Description
The ppm-level zirconia oxygen analyzer integrated with a Type B thermocouple is a premier instrumentation suite designed for semiconductor front-end manufacturing and ultra-high vacuum heat treatment
Principle
At high temperatures, stabilized zirconia acts as an oxygen-ion conductor; the oxygen concentration difference between its two sides generates a measurable voltage used to calculate oxygen levels via the Nernst equation.
Application
• ALD / CVD (Atomic Layer Deposition / Chemical Vapor Deposition)
Precursor Protection & Film Purity: Extremely sensitive real-time ppm/ppb-level O2 monitoring inside CVD/ALD reaction chambers to prevent trace oxygen from prematurely decomposing highly reactive organometallic precursors, ensuring atomic-layer film uniformity and pristine electrical properties.
High-K Dielectric Layer Quality Control: Precise control of trace oxygen stoichiometry during the growth of ultra-thin oxide layers (e.g., HfO2, Al2 O3) on silicon wafers to maintain stable dielectric constants.
• PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition)
Film Adhesion and Defect Prevention: Real-time diagnostics of residual or leaking oxygen in high-vacuum PVD chambers. Trace oxygen during physical deposition leads to poor metal-to-substrate adhesion, mechanical stress, and unexpected optical absorption in thin films.
• Magnetron Sputtering
Target Stoichiometry Stabilization: Continuous monitoring of background oxygen levels in noble gas (e.g., Ultra-Pure Argon) plasma environments. Even ppm-level O2 contamination can "poison" sputtering targets (especially reactive metals like Ti, Al, or Ta), drastically altering the deposition rate, film refractive index, and sheet resistance.
• E-beam Evaporation
Molten Source Protection: In-line monitoring of O2 concentration inside electron-beam evaporation chambers. Preventing trace oxygen from oxidizing the highly reactive molten metal source (crucible) at extreme temperatures, which would otherwise introduce oxide particulates and pinhole defects into the evaporated metal layers.
• Vacuum Furnace
Ultra-High Temperature Process Control: Engineered for vacuum brazing, high-temperature sintering, and vacuum annealing furnaces operating up to 1700°C. The integrated Type B (platinum-rhodium) thermocouple provides drift-free, non-contaminating temperature feedback under high vacuum, allowing the zirconia sensor to accurately calculate absolute oxygen partial pressures to protect refractory metals (W, Mo, Ta) and advanced ceramics from oxidation or decarburization.
Advantage
★Temperature measurement via Type B thermocouple ensures high stability and precise oxygen calculations
Measurement components and ranges
• O2: 0.1 ~ 10000ppm
For detailed introduction, please refer to Zirconia O2 Analyzer.