Epitaxial reactor and method of controlling the same

By using a protective gas film technology with an upper crescent-shaped sealed cavity and vent holes in the silicon carbide epitaxial reaction chamber, combined with the temperature field stability of the insulation felt, the problem of upper graphite crescent deposit detachment was solved, improving production efficiency and equipment lifespan, and reducing maintenance costs.

CN121204828BActive Publication Date: 2026-02-17JIHUA LAB
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Patent Information

Application Number
CN202511745365.1
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Patents(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2025-11-26
Publication Date
2026-02-17
Estimated Expiration
2045-11-26

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

In the production of silicon carbide epitaxial wafers, the deposits on the graphite crescent on the reaction chamber are prone to falling off, leading to epitaxial layer quality problems and low production efficiency. Frequent shutdowns for maintenance also increase costs and equipment wear and tear.

Method used

A combination of an upper half-moon sealed cavity, vent holes, and a gas flow control device is used to form a protective gas film, reducing the contact between the reacting gas and the upper half-moon. Combined with the heat preservation and field stabilization effects of the upper and lower half-moon insulation felts, this prevents the formation of sediments.

Benefits of technology

This effectively reduced sediment buildup in the first half of the month, extended the maintenance interval of the reaction chamber, improved production efficiency and equipment uptime, reduced maintenance costs, and ensured the quality of the epitaxial wafers and the lifespan of the equipment.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of epitaxial growth, and discloses an epitaxial reaction chamber and a control method thereof, the epitaxial reaction chamber comprising a reaction chamber main body, an upper half moon heat preservation felt, a lower half moon heat preservation felt and a gas flow control device, wherein the reaction chamber main body comprises an upper half moon structure, a lower half moon structure and two side face stoppers, which enclose to form a gas reaction cavity; the upper half moon structure comprises an upper half moon main body and two cover lids, which enclose to form an upper half moon closed cavity; a plurality of gas permeable holes are arranged on the bottom plate of the upper half moon main body in an array, and the gas permeable holes are connected between the upper half moon closed cavity and the gas reaction cavity. In the present application, the gas flow control device controls the protective gas output by an external gas source to enter the upper half moon closed cavity, so that a gas pressure difference is formed between the upper half moon closed cavity and the gas reaction cavity, the protective gas permeates through the gas permeable holes and forms a protective gas film on the upper surface of the gas reaction cavity, so as to separate the reaction gas from the upper half moon, thereby reducing the generation amount of the upper half moon deposits.
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Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of epitaxial growth, in particular to an epitaxial reaction chamber and a control method thereof. BACKGROUND

[0002] In the industrial production process of silicon carbide epitaxial wafer, chemical vapor deposition process is the core technology for preparing high-quality silicon carbide epitaxial layer. The process needs to build a stable high-temperature environment in a special reaction chamber, so that the related reaction gases containing silicon and carbon can chemically react under high-temperature conditions, and then deposit on the surface of the silicon carbide wafer substrate to form a silicon carbide epitaxial layer with a target thickness and performance. However, in this reaction process, in addition to the target silicon carbide epitaxial layer being precisely deposited on the substrate surface, part of the reaction products that do not participate in the epitaxial growth of the substrate will inevitably adhere and deposit on the inner surface of the reaction chamber. The upper graphite half moon, as a key structural component of the reaction chamber, is directly in the coverage range of the reaction gas flow field and is close to the high-temperature reaction area, so it becomes the main deposition area of the reaction products.

[0003] With the increase of silicon carbide epitaxial production batches and the accumulation of production time, the deposits on the surface of the upper graphite half moon will gradually thicken. When the thickness of the deposition layer reaches a certain degree, its structural stability will decrease significantly, and it is easy to fall off and become dust under the action of temperature fluctuation or gas flow disturbance in the reaction chamber. If these falling deposits fall on the surface of the silicon carbide wafer substrate that is being epitaxially grown, they will directly interfere with the crystal growth order of the epitaxial layer, destroy the continuity and uniformity of the epitaxial layer, and cause quality problems such as defects and excessive impurity content on the surface of the epitaxial wafer. In severe cases, it may even cause the entire epitaxial wafer to be scrapped, causing direct economic losses to the production.

