Axcelis Technologies, Inc. · NASDAQ:ACLS
Axcelis Technologies — Technical Presentation (2025)
25 slides from Axcelis Technologies's technical presentation, January 2025
Slide 1: Ion implantation challenges and opportunities for next generation SiC devices
Ion implantation challenges and opportunities for next generation SiC devices F. Mazzamuto, C. Lamontagne, L.Rubin, M. Ameen, A. Gupta, D. Roh, P. DeRosa Axcelis Technologies, Inc., Beverly, MA USA Z. Chehadi, L. Thuries, Laser Systems & Solutions of Europe (LASSE), Gennevilliers, France M. Opprecht
Slide 2: SiC next step for maturity and massive diffusion
SiC next step for maturity and massive diffusion Implant for Performances, Reliability and Costs Iannaccone, G. et al. IEEE Access, 9, 139446-139456.(2021) Junction innovation Reliability Device Costs From Yole R. Nipoti et al. Mater. Chen, Po-Chih, et al. Nanoscale Sci. Proc. (2017). Res. Lett. 17.
Slide 3: Agenda
Agenda Innovation – Extend Doping capability • Path for ultra-low resistivity by implant and laser annealing co-optimization • Enabling Device innovation with SJ Channeling implant Reliability - SiC Material modification • Proton implant for mitigation of stacking fault expansion • Amorphization imp
Slide 4: Extend Doping capability - Ultra-low resistivity: Junction manufacturing process limit
Extend Doping capability - Ultra-low resistivity Junction manufacturing process limit Industrial Al-implant n- EPI process n+ 4H-SiC substrate Epitaxy Implantation (≤500°C) Carbon Cap Furnace Annealing Cap Removal High thermal Low threshold of budget-induced defects irreversible damage And limited a
Slide 5: Implant and laser annealing co-optimization
Extend Doping capability - Ultra-low resistivity Implant and laser annealing co-optimization Industrial Al-implant n- EPI process n+ 4H-SiC substrate Epitaxy Implantation (≤500°C) Carbon Cap Furnace Annealing Cap Removal ◼ Advanced ion implantation Control & Minimize defect level Al-implant n- EPI n
Slide 6: Advance implantation engineering: Defect modulation
Advance implantation engineering: Defect modulation ◼ Rising wafer temperature (~500°C) during implantation is successfully implemented for doses 1E15cm-2 and below ◼ We explore doses >> 1E15cm-2 with a rising wafer temperature to 800°C Signals normalized to E2(TO) peak (776 cm-1 ), indicator for th
Slide 7: Defect Evolution vs. Thermal Budget
Extend Doping Capability - Ultra-Low Resistivity Defect Evolution vs. Thermal Budget Nanoscale precipitates Implant 3E16 @800°C Implant 3E16 @800°C Furnace Annealing 1700°C 30 minutes Laser Annealing Overall 4H-SiC crystallinity Basal plane dislocations Polygonal loops: Al precipitates and vacancy a
Slide 8: Defect Evolution vs. Thermal Budget
Extend Doping Capability - Ultra-Low Resistivity Defect Evolution vs. Thermal Budget lower n-type doping Hyperdoped /Undoped lower p-type doping lower n-type doping Hyperdoped /Undoped lower p-type [1] Y. Negoro et al. (2004). doping [5] S. G. Sundaresan et al. (2007). [6] R. Nipoti et al.(2018) Hig
Slide 9: Implant Laser Annealing Key Requirement
Extend Doping Capability - Ultra-Low Resistivity Implant Laser Annealing Key Requirement Hallén, A., & Linnarsson, M. (2016). Surface and Coatings Technology, 306, 190-193. Implantation • Minimize implant-induced damage level by increasing implantation temperature from std 500°C to 800°C Melting thr
Slide 10: Agenda
Agenda Innovation – Extend Doping capability • Path for ultra-low resistivity by implant and laser annealing co-optimization • Device innovation with SJ with Channeling implant Reliability - SiC Material modification • Proton implant for mitigation of stacking fault expansion • Amorphization implant
Slide 11: Super Junction with High Energy Channeling Implant
Device Innovation Super Junction with High Energy - Channeling Implant Multi-Step EPI/Mask/Implant Pro • Achievable with current technologies Cons • High costs • Alignment and uniformity between layers Kobayashi, Y. et al. (2019).(ISPSD) (pp. 31-34). IEEE. Trench filling by EPI Pro • Higher process
Slide 12: Projected Range – Current Capability
Super Junction with High Energy Channeling Implant Projected Range – Current Capability 7000 6000 5000 Ion Range [nm] 4000 3000 Al 0° 2000 Al <0001> All implants P 0° 1000 Dose 1E13cm2 P <0001> Ion Range estimated 0 when profile @1E16cm-3 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Ion Energy [MeV] Projected range
