SBIR Phase I: Srbi2TaO9 Thin Film Laser Annealing Tool for Ferreolectric Memory Applications

这个小型企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目将证明激光退火可以使SrBi 2 Ta 2 O 9（SBT）薄膜结晶到器件就绪的质量，同时保持衬底温度在与CMOS元件兼容的水平。SBT薄膜是用于非易失性铁电存储器应用（FeRAM）的强有力的候选者，由于其“无疲劳”的读/写性能和低电压操作。然而，SBT膜通常需要后沉积退火步骤（在氧气中700 ℃）以使膜结晶并实现最佳性能。该高温退火步骤与当前的IC制造方案不兼容，特别是与使用钨作为第一级接触的设计不兼容。这种激光退火工具将防止对底层CMOS结构的热损伤，并使SBT薄膜能够在FeRAM器件应用中被接受。 该项目将通过退火薄膜和演示设备性能来证明概念。 铁电体正准备迅速扩展到数十亿美元的非易失性存储器市场。该工具将加速市场渗透，从而成为每年数亿美元的工具市场的关键组成部分。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I Project will prove that laser annealing can crystallize thin films of SrBi2Ta2O9 (SBT) to a device ready quality, while keeping the substrate temperature at a level compatible with CMOS components. SBT films are strong candidates for use in non-volatile ferroelectric memory applications (FeRAM), due to their "fatigue-free" read/write performance and low voltage operation. However, SBT films typically require a post deposition-annealing step ( 700 C in oxygen) to crystallize the films and achieve optimum performance. This high temperature-annealing step is incompatible with current IC fabrication schemes, particularly designs that use tungsten for the first level contacts. This laser-annealing tool will prevent thermal damage to the underlying CMOS structures, and enable SBT film acceptance in FeRAM device applications. The project will show proof of concept by annealing films and demonstrating device performance. Ferroelectrics are poised to rapidly expand into the several billion-dollar non-volatile memory markets. This tool will accelerate this market penetration and thereby become a key component of a multiple hundreds of million dollars per year tool market.