SBIR Phase I: In-Situ Resistivity Measurement of Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE)-Grown Layers

这个小型企业创新研究第一阶段项目将生产一种毫米波传感器，该传感器可以远程实时测量分子束外延(MBE)生长的晶片的方块电阻率。用分子束外延技术制造高性能的半导体外延片需要精确的掺杂和层厚控制，以获得最佳的器件和电路性能。高重复性要求每次的精确掺杂和层厚度都相同。U晶片的片电阻率是表明这些变量在最终晶片结构中是正确的关键校准参数。目前用于监测这一参数的方法是在MBE机器的超高真空(UHV)室外测量特殊校准晶片的方块电阻率。如果片状电阻率不符合规格，则必须在对实际产品晶片进行进一步加工之前进行新的校准运行，并调整生长条件。这需要通过加载锁额外加载和卸载晶片，通常会导致生产延迟和MBE吞吐量降低。这种创新的波浪传感器方法消除了所有这些浪费。第一阶段工作的总体目标是证明在分子束外延机中使用完全位于特高压室外的仪器在线监测GaAs或InP外延片(通常用于MMIC)方块电阻率的可行性。这一能力将简化生产流程，同时以更低的成本和更高的产能提供卓越的性能和外延晶圆的精确再现性。这将为各种军事和商业系统应用提供一致和可靠的最佳器件和电路(例如微波和毫米波集成电路)。用于现场MBE测量的方块电阻率传感器的开发将导致大批量生产GaAs和InP外延片的产品改进和制造成本的降低。然而，该仪器的应用并不局限于任何一种半导体材料。它具有在包括硅在内的宿主衬底上生长的任何中等到高度导电的外延材料的潜在用途。

This Small Business Innovative Research Phase I project will produce a MM-wave sensor that remotely measures sheet resistivity in real time of Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) grown wafers. Manufacturing high performance semiconductor epitaxial wafers by MBE requires precision doping and layer thickness control to obtain optimum device and circuit performance. High reproducibility requires the precise doping and layer thickness to be the same every time. The u wafer sheet resistivity is a key calibration parameter that indicates these variables are correct in the final wafer structure. The current approach used for monitoring this parameter is to measure the sheet resistivity on special calibration wafers outside the ultra high vacuum (UHV) chamber of the MBE machine. If the sheet resistivity is out of specification a new calibration run with adjusted growth conditions must be performed before the actual product wafers may be further processed. This entails extra loading and unloading of wafers through the load locks and generally results in production delays and lower MBE throughput. This innovative wave sensor approach eliminates all of this waste. The overall objective for the Phase I effort is to demonstrate the feasibility of in situ monitoring of sheet resistivity of GaAs or InP epitaxial wafers (typically used for MMICs) inside an MBE machine with an instrument located completely outside the UHV chamber. This capability will streamline the production process while providing superior performance and precise reproducibility of the epi-wafers at a reduced cost and higher throughput. This will allow consistent and reliable optimum devices and circuits (e.g. microwave and mm-wave integrated circuits) for various military and commercial system applications. The development of a sheet resistivity sensor for in situ MBE measurements will result in product improvement and reduction of manufacturing costs for high volume production of GaAs and InP epitaxial wafers. The instrument's application, however, is not restricted to any one semiconductor material. It has potential use for any moderately to highly conducting epitaxial material grown on a host substrate including silicon.