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E-Beam Evaporator
HIGH ● Required for 48 electrical pads, heater interconnects, and SPAD contact bumpsRole in QLT Fabrication
The e-beam evaporator deposits a Ti (10 nm adhesion) / Au (200 nm conductor) bilayer by lift-off metallization on the foundry-returned SiN chip. This is the primary metallization tool ● all electrical connections between the quantum photonic processor and the external world pass through these metal layers.
Films Deposited
| Layer | Material | Thickness | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adhesion | Ti | 10 nm | Promotes Au adhesion to SiO₂ cladding surface |
| Contact pads | Au | 200 nm | Wire-bonding pads (48 per die) |
| Heater leads | Au | 200 nm (with Ti adhesion) | Routing from bond pads to TiN heaters |
| SPAD contacts | Au (bumps) | 500 nm–2 μm | Under-bump metallization for flip-chip SPAD attach |
Why E-Beam Evaporation
| Advantage | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Ti melting point (1668°C) | Thermal boats cannot reach this ● e-beam is required |
| Directionality | Superior line-of-sight deposition → clean lift-off sidewall profile |
| Multi-pocket hearth | Sequential Ti/Au deposition without breaking vacuum |
| High Au rate | 10–30 Å/s with excellent uniformity across substrate |
| Film purity | No Ar incorporation (unlike sputtering); important for wire bonding |
Recommended Configuration
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Ferrotec (Temescal Division), Livermore, CA |
| Model | FC-2000 (load-locked) / BJD-2000 (non-load-locked) |
| Website | temescal.ferrotec.com |
| Contact | [email protected] |
| Chamber | 20" bell jar, water-cooled stainless steel |
| Source-to-substrate distance | 19.5" standard; 27.5" with extension collar |
| E-beam gun | 270° deflection; 4×25cc PopTop turret + 1 fixed pocket |
| Power supply | CV-6SLX (6 kW) or CV-12SLX (12 kW), 10 kV |
| Sweep controller | TemEBeam Controller ● sweep, index, gun & HV |
| Load lock | FC-2000: isolates source chamber from product chamber during substrate exchange |
| Product chamber cryopump | CT-400: 17,500 L/s |
| Source chamber cryopump | CT-8: 4,000 L/s |
| Pump-down time | < 10 min to 1×10⁻⁶ Torr (FC-2000 with load lock) |
| Max wafer count | 42×2" wafers; 13×100 mm wafers (lift-off configuration) |
| Ion gun | MKI filament (for pre-clean) |
| QCM | Inficon IC5 or IC6 deposition controller |
| Compliance | SECS/GEM capable; CE available |
| Advantage | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Ti melting point (1668°C) | Thermal boats cannot reach this ● e-beam is required |
| Directionality | Superior line-of-sight deposition → clean lift-off sidewall profile |
| Multi-pocket hearth | Sequential Ti/Au deposition without breaking vacuum |
| High Au rate | 10–30 Å/s with excellent uniformity across substrate |
| Film purity | No Ar incorporation (unlike sputtering); important for wire bonding |
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Ferrotec (Temescal Division), Livermore, CA |
| Model | FC-2000 (load-locked) / BJD-2000 (non-load-locked) |
| Website | temescal.ferrotec.com |
| Contact | [email protected] |
| Chamber | 20" bell jar, water-cooled stainless steel |
| Source-to-substrate distance | 19.5" standard; 27.5" with extension collar |
| E-beam gun | 270° deflection; 4×25cc PopTop turret + 1 fixed pocket |
| Power supply | CV-6SLX (6 kW) or CV-12SLX (12 kW), 10 kV |
| Sweep controller | TemEBeam Controller ● sweep, index, gun & HV |
| Load lock | FC-2000: isolates source chamber from product chamber during substrate exchange |
| Product chamber cryopump | CT-400: 17,500 L/s |
| Source chamber cryopump | CT-8: 4,000 L/s |
| Pump-down time | < 10 min to 1×10⁻⁶ Torr (FC-2000 with load lock) |
| Max wafer count | 42×2" wafers; 13×100 mm wafers (lift-off configuration) |
| Ion gun | MKI filament (for pre-clean) |
| QCM | Inficon IC5 or IC6 deposition controller |
| Compliance | SECS/GEM capable; CE available |
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | CHA Industries (now PlasmaTherm subsidiary), Livermore, CA |
