Spring 2012 EE 618

Vacuum Systems

Slides Compiled by SSK Iyer

Spring 2012 EE 618

Popular Units
1 atmosphere = 760 torr = 1.013×105 Pa

Popular Units
1 torr = 1 mm of Hg = 133.3 Pa
1 mtorr = 1 µm of Hg

SI units
1 bar = 105 Pa = 750 torr
1 Pa = 7.5 mtorr = 1 N⋅m-2
Spring 2012 EE 618

Vacuum in VLSI Processing

Vacuum Level Pressure Scale Applications
105 to 3.3×103 Pa
Low vacuum CVD, CVD-Epi
750 to 25 torr
3.3×103 to 10-1 Pa
Medium vacuum Sputtering, RIE, LPCVD
25 to 7.5×10-4 torr
10-1 to 10-4 Pa
High vacuum PIII, Evaporation
7.5×10-4 to 7.5×10-7 torr
10-4 to 10-7 Pa Implantation, SEM, X-
Very high vacuum
7.5×10-7 to 7.5×10-10 torr ray, Electron lithography
10-7 to 10-10 Pa
Ultra high vacuum MBE, surface science
7.5×10-10 to 7.5×10-13 torr
Spring 2012 EE 618

Gas Laws
Avogadro Number
Av = 6.022×1023 molecules / 22.4 lit (one mole) at STP
[1 lit = 10-3 m-3 = 1 dm3; STP≡ 273 K temperature and 1 atm pressure]
m = 28.85 amu = 4.79×10-23 g = 4.79×10-26 kg for air
[for air: 78% N2, 21% O2, 0.93% Ar, 0.039% CO2 …]

Idea gas law

PV = NkT k = 1.38×10-23 J molecule-1 K-1
At 300 K, kT = 3.1×10-20 torr-lit = 4.14×10-21 J = 0.0259 eV

Dalton’s law of partial pressures

Ptotal = P1 + P2 + P3 + … + Pn Ntotal = N1 + N2 + N3 + … + Nn
P1V = N1kT , P2V = N2kT , P3V = N3kT , … PnV = NnkT
Spring 2012 EE 618

Molecule Veolcity
Average molecule velocity
From Maxwell Botzmann Distribution
∞
8kT
v = ∫ v( E ) ⋅ Pr( E ) ⋅ dE =
0
πm

<v> = 469.14 m⋅s-1 at 300 K

3kT 2kT
Please note: v rms
= and v mod e =
m m
Spring 2012 EE 618

Mean Free Path

1
λ= 2
2π ⋅ d 0 ⋅ n
where n = N/V and d0 is the molecule diameter (≈ 3.5 Å)
For air at 300 K, λ (in mm) = 6.67 / P (in Pa) = 0.05 / P (in
torr)
= 65.8 nm at 1 atm. (!)
For l = 30 cm, P ≤ 1.67×10-4 torr (2.2×10-2 Pa)
Helps you design your vacuum system chamber
Spring 2012 EE 618

Impinge Rate on Surfaces

n⋅v
Φ=
Number of molecules striking unit surface per unit time
4
P
= 3.5 × 10 22 cm2⋅s-1 where P is in torr and m is in amu
mT

@ 300 K, F ≈ 3.76×1020⋅P cm-2s-1

= 2.86×1023 cm-2s-1 at 1 atm.
= 3.76×1014 cm-2s-1 at 10-6 torr (!)

Pressure

n⋅m⋅v 2
P=
3
Spring 2012
Interaction With Walls
• Thermodynamic equilibrium
– Condensed phase and vapour
• Vapour and gas
• Vapour pressure
• Absorption
– In the volume of the material
• Adsorption - on the surface
– Adsorbate
– Physisorbtion
– Chemisorbtion
– Surface migration
– Desorption (thermal energy,
photoenergy, energy of impact
of ions or electrons, …)
EE 618
• Vaporisation
• Evaporation
• Sublimation
• Outgassing
– Due to vaporisation, thermal
desorption, diffusion and then
desorption, permeation of
outer chamber wall, electron
or ion-stimulated desorption
• Impinge rate, ZA= 3.5 × 10 22
P
mT
• Sticking coefficient sc
• Monolayer time τm
Spring 2012 EE 618

Measures for Flow

Gas flow
1 sccm (standard cubic centimetre per minute: at 0o C and 760 torr)
= 2.69×1019 molecules per minute (at 760 torr and 273 K)

Pumping speed (S)

S ≡ volume of a specific gas (eg. N2) passing a plane per unit time
Units: lit⋅s-1 or cm3⋅s-1
Throughput (Q)
Q ≡ Number of molecules removed per unit time
Units: Pa⋅m3⋅s-1 (≡ 1 W) or torr-lit/s
Q = S⋅P = P⋅(dV/dt) where P is the pressure

• Q is used instead of Q/kT assuming it is room temperature,

• Q constant only for isothermal system
• Power flow rate = mass flow rate only if the system is isothermal
Spring 2012 EE 618

Q=S⋅P

P2 . . . P3
P1
flow P4

tube
Pump
chamber Speed: S
dN
Q = kT = constant for isothermal system in steady state of pumping
dt across any plane normal to pumping direction

P varies along the tube P1S1 = P2S2 = P3S3 = …= PnSn

Spring 2012 EE 618

Conductance C
Q
C= = [m3 s-1] or [lit s-1]
∆P

Parallel connection: C = C1+ C2+ C3+ … + Cn

Series connection: C-1 = C1-1+ C2-1+ C3-1+ … + Cn-1
Impedance Z = C-1

Schamber outlet-1 = Spump-1+ Cpipe-1

By changing the tube impedance one may increase pressure in the chamber.
This is called throttling (often for RIE and sputtering).
Spring 2012 EE 618

QW
Pumping
gas desorbed from walls
Down

Evacuated
Chamber Pump

tube
Throughput SP
QL gas QF gas backflow gas pumped out
leaking in from pump
-V dP = dt (SP – QW – QL – QP)

At equilibrium, dP/dt = 0 and P = Pu and so PuS = QW – QL – QP

Effective pumping speed Se = SP – ΣQ = S(P – Pu)
Se = S(1 – Pu/P)

Effective pumping speed is zero when P = Pu
Spring 2012 EE 618

Residual Time
-V dP = dt (SP – QW – QL – QP)
For negligible leakage (or nearly constant leakage) we can derive
P = P0 exp (-S/V)t + Pu
Here V/S is called the residual time τ = V/S = VP / Q,
The final (ultimate pressure in steady state) Pu = ΣQi/S
P = P0 exp (-S/V)t
P
(log scale) Actual due to outgassing

t
Spring 2012 EE 618

System Performance
dN
• Desorption = ν ⋅ N ⋅ e − Ed / kT
dt

• Diffusion

• Permeation Qperm = Kp⋅∆P/d (here Kp = D.S*)

• Vaporisation (vapour pressure)

Spring 2012 EE 618

Gas Flow
Kn = Knudsen number
• Molecular Flow λ > d and Kn > 1
Interaction with the walls is most significant

Pin Pout

• Viscous Flow λ << d and so Kn << 1

Interaction between molecules more significant

Pin Pout

• Intermediate state 0.1 d < λ < d

Spring 2012 EE 618

Conductance for Molecular Flow

Molecular Flow λ > d
(a) 1/ 2
 kT  v
P1 P2 C = A⋅  = ⋅A
 2πm  4
Q1 Q2
For air at 300 K, C ≈ 11.8⋅A liter / s/ with A in cm2

(b) C for long tubes [where length l > 20 times diameter d]

1/ 2
πd 3 1  2πkT  d3 For air at 300 K, C ≈ 12⋅d3/l liter / s with d, l in cm2
C = ⋅v ⋅ =   ⋅
12 l 6 m  l
(c) C of tubes with arbitrary length l C-1 = Ctube-1 + Corifice-1

(d) C of complex structures

• Could use Monte Carlo simulations

C = a⋅Corifice
a is called the transmission probability
Spring 2012 EE 618

Conductance for Viscous Flow

l
(a) Long straight tubes
4
P1 d P2
πd ( P + P2 )
Q= ⋅ 1 ⋅ ( P1 − P2 )
128ηl 2
Poiseuille Equation [η is the viscosity]
d4
C = 188 ⋅ P liters / s for N2 at 20o C
l
where P is the mean pressure in torr and d and l in cm
Here conductance depends on the pressure!

C long
(b) Short tubes C =
 m Q
1 + 1.14 ⋅ 
 8πηkT l 

0.5(4mkT )
1/ 2
η= for λ < d (characteristic length)
π 3/ 2d02
η is given in Pa-s (= 10 poise)
Spring 2012 EE 618

Transition and Turbulent Flow

Transition Flow : λ ~ d or 0.1 < Kn < 1
d
1 + 2.507( λ )
• Q = Qviscous + z’ Qmolecular (emperical) where z' = 2
d
1 + 3.095( λ )
2

• Turbulent flow
– High velocities and pressures (in viscous flow)
– When Q > 200 d torr-liters / sec for air where d is the tube diameter
– Encountered briefly in the throttle line during roughing, but rarely in the
vacuum chamber
Spring 2012 EE 618

Wolf and Tauber

Table 1, page 78 mbar
Spring 2012 EE 618

Pumping Sequence

Chamber

Gate Valve

High
Vacuum
Pump

•Reach low enough vacuum with

Roughing roughing pump
Pump •Switch roughing pump to the
back of high vacuum pump
•Open gate valve and operate high
vacuum pump
Spring 2012 EE 618

Vacuum Pumps
• Compression Pumps
Remove molecules from chamber to outside atmosphere
– Rotary vane pump
– Root blowers
– Turb-molecular pumps
– Diffusion pumps
– …
• Entrapment Pumps
Trap the gas molecule and condense or bury them in solids (surfaces)
– Cryo pinps
– Ion pumps
– Sublimation pumps
– …
Spring 2012 EE 618

Rotary Pumps

Wolf and Tauber (i) To achieve pressures between 1 atmosphere to 1 Pa

Fig. 9(c) Page 85
(ii) Forepump for diffusion or turbomolecular pumps
Spring 2012 EE 618

Single Stage Rotary-Piston Pump

•Eccentric rotor slides along wall
•Oil seals the space between rotor and wall
•Need Dirt trap

•Simple and rugged

•Resistant to corrosion
•Better for pumping corrosive gases

•Oil contamination possible for low pressures

•(better for pressure > ~10s Pa (15 Pa)
•Oil replacement (use mist separation)

Wolf and Tauber

Fig. 9(a) Page 85
Spring 2012
Rotary Sliding-Vane Pump
w/o gas ballast device
Wolf and Tauber
Fig. 10 Page 86
•Vanes press against the walls
•Oil used between vanes and walls
•Can achieve lower vacuum
•Better for non-corrosive gas
EE 618
w/ gas ballast device
•Vanes might wear out with time
•Oil contamination possible
•Oil must have (i) low vapour pressure; (ii)
viscous; (iii) non-reactive with gases; (iv) non-
flammable
Spring 2012 EE 618

2-stage Sliding-Vane Rotary Pump

Wolf and Tauber

Fig. 9(b) Page 85
Spring 2012 EE 618

Root Pump
• Used in series with rotary pumps
• Counter rotating lobes (3000-3500 rmp)
• ~0.1 mm spacing between lobes and wall
• Uses oil only for lubrication
• Low pressure of 5×10-3 Pa can be achieved

• Root pump on ~ 2000 Pa

• Rating ~ 0.1 that of rotary pump
• Heating if operated at higher pressure

• Some oil contamination possible

• Backflow for outlet pressure < ~15-20 Pa

Wolf and Tauber

Fig. 12 Page 89
Also called root-blowers
Spring 2012 EE 618

Diffusion Pump

• Invented by Gaede in 1913

• High pumping capacity

• Simplicity
• Lower initial cost
• High vacuum if liquid nitrogen trap is used

• Can be used for ion sources in ion implanters

• Mass separators are used ☺

Wolf and Tauber

Fig.13, page 90
Spring 2012 EE 618

Operation Principle (Diffusion Pump)

• Oil in boiler with pressure ~ 200 Pa

• Supersonic stream condenses on walls
• Critical fore pressure value 50-75 Pa
• Critical inlet pressure value 0.1 Pa

• Backstreaming
• Evaporation on upper pump wall
• Over-divergence of vapour in top jet
• Evaporation from heated top lip
• Contamination from roughing pumps

• Creep barriers
• Liquid nitrogen traps (Meissner traps)
• Foreline pressure > 15 Pa

• Change oil periodically (once or twice a year)

Wolf and Tauber
Fig.13, page 90
Spring 2012 EE 618

Turbo-Molecular Pump

Wolf and Tauber

Fig. 16, page 96
Spring 2012 EE 618

Operation Principle (Turbo Pump)

• No back streaming
• One step pump

• Pumps inert gases well

• Cannot handle particulates

• High cost
• Pumps small molecules slowly

• Foreline pressure < 1 Pa

• Backline pressure ~ < 100 Pa
• ~ 10-8 to 10-9 Pa achieved

(24,000 to 36,000 rpm) • Least pressure limited by outgassing

• Removal of small molecules
Cheung
Spring 2012 EE 618

Cryo Pump
Remove gases by
• Cryocondensation
(Water vapour, N, O and Ar)

• Cryosorption
(H, He and Ne)

Wolf and Tauber

Fig.15, page 93
Spring 2012 EE 618

Operation Principle (Cryo Pump)

Refrigerant He
Three stages:
• ~ 77 K for removing water vapour
• ~ 15 K to remove N, O and Ar
• Charcoal at ~ 15 K to remove H and and He

• Clean (no oil blackflows, …)

• Simpler pump
• Steady pump speed below ~ 0.1 Pa
• Fast operation and cost is lower
• Higher cross-over pressure of ~102 Pa
• Can handle impulsive gas loads (gulps)
• Almost infinite capacity for H2O, N and O

• Stores large quantities of gas

• Corrosive gases?
• Accidental overpressure
• Heat load sensitivity
• Requires regeneration
Cheung
(warm up, pump out, chill down)
Spring 2012 EE 618

Ion Pump
Gas is pumped by
- Reaction with Ti atoms
- Implantation in Ti atoms
- Buried by sputtered Ti (eg. Ar)

• Clean
• Simple
• UHV compatible

• Need strong magnetic field

• Memory
• Inert gases are pumped slowly
• Relatively expensive
• Not good for corrosive / reactive gasses
• Regeneration
Cheung
Spring 2012 EE 618

Vacuum Guages

Wolf and Tauber

Table 2, page 98