RWTH Aachen use their Plasmalab System 100 Cluster for depositing very high quality SiO₂ films as MOSFET gate oxid and surface passivation by a remote ICP source (OPT ICP65). The films have been optimised for very good step coverage and excellent electrical properties.
One important advantage of the remote PECVD in comparison to thermal SiO2 deposition is the fact, that no bulk Si is "consumed" for the deposition process.

with kind permission of:
  RWTH Aachen
  Institut fuer Halbleitertechnik II (Prof Kurz)
  Hr Stein, Dr Spangenberg

Remote PECVD at the RWTH Aachen:
Low temperature deposition of SiO₂  with gate oxid quality

remote PECVD

ICP 65 source

200 nm SiO2: conformal PECVD

75 nm SiO2 with excellent conformality

rate: 5 - 20 nm/ min

graph: breakdown voltage vs deposition temperature

very conformal coating

very low BHF wet etch rate

uniformity   ±  4  %  (100 mm  wafer)

Breakthrough Voltage vs Deposition Temperature