VF1000

VF1000: A flexible and cost-effective vertical furnace for research and development.

The VF1000 is a compact, highly precision vertical furnace specifically designed for research laboratories, pilot lines and small production environments. Despite its space-saving design it delivers process quality comparable to full-scale production systems at significantly lower cost. With the ability to handle wafer sizes from 2 to 8 inches up to 300 mm and support mini-batches of up to 25 wafers, the VF1000 covers a wide range of applications.

The heart of the system are the patented Light Gauge Over-Bend (LGO) heaters from JTEKT Thermo Systems, which provide exceptionally uniform temperature distribution and reproducibility comparable to large-volume production furnaces. Thanks to the modular heating concept, different heater options can be selected so that process development can be performed under the same conditions as in series production.

With manual loading, the VF1000 offers maximum flexibility, making it an ideal tool for versatile experimental series, mixed small batches and varying substrate types. It supports a broad range of thermal processes including oxidation, diffusion, LPCVD, oxynitridation and activation processes for silicon and SiC power devices. Installations at renowned European research institutions such as Uppsala University and Fraunhofer IISB underline the system's reliability and performance.

Advantages

  • Low cost
    The VF1000 provides an exceptionally cost-efficient solution for thermal processing in R&D and small-series production. Its compact design and intentionally reduced automation features allow labs and pilot lines to access production-grade process quality at a fraction of the usual capital expense.
  • Production-level technology
    Except for automated wafer transfer, all functions of the VF1000 correspond to those of larger models. The furnace uses the in-house LGO heater from JTEKT Thermo Systems, guaranteeing highest temperature uniformity, fast heating rates and excellent process stability. This makes the VF1000 ideal for demanding development work and reproducible small runs.
  • Small footprint
    The very small footprint makes the VF1000 particularly attractive for facilities with limited space. Thanks to the flexible design the furnace can be installed even in cramped laboratory environments.
  • Expandable for many applications
    The VF1000 is modular and can be extended with various options. This allows its performance to be optimally adapted to specific applications, including LPCVD processes, oxidation, diffusion and many other thermal procedures.
Specification
Technical features Product data
External dimensions W1500 × D1000 × H2130 mm (2-8")
W1800 × D1400 × H2300 mm (12")
Wafer sizes 2 to 12"
Batch size up to 25 wafers
Loading Manual loading
Heating technology Patented LGO heaters (Light Gauge Over-bend)
Max. operating temperature 1150 °C (LGO)
1400 °C (MoSi₂ heater)
1900 °C (carbon heater)
Flat zone length up to 250mm
Certification CE
Options Forced Cooling, Nâ‚‚-Load-Lock
Vertical furnace VF1000
Furnace types
Type Applications Example processes
VF-1000 Atmospheric processes Wet oxidation, Annealing, Sintering, H2 annealing, Polyimide curing
VF-1000LP LPCVD processes
(The pump cabinet can be installed behind the furnace)		 Poly-Si, Doped poly-Si, Silicon nitride, HTO, TEOS, LTO
Furnace models
Available models
Model VF-1000 V55X069 VF-1000 V35X058 VF-1000 V30X052
Wafer size 300 mm 8" <6"
Furnace dimensions (mm) W1800 × D1400 × H2300 W1500 × D1000 × H2100 W1500 × D1000 × H2100
Batch size (wafers) 13 25 25
Heater LGO LGO LGO
General operating temperature (°C) 300 - 1150 300 - 1150 300 - 1150
Flat zone length (mm) 150 250 160
Control zones (zones) 3 3 3

An overview of our vertical furnaces can be found here.

VF3000

VF3000: Compact vertical furnace with extensive features.

The VF3000 is a versatile, fully automated vertical furnace specifically developed for research laboratories, pilot lines and cost-optimized production environments. It bridges the gap between compact, manually loaded systems and large volume production equipment. Despite its economical design, the VF3000 delivers process quality and temperature stability suitable for applications from R&D to small-series production, at roughly 50% of the investment cost of a full-scale production system. It can handle wafer sizes from 4 to 8 inches in mini-batches of 50 to 75 wafers.

The heart of the system are the patented Light Gauge Over-Bend (LGO) heaters from JTEKT Thermo Systems, providing exceptionally uniform temperature distribution from low to ultra-high temperatures. MoSi₂ and carbon heaters are available as options, enabling processes such as oxidation, diffusion, LPCVD (e.g., Si₃N₄ and polysilicon), oxynitridation and activation anneals for SiC power devices under identical conditions to series production.

With fully automatic wafer transport using a fast single-wafer handling robot, the VF3000 achieves maximum efficiency and reproducibility. A complete batch load takes only about 15 minutes, with up to four cassettes placed directly into the integrated shelves. The process chamber reaches class-1 cleanliness and the horizontal gas flow ensures especially clean and particle-free substrate handling. This makes the VF3000 ideal for modern research environments, flexible pilot production and applications with high purity and temperature demands.

Advantages

  • Low cost
    The VF3000 offers an excellent cost-benefit ratio at roughly 50% of the investment cost of a large production system, enabling high-quality thermal processing in R&D and pilot production at very attractive terms.
  • Top-level technology
    The VF3000 uses the patented LGO heaters from JTEKT Thermo Systems, providing highest temperature uniformity, fast response times and process stability, ideal for demanding processes such as ultra-high temperature treatments for SiC power devices.
  • Small footprint
    With only about 70% of the floor space of a full production system, the VF3000 impresses with a space-saving and flexibly integrable design, making it ideal for labs, pilot lines and production-adjacent development areas.
  • Automated wafer transport
    The integrated single-wafer handling robot enables fully automatic batch loads in about 15 minutes and, with class-1 atmosphere and horizontal gas flow, provides particularly clean and safe handling.
  • Expandable for many applications
    With flexible heater options (LGO, MoSiâ‚‚ or carbon) the VF3000 supports a wide range of thermal processes including oxidation, diffusion, LPCVD, oxynitridation and activation anneals, ideal for diverse R&D and pilot production tasks.
Specification
Technical features Product data
External dimensions W1200 × D1450 × H2610 mm
Wafer sizes 4 to 8 inches
Batch size 50-75 wafers (max. 50 for 8")
Number of cassette shelves 4
I/O port 4
Fingers Single wafer handling
Loading Automatic
Heating technology LGO heaters / MoSiâ‚‚ heaters / carbon heaters
Flat zone length up to 360 mm
Heating zones 3
Max. operating temperature 1150 °C (LGO)
1400 °C (MoSi₂ heater)
1900 °C (carbon heater)
Temperature accuracy +/-1 °C at 300 - 600°C
Max. ramp-up rate +/-30 °C/min
Max. ramp-down rate -10 °C/min (Forced cooling system)
Temperature control PID control with integrated thermocouple
Certification CE
Options Forced Cooling, Nâ‚‚ Load-Lock, Convertible wafer sizes
VF3000 vertical furnace LGO Heater Saving Energy LGO Heater Stability at low temperature
Furnace types
Type Applications Example processes
VF-3000 Atmospheric processes Wet oxidation, Annealing, Sintering, H2 annealing, Polyimide curing
VF-3000LP LPCVD processes
(Low-Pressure Chemical Vapor Deposition)		 Poly-Si, Doped poly-Si, Silicon nitride, HTO, TEOS, LTO

An overview of our vertical furnaces can be found here.

Learn more about the advantages and disadvantages of vertical and horizontal furnaces in a direct comparison.

JTEKT Thermo Systems and Crystec look forward to building a cost-effective system that meets your most demanding requirements.