PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION OF FILMS ON SILICON WAFERS

摘要

A process for depositing films of uniform thickness on silicon wafers at a uniform deposition rate among all wafers processed at the same time. The wafers are vertically oriented and arranged in a spaced-apart mutually parallel fashion and are supported within a horizontally-oriented long quartz tube which is evacuated at one end by a vacuum pump. A heating element surrounding the tube heats the wafers supported within it. At least one type of reactant gas is introduced into the enclosure in a generally confined region below the wafers and between the wafer arrangement and a wall of the enclosure. The gas, which is directed upwards between adjacent wafers and dispersed across the entire surface of the wafers, chemically reacts to deposit a uniform film on the wafers. Unreacted and exhaust gases are evacuated from the enclosure by the vacuum pump in a horizontal direction of flow above the wafer arrangement.