Thermal process technology and integrated production solutions for semiconductors, solar cells and carbon fibers
centrotherm international AG
Headquarters (Germany) · Shanghai (China)New on Amplifa
About centrotherm
centrotherm international AG is a technology provider of thermal process technology and integrated production solutions for the semiconductor and photovoltaic industries. The portfolio includes PECVD and diffusion systems, RTP systems, high-temperature furnaces for SiC oxidation and annealing, vertical and horizontal furnaces for wafer processes, vacuum sintering and vacuum brazing systems, DCB muffle furnaces (Direct Copper Bonding), belt furnaces as well as carbonization and graphitization furnaces for carbon fibers. The systems process silicon wafers up to 200 mm and 300 mm as well as compound semiconductors such as SiC, GaN, GaAs, sapphire and diamond, plus carbon fiber precursors such as PAN, homo-PAN, cellulose and lignin. Customer industries include semiconductors & microelectronics, photovoltaics, power semiconductors/e-mobility, MEMS, optoelectronics, advanced packaging and lightweight construction. The central manufacturing and development site is located in Germany, with a sales office in Shanghai serving the Chinese market. Deliveries are made worldwide, including to India, China and Korea.
- Site
- Headquarters (Germany)
- Processes
- PECVD (SiNx, AlOx, SiOx, SiONx, poly-Si deposition, c.PLASMA/c.PLASMA Q MAX), Diffusion (LPCVD/low-pressure diffusion systems), Oxidation (dry/wet oxidation, high-temperature SiC oxidation), Rapid Thermal Processing/RTP (RTA, silicide formation, reflow, dopant activation), Annealing (H2, N2, Ar; NO/N2O/NH3 POA; high-temperature WBG crystal annealing), LPCVD (polysilicon, Si3N4, TEOS, PSG, BPSG, LTO, HTO, SIPOS), Vacuum sintering (multi-plate vacuum sintering system), Vacuum brazing/welding (vacuum welding system for R&D and pilot production)
- Materials
- Silicon, Silicon carbide, Gallium nitride, Gallium arsenide, Sapphire, Diamond, Polyacrylonitrile (PAN), Homo-PAN
- Certificates
- Thermal process calibration
- Industries
- Semiconductors & Microelectronics, Photovoltaics, Power Semiconductors/E-Mobility, MEMS, Optoelectronics, Advanced Packaging
- 01
Engineering and system development
- 02
Manufacturing and assembly of thermal process systems
- 03
Process qualification
- 04
Sales and delivery
- 05
Service and support
Materials & Processes
Silicon
Wafers up to 200/300 mm for diffusion, oxidation, LPCVD, annealing and RTP.
Silicon carbide
High-temperature oxidation (900–1500 °C) and annealing for SiC MOSFET processes.
Gallium nitride
RTP and annealing processing of WBG substrates up to 1350 °C.
Gallium arsenide
Compound semiconductor substrates for RTP in susceptors or box configuration.
Sapphire
WBG substrate for emissivity-independent RTP processing.
Diamond
WBG substrate for high-temperature RTP processes.
Polyacrylonitrile (PAN)
Precursor for carbon fiber production with stabilization, carbonization and graphitization.
Cellulose, lignin
Sustainable precursors for fiber production in c.OXI Carbon systems.
Copper/ceramics (Direct Copper Bonding)
DCB muffle furnaces for direct copper bonding of power semiconductor substrates.
