In situ monitoring of industrial-scale chemical vapor deposition using residual gas analysis

The maintenance of industrial-scale equipment demands more effort and incurs higher costs compared to that of laboratory-scale equipment, necessitating the use of predictive maintenance techniques to mitigate unforeseen outcomes. This paper presents a demonstration of the in situ monitoring of industrial-scale low-pressure chemical vapor deposition equipment by using a residual gas analyzer (RGA). The RGA provides reactions of precursor gases by tracing the concentration and composition of residual gases within vacuum reactors. Furthermore, RGA analysis enables the prediction of the growth rate of the thin-film, providing insights into thin-film growth dynamics during the process. In situ monitoring using an RGA can be applied to diverse semiconductor fabrication processes, including thin-film growth, oxidation, reactive ion etching, and ion implantation, owing to its compatibility with vacuum processes. This study addresses the existing difficulties in the exploration of RGA monitoring techniques for industrial-scale equipment and bridges the disparity between laboratory-scale and industrial-scale processes.