Skip to content
SemiXperts
MaintenanceRefurbishmentInstallation
PVA TePla

PVA TePla 300 series microwave plasma asher

Pieces, 75 mm (3 in), 100 mm (4 in), 150 mm (6 in) · 1990s–2010s

The TePla 300 is a batch microwave plasma asher for stripping resist, descum and cleaning surfaces. We supply used units and service the magnetron, chamber and pumps on yours.

Price on request

Where the TePla 300 fits

The PVA TePla 300 series is a batch microwave plasma system, used mostly as a resist asher. A magnetron at 2.45 GHz excites an oxygen plasma in a quartz chamber, and a boat of wafers is stripped in one run with little ion bombardment. University cleanrooms and pilot lines buy a used TePla 300 for resist stripping after etch or implant, descum before metallisation and surface cleaning, so that wet strip benches and solvent use go down.

The 300 series was built in several versions, from manual-load units to semi-automatic ones, with different chamber sizes and gas options, so check which one a listing describes. An asher does not replace an etcher; for patterning films you need an RIE or ICP tool such as the Plasmalab 80 Plus.

Typical processes on a used TePla 300

Most labs run a handful of recipes on one asher:

  • Full resist strip after etch, in oxygen, often on a full boat of wafers.
  • Descum: a short, gentle oxygen step that clears thin resist residue from developed openings before metal deposition or etch.
  • Post-implant strip: implanted resist forms a hardened crust, so the recipe may need a slower start or an added gas to remove it cleanly.
  • Surface cleaning: removing organic residue from wafers or parts before bonding or deposition.

Each one should be qualified on your own resist and wafers.

Wear points and inspection

A microwave asher has few moving parts, but some wear predictably:

  • Magnetron and power supply: output power, start-up behaviour and magnetron hours.
  • Waveguide and tuning: reflected power, tuner condition and arcing marks.
  • Quartz chamber and boats: cracks, etching, devitrification and residue.
  • Door seal and vacuum: O-ring condition, base pressure and leak-up rate.
  • Pump: oil condition on rotary vane pumps, which degrade in oxygen service.
  • Gas control: mass flow controllers or needle valves, depending on configuration.
  • Controller: recipe storage, timers and interlocks.

We run an oxygen plasma, check that power and pressure hold, and photograph the quartz parts for the report.

Refurbishment and service

Refurbishment covers new door and chamber seals, cleaning or replacement of the quartz chamber and boats, magnetron and power supply checks, pump service and mass flow controller calibration. For a tool already in your lab, our repair and troubleshooting service handles the common faults: plasma that will not strike, power that drifts, or slow pump-down. Our plasma etch maintenance checklist covers routine checks that apply to ashers as well.

Upgrades

An oil-sealed pump running pure oxygen needs inert oil and regular attention; a dry pump removes both. A CF4 line helps descum residues that oxygen alone leaves behind, provided your exhaust can handle fluorinated by-products. Extra quartz boats let one asher serve two wafer sizes.

Facilities

  • Single or three-phase power, depending on configuration
  • O2 and any additional process gases
  • Nitrogen for venting
  • Clean dry air for pneumatic valves, depending on configuration
  • Cooling for the magnetron where fitted
  • Exhaust from the pump, with abatement if CF4 is used

Buying advice

Check the chamber size, boat sizes and gases fitted against your wafers and resists. Ask for magnetron hours or replacement history, and whether the pump is oil-sealed or dry. Decide your rules on metals before the tool arrives. The etch category lists the etchers that pair with an asher.

Specifications

Typical configuration

Wafer sizes
Pieces, 75 mm (3 in), 100 mm (4 in), 150 mm (6 in)
Plasma source
Microwave magnetron, 2.45 GHz
Microwave power
Typically up to 1,000 W, depending on configuration
Chamber
Quartz batch chamber with quartz wafer boats
Substrates
Batches of wafers up to 150 mm, or pieces, depending on chamber and boats
Process gases
O2 typical; Ar, N2 or CF4 depending on configuration
Operating pressure
Typically around 1 mbar, depending on process

Typical values for the platform. Each tool’s inspection report lists its actual configuration.

Services

What we do for the 300 series

Maintenance

Keep older process tools running with planned maintenance, repair, calibration and parts.

Learn more

Refurbishment

Rebuild used tools to their original specification, with a written scope and a test report.

Learn more

Installation

Moving a process tool from one cleanroom to another, and getting it running at the new site.

Learn more
Upgrades

Common upgrades

About upgrades
  • Dry pump in place of an oil-sealed rotary vane pump
  • CF4 gas line for descum of difficult residues
  • Quartz boats for a second wafer size

Need a spare part for the 300 series? Send us the part number and we will check what we can supply.

FAQ

Questions and answers

Can a microwave asher remove SU-8 or implanted resist?

Microwave ashers are used to strip thick and cross-linked resists, though hard-baked or implanted resist may need longer runs or added gases. We recommend testing your resist on the tool before relying on a recipe.

Why use a microwave asher instead of an RF barrel asher?

A microwave plasma has high density of reactive species at low ion energy, so it strips quickly with little ion damage to the wafer. That suits resist removal before further processing.

Can metal-coated wafers go into a TePla 300?

Many labs restrict metals in their asher to protect the chamber and other users' wafers. Decide your contamination rules before buying, as they affect which work the tool can take.

Etch

More tools in this category

All etch
Guides

Related reading

All guides
Next step

Interested in the PVA TePla 300 series?

Tell us the process, wafer size and facilities. We reply with availability, an inspection report and a refurbishment scope.