What is the temperature of the RTP tube furnace for rapid annealing?

The temperature range of the rapid annealing RTP tube furnace is usually 400 ℃ to 1300 ℃, and some equipment can reach a maximum temperature of 1250 ℃ or higher. Its core feature is to achieve specific process goals through extremely short heating times (usually measured in seconds or minutes), and temperature control accuracy and uniformity are crucial to the process effect. Here are specific instructions:

1. Temperature range and core parameters
Basic temperature range: The conventional temperature range for RTP tube furnaces is 400 ℃ to 1300 ℃, covering most heat treatment requirements in semiconductor manufacturing. For example, repairing ion implantation damage typically requires around 500 ℃, while activating doped atoms requires 950 ℃.
Equipment differences: Some devices have slightly different maximum temperatures, such as 150 ℃ to 1300 ℃ (recommended temperature range of 150 ℃ to 1250 ℃), or higher temperatures can be achieved through special design (such as 1200 ℃ limit for 60 seconds of use).
Temperature control accuracy: High precision temperature control is the core advantage of RTP tube furnaces, and temperature uniformity requirements are usually within ± 1.5 ℃. Some equipment can reach ± 0.5 ℃ or higher, ensuring process repeatability.

2. The influence of temperature on the process effect
Material properties determine temperature requirements:
Silicon based materials are annealed at temperatures ranging from 1000 ℃ to 1100 ℃ to optimize their crystal structure.
III-V compound semiconductors (such as GaN) need to be controlled at 600 ℃ to 800 ℃ to avoid material decomposition.
The annealing temperature difference of metal thin films is significant. For example, Pt thin films need to stabilize their resistance through annealing, while ultra-thin layer materials require a higher heating rate (above 100 ℃/s) combined with pressure regulation.
Process objectives affect temperature parameters:
Repairing lattice defects: usually requires around 500 ℃, and processing damage is eliminated through short-term high temperature.
Activation of doped atoms: above 950 ℃ is required to promote the entry of impurity atoms into the lattice position.
Thin film densification: For example, after annealing at 350 ℃, PZT thin films achieve preferred grain orientation distribution, improving their piezoelectric properties.

3. Key technologies for temperature control
Heating rate: The heating rate of RTP tube furnace can reach over 100 ℃/s, far exceeding the traditional furnace tube’s 1 ℃ to 20 ℃/min. Rapid heating can reduce impurity diffusion, but it needs to be adjusted according to the material (for example, the heating rate of GaN material should not exceed 50 ℃/s).
Cooling rate: Rapid cooling is achieved through water cooling or gas circulation, with some equipment cooling at a rate of up to 100 ℃/second. Rapid cooling can fix the microstructure at high temperatures, similar to quenching effect, and improve material properties.
Atmosphere control: The gas purity should reach 5N level (99.999%), the nitrogen flow rate is usually set at 5 to 20 liters/minute, and the oxygen content should be below 1ppm to prevent oxidation. High vacuum mode (10 ⁻³ to 10 ⁻⁵ Torr) is suitable for sensitive materials, while normal pressure mode combined with protective gas is suitable for batch processing.