| Model | Mark 50 (ISS ● Isolated Source) |
| Website | chaindustries.com |
| Contact | [email protected] / +1 (510) 683-8554 |
| Chamber | 32" × 32" horizontal, water-cooled cylindrical |
| E-beam power | 6–15 kW (Telemark SX-10 aftermarket upgrade available) |
| Hearth | 4–6 pocket electron beam source |
| Ion gun | Ion pre-clean with AUTO controller |
| Substrate heater | Up to 400°C, multi-element |
| Ultimate vacuum | 10⁻⁸ Torr (chamber); 10⁻⁹ Torr (system) |
| Cryo coil | 50,000 L/s pumping speed for water vapor |
| Substrate domes | 4" and 6" dome options |
| Footprint | 79.5" W × 64" D × 78.5" H |
| Utilities | Air 85–125 PSIG; water 10 GPM |
Process Integration
QLT PROCESS FLOW ● E-Beam Evaporator (Steps B5/B9): PRE-REQUISITES: ├── SiN chip with lift-off photoresist pattern (Step B4) ├── Resist profile: undercut sidewall for clean lift-off └── Chip cleaned (O₂ plasma descum, 30 s) STEP 1: Load Wafer ├── Mount chip on planetary dome (center position) ├── Load Ti pellets in pocket #1, Au slug in pocket #2 └── Close load lock (FC-2000) or main chamber (BJD-1800) STEP 2: Pump Down ├── Rough to < 100 mTorr ├── Open gate valve to cryopump ├── Achieve < 5×10⁻⁷ Torr base pressure └── FC-2000 load lock: < 10 min to 10⁻⁶ Torr STEP 3: Ion Pre-Clean (Optional) ├── Ar+ ion gun: 500 eV, 2 min └── Removes surface contaminants for better adhesion STEP 4: Ti Deposition ├── Index hearth to Ti pocket ├── Ramp e-beam slowly; set sweep pattern for uniform melt ├── Open shutter at 1–2 Å/s rate ├── Deposit 10 nm (QCM controlled) └── Close shutter STEP 5: Au Deposition ├── Index hearth to Au pocket (without breaking vacuum) ├── Ramp to 10–20 Å/s ├── Open shutter; deposit 200 nm (or 500 nm–2 μm for SPAD bumps) └── Close shutter STEP 6: Cool & Unload ├── Wait 5 min for substrate cooling ├── Vent load lock with dry N₂ └── Remove chip for lift-off processing STEP 7: Lift-Off ├── Immerse in acetone bath, 30 min with gentle ultrasonic ├── Rinse IPA → DI water → N₂ dry └── Inspect under microscope; verify pattern integrity
Vendor Options & Pricing
New System Pricing
| Model | Configuration | Price (2025–2026) | Lead Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Temescal FC-2000 (load-locked, 6 kW) | 4-pocket PopTop, CT-400 cryo, QCM | $250,000–$400,000 | 16–24 weeks |
| CHA Mark 50 (ISS, 6–15 kW) | 4–6 pocket, ion pre-clean, domes | $200,000–$350,000 | 14–20 weeks |
| Angstrom Engineering Amod (e-beam config) | Modern controls, configurable | $150,000–$250,000 | 12–16 weeks |
Used/Refurbished Market (2025–2026 Listings)
| Model | "As-Is" | Tested/Functional | Full Refurb w/Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Temescal FC-2000 | $20,000–$40,000 | $40,000–$70,000 | $70,000–$110,000 |
| CHA Mark 50 | $45,000 (as-is, SemiStar listing) | $100,000–$145,000 | $145,000–$189,500 |
| CHA Mark 50 ISS (2021 Telemark upgrade) | ● | ● | $189,500 (LabX listing, Feb 2026) |
| Temescal BJD-1800 | $8,000–$20,000 | $18,000–$35,000 | $30,000–$50,000 |
| CHA SE-600 | $12,000–$25,000 | $25,000–$45,000 | $45,000–$70,000 |
| Denton Explorer 14 (e-beam) | $30,000–$50,000 | $50,000–$70,000 | ● |
Active Marketplace Listings (as of Q1 2026)
| Source | Model | Condition | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moov Technologies | Temescal FC-2000 | Used (multiple units) | Contact for quote | moov.co |
| CAE Online | Temescal BJD-1800 (16 offers) | Various | Request price | caeonline.com |
| LabX | CHA Mark 50 ISS (Palo Alto, CA) | Refurb w/ Telemark SX-10 | $189,500 | 2021 upgrade; Inficon IC6 |
| SemiStar | CHA Mark 50 | As-is from GaAs fab | $145,000 | Morgan Hill, CA |
| Exapro | CHA Mark 50 (vintage 2000) | Good condition, tested | Price on request | USA location |
Vendor Directory
| Vendor | Type | Contact | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ferrotec (Temescal) | OEM + certified refurb | temescal.ferrotec.com | OEM parts + support |
| CHA Industries | OEM | chaindustries.com / +1 (510) 683-8554 | Mark 50 OEM |
| Angstrom Engineering | OEM (new) | angstromengineering.com | Modern Amod platform |