[0004] To avoid the impact of deposit falling on product quality, the existing production process usually adopts the method of frequent production suspension and maintenance, that is, after about 500 microns of silicon carbide epitaxial layer is prepared, the production line needs to be suspended, and the deposits on the surface of the reaction chamber and the upper graphite half moon need to be cleaned manually or mechanically. This frequent production suspension and maintenance not only seriously disrupts the continuous production rhythm, resulting in a significant reduction in production efficiency, but also significantly reduces the effective working time of the equipment, resulting in a low equipment utilization rate, which directly restricts the full release of production capacity. In addition, repeated disassembly and cleaning of the reaction chamber will cause irreversible damage to the precision, sealing performance and surface state of the internal structure of the reaction chamber, accelerate the aging of the reaction chamber components, and shorten the overall service life of the reaction chamber. At the same time, frequent maintenance operations also increase the maintenance costs in terms of labor, consumables and equipment wear and tear, further increasing the total production cost of silicon carbide epitaxial wafers. The above series of problems have become the key technical bottleneck restricting the economic efficiency, stability and scale development of the current silicon carbide epitaxial wafer industrial production. SUMMARY

[0005] The present application aims to improve at least one technical problem in the background art.

[0006] The first aspect of the present application provides an epitaxial reaction chamber, comprising:

[0007] a reaction chamber body, the reaction chamber body comprising an upper half moon structure, a lower half moon structure and two side blocks, the two sides of the upper half moon structure being connected with the lower half moon structure through the side blocks to enclose a gas reaction cavity; the upper half moon structure comprising an upper half moon body and two blocking covers respectively located at two ends of the upper half moon body, the upper half moon body and the two blocking covers enclosing an upper half moon closed cavity, one of the blocking covers being provided with a gas inlet, the gas inlet being in communication with an external gas source; the bottom plate of the upper half moon body being provided with an array of gas permeable holes, the gas permeable holes being in communication with the upper half moon closed cavity and the gas reaction cavity;

[0008] an upper half moon insulation felt;

[0009] a lower half moon insulation felt, the upper half moon insulation felt and the lower half moon insulation felt being symmetrically arranged, the upper half moon insulation felt and the lower half moon insulation felt enclosing a containing cavity, the reaction chamber body being located in the containing cavity;

[0010] a gas flow control device, the gas flow control device being connected in series between the external gas source and the gas inlet, the gas flow control device being used for controlling the gas output by the external gas source to be introduced into the upper half moon closed cavity through the gas inlet.

[0011] The epitaxial reaction chamber of the first aspect of the present application has the following beneficial effects: the epitaxial reaction chamber provided by the present application can provide stable transportation and regulation basis for the protective gas introduced by the external gas source through the cooperation of the upper half moon closed cavity, the gas permeable holes and the gas flow control device, effectively form a protective gas film covering the upper surface of the gas reaction cavity, and further form double protection in combination with the heat preservation and field stabilization of the upper half moon insulation felt and the lower half moon insulation felt, thereby reducing the contact and unintended condensation and deposition of the reaction gas with the upper half moon body, reducing the generation amount of the upper half moon deposits, and avoiding the influence of slag and dust falling on the quality of epitaxial wafers. The structure can be adapted to the silicon carbide epitaxial production scene without complex modification, ensures the stability of the reaction chamber temperature field and flow field, and provides reliable hardware support for subsequent process implementation.

[0012] Further, the diameter of the gas permeable hole is 0.1mm-0.5mm.

[0013] Furthermore, the epitaxial reaction chamber also includes two heat-insulating covers, which are located at both ends of the accommodating cavity; an avoidance hole is provided on