An apparatus for metal organic chemical vapor deposition and a method using the same

Claim 2

A metal organic chemical vapor deposition apparatus for growing a compound semiconductor layer on a substrate (2), said apparatus comprising : a reactor chamber (5) having an exhaust outlet (6) and a plurality of vent pipes (111, 112, 113, 114) of which one end protrudes into the reactor chamber (5) for spouting a mixed gas onto said substrate (2), and the direction of the gas spouting being arranged perpendicular to a surface of said substrate (2), means (7, 8) for supporting and rotating said substrate (2) enclosed in said reactor chamber (5), means (17) for heating said substrate disposed outside the reactor chamber (5), a gas source means (40, 41, 42, 43) for supplying said mixed gas to a main pipe (20), said mixed gas comprising at least a metal organic gas and a reactive gas with said metal organic gas, a plurality of branch pipes (21, 22, 23, 24) for feeding said mixed gas from said main pipe (20) to each of said vent pipes (111, 112, 113, 114), and means (13, 14, 15, 16) for controlling a gas flow through said branch pipes.

Claim 3

A metal organic chemical vapor deposition apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said mixed gas further comprises a dilution gas which is inactive to other gases comprised in the mixed gas.

Claim 4

A metal organic chemical vapor deposition apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said dilution gas is a hydrogen gas.

Claim 5

A metal organic chemical vapor deposition apparatus for growing a compound semiconductor layer on a substrate (2), said apparatus comprising ; a reactor chamber (5) having an exhaust outlet (6) and a first and a second group of vent pipes (111, 112, 113, 114) of which one end protrudes into the reactor chamber (5), the first group of said vent pipes being provided for spouting a first kind of gas comprising a metal organic gas onto said substrate (2) and the second group of said vent pipes for spouting a second kind of gas comprising a reactive gas with the said metal organic gas onto said substrate (2), both directions of the gas spouting being arranged perpendicular to a surface of said substrate (2), each of said first and second groups having substantially the same number of vent pipes, said number of vent pipes in each of said groups being at least two, and each vent pipe of the first group being arranged adjacent to respective vent pipe of the second group, means (7, 8) for supporting and rotating said substrate (2) enclosed in said reactor chamber (5), means (17) for heating said substrate disposed outside the reactor chamber (5), a gas source means (40, 41, 42, 43) for supplying said first and second kinds of gas to a first and a second main pipe respectively, two sets of branch pipes (21, 22, 23, 24) for feeding said first and second kinds of gas from said first and second main pipes to said first and second groups of vent pipes respectively, and means (13, 14, 15, 16) for controlling a gas flow through said branch pipes.

Claim 6

A metal organic chemical vapor deposition apparatus for growing a compound semiconductor layer on a substrate (2), said apparatus comprising ; a reactor chamber (5) having an exhaust outlet (6) and a first and a second group of vent pipes (111, 112, 113, 114) of which one end protrudes into the reactor chamber (5), the first group of said vent pipes being provided for spouting a first kind of gas comprising a metal organic gas onto said substrate (2) and the second group of said vent pipes for spouting a second kind of gas comprising a reactive gas with the said metal organic gas onto said substrate (2), both directions of the gas spouting being arranged perpendicular to a surface of said substrate (2), each of said first and second groups having substantially the same number of vent pipes, said number of vent pipes in each of said groups being at least two, and each vent pipe of the first group being arranged adjacent to respective vent pipe of the second group, means (7, 8) for supporting and rotating said substrate (2) enclosed in said reactor chamber (5), means (17) for heating said substrate disposed outside the reactor chamber (5), a gas source means (40, 41, 42, 43) for supplying said first and second kinds of gas to a first and a second main pipe respectively, two sets of branch pipes (21, 22, 23, 24) for feeding said first and second kinds of gas from said first and second main pipes to said first and second groups of vent pipes respectively, and means (13, 14, 15, 16) for controlling a gas flow through said branch pipes.

Claim 7

A metal organic chemical vapor deposition apparatus according to claim 4, wherein both said first and second kinds of gas further comprises a dilution gas which is inactive to other gases comprised in the first and second kinds of gas.

Claim 8

A metal organic chemical vapor deposition apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said dilution gas is a hydrogen gas.

