Gas-phase reactor system-with a reaction chamber, a solid precursor source vessel, a gas distribution system, and a flange assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11814747-B2
Application number	US-202016849793-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 15, 2020
Priority date	Apr 24, 2019
Publication date	Nov 14, 2023
Grant date	Nov 14, 2023

Abstract

Gas-phase reactor systems and methods suitable for use with precursors that are solid phase at room temperature and pressure are disclosed. The systems and methods as described herein can be used to, for example, form amorphous, polycrystalline, or epitaxial layers (e.g., one or more doped semiconductor layers) on a surface of a substrate.

First claim

We claim:

1. A reactor system comprising:
a cross-flow, cold wall epitaxial reaction chamber;
a controller;
a solid precursor source vessel, containing a solid source chemical, fluidly coupled to the reaction chamber;
a gas distribution system fluidly coupled to the solid precursor source vessel, the gas distribution system comprising a first gas line coupled to a plurality of first gas outlets;
a flange assembly comprising a flange, wherein the flange comprises an elongated opening configured to receive a substrate, and a plurality of outlet ports, wherein each outlet port of the plurality of outlet ports is coupled to a first gas outlet of the plurality of first gas outlets; and
a heated line between the solid precursor source vessel and the reaction chamber,
wherein the controller is configured to control a temperature of the heated line between 5° C. to 15° C. higher than a temperature of the solid precursor source vessel,
wherein the solid source chemical is solid at room temperature and pressure and comprises a precursor comprising a material selected from the group consisting of Al, Ga, In, and Sb,
wherein the controller is configured to control the reactor system to grow an epitaxial layer on the substrate and to dope the epitaxial layer on the substrate with the precursor,
wherein the flange assembly comprises at least one heater above the elongated opening, the at least one heater extending linearly along an upper side of the elongated opening and
wherein the plurality of outlet ports are disposed to proximate to the upper side of the elongated opening and between the elongated opening and the at least one heater above the elongated opening.

2. The reactor system of claim 1 , wherein the flange assembly comprises at least one heater below the elongated opening, the at least one heater below the elongated opening extending linearly along a lower side of the elongated opening opposite the upper side.

3. The reactor system of claim 1 , wherein the flange assembly comprises at least one cooling channel above the elongated opening and above the at least one heater.

4. The reactor system of claim 1 , wherein the flange assembly comprises a first surface comprising a recess to receive a sealing member.

5. The reactor system of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of flow sensors, wherein each of the plurality of flow sensors is attached to one of the plurality of gas outlets, and wherein each of the plurality of flow sensors is a mass flow meter.

6. The reactor system of claim 1 , wherein the solid precursor source vessel comprises:
a housing base;
a housing lid;
a first inlet valve mounted on the housing lid and in fluid communication with a first serpentine path;
a first outlet valve mounted on the housing lid and in fluid communication with the first serpentine path;
a second inlet valve mounted on the housing lid and in fluid communication with a second serpentine path;
a second outlet valve mounted on the housing lid and in fluid communication with the second serpentine path; and
a vent valve mounted and in fluid communication with at least one of the first and second serpentine paths.

7. The reactor system of claim 1 , further comprising a piezo concentration monitor between the solid precursor source vessel and the reaction chamber to monitor a concentration of the precursor flowing between the solid precursor source vessel and the reaction chamber,
wherein the controller is configured to control the concentration of the precursor flowing between the solid precursor source vessel and the reaction chamber.

8. The reactor system of claim 1 , wherein the gas distribution system further comprises a second gas line coupled to a plurality of second gas outlets.

9. The reactor system of claim 8 , wherein the second gas line is fluidly coupled to a second gas source comprising an etchant.

10. The reactor system of claim 1 , wherein the gas distribution system further comprises a plurality of first gas motors to control flow of gas from the solid precursor source vessel to the reaction chamber.

11. The reactor system of claim 9 , further comprising a plurality of second gas motors to control a gas from the second gas source to the reaction chamber, and a heater attached to and contacting the second gas line.

12. The reactor system of claim 2 , wherein the at least one heater above the elongated opening and the at least one heater below the elongated opening both extend through the flange.

13. The reactor system of claim 7 , further comprising:
a vent line; and
a control valve,
wherein the vent line is connected to the heated line through the control valve,
wherein the control valve is configured to control a flow of a gas from the solid precursor source vessel to the vent line and to the reaction chamber,
wherein the piezo concentration monitor is upstream from the control valve,
wherein the controller is connected to the piezo concentration monitor and the control valve,
wherein the controller is configured to control the flow rate through the control valve of the gas from the solid precursor source vessel based on the concentration of the precursor flowing between the solid precursor source vessel and the reaction chamber monitored by the piezo concentration monitor, and
wherein the controller is configured to control the concentration of the precursor flowing between the solid precursor source vessel and the reaction chamber.

14. The reactor system of claim 13 , further comprising a heater attached to and contacting the vent line.

15. A reactor system comprising:
a cross-flow epitaxial reaction chamber;
a controller;
a solid precursor source vessel, containing a solid source chemical, fluidly coupled to the reaction chamber;
a gas distribution system fluidly coupled to the solid precursor source vessel, the gas distribution system comprising a first gas line coupled to a plurality of first gas outlets;
a flange assembly comprising a flange, wherein the flange comprises an elongated opening configured to receive a substrate, and a plurality of outlet ports, wherein each outlet port of the plurality of outlet ports is coupled to a first gas outlet of the plurality of first gas outlets; and
a heated line between the solid precursor source vessel and the reaction chamber,
wherein the controller is configured to control a temperature of the heated line between 5° C. to 15° C. higher than a temperature of the solid precursor source vessel,
wherein the solid source chemical is solid at room temperature and pressure and comprises a precursor comprising a material selected from the group consisting of Al, Ga, In, and Sb,
wherein the controller is configured to control the reactor system to grow an epitaxial layer on the substrate and to dope the epitaxial layer on the substrate with the precursor,
wherein the flange assembly comprises at least one cooling channel above the elongated opening, the at least one cooling channel extending linearly along an upper side of the elongated opening,
wherein the flange assembly comprises at least one heater above the elongated opening that extends parallel to the at least one cooling channel above the upper side of the elongated opening and at least one heater below the elongated opening that extends parallel to at least one cooling channel below the elongated opening, and
wherein the at least one heater above the elongated opening is disposed between the elongated opening and the at least one cooling channel above the elongated opening.

16. The reactor system of claim 15 , wherein the flange assembly compris

Assignees

• Asm Ip Holding Bv

Inventors

• Tolle John
• Margetis Joseph P

Classifications

• H10P72/04

  Apparatus for manufacture or treatment · CPC title

• H10P72/0462

  characterised by the construction of the processing chambers, e.g. modular processing chambers · CPC title

• H10P72/0402

  Apparatus for fluid treatment (H10P72/0441, H10P72/0448 take precedence) · CPC title

• C30B25/14 Primary

  Feed and outlet means for the gases; Modifying the flow of the reactive gases · CPC title

• C30B25/08 Primary

  Reaction chambers; Selection of materials therefor · CPC title