Low-temperature/BEOL-compatible highly scalable graphene synthesis tool
In one aspect, a highly scalable diffusion-couple apparatus includes a transfer chamber configured to load a wafer into a process chamber. The process chamber is configured to receive the wafer substrate from the transfer chamber. The process chamber comprises a chamber for growth of a diffusion material on the wafer. A heatable bottom substrate disk includes a first heating mechanism. The heatable bottom substrate disk is fixed and heatable to a specified temperature. The wafer is placed on the heatable bottom substrate disk. A heatable top substrate disk comprising a second heating mechanism. The heatable top substrate disk is configured to move up and down along an x axis and an x prime axis to apply a mechanical pressure to the wafer on the heatable bottom substrate disk. While the heatable top substrate disk applies the mechanical pressure a chamber pressure is maintained at a specified low value. The first heating mechanism and the second heating mechanism can be independently tuned to any value in the working range.
1. A scalable diffusion-couple apparatus comprising:
a transfer chamber configured to load a wafer into a process chamber;
the process chamber configured to receive the wafer from the transfer chamber comprising:
a chamber for growth of a diffusion material on the wafer;
a heatable bottom disk comprising a first heating mechanism,
wherein the heatable bottom disk is fixed and heatable to a specified temperature, and
wherein the wafer is placed on the heatable bottom disk;
a heatable top disk comprising a second heating mechanism,
wherein the heatable top disk is configured to move up and down along an x axis and an x prime axis to apply a mechanical pressure to the wafer on the heatable bottom disk, and
wherein the heatable top disk applies the mechanical pressure while a chamber pressure is maintained at a less than 10 −3 torr;
wherein the first heating mechanism and the second heating mechanism are tuned independently.
2. The scalable diffusion-couple apparatus of claim 1 ,
wherein the diffusion material comprises a carbon material.
3. The scalable diffusion-couple apparatus of claim 2 ,
wherein the carbon material comprises a graphene material.
4. The scalable diffusion-couple apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
one or more pumps configured to control a pressure value in the process chamber to between 10 −3 torr to 10 −7 torr.
5. The scalable diffusion-couple apparatus of claim 1 ,
wherein the wafer comprises a silicon wafer of a 300 mm diameter, a 200 mm diameter, or a 150 mm diameter.
6. The scalable diffusion-couple apparatus of claim 1 ,
wherein the heatable bottom disk comprises a 300 mm disk.
7. The scalable diffusion-couple apparatus of claim 1 ,
wherein the heatable bottom disk is heated to 500° C. with a ±3° C. uniformity across the heatable bottom disk while the heatable top disk applies the mechanical pressure to the wafer.
8. The scalable diffusion-couple apparatus of claim 7 ,
wherein the heatable top disk applies 50 psi to 125 psi of mechanical pressure to the wafer.
9. The scalable diffusion-couple apparatus of claim 1 ,
wherein the heatable top disk applies the mechanical pressure while the chamber pressure is maintained at a 10 −6 to 10 −7 torr to prevent contamination of the growth process.
10. The scalable diffusion-couple apparatus of claim 1 ,
wherein a direct synthesis of high-quality atomically-thin film is performed in the process chamber.
11. The scalable diffusion-couple apparatus of claim 1 ,
wherein the scalable diffusion-couple apparatus is integrated in a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) microelectronics manufacturing process.
12. The scalable diffusion-couple apparatus of claim 1 ,
further comprising a liner having surface that is composed of graphite.
13. The diffusion-couple apparatus of claim 1 ,
further comprising a liner that comprises an Aluminum Nitride, quartz, or a SiC coated graphite.
14. The scalable diffusion-couple apparatus of claim 1 ,
wherein a liner comprises Aluminum.