VECTOR Product Family

As feature dimensions in advanced semiconductors continue to shrink, many critical process steps rely on the deposition of exceptionally high-quality dielectrics – smooth, void-free films that meet exacting thickness, feature coverage, mechanical stress, and electrical requirements. PECVD technology is often used for these processes. For example, in 3D NAND designs, in-situ PECVD deposition of well over 100 pairs of alternating film layers requires the capability to closely control stress and defectivity of each individual layer while depositing perfectly flat, multi-layer structures. Another key application is hardmask films – sacrificial layers that enable precise patterning when conventional masks fail. Here, ultra-smooth and uniform films are needed to avoid compounding errors over many passes, while good film mechanical strength helps to avoid line pattern collapse in very high aspect ratio features. To address these diverse and challenging requirements, deposition equipment must provide flexibility for a wide range of process applications, while maintaining high productivity and low cost.