| ClassOne Equipment | Refurbished specialist | classoneequipment.com | 6–12 month warranty |
| LabX | Used marketplace | labx.com | Active e-beam listings |
| Used-Line | Aggregator | used-line.com | Good Temescal inventory |
| EquipX | Used marketplace | equipx.net | CHA units common |
| Capovani Brothers | Used dealer | capovani.com | Major NE dealer |
| Moov Technologies | Used semiconductor | moov.co | Multiple FC-2000 units |
| CAE Online | Used semiconductor | caeonline.com | 17+ Temescal models |
| SemiStar | Used dealer | semistarcorp.com | Bay Area; CHA inventory |
Price History
USED E-BEAM EVAPORATOR PRICE TREND (Temescal FC-2000 class): 2018-2019: $25-50k (pre-COVID; moderate supply) 2020-2021: $30-60k (tighter supply; labs retained equipment) 2022-2023: $45-80k (peak: AI/packaging driving deposition demand) 2024-2025: $40-70k (cooling from peak; more units entering market) 2025-2026: $35-65k (favorable buyer's market ● GOOD TIME TO BUY) CHA Mark 50 range: $45k-$190k depending on configuration and upgrades TREND: E-beam evaporators are mature technology. Prices peaked during the semiconductor boom but are declining as sputtering and ALD gain market share for metallization.
Facility Requirements
Floor Space
| Dimension | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Main chamber footprint | 1.0 m × 1.0 m (40" × 40") |
| Power supply cabinet | 0.6 m × 0.6 m (adjacent) |
| Cryopump compressor | 0.5 m × 0.4 m (can be 3 m away) |
| Chiller | 0.5 m × 0.4 m |
| Service access | 0.8 m on 3 sides |
| Total floor allocation | 3.0 m × 2.5 m (7.5 m²) |
| Weight | 500–900 kg (1,100–2,000 lbs) ● reinforced floor or slab |
| CHA Mark 50 footprint | 79.5" W × 64" D × 78.5" H (2.0 × 1.6 × 2.0 m) |
Electrical Requirements ● CRITICAL
| Parameter | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Supply | 3-phase, 208 V / 60 Hz ● MANDATORY |
| Circuit breaker | 80–100 A, 3-phase dedicated panel |
| CHA Mark 50 | 120–208V/3ph/60Hz, 5-wire, 145 A |
| Wire gauge | 4 AWG per leg minimum |
| Dedicated panel | YES ● separate from other equipment (prevent dips during e-beam ramp) |
| High-voltage | 10 kV internal ● ALL interlocks must be verified |
Cooling Requirements
| Parameter | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Flow rate | 3–5 GPM total (gun + chamber walls + cryo compressor) |
| CHA Mark 50 | 10 GPM total |
| Temperature | 18–22°C ± 1°C |
| System | Dedicated recirculating chiller ● MANDATORY |
| Chiller capacity | 5–10 kW thermal load |
| Chiller cost | $3,000–$6,000 |
Environmental
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Vibration sensitivity | MODERATE ● e-beam deflected by strong vibrations |
| Floor | Ground-floor concrete slab preferred |
| Separation | ≥ 2 m from roughing pumps; ≥ 3 m from dicing saw |
| Special lighting | Not required (no photosensitive materials in this step) |
| Exception | Yellow safelight if loading resist-coated wafers |
| Cryopump noise | 65–75 dB(A) ● loudest component; runs continuously |
| Mitigation | Locate cryo compressor in utility chase or acoustic enclosure |
Safety & Handling
Hazard Summary
| Hazard | Source | Risk Level | Controls |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 kV electric shock | E-beam gun power supply | CRITICAL (LETHAL) | All interlocks functional; LOTO for maintenance; trained personnel only |
| X-ray generation | 10 kV e-beam on target | LOW (< 12 kV, shielded by chamber) | Chamber walls provide adequate shielding; no additional needed |
| Burns | Molten source material, hot chamber | MEDIUM | Cool-down SOP; warning labels |
| Au spitting | Molten Au splash during deposition | MEDIUM | Proper sweep pattern; slow ramp |
| Cryopump compressor coolant | Helium at high pressure | LOW | Annual service by qualified technician |
Safety Interlocks Required
- HV power supply interlocked to all chamber access panels
- Cryopump interlock (prevents operation without vacuum)
- Water flow interlock (prevents gun operation without cooling)
- Door interlock (prevents HV with chamber open)
- Emergency stop (E-stop) readily accessible