Rotating disk reactor with ferrofluid seal for chemical vapor deposition

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10718052-B2
Application number	US-201615382216-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 16, 2016
Priority date	May 18, 2012
Publication date	Jul 21, 2020
Grant date	Jul 21, 2020

Abstract

A rotating disk reactor for chemical vapor deposition includes a vacuum chamber and a ferrofluid feedthrough comprising an upper and a lower ferrofluid seal that passes a motor shaft into the vacuum chamber. A motor is coupled to the motor shaft and is positioned in an atmospheric region between the upper and the lower ferrofluid seal. A turntable is positioned in the vacuum chamber and is coupled to the motor shaft so that the motor rotates the turntable at a desired rotation rate. A dielectric support is coupled to the turntable so that the turntable rotates the dielectric support when driven by the shaft. A substrate carrier is positioned on the dielectric support in the vacuum chamber for chemical vapor deposition processing. A heater is positioned proximate to the substrate carrier that controls the temperature of the substrate carrier to a desired temperature for chemical vapor deposition.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A rotating disk reactor for chemical vapor deposition, the reactor comprising:
a) a vacuum chamber;
b) a ferrofluid feedthrough that passes a motor shaft into the vacuum chamber, the ferrofluid feedthrough comprising an upper and a lower ferrofluid seal positioned such that an upper end, a lower end, and an inner diameter of the motor shaft are all positioned inside the vacuum chamber and a portion of an outer diameter of the motor shaft below the upper ferrofluid seal and above the lower ferrofluid seal is at atmospheric pressure;
c) bearings positioned adjacent to the motor shaft such that the outer diameter of the motor shaft firmly clamps inner races of the bearings and positioned below the upper ferrofluid seal such that the bearings are at atmospheric pressure;
d) a motor positioned in an atmospheric region between the upper and the lower ferrofluid seal, the motor comprising a rotor positioned in contact with the portion of the outer diameter of the motor shaft below the upper ferrofluid seal and above the lower ferrofluid seal;
e) a turntable positioned in the vacuum chamber and being coupled to the motor shaft so that the motor rotates the turntable at a desired rotation rate;
f) a dielectric support coupled to the turntable so that the turntable rotates the dielectric support when driven by the shaft;
g) a substrate carrier positioned on the dielectric support, the substrate carrier supporting substrates in the vacuum chamber for chemical vapor deposition processing; and
h) a heater positioned proximate to the substrate carrier, the heater controlling the temperature of the substrate carrier to a desired temperature for chemical vapor deposition process.

2. The reactor of claim 1 wherein the ferrofluid feedthrough forms a hollow conduit for passing at least one of electrodes that power the heater or cooling lines to control the temperature in the vacuum chamber.

3. The reactor of claim 1 wherein the motor is directly coupled to the motor shaft.

4. The reactor of claim 1 wherein the motor shaft is mechanically coupled to the turntable.

5. The reactor of claim 1 wherein the motor shaft is magnetically coupled to the turntable.

6. The reactor of claim 1 wherein the motor shaft is coupled to the turntable in a region offset from a center of rotation of the turntable.

7. The reactor of claim 1 wherein the motor shaft is formed of a dielectric material.

8. The reactor of claim 1 wherein the dielectric support is coupled to the turntable with a flexible fastener.

9. The reactor of claim 8 wherein the flexible fastener comprises a canted coil spring that centers and locks the dielectric support to the turntable.

10. The reactor of claim 1 wherein the dielectric support is formed of a dielectric material having a thermal conductivity less than about 10 W/(m K).

11. The reactor of claim 1 wherein the dielectric support is formed of a material which forms a thermal barrier between the substrates being processed and a cool region in the vacuum chamber.

12. The reactor of claim 1 wherein the dielectric support is formed of quartz.

13. The reactor of claim 1 wherein the dielectric support comprises a cylindrical outer surface.

14. The reactor of claim 1 wherein the substrate carrier is held on top of the dielectric support by friction between a top surface of the dielectric support and a bottom surface of the substrate carrier.

15. The reactor of claim 1 wherein the substrate carrier comprises a single substrate carrier.

16. The reactor of claim 1 wherein the heater is positioned inside of the dielectric support proximate to the substrate carrier.

17. The reactor of claim 1 wherein the heater comprises at least two independent heater zones.

18. The reactor of claim 1 wherein the heater comprises a graphite heater.

19. The reactor of claim 1 wherein the heater comprises a coil heater formed of at least one of tungsten or rhenium.

20. The reactor of claim 1 wherein the dielectric support is slotted.

21. The reactor of claim 20 further comprising locking pins to secure slotted dielectric support to the substrate carrier.

Assignees

• Veeco Instr Inc

Inventors

• Barriss Louise S
• Comunale Richard A
• Fremgen Roger P
• Gurary Alexander I
• Luse Todd A
• Milgate Robert White
• Pollock John D

Classifications

• H10P72/7626

  characterised by the construction of the shaft · CPC title

• H10P72/7624

  characterised by the mechanical construction of the susceptor, stage or support · CPC title

• C30B25/10

  Heating of the reaction chamber or the substrate · CPC title

• C30B25/08

  Reaction chambers; Selection of materials therefor · CPC title

• C30B25/12

  Substrate holders or susceptors · CPC title