Introduction of CVD-D Vacuum Equipment

Around the world there are more than one thousand R&D units develop and research the diamond wafer. But, more than 80% RD units are belonging to academic institute and their development and research is just for the purpose of academic research. This kind of academic research is without qualified equipment, peripheral equipment not enough, the developing system could not to be integrated, no cooperation each other, no dedicated expertise engineers and no topics for creative research. So, till now there is no value engineering process of production technology can be provided to diamond wafer industry.

Japan Science and Technology Agency supported the national Institute of Inorganic Materials, only a five-year plan to invest diamond film 2.5 billion JPY, and the Japanese Trade Bureau granted a year industry funding for research and development work that more than US$ 35 million, Kobe, Sumitomo and other Group invested US$ 3.5 billion on CVD- diamond film research and development. Due to this fact, the United States set up a special project organization, invested thousands millions of US Dollars, engaged CVD diamond film on research and development, for the sole purpose is to give the priority to achieve leadership in the 21st century and try to dominate the diamond wafer material.

Related diamond film products of commercial company, the world's three major areas are as follows:
United States:Norton，Lockheed，Diamonex，Crystallume，Kennamltal，G.E. ，AEA Technology
Japan：Toshiba，Kyocera，Mitsubishi，Kobe，Nachi，Sumitomo，Idemitsu
Europe：Dresden，Ceme Coat，Berna A.G.，Ernst winter

In which the majority of CVD diamond wafers are used for special purpose and for the limited market even the diamond wafer can’t be mass production and the unit costs can’t be decreased. But, it is still needed for some special application and this kind of application products is with high added value to sustain above diamond wafer industry.

Most of the applications of diamond wafer can’t be mass production, because the cost of diamond wafer material is too high. Till now, commercialized electronic components made by diamond wafer are not started yet.

Why it is not easy to have mass production of diamond wafer? The key reason is the CVD diamond film to be grown needs long time and the cost of the production equipment is too expensive. Don’t have enough production equipment and no mass production condition cause the high cost of diamond wafer, so many companies are downsizing or abandoned.

Looking at the history of the CVD diamond film industry and it’s various advantages and disadvantages condition, the only way to be leading of the CVD diamond film applications, Fongso Tech must own high-quality diamond wafers, mass production ability and low-cost supply capability of diamond wafers.

CVD diamond film has variety of growing equipment and methods, such as microwave plasma method, DC arc method, and hot filament method, applied to the growth of demand for different qualities. For instance, hot filament method is for high quality but with difficult production and can produce maximum size with 3” only and the wafer thickness is 2mm at least. Current equipment can produce one piece wafer by one set of equipment with one charge only and the cost of equipment is US$ 1.15 million.

In order to get high quality diamond film production, Fongso Tech is focusing on hot filament equipment and succeeds in developing the hot filament equipment – model is Fongso 2. This equipment can produce 4-inch diamond wafer with 1mm thickness substrate.

CVD-D Vacuum Equipment – Model : Fongso 2

Hot filament equipment Model : Fongso 2 was developed by own technologies and had run more than 6 years already to do production every day. This equipment is currently the world’s largest reactor of hot filament facilities. One set of equipment can produce 8 piece of 4-inch CVD Diamond film on the Si substrate. Fongso Tech’s 4-inch CVD Diamond Wafers are passed the test of some material evaluations, physical properties evaluations, and were certified as high quality CVD Diamond Wafer.

The key factors of mass production over 90% yield rate, because Fongso Tech gets self-designed equipment and own setting S.O.P. of engineering process of production. Low cost construction of this equipment and 10 times productivity to keep Fongso Tech leading in diamond film industrial field. The application of international patents are proceeding now.

The cost of equipment Fongso 2 is 1/4 of current normal commercial equipment and the productivity is 30 times comparing with current normal commercial equipment. So, the manufacturing costs will be reduced to 1/20 comparing with other competitors. So, this powerful advantage will be able to provide a large volume of low-cost CVD diamond film on Si substrate in the worldwide market, these diamond wafers can be used in variety of electronic components and bring sales over NT$ 1 billion per year.

Fongso 2 : CVD-D Vacuum Hot Filament Equipment

Mass production of 4-inch CVD Diamond Wafer