JPH0311619A - Vapor growth apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable execution of various epitaxial growths in the same vapor growth apparatus and to improve the quality and uniformity of crystals by making it possible to make the apparatus correspond to a vertical-type reaction furnace and a horizontal- type reaction furnace by replacement of a very small number of components. CONSTITUTION:A susceptor stocker 13 for a vertical-type reaction furnace is connected to the fore end of a first driving arm 17, a plurality of susceptors are accommodated in the susceptor stocker 13, the susceptor is transferred into the vertical-type reaction furnace 1 by a susceptor supporting arm 6 and epitaxial growth is made on a wafer. When a change is made over to a horizontal-type reaction furnace, a cap lock 2 and a gate valve are interchanged with a maintenance port 4 and fitted a fitting port 1a for the vertical-type reaction furnace is blocked up, and a susceptor supporting arm 20 for the horizontal-type reaction furnace is fitted to the end of the first driving arm 17, while a susceptor stocker 21 for the horizontal-type reaction furnace is fitted to the end of a second driving arm 10. According to this constitution, a vapor growth apparatus can correspond flexibly to the vertical-type reaction furnace and the horizontal-type reaction furnace and various epitaxial growths can be executed in the same vapor growth apparatus.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a vapor phase growth apparatus suitable for chemical vapor deposition of thin films having a uniform composition and film thickness, and in particular to a vapor phase growth apparatus suitable for chemical vapor deposition of a thin film having a uniform composition and film thickness. This invention relates to a vapor phase growth apparatus suitable for this purpose.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, when an epitaxial film is grown on a wafer surface by a vapor phase epitaxial growth method, an apparatus as shown in FIG. 3 or an apparatus as shown in FIG. 4 has been used. That is, the apparatus not shown in FIG.
1 is installed, a second chamber 44 is connected to the first chamber 35 via a gate valve 42 and is located orthogonally to the vertical reactor 31; Glove box 46 for installed wafer introduction
, a susceptor support arm 36 installed coaxially with the vertical reactor 31 in the first chamber 35, and a susceptor stocker 43 installed in the second chamber 44 so as to be perpendicular to the susceptor support arm 36. It had been. In the figure, 39.45 is a drive unit, and 41 is a linear introducer. Alternatively, the apparatus shown in FIG.
5, a second chamber 64 connected to the first chamber 55 by a gate valve 62 and located perpendicular to the horizontal reactor 51;
A glove box 66 for introducing wafers installed in the second chamber 64, a susceptor support arm 56 installed coaxially with the horizontal reactor 51 in the first chamber 55, and a second chamber 64.
The susceptor support arm 56 and the susceptor stocker 63 were installed perpendicularly to the susceptor support arm 56. In the figure, 59.65 is a drive unit, and 68 is a linear introducer.

[Problem that the invention attempts to solve]

The conventional vapor phase growth apparatus mentioned above is a specialized apparatus for reactor shapes such as vertical reactors and horizontal reactors. This had the disadvantage that it placed significant constraints on the shape and greatly hindered improvements in crystal quality and uniformity.

An object of the present invention is to provide a vapor phase growth apparatus that solves the above problems.

[Differences between the invention and the prior art]

In contrast to the above-mentioned conventional vapor phase growth apparatus, the present invention can be adapted to vertical reactors and horizontal reactors by replacing only a few parts.
The difference is that restrictions due to reactor shape can be significantly reduced.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, the vapor phase growth apparatus of the present invention has an airtight first structure that can be attached to a vertical reactor or a horizontal reactor.
chamber, and an airtight second chamber connected to the first chamber by a valve and located on an extension connecting the horizontal reactor and the first chamber.
and an airtight third chamber connected to the first chamber by a gate valve and located on an extension connecting the vertical reactor and the first chamber, and can be installed in the second chamber and the third chamber. a glove box for introducing wafers, a first drive arm installed in the second chamber coaxially with the horizontal reactor, and a second drive arm installed coaxially with the vertical reactor in the third chamber. , a susceptor support arm and a susceptor stocker are replaceably attached to the tips of the first drive arm and the second drive arm.

