Vertical semiconductor processor

Claim 1

Apparatus for the continuous vapor deposition of semiconductor alloy material, said apparatus including: a plurality of discrete chambers, each chamber dedicated to the vapor deposition of semiconductor alloy material of a preselected conductivity type; means for vacuumizing each of the chambers; means for continuously advancing a substrate through each of the chambers; each chamber including means adapted for the glow discharge deposition of semiconductor alloy material, said deposition means including (1) means for introducing a precursor mixture of process gases; (2) means for exhausting nondeposited gases of the precursor mixture; and (3) means for decomposing the precursor mixture in a plasma region; means for isolating the gaseous environments of adjacent discrete deposition chambers while providing for the passage of the substrate therebetween; the improvement comprising, in combination: the advancing means including means for directing the substrate through at least one of the chambers in a non-linear path of travel; the decomposing means operatively structured and disposed so as to develop a plurality of plasma regions in the chambers through which the substrate is non-linearly directed; at least two of the plurality of plasma regions disposed in different non-linear portions of the path of travel through which the substrate is advanced, whereby the total length of the apparatus may be substantially foreshortened, gas utilization and the throughput of the apparatus may be substantially increased and power consumption in developing the plasma may be substantially decreased.