Claim 9

A metal organic chemical vapor deposition apparatus for growing a compound semiconductor layer on a substrate (2), said apparatus comprising : a reactor chamber (5) having an exhaust outlet (6) and a plurality of vent pipes (111, 112, 113, 114) of which one end protrudes into the reactor (5) for spouting a diluted mixed gas onto said substrate (2), and the direction of the gas spouting being arranged perpendicular to a surface of said substrate (2), means (7, 8) for supporting and rotating said substrate enclosed in said reactor chamber (5), means (17) for heating said substrate disposed outside the reactor chamber (5), a gas source means (37, 49) for supplying a mixed gas to a first main pipe (39) and a dilution gas to a second main pipe 38, said mixed gas comprising a metal organic gas and a reactive gas with said metal organic gas, a first and a second set of branch pipes (61 to 64, 71 to 74), each set of the branch pipes having the same number of branch pipes as the said plurality of said vent pipes, one end of each of said first set of branch pipes (61 to 64) being connected to said first main pipe (39), and one end of each of said second set of branch pipes (71 to 74) being connected to said second main pipe (38), and the opposite end of each of said first set of branch pipes (61 to 64) being connected to a respective opposite end of each of said second set of branch pipes (71 to 74) and further connected to a respective inlet of said vent pipes (11 to 14), whereby said diluted mixed gas is supplied to each of said vent pipes, and means (MFC 61 to 64, MFC 71 to 74) for controlling a gas flow through said branch pipes.

Claim 10

A metal organic chemical vapor deposition apparatus for growing a compound semiconductor layer on a substrate (2), said apparatus comprising : a reactor chamber (5) having an exhaust outlet (6) and a plurality of vent pipes (111, 112, 113, 114) of which one end protrudes into the reactor (5) for spouting a diluted mixed gas onto said substrate (2), and the direction of the gas spouting being arranged perpendicular to a surface of said substrate (2), means (7, 8) for supporting and rotating said substrate enclosed in said reactor chamber (5), means (17) for heating said substrate disposed outside the reactor chamber (5), a gas source means (37, 49) for supplying a mixed gas to a first main pipe (39) and a dilution gas to a second main pipe 38, said mixed gas comprising a metal organic gas and a reactive gas with said metal organic gas, a first and a second set of branch pipes (61 to 64, 71 to 74), each set of the branch pipes having the same number of branch pipes as the said plurality of said vent pipes, one end of each of said first set of branch pipes (61 to 64) being connected to said first main pipe (39), and one end of each of said second set of branch pipes (71 to 74) being connected to said second main pipe (38), and the opposite end of each of said first set of branch pipes (61 to 64) being connected to a respective opposite end of each of said second set of branch pipes (71 to 74) and further connected to a respective inlet of said vent pipes (11 to 14), whereby said diluted mixed gas is supplied to each of said vent pipes, and means (MFC 61 to 64, MFC 71 to 74) for controlling a gas flow through said branch pipes.

Claim 11

A metal organic chemical vapor deposition apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said dilution gas is a hydrogen gas.

Claim 12

A metal organic chemical vapor deposition apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the gas flow rate of said dilution gas is larger than that of said mixed gas.

Claim 13

A metal organic chemical vapor deposition apparatus according to claims 1, 4 or 7, wherein said means for controlling a gas flow comprises a combination of a gas flow meter (25 to 28) and a needle valve (29 to 32).

Claim 14

A metal organic chemical vapor deposition apparatus according to claims 1, 4 or 7, wherein said means for controlling a gas flow comprises a mass flow controller (33).

Claim 15

A metal organic chemical vapor deposition apparatus according to claims 1, 4 or 7, wherein said means for controlling a gas flow further comprises a controller (33) operatively connected to each means (29 to 32) for controlling a gas flow through said branch pipes, said controller further comprising a memory unit (35) and a microprocessor (34).

Claim 16

A metal organic chemical vapor deposition method for growing a compound semiconductor layer on a substrate (2), said method comprising steps of : disposing said substrate (2) in a reactor chamber (5), said substrate being loaded on a support (8) and rotated about the center of said substrate, heating said substrate by a heating means (17) disposed outside the reactor chamber (5), flowing a mixed gas into the reactor chamber (5) through a plurality of vent pipes (111 to 114) and releasing the used mixed gas through an exhaust outlet (6) to the outside of the reactor chamber (5), and said mixed gas being spouted out onto the substrate surface substantially perpendicular thereto, wherein said mixed gas comprises at least a metal organic gas, and controlling each gas flow rate through said vent pipes (111 to 114).

Claim 17

A metal organic chemical vapor deposition method for growing a compound semiconductor layer on a substrate (2), said method comprising steps of : disposing said substrate (2) in a reactor chamber (5), said substrate being loaded on a support (8) and rotated about the center of said substrate, heating said substrate by a heating means (17) disposed outside the reactor chamber (5), flowing a mixed gas into the reactor chamber (5) through a plurality of vent pipes (111 to 114) and releasing the used mixed gas through an exhaust outlet (6) to the outside of the reactor chamber (5), and said mixed gas being spouted out onto the substrate surface substantially perpendicular thereto, wherein said mixed gas comprises at least a metal organic gas, and controlling each gas flow rate through said vent pipes (111 to 114).

Claim 18

A metal organic chemical vapor deposition method according to claim 13, wherein said mixed gas further comprises a dilution gas which is inactive to other gases comprised in the mixed gas.

Claim 19

A metal organic chemical vapor deposition method of growing a compound semiconductor layer on a substrate (2), said method comprising steps of : disposing said substrate (2) in a reactor chamber (5), said substrate being loaded on a support (8) and rotated about the center of said substrate, heating said substrate by a heating means (17) disposed outside the reactor chamber (5), flowing a first and a second kind of gas into the reactor chamber through a first and a second group of vent pipes (111 to 114, 111a to 114a) respectively and releasing the used gases through an exhaust outlet (6) to the outside of the reactor chamber (5), both said first and second kinds of gas being spouted out onto the substrate (2) substantially perpendicular thereto, wherein the first kind of gas comprises a metal organic gas and the second kind of gas comprises a reactive gas with said metal organic gas, and both said first and second groups of vent pipes having substantially the same number of vent pipes, said number of vent pipes in each of said groups being at least two, each vent pipe (111 to 114) of the first group being arranged adjacent to a respective vent pipe (111a to 114a) of the second group, and controlling each gas flow rate through said vent pipes and thereby a mixing ratio of the first kind of gas to the second kind of gas spouted onto the substrate (2).

Claim 20

A metal organic chemical vapor deposition method of growing a compound semiconductor layer on a substrate (2), said method comprising steps of : disposing said substrate (2) in a reactor chamber (5), said substrate being loaded on a support (8) and rotated about the center of said substrate, heating said substrate by a heating means (17) disposed outside the reactor chamber (5), flowing a first and a second kind of gas into the reactor chamber through a first and a second group of vent pipes (111 to 114, 111a to 114a) respectively and releasing the used gases through an exhaust outlet (6) to the outside of the reactor chamber (5), both said first and second kinds of gas being spouted out onto the substrate (2) substantially perpendicular thereto, wherein the first kind of gas comprises a metal organic gas and the second kind of gas comprises a reactive gas with said metal organic gas, and both said first and second groups of vent pipes having substantially the same number of vent pipes, said number of vent pipes in each of said groups being at least two, each vent pipe (111 to 114) of the first group being arranged adjacent to a respective vent pipe (111a to 114a) of the second group, and controlling each gas flow rate through said vent pipes and thereby a mixing ratio of the first kind of gas to the second kind of gas spouted onto the substrate (2).

Claim 21

A metal organic chemical vapor deposition method according to claim 15, wherein both said first and second kinds of gas further comprise a dilution gas which is inactive to other gases comprised in each kind of gas.

Claim 22

A metal organic chemical vapor deposition method for growing a compound semiconductor layer on a substrate (2), said method comprising steps of : disposing said substrate in a reactor chamber (5), said substrate being loaded on a support (8) and rotated about the center of said substrate, heating said substrate by a heating means (17) disposed outside the reactor chamber (5), flowing a diluted mixed gas into the reactor chamber (5) through a plurality of vent pipes (111 to 114) and releasing the used gases through an exhaust outlet (6) to the outside of the reactor chamber (5), said diluted mixed gas being spouted out from the vent pipes substantially perpendicular to the substrate surface, wherein said diluted mixed gas is formed by mixing a mixed gas (27) and a dilution gas (40) supplied through a first and a second set of branch pipes (61 to 64, 71 to 74) respectively, both sets having the same number of branch pipes as that of said vent pipes (111 to 114), and said mixed gas comprises a metal organic gas and a reactive gas with said metal organic gas, and controlling each gas flow rate through said branch pipes and thereby the concentration of the mixed gas in the diluted mixed gas.

Claim 23

A metal organic chemical vapor deposition method for growing a compound semiconductor layer on a substrate (2), said method comprising steps of : disposing said substrate in a reactor chamber (5), said substrate being loaded on a support (8) and rotated about the center of said substrate, heating said substrate by a heating means (17) disposed outside the reactor chamber (5), flowing a diluted mixed gas into the reactor chamber (5) through a plurality of vent pipes (111 to 114) and releasing the used gases through an exhaust outlet (6) to the outside of the reactor chamber (5), said diluted mixed gas being spouted out from the vent pipes substantially perpendicular to the substrate surface, wherein said diluted mixed gas is formed by mixing a mixed gas (27) and a dilution gas (40) supplied through a first and a second set of branch pipes (61 to 64, 71 to 74) respectively, both sets having the same number of branch pipes as that of said vent pipes (111 to 114), and said mixed gas comprises a metal organic gas and a reactive gas with said metal organic gas, and controlling each gas flow rate through said branch pipes and thereby the concentration of the mixed gas in the diluted mixed gas.

Claim 24

A metal organic chemical vapor deposition method according to claim 17, wherein said dilution gas is a hydrogen gas.