test drills and polished discs. Drilling tests show a significant increase in coated-drill service life in accelerated drilling tests compared to that for the standard PAeBPVD coatings.