Epitaxial reactor including mask-work support

Claim 1

AN EPITAXIAL REACTOR SYSTEM FOR DEPOSITING UNIFORM EPITAXIAL SILICON LAYERS FROM THE VAPOR PHASE ONTO SILICON SUBSTRATE WAFERS WHICH COMPRISES: (A) A HORIZONTAL REACTOR CHAMBER, (B) AN ELONGATED GRAPHITE SUPPORT GENERALLY HORIZONTALLY POSITIONED IN SAID REACTOR FOR SAID SUBSTRATE WAFERS HAVING A SILICON CARBIDE LAYER THEREON WITH A SILICON OVERLAYER ON SAID SILICON CARBIDE LAYER EXCEPT WHERE THE SILICON SUBSTRATE WAFERS ARE TO BE PLACED WHEN IN OPERATION, SAID SILICON LAYER BEING SUBSTANTIALLY OF THE SAME THICKNESS AS SAID SUBSTRATE WAFERS, (C) MEANS FOR MAINTAINING SAID SUPPORT IN SAID POSITION, (D) ELECTRIC MEANS FOR HEATING SAID SUPPORT THEREBY TO HEAT SAID WAFERS FROM HEAT FROM SAID SUPPORT TO A REACTION TEMPERATURE, (E) A NOZZLE FOR ADMITTING REACTANT GASES INTO SAID CHAMBER BELOW THE LEVEL OF SAID SUPPORT SO AS TO PASS SAID GASES AROUND SAID SUPPORT, AND (F) AN OUTLET TUBE SUBSTANTIALLY CONCENTRIC WITH THE INLET TUBE THROUGH WHICH THE EXIT GASES CAN PASS.