Slide 13: High Energy Channeling Implant Key Requirements
Path for Extending Implant Depth High Energy Channeling Implant Key Requirements Beam-Channel alignment Theoretical critical angle for Aluminum channeling 1MeV → 0.37° 3MeV → 0.21° 12MeV → 0.11° 15MeV → 0.09° M. Belanche al. Mater. Sci. Semicond. Process. 179 (2024): 108461. Energy Range Ziegler, Ja
Slide 14: Agenda
Agenda Innovation – Extend Doping capability • Path for ultra-low resistivity by implant and laser annealing co-optimization • Enabling Device innovation with SJ Channeling implant Reliability - SiC Material modification • Proton implant for mitigation of stacking fault expansion • Amorphization imp
Slide 15: Proton Implant for SF Expansion Mitigation: Challenges and Opportunities
Material Modification - Proton Implant for SF Expansion Mitigation Challenges and Opportunities Path for improvement ◼ SF expansion has been associated with minority carriers Stacking fault formation energy ◼ Energy formation of crystallographic defects in Si 55 mJ/m2 4H-SiC is more then 10x lower t
Slide 16: Proton Implant: Mechanism and Implantation Process
Material Modification- Proton Implant for SF Expansion Mitigation Mechanism and Implantation Process ◼ Implant offers an effective solution for carrier lifetime control via doping and/or defect engineering. Differently from EPI-buffer, lifetime control can be masked and modulate in depth by the impl
Slide 17: Proton Implant: Key Requirements
Material Modification- Proton Implant for SF Expansion Mitigation Key Requirements 25 Implant energy range Projected Range [µm] 20 ◼ Implant energy to be adjusted to locate the proton buffer layer at the 15 EPI-bulk interface. Projected range to vary from 5um to 20um (for 10 lower to high voltage cl
Slide 18: Agenda
Agenda Innovation – Extend Doping capability • Path for ultra-low resistivity by implant and laser annealing co-optimization • Enabling Device innovation with SJ Channeling implant Reliability - SiC Material modification • Proton implant for mitigation of stacking fault expansion • Amorphization imp
Slide 19: Amorphization Implant for Selective Oxidation: Challenges and Opportunities
Material Modification - Amorphization Implant for Selective Oxidation Challenges and Opportunities Example of opportunity Thermal oxidation remains the reference insulation process with a limiting trade off: ◼ High temperature (≥1300C) improves the oxide quality by decreasing SiCxOy and so Dit* ◼ Hi
Slide 20: Amorphization Implant: Mechanism and Implantation Process
Material Modification - Amorphization Implant for Selective Oxidation Mechanism and Implantation Process Ion implantation to solve the trade off: Demonstration LOCOSiC ◼ SiC amorphization implant to reduce oxidation temperature (to avoid SiC surface degradation) ◼ Enriching chemical concentration of
Slide 21: Amorphization Implant: Key Implant Requirements
Material Modification - Amorphization Implant for Selective Oxidation Key Implant Requirements Advance Profile Engineering ◼ Require the maximum capability to control 3D implanted profile and induced defects. This can be done by implanting the total dose with a sequence of subsequent implants where
Slide 22: Agenda
Agenda Innovation – Extend Doping capability • Path for ultra-low resistivity by implant and laser annealing co-optimization • Enabling Device innovation with SJ Channeling implant Reliability - SiC Material modification • Proton implant for mitigation of stacking fault expansion • Amorphization imp
Slide 23: Future Implant for Splitting: Challenges and Opportunities
Future Implant for Splitting Challenges and Opportunities ✁ From Yole Only a small fraction of the 4H-SiC is really used ◼ >30% of the cost of a 1200V SiC MOSFET is the wafer cost ◼ Tremendous waste in wafering and device. Substrate has no interest in the device functionally. It is only the mechanic
Slide 24: Summary
Summary ◼ Implant can play an important role to support continuous growth of SiC. Addressing key challenges in innovation, reliability and costs: • Innovation extending current limitation in junction resistivity and depth for future super junction devices • Reliability giving the ability to modulate
Slide 25: Thank You for Your Attention!
Thank You for Your Attention! 24