US4838983A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Gas treatment apparatus and method
Assignee: Veeco Instruments Inc
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Filing: 1988-03-18
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Granted: 1989-06-13
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Expires: 2008-03-18
Abstract
Abstract Substrates such as semiconductor wafers are treated with a gas by advancing the substrate along a path, preferably a circular path through the gas while maintaining a face of the substrate transverse, preferably oblique, to the path so taht the gas contacts be exposed from the face of the substrate. Preferably, a plurality of substrates are treated simultaneously, and the substrates serve as vanes to impel the gas into rotational motion, thereby pumping the gas through the process chamber. Preferably, the substrates are carried on susceptors having generally planar faces, the susceptors also serving as vanes impelling the gas into rotational motion. The gas may be a depositing gas for forming epitaxial layers on the faces of the substrates, or an etching gas.
Inventors
- 👤 Norman E. Schumaker
- 👤 Richard A. Stall
- 👤 Craig R. Nelson
- 👤 Wilfried R. Wagner
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 11:29
CPC Classifications
C; C23; C23C; C23C16/00; C23C16/44; C23C16/455; C23C16/45502; C30; C30B; C30B25/00; C30B25/02; C30B25/14
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
166 words
A method of treating a substrate having a front face with an active gas comprising moving said substrate along a predetermined circular path in a first direction such that said substrate has an instantaneous velocity vector along said predetermined circular path, said predetermined circular path being disposed in a predetermined plane, projecting said active gas from a point within said predetermined circular path outwardly across said predetermined circular path, whereby said active gas passes outwardly substantially parallel to said predetermined plane and traverses said predetermined circular path and maintaining the front face of the substrate transverse to said predetermined circular path in a manner such that a vector normal to said front face of said substrate lies between said instantaneous velocity vector of said substrate along said predetermined circular path and said radius of said circular path whereby each portion of said active gas impinges only once on said front face of said substrate as it traverses said said predetermined circular path in said predetermined plane.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
166 words
A method of treating a substrate having a front face with an active gas comprising moving said substrate along a predetermined circular path in a first direction such that said substrate has an instantaneous velocity vector along said predetermined circular path, said predetermined circular path being disposed in a predetermined plane, projecting said active gas from a point within said predetermined circular path outwardly across said predetermined circular path, whereby said active gas passes outwardly substantially parallel to said predetermined plane and traverses said predetermined circular path and maintaining the front face of the substrate transverse to said predetermined circular path in a manner such that a vector normal to said front face of said substrate lies between said instantaneous velocity vector of said substrate along said predetermined circular path and said radius of said circular path whereby each portion of said active gas impinges only once on said front face of said substrate as it traverses said said predetermined circular path in said predetermined plane.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said substrate is maintained in front face leading orientation during said moving step, whereby the front face of the substrate advances into the active gas and impels said active gas into rotational flow about said predetermined circular path to thereby pump said active gas outwardly therefrom.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein said substrate is moved along said predetermined circular path within a chamber and discharging said active gas from a peripheral region of said chamber outside of said predetermined circular path.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as claimed in claim 3 wherein in said moving step, a plurality of substrates are moved simultaneously along said predetermined circular path.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
49 words
A method as claimed in claim 4 wherein said substrates are disposed in a single, loop-like layer extending along said predetermined circular path so that each portion of said active gas contacts only one of said substrates in passing from within said predetermined circular path to said peripheral region.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
56 words
A method as claimed in claim 4 wherein the front face of each of said substrates is maintained at a rake angle greater than 0° and less than 90' during said moving step so that the front face of each substrate faces inwardly towards said axis and forwardly along the circular path described by the substrate.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein each of said substrates is rotated about said axis with a centripetal acceleration of at least about 750 cm/sec 2 .
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said active gas is a depositing gas.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method of claim 8 wherein each of said substrates is maintained at an elevated temperature during said moving step to promote reaction of said depositing gas.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as claimed in claim 9 wherein said depositing gas deposits an epitaxial film on the front face of said substrate.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as claimed in claim 8 wherein the pressure in said chamber is at least about 0.1 atmosphere during said depositing step.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
55 words
A method as claimed in claim 8 further comprising the step of terminating flow of the said depositing gas into said central region of said chamber and then introducing a further depositing gas into said central region while continuing the rotational movement of said substrates to thereby contact said further depositing gas with said substrates.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method as claimed in claim 12 further comprising the step of introducing a purge gas into said central region of said chamber between the first said depositing gas and the said further depositing gas.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein said front face of said substrate is maintained at a rake angle of between about 5' and 30',
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method as claimed in claim 14 wherein said front face of said substrate is maintained at a rake angle of between about 8' and about 20'.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein said entire front face of said substrate is maintained at a substantially uniform temperature during said moving step.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
113 words
A method of treating a plurality of substrates, each having a front face, with an active gas, comprising the step of mounting said plurality of substrates in an annular array along a predetermined circular path, projecting said active gas in a predetermined flow direction from a central region within said annular array outwardly towards a peripheral region beyond said predetermined circular path along a predetermined plane, and rotating said plurality of substrates about said predetermined circular path while maintaining said front face of each of said plurality of substrates oblique to said predetermined flow direction, whereby said annular array of substrates pumps said active gas from said central region towards said peripheral region.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
113 words
A method of treating a plurality of substrates, each having a front face, with an active gas, comprising the step of mounting said plurality of substrates in an annular array along a predetermined circular path, projecting said active gas in a predetermined flow direction from a central region within said annular array outwardly towards a peripheral region beyond said predetermined circular path along a predetermined plane, and rotating said plurality of substrates about said predetermined circular path while maintaining said front face of each of said plurality of substrates oblique to said predetermined flow direction, whereby said annular array of substrates pumps said active gas from said central region towards said peripheral region.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
53 words
A method as claimed in claim 17 wherein said plurality of substrates is moved along said predetermined circular path within a chamber, and fruther comprising the steps of admitting said active gas during said rotating step to said central region and discharging said active gas during said rotating step from said peripheral region.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method as claimed in claim 17 wherein said front face of each of said plurality of substrates is maintained at a rake angle of between about 5° and 30°.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method as claimed in claim 19 wherein said front face of each said plurality of substrates is maintained at a rake angle of between about 8° and 20°.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method as claimed in claim 17 wherein said entire front face of each of said plurality of substrates is maintained at a substantially uniform elevated temperature during said rotating step.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as claimed in claim 18 wherein the pressure in said chamber is at least about 0.1 atmosphere.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-06-12 | 1992-12-12 | 1993-06-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-06-12 | 1996-12-12 | 1997-06-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-06-12 | 2000-12-12 | 2001-06-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |