THE MOST IMPORTANT AND CRITICAL WARNINGS:
- Absolute maximum processing temperature in Pyrometer control mode: 1200 C.
- Absolute maximum processing temperature in Thermocouple control mode: 900 C (only <3 minutes)
- In Thermocouple control mode, NEVER run process without thermocouple (TC) in proper contact with your sample. Failure to follow this will result in severe damages of equipment.
- At temperatures higher than 900C, only pyrometer control mode is allowed, and the thermocouple should be pulled out from the sample and hidden a few millimiters below the surface of the plate.
- In Pyrometer control mode, use Pyrometer calibration table only for the correct material.
- Make sure the pyrometer calibration table covers the full temperature range of the process and has enough points; use calculations for setting calibration values for temperatures higher than 900C. The last two points of pyrometer calibration table should be assigned for 1300C (same values for output voltage).
- Never exceed the maximum heating time: [1200C; 5 min] [1100C; 10 min] [1000C, 30 min] [900 C; 60 min] [800 C; 120 min].
- In pyrometer mode, use SiC susceptor as sample carrier instead of silicon wafer.
- Never use metallic tools to handle the susceptor.
- SiC susceptor is expensive and can be easily ruined by contamination from samples, gloves or tweezers.
- After processing with pyrometer control, chamber and SiC susceptor are still very hot after the chamber is vented. DO NOT TOUCH THE SUSCEPTOR FOR 15 MINUTES after process.
- When thermocouple is in use, first place the sample, then bring the thermocouple into contact with the sample. When process is finished, first pull down the thermocouple, then remove the sample. Termocouple breaks easily, if it is not handled carefully.
- Temperature ramp up and down rates should never exceed 50 C/s.
- Gas flows rates should be small <200 sccm especially if temperature exceeds 600°C.
- A cooling down step is mandatory in the end of any process recipe.
- The tool should never be left unattended with process ongoing. Person operating the furnace needs to close to the system during the whole processing time.
- In case of improper use, sample material can melt in a few seconds and damage the equipment.
- If a damage or contamination of the tool is caused by a serious mistake of a user (due to eg. wrong or forbidden material used, wrong temperature control mode, wrong process temperature, wrong ramp-up rate or heating time, etc.), then the expenses related to maintenance and repair might be assigned to the project of the user in question.
MATERIALS NOT ALLOWED:
- Protoresists, plastic
- Cd (including CdTe), Pb, Hg, Zn, Mn, Fe
Limitations (max temperature):
- Au: 400C
- GaAs: 500C

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