Used DNS LA-820 Single-Piece Rapid Thermal Processing Equipment

The DNS LA-820 is a single-wafer Rapid Thermal Processing (RTP) system developed by Dainippon Screen (DNS). Primarily used for Rapid Thermal Annealing (RTA) in mature-node production lines, it is a classic, high-throughput model from the 8-inch (200mm) wafer era.

Core Focus: Precise Thermal Budget Control

The system employs a single-wafer processing approach, utilizing rapid heating and cooling to minimize the time wafers spend at high temperatures, thereby enabling precise control over the thermal budget. Key applications include dopant activation annealing following ion implantation, metal-silicide alloying, as well as Rapid Thermal Oxidation (RTO) and Rapid Thermal Nitridation (RTN) processes.

Key Technical Features

Zoned Lamp Heating: The system features upper and lower banks of halogen infrared lamps, organized into 8 independently controlled temperature zones. Each zone utilizes a dedicated PID closed-loop control system to ensure excellent intra-wafer temperature uniformity.

Temperature Control and Wafer Compatibility: Designed for high-volume manufacturing, the system operates within a typical temperature range of 300–1050°C, with a temperature control precision of ±1°C. It supports both 6-inch and 8-inch wafers and is compatible with various substrates, including silicon and compound semiconductors such as GaAs and GaN.

Rapid Cooling Mechanism: The system comes standard with nitrogen-purge rapid cooling; an optional mechanical shutter can be added to accelerate cooling further, helping to mitigate thermal stress-induced wafer warpage.

Summary

With its 8-zone independent lamp control—which ensures a uniform thermal field—and its capability for rapid, single-wafer heating and cooling, the LA-820 has established itself as a reliable, high-volume production tool. It is widely used in mature 8-inch manufacturing lines for logic devices, power devices, and MEMS, specifically for processes such as ion-implantation activation and alloy annealing.