Temperature may be controlled and monitored by either a thermocouple (at low temperatures of 400-600°C ) or a pyrometer (at higher temperatures of 600-1100°C). NOTE: We will abbreviate thermocouple as TC and pyrometer as pyro in the remainder of this spec. The system is controlled in the automatic mode by a PC/Windows computer.

Samples can be small pieces of substrate or up to 6 inches in diameter and must be clean and free from oils, grease etc. If possible, an RCA or piranha clean is recommended before annealing. Temperatures which cause volatilization (e.g. vapors) of the substrate or film to be annealed MUST BE AVOIDED. This will coat the chamber and cause the pyrometer to be incorrect as well as contaminate the next user’s samples. This chamber may be used for:      

• Metal/silicide formation   500-900°C 
• III-V ohmic contact anneal   400-650°C 
• Ferroelectric/pyroelectric film annealing 400-900°C

High temperature annealing (>650°C) of compound substrates will require special fixturing.