For gate oxides and high-k dielectric materials, one of the precursors needs to be an oxidizer. Ozone has many advantages over other oxidizers as a precursor for ALD and as a strong oxidizing agent. Ozone has a high redox potential, can be generated at the point-of-use, and it decays naturally into oxygen (2O3 ⇒ 3O2). Therefore, it is considered a "green" chemical. If required, ozone can also be destroyed at the output of the process chamber using a catalytic or thermal destruct unit. This significantly lowers chemical disposal cost, as the output is oxygen and contains no ozone. Ozone is very stable at room temperature, making it a good choice for most applications. In addition to ALD, typical ozone applications include chemical vapor deposition (CVD), photoresist strip, wafer cleaning, contaminant removal, surface conditioning, and oxide growth.

The AX8555 system is configurable with up to four (4) independent channels to support multiple ALD tools or chambers concurrently. Each channel can be matched to the specific concentration and flow required for your specific process. The ozone source for each channel is the production-proven AX8560 ozone delivery subsystem. It incorporates MKS patented, field-proven, high concentration, ultra clean ozone generation technology, as well as integrated ozone concentration monitor and flow control. The AX8555 includes all subassemblies required for stand-alone operation, including power distribution, an ambient ozone safety monitor, status indicator panel, and optional integrated ozone destructs for each channel.