US4878989A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Chemical beam epitaxy system
Assignee: Texas Instruments Inc
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Filing: 1986-11-26
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Granted: 1989-11-07
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Expires: 2006-11-26
Abstract
Abstract Preferred embodiments include a chemical beam epitaxy system (30) with cells for Group III compounds (44) and Group V compounds (40) for epitaxial growth of III-V semiconductor materials on a substrate (38) together with an atomic hydrogen cell (42) for scavenging carbonaceous residues during the chemical beam epitaxy growth to prevent incoporation of carbon impurities in the growing epilayer.
Inventors
- 👤 Andrew J. Purdes
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 19:31
CPC Classifications
C; C30; C30B; C30B25/00; C30B25/02; C23; C23C; C23C16/00; C23C16/44; C23C16/448; C23C16/452; C30B29/00; C30B29/10; C30B29/40
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
101 words
A chemical beam epitaxy system, comprising: (a) a vacuum chamber; (b) a substrate holder within said chamber; (c) a plurality of cells in said chamber, each of said cells providing a beam directed at a substrate in said substrate holder, each of said beams essentially consisting of atoms or molecules selected from the group consisting of atomic hydrogen, compounds of elements which are constituents of material to be epitaxially grown on said substrate, elements which are constituents of material to be epitaxially grown on said substrate, and diluents, with at least one of said cells with a beam including atomic hydrogen.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
101 words
A chemical beam epitaxy system, comprising: (a) a vacuum chamber; (b) a substrate holder within said chamber; (c) a plurality of cells in said chamber, each of said cells providing a beam directed at a substrate in said substrate holder, each of said beams essentially consisting of atoms or molecules selected from the group consisting of atomic hydrogen, compounds of elements which are constituents of material to be epitaxially grown on said substrate, elements which are constituents of material to be epitaxially grown on said substrate, and diluents, with at least one of said cells with a beam including atomic hydrogen.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
24 words
The system of 1, wherein: (a) said at least one of said cells including a thermal cracker for cracking molecular hydrogen to atomic hydrogen.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
24 words
The system of 1, wherein: (a) said at least one of said cells including a thermal cracker for cracking molecular hydrogen to atomic hydrogen.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
24 words
The system of 1, wherein: (a) said at least one of said cells including a rf generator for exciting molecular hydrogen into a plasma.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
24 words
The system of 1, wherein: (a) said at least one of said cells including a rf generator for exciting molecular hydrogen into a plasma.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
57 words
A chemical beam epitaxy system, comprising: (a) a vacuum chamber; (b) a substrate holder within said chamber; and (c) a plurality of cells in said chamber, each of said cells oriented to provide a beam directed at a substrate held by said substrate holder, and at least one of said cells providing a beam including atomic hydrogen.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
57 words
A chemical beam epitaxy system, comprising: (a) a vacuum chamber; (b) a substrate holder within said chamber; and (c) a plurality of cells in said chamber, each of said cells oriented to provide a beam directed at a substrate held by said substrate holder, and at least one of said cells providing a beam including atomic hydrogen.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
24 words
The system of 4, wherein: (a) said at least one of said cells including a thermal cracker for cracking molecular hydrogen to atomic hydrogen.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
24 words
The system of 4, wherein: (a) said at least one of said cells including a thermal cracker for cracking molecular hydrogen to atomic hydrogen.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
24 words
The system of 4, wherein: (a) said at least one of said cells including a rf generator for exciting molecular hydrogen into a plasma.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
24 words
The system of 4, wherein: (a) said at least one of said cells including a rf generator for exciting molecular hydrogen into a plasma.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
99 words
A method of epitaxial growth of compound materials on a substrate, comprising the steps of: (a) directing a first beam including a first compound of a first element at a surface of a substrate in an evacuated chamber, said first compound containing carbon; (b) directing a second beam including a second compound of a second element at said surface in said chamber concurrently with said first beam, said first and second elements constituents of a compound material; and (c) directing a third beam including atomic hydrogen at said surface in said chamber concurrently with said first and second beams.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
99 words
A method of epitaxial growth of compound materials on a substrate, comprising the steps of: (a) directing a first beam including a first compound of a first element at a surface of a substrate in an evacuated chamber, said first compound containing carbon; (b) directing a second beam including a second compound of a second element at said surface in said chamber concurrently with said first beam, said first and second elements constituents of a compound material; and (c) directing a third beam including atomic hydrogen at said surface in said chamber concurrently with said first and second beams.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
69 words
The method of claim 7, wherein: (a) said first element is gallium; (b) said first compound is selected from the group consisting of trimethylgallium, triethylgallium, and mixtures of the two; (c) said second element is arsenic; (d) said second compound is selected from the group consisting of arsine, molecular arsenic, atomic arsenic, trimethylarsenic, triethylarsenic, and mixtures of two or more; and (e) said first and second beams include diluents.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of: (a) directing a fourth beam including a fourth compound of a fourth element at said surface in said chamber concurrently with said first, second and third beams, said fourth element a constituent of said compound material.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
94 words
The method of claim 7, wherein: (a) said first element is gallium; (b) said first compound is selected from the group consisting of trimethylgallium, triethylgallium, and mixtures of the two; (c) said second element is arsenic; (d) said second compound is selected from the group consisting of arsine, molecular arsenic, atomic arsenic, trimethylarsenic, triethylarsenic, and mixtures of two or more; (e) said fourth element is aluminum; (f) said fourth compound is selected from the group consisting of trimethylaluminum, triethylaluminum, and mixtures of the two; and (g) said first, second, and fourth beams include diluents.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of: (a) directing a fifth beam including a fifth compound of a fifth element at said surface in said chamber concurrently with said first, second, and third beams, said fifth element a dopant for said compound material.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of: (a) directing a fifth beam including a fifth compound of a fifth element at said surface in said chamber concurrently with said first, second, and third beams, said fifth element a dopant for said compound material.
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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) | 1992-11-06 | 1993-05-08 | 1993-11-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-11-06 | 1997-05-08 | 1997-11-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-11-06 | 2001-05-08 | 2001-11-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |