Low-temperature processing
200–400°C deposition protects temperature-sensitive substrates and allows films to be added after metallization without degrading the metal.
Process · Thin-Film Deposition
PECVD — Plasma-Enhanced CVD
Low-temperature plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition of SiO₂, Si₃N₄, SiON and amorphous silicon with tunable refractive index and film stress on 100–300mm wafers.
200–400°C Deposition Temperature
SiO₂ · SiNx · SiON · a-Si Film Materials
Tunable n & stress Refractive Index & Stress
100mm–300mm Wafer Sizes
Overview
Plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) uses an RF plasma — typically at 13.56 MHz — to activate and dissociate precursor gases such as silane (SiH₄), nitrous oxide (N₂O) and ammonia (NH₃) inside the chamber. The resulting reactive radicals react on the heated wafer surface to form a thin film, letting deposition proceed at far lower temperatures than thermally driven CVD.
Because the plasma supplies the activation energy, PECVD films deposit at 200–400°C instead of the 600–900°C typical of LPCVD. This opens up passivation and dielectric deposition on temperature-sensitive substrates and on wafers that already carry metallization, and it allows the refractive index and film stress to be engineered by adjusting the gas ratio and RF power.
Why PECVD
Tunable index & stress
Adjusting the SiH₄/NH₃ ratio and RF power tunes SiNx refractive index (≈1.85–2.10) and shifts stress from compressive to tensile, useful for optical films and warpage control.
Good step coverage
Plasma-assisted deposition coats steps, trenches and moderate aspect-ratio features more conformally than physical vapor deposition, making it reliable for passivation and TSV/TGV isolation.
High throughput
Faster deposition rates than thermal LPCVD keep passivation and interlayer dielectric steps economical at production volumes.
Deposited Film Materials
PECVD is used for a focused set of dielectric and semiconductor films whose composition, refractive index and stress are tuned through the gas chemistry and plasma conditions.
| Film | Composition | Refractive index | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Silicon dioxide | SiO₂ | ≈ 1.46 | Interlayer dielectric, passivation, TSV/TGV isolation liner |
| Silicon nitride | Si₃N₄ / SiNx | 1.85–2.10 (tunable) | Passivation, moisture barrier, anti-reflective coating |
| Silicon oxynitride | SiON | tunable (SiO₂↔Si₃N₄) | Anti-reflective coating, graded-index layers |
| Amorphous silicon | a-Si:H | — | MEMS sacrificial layer, thin-film devices |
| Silicon carbide / DLC | SiC / DLC | — | Hard protective coatings |
Process Capabilities
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Deposition temperature | 200–400°C |
| Film thickness | 50nm–10μm |
| Refractive index (SiNx) | 1.85–2.10 (tunable) |
| Film stress | Compressive to tensile (tunable) |
| Uniformity | < 3% (1σ) |
| RF frequency | 13.56 MHz (HF), optional LF mixing |
| Step coverage | Conformal on moderate aspect-ratio features |
| Substrates | 100mm–300mm wafers, fragments |
Typical Applications
Passivation & protection
PECVD Si₃N₄ forms a moisture and ion-migration barrier that protects devices from the environment and from mobile-ion contamination.
Interlayer dielectric
Low-temperature SiO₂ provides electrical isolation between conductor levels without exceeding the thermal budget of the metal stack.
Anti-reflective coatings
SiON and Si₃N₄ layers with tuned index reduce substrate reflectivity and standing waves, tightening photolithography linewidth control.
MEMS sacrificial & structural layers
Amorphous silicon and low-stress nitride act as sacrificial layers and structural membranes in MEMS release and cantilever flows.
TSV / TGV sidewall isolation
Conformal PECVD SiO₂ lines through-silicon and through-glass vias before barrier and copper metallization.
Optical coatings & DBR
Alternating SiO₂ and Si₃N₄ quarter-wave layers build distributed Bragg reflectors and other optical multilayer stacks with controlled index contrast.
GINECHIP PECVD Capabilities
GINECHIP runs PECVD as part of an integrated deposition flow, so the deposited film stays compatible with the lithography, etch, planarization and bonding steps around it — designed, deposited and verified in one process loop rather than across vendors.
Film materials
SiO₂, SiNx (Si₃N₄), SiON and hydrogenated a-Si, with optional SiC and DLC for hard protective coatings.
Index & stress control
Gas ratio and dual-frequency RF tuning set SiNx refractive index and stress, verified by spectroscopic ellipsometry and wafer-bow measurement on monitor wafers.
Metrology & quality
Ellipsometry, reflectometry, film-stress and uniformity measurement accompany every lot, under ISO 9001:2015 and SEMI standards compliance.
Integration & scale
From single-wafer engineering runs to pilot production on fragments and 100–300mm wafers, with one certificate of conformance for the full process flow.
Need Low-Temperature Dielectric Films?
Share your target film, thickness, refractive index and stress, and substrate — our process engineers will confirm the achievable recipe and return a quotation within 24 hours.