Sites
Headquarters
DEHead office, development and manufacturing
- Materials
- Silicon, SiC, GaN, GaAs, sapphire, diamond, PAN
- PECVD batch systems (c.PLASMA/c.PLASMA Q MAX)
- Vertical furnaces (c.VERTICOO 200/Mini)
- RTP system c.RAPID 200
- High-temperature oxidation furnace c.OXIDATOR 200
- DCB muffle furnaces
- Vacuum sintering systems
- Belt furnaces
- c.OXI Carbon
Shanghai
CNSales China (photovoltaics, semiconductors & microelectronics)
Systems & Components
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PECVD (SiNx, AlOx, SiOx, SiONx, poly-Si deposition, c.PLASMA/c.PLASMA Q MAX)Engineering | – | – | – | – | Silicon wafers |
| Diffusion (LPCVD/low-pressure diffusion systems)Engineering | – | – | – | – | Silicon, SiC |
| Oxidation (dry/wet oxidation, high-temperature SiC oxidation)Engineering | – | – | – | – | Silicon, SiC |
| Rapid Thermal Processing/RTP (RTA, silicide formation, reflow, dopant activation)Engineering | – | – | – | – | Silicon, SiC, GaN, Sapphire, Diamond, GaAs |
| Annealing (H2, N2, Ar; NO/N2O/NH3 POA; high-temperature WBG crystal annealing)Engineering | – | – | – | – | Silicon, SiC, GaN |
| LPCVD (polysilicon, Si3N4, TEOS, PSG, BPSG, LTO, HTO, SIPOS)Engineering | – | – | – | – | Silicon |
| Vacuum sintering (multi-plate vacuum sintering system)Engineering | – | – | – | – | Power semiconductor substrates |
| Vacuum brazing/welding (vacuum welding system for R&D and pilot production)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Direct Copper Bonding (DCB muffle furnace)Engineering | – | – | – | – | Copper, Ceramics |
| Belt furnace processes (conveyor belt furnace for R&D and series production)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Carbon fiber production (stabilization/oxidation, carbonization, graphitization of PAN-,Engineering | – | – | 1 t/year – 1000 t/year | – | PAN, Homo-PAN, Cellulose, Lignin |
| Solar cell production (PERC, IBC, TOPCon – integrated production solutions)Engineering | – | 210 mm | – | – | Silicon |
| Ceramic fiber production (chain furnace)Engineering | – | – | – | – | Ceramics |
18 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PECVD batch system (direct plasma) | centrotherm c.PLASMA Q MAX | – | up to 10,000 wafers/h; 3 graphite boats simultaneously; M10/M12/G12R/half cells | – | – |
| PECVD tube system | centrotherm c.PLASMA X | – | 10-tube design, wafers up to 210 mm (>1250 installed) | – | – |
| Vertical furnace (atmospheric/LPCVD) | centrotherm c.VERTICOO 200 | – | Wafers up to 200 mm, batches up to 150 wafers, temperatures up to 1100 °C | – | – |
| Vertical furnace small batch | centrotherm c.VERTICOO Mini | – | Wafers up to 200 mm, max. 50 wafers per batch | – | – |
| RTP system | centrotherm c.RAPID 200 (Gen 2) | – | Wafers 150–200 mm, RT–1350 °C, vacuum/atmospheric pressure | – | – |
| High-temperature oxidation furnace | centrotherm c.OXIDATOR 200 (PRO) | – | Wafers up to 200 mm, 900–1500 °C | – | – |
| High-temperature annealing furnace (Ar/N2/H2) for SiC | centrotherm | – | – | – | – |
| Horizontal furnace 300 mm | centrotherm | – | 300 mm wafers | – | – |
| Horizontal furnace (multi-application) | centrotherm | – | – | – | – |
| Low-pressure diffusion system | centrotherm | – | – | – | – |
| Vacuum sintering system (multi-plate) | centrotherm | – | – | – | – |
| Vacuum welding system | centrotherm | – | – | – | – |
| DCB muffle furnace (Direct Copper Bonding) | centrotherm | – | – | – | – |
| Conveyor belt furnace | centrotherm | – | – | – | – |
| Low-pressure oxidation system for carbon fiber (stabilization) | centrotherm c.OXI Carbon | – | 1–1000 t/year | – | – |
| Continuous low-temperature carbonization furnace (lab) | centrotherm | – | – | – | – |
| Continuous ultra-high-temperature graphitization furnace (lab) | centrotherm | – | – | – | – |
| Chain furnace for ceramic fibers | centrotherm | – | – | – | – |
Additional services
Quality
Processes are verified for thermal accuracy and reproducibility using pyrometer-based temperature measurement, profiling thermocouples and predictive PID control; automated calibration and SMIF-compatible handling systems ensure process stability.
| Evidence | Headquarters |
|---|---|
| Thermal process calibration |