APPARATUS FOR GROWING EPITAXIAL LAYERS ON WAFERS

摘要

An apparatus for growing epitaxial layers includes a spindle (142) having an opening (158) extending between upper and lower ends. A rotatable platform (134) is mounted to the upper end of the spindle, the platform including a top surface (136), a bottom surface (138) and a central opening (140) in substantial alignment with the spindle opening (158). The deposition chamber also includes a substantially porous wafer carrier (124) having wafer-receiving cavities (128) positioned over the top surface (136) of platform (134) and having a hollow space (130) in substantial alignment with central opening (140) of the platform (134). Spindle opening (158) is desirably connected to a vacuum pump so that the pressure level within hollow space (130) of the water carrier (124) is less than the pressure level within deposition chamber, thereby creating suction within the wafer-receiving cavities (128) for maintaining the wafers (122) in a substantially flat orientation.