Thermalization of gaseous precursors in CVD reactors

摘要

The present invention relates to the field of semiconductor processing and provides methods that improve chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of semiconductor materials by promoting more efficient thermalization of precursor gases prior to their reaction. In preferred embodiments, the method provides heat transfer structures and their arrangement within a CVD reactor so as to promote heat transfer to flowing process gases. In certain preferred embodiments applicable to CVD reactors transparent to radiation from heat lamps, the invention provides radiation-absorbent surfaces placed to intercept radiation from the heat lamps and to transfer it to flowing process gases.

主权项

1. A method for thermalizing a process gas when carrying out a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) reaction between two or more process gases at a substrate within the interior of a CVD reactor chamber which comprises: flowing process gases through the CVD reactor chamber towards the substrate; receiving heat from one or more heat sources associated with the reactor chamber at one or more heat transfer structures, at least one of which is positioned upstream of the substrate along the direction of process gas flow and spaced apart from the substrate in a direction transverse to process gas flow; and delivering at least part of the received heat to one or more process gases flowing within the chamber so as to thermalize at least one of the process gases prior to reaching the substrate to a temperature sufficient to prepare for an intended CVD comprising hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE) deposition of a III-V compound upon the substrate while limiting unwanted reactions that generate unreactive complexes or species.