〔Example〕

Next, the present invention will be explained with reference to the drawings.

(Example 1) Figures 1 (a) and (b) are block diagrams without showing Example 1 of the present invention, (a) is a block diagram corresponding to a vertical reactor, and (b) is a block diagram. It is a block diagram in the case of supporting a horizontal reactor.

In FIG. 1(a), a vertical reactor 1 has a cap lock 2. It is installed in the vertical reactor mounting boat 1a above the first chamber 5 via the gate valve 3, and the horizontal reactor mounting boat 1b is closed by a maintenance boat 4. A third chamber 8 is installed in the lower part of the first chamber 5 via a gate valve 7 as an extension connecting the vertical reactor 1 and the first chamber 5, and the third chamber 8 is coaxial with the vertical reactor 1. A second drive arm 10 is attached in a similar manner. The second drive arm 10 is introduced into the third chamber 8 via the linear introducer 11 and is driven by the drive unit 9.

A susceptor support arm 6 for a vertical reactor is connected to the tip of the second drive arm 10. A second chamber is connected to the side of the first chamber 5 via a gate valve 12 on the opposite side to the maintenance boards 1 to 4.
A chamber 14 is installed, and a first drive arm 17 is attached to the second chamber 14 coaxially with the maintenance port 4 . 1st
The drive arm 17 is introduced into the second chamber 14 via the linear introducer 18 and is driven by the drive unit 15 .

A susceptor stocker 13 for a vertical reactor is connected to the tip of the first drive arm 17, and a plurality of susceptors are stored in the susceptor stocker 13. A glove box 16 is installed in the second room 14 via a door.

In the configuration described above, the wafer is supplied onto the susceptor in the susceptor stocker 13 via the glove box 16. The susceptor stocker 13 is moved by the drive unit 15 via the linear introducer 18 and the first drive arm 17 to position the selected susceptor on the axis of the susceptor support arm 6.

The susceptor support arm 6 rises to move the susceptor, and the susceptor stocker 13 retreats to the second chamber 14.

The susceptor support arm 6 further rises and transfers the susceptor to the vertical reactor 1, where epitaxial growth is performed on the wafer. The wafer is taken out by following the above-mentioned procedure in reverse.

Next, a case will be described in which the present apparatus is changed into a horizontal reactor.

In FIG. 1(b), the cap lock 2 and the gate valve 3 are replaced and installed with a maintenance boat 4, and the maintenance boat 4 closes the vertical reactor installation boat 1a. The horizontal reactor 19 has a cap lock 2 and a gate valve 3.
Mounting boat 1b for the horizontal reactor on the side of the first chamber 5 through
The glove box 16 is installed in the third
Moved to room 8.

A susceptor support arm 20 for the horizontal reactor is attached to the tip of the first drive arm 17 , and a susceptor stocker 21 for the horizontal reactor is attached to the tip of the second drive arm 10 . susceptor is stored. With the configuration described above, the wafer is introduced into the horizontal reactor 19 and epitaxial growth is performed in the same manner as in the case of the vertical reactor.

As described above, since it can be flexibly adapted to vertical reactors and horizontal reactors, various types of epitaxial growth can be performed in the same vapor phase growth apparatus, and crystal quality and uniformity can be easily improved.

(Example 2) Figures 2 (a) and 2 (b) are block diagrams showing Example 2 of the present invention, where (a) is a block diagram corresponding to a vertical reactor, and (b) is a block diagram corresponding to a horizontal reactor. It is a block diagram when it corresponds to a reactor.

In FIG. 2(a), the vertical reactor 71 has a cap lock 72. It is installed in the vertical reactor mounting boat 1 a above the first chamber 75 via a gate valve 73 , and the horizontal reactor mounting boat 1 b is closed by a maintenance boat 74 . A third chamber is connected to the lower part of the first chamber 75 via a gate valve 77.
The chamber 78 is installed on an extension connecting the vertical reactor 71 and the first chamber 75, and the second drive arm 80 is attached to the third chamber 78 as in the first embodiment, and the second drive arm 80 is installed in a straight line. The liquid is introduced into the third chamber 78 via the container 81 and driven by the drive section 79. A susceptor support arm 76 for a vertical reactor is attached to the tip of the second drive arm 80.

A second chamber 84 is installed on the side of the first chamber 75 opposite to the maintenance boat 74 via a gate valve 82.
Similarly to the first embodiment, a first drive arm 81 and a susceptor stocker 83 for a vertical reactor are attached to 4 by a linear introducer 88, and the linear introducer 88 is driven by a drive section 85.

Room 175. Second chamber 84. One glove box 86 is installed in each of the third chambers 78 via a door.

In the above configuration, when supporting a horizontal reactor, the second
As shown in Figure (b), a horizontal reactor 89. Cap lock 72. Gate valve 73. Maintenance boat 74, susceptor support arm 90 for horizontal reactor. Replace and install the susceptor stocker 91 for the horizontal reactor.

In this embodiment, since the glove box 86 is connected to each chamber by a door, it is easy to change the case where the glove box 86 is compatible with a vertical reactor and the case where it is compatible with a horizontal reactor. Since it is connected to the first chamber 75 through a door, wafers can be directly introduced into the susceptor on the susceptor support arm, which has the advantage that the time for supplying and removing wafers and susceptors can be significantly shortened.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, the present invention can be flexibly adapted to vertical reactors and horizontal reactors, and can significantly improve the constraints imposed by the reactor shape, which is a major factor in the composition and film thickness uniformity of epitaxial films. Various types of epitaxial growth can be performed in the same vapor phase growth apparatus, which has the effect of easily improving crystal quality and uniformity6.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIGS. 1(a) and 1(b) are block diagrams showing Embodiment 1 of the present invention, in which (a) is a block diagram corresponding to a vertical reactor, and (b) is a block diagram corresponding to a horizontal reactor. Case configuration diagram, 2nd
Figures (a) and (b) are block diagrams showing Example 2 of the present invention, and (a) is a block diagram in a case where it corresponds to a vertical reactor;
(b) is a block diagram showing a case corresponding to a horizontal reactor, FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a conventional vertical vapor phase growth apparatus, and FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a conventional horizontal vapor phase growth apparatus. 0 1, 31.71... Vertical reactor 2, 32.52.72... Cap lock 3, 7
, 12.33.42.53.62.73.77, 82
...Gate pulp 4.74...Mainteport 1-5, 35.55.75...First chamber 6, 20.36.56.76, 90...Susceptor support arm 8.78... 3rd room 9, 15.39.45.59.65.79.85...
- Drive unit 10, '80... Second drive arm 11, 18.41.48.61.68.81.88...
・Line introducer 13, 21.43.63・, 83.91
...Susceptor stocker 14, 44.64.84...
2nd chamber 16, 46.66, 86... glove box 17,
87...first drive arm

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) Airtightness first that allows installation of vertical reactor and horizontal reactor
an airtight second chamber connected to the first chamber by a gate valve and located on an extension connecting the horizontal reactor and the first chamber; and a vertical reactor connected to the first chamber by a gate valve. and an airtight third chamber located on the extension connecting the first chamber.
a wafer introduction glove box that can be attached to the second chamber and the third chamber; a first drive arm installed coaxially with the horizontal reactor in the second chamber; A gas phase characterized in that it includes a second drive arm installed coaxially with the type reactor, and a susceptor support arm and a susceptor stocker that are replaceably attached to the tips of the first drive arm and the second drive arm. growth equipment.