Apparatus for deposition of semiconductor thin layers

Claim 2

Apparatus for depositing epitaxial layers on a plurality of substrates from a liquid phase, which comprises: a refractory furnace; a refractory tube disposable internally of said furnace; an epitaxial growth boat disposable within said refractory tube, and provided with at least one cavity arranged axially thereof, a solution of material to be epitaxially grown on a plurality of substrates and stored in said at least one cavity, said boat comprising a plurality of flat members arranged on top of one another, each of said plurality of flat members having at least one recess for accommodating said substrate, alternate members of said plurality of flat members being arranged to be movable relative to the remaining flat members so that a plurality of substrate-solution contacts are accomplished.

Claim 3

Apparatus for depositing epitaxial layers on a plurality of substrates from a liquid phase, which comprises: a refractory furnace; a refractory tube disposable internally of said furnace; an epitaxial growth boat disposable within said refractory tube, and having a longitudinal axis, said boat being provided with at least one cavity arranged axially with said axis, a solution of material to be epitaxially grown on a plurality of substrates and stored in said at least one cavity, said boat comprising a plurality of transverse movable members, each of said members having at least one first recess accommodating said sUbstrate therein, and at least one first bore for forming a portion of said at least one cavity, said transverse movable members being movable about said longitudinal axis, each of said at least one first recess and bore located equidistantly from the center point thereof, and a plurality of transverse stationary members, each having at least one second recess accommodating at least one second substrate therein, and at least one second bore for forming a portion of said at least one cavity, each of said at least one second recess and bore being located equidistantly from the center point thereof, said plurality of movable and plurality of stationary members being alternately arranged coaxially on top of one another such that said at least one first and at least one second bores form said at least one cavity and such that said at least one first and at least one second recesses are axially arranged in at least one straight line, whereby a movement of each of said plurality of transverse movable members causes said substrate in said at least one first recess to contact said solution confined in said at least one second bore and causes simultaneously said solution confined in said at least one first bore to contact said substrate in said at least one second recess, and further movements of each of said plurality of transverse movable members cause a plurality of substrate-solution contacts.

Claim 4

Apparatus for depositing epitaxial layers on a plurality of substrates from a liquid phase, which comprises: a refractory furnace; a refractory tube disposable internally of said furnace; an epitaxial growth boat disposable within said refractory tube, and having a longitudinal axis, said boat being provided with at least one cavity arranged axially with said axis, a solution of material to be epitaxially grown on a plurality of substrates and stored in said at least one cavity, said boat comprising a plurality of transverse movable members, each of said members having at least one first recess accommodating said sUbstrate therein, and at least one first bore for forming a portion of said at least one cavity, said transverse movable members being movable about said longitudinal axis, each of said at least one first recess and bore located equidistantly from the center point thereof, and a plurality of transverse stationary members, each having at least one second recess accommodating at least one second substrate therein, and at least one second bore for forming a portion of said at least one cavity, each of said at least one second recess and bore being located equidistantly from the center point thereof, said plurality of movable and plurality of stationary members being alternately arranged coaxially on top of one another such that said at least one first and at least one second bores form said at least one cavity and such that said at least one first and at least one second recesses are axially arranged in at least one straight line, whereby a movement of each of said plurality of transverse movable members causes said substrate in said at least one first recess to contact said solution confined in said at least one second bore and causes simultaneously said solution confined in said at least one first bore to contact said substrate in said at least one second recess, and further movements of each of said plurality of transverse movable members cause a plurality of substrate-solution contacts.

Claim 5

Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, in which said epitaxial growth boat further comprises: a flat base member, arranged coaxially in intimate contact with a first end of the set of said pluralities of movable and stationary members, at least two recesses formed in a first surface of said flat base member in addition to the portion supporting a center rod, at least one of which accommodates one of said substrates therein, the remaining recess being provided for forming a bottom of said at least one cavity, said recesses being each located equidistantly from the center point of said flat base member, said center rod attached to the central portion of said first surface of said flat base member, and extending axially to the opening directions of said recesses formed in said first surface, being provided for carrying at their central portions said pluralities of movable and stationary members, a shaft attached to said base plate member for fixing said plurality of stationary members relative to said base member, and a first base fixing means formed in a second surface of said base plate member, engageable snugly with a second base fixing means formed in the inner bottom surface of said refractory tube.

Claim 6

Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, in which said flat base member is circular, said shaft being L-shaped with the shorter arm attached to a portion of the circumference of said base member and with the longer arm extending to the same direction as said center rod, each of said recesses having a circular cross section, said first base fixing means being a groove.

Claim 7

Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, in which said epitaxial growth boat further comprises: a flat cap member arranged coaxially in intimate contact with the second end of the set of said pluralities of rotatable and stationary members, the center portion of said flat cap member forming a circular cap center bore for rotatably accommodating said center rod of said base member, said flat cap member forming at least one cap bore therethrough in addition to said cap center bore for forming said at least one cavity, said cap plate member forming a cap recess in a first surface in addition to said center bore for receiving a drive shaft provided for moving said cap member about said center rod of said base member, and a moving shaft attached to said cap member for moving said plurality of transverse movable members about said center rod of said base member.

Claim 8

Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, in which said flat cap member is circular, said moving shaFt being L-shaped with the shorter arm attached to a portion of the circumference of said cap member and with the longer arm extending axially in the opening direction of said cap recess, and in which each of said cap bore and said cap recess have a circular cross section.

Claim 9

Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, in which said at least one first recess of each of said plurality of transverse movable members is formed in a first surface thereof in addition to a first center bore, the central portion of each of said plurality of transverse movable members forming said first center bore for carrying snugly and movably said center rod of said base member, said first bore of each of said plurality of transverse movable members being formed therethrough in addition to the portion of said first center bore, a projection radially protruding from a side edge of said movable member, and having a circular bore therein through which a moving shaft of a cap member carries snugly and rotatably said plurality of said movable members about a center rod of said base member.

Claim 10

Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, in which each of said plurality of movable members is a circular plate, and each of said first bore and first recess have a circular cross section.

Claim 11

Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, in which said at least one second recess of each of said plurality of transverse stationary members is formed in a first surface thereof in addition to a second center bore, the central portion of each of said plurality of transverse stationary members forming said second center bore to be snugly carried by a center rod of a base member, said second bore of each of said plurality of transversal stationary members being formed therethrough in addition to said second center bore, and in which a projection radially protruding from a side edge of said stationary member, having a bore therein through which said fixing shaft means of said base member carries snugly said stationary member for fixing relative to said base member circumferentially.

Claim 12

Apparatus as claimed in claim 9, in which each of said plurality of stationary members is a circular plate, and each of said second bore and second recess having a circular cross section.

Claim 13

Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein each of said plurality of transverse movable members further comprises at least one third recess formed in the second surface thereof, each of said first and third recesses being located equidistant from the center point thereof, each of said plurality of transverse stationary members further comprising at least one fourth recess formed in the second surface thereof, each of said second and fourth recesses of said transverse stationary members being located equidistant from the center point thereof, said rotatable and stationary members being alternately arranged on one another such that said third and fourth recesses are axially arranged in at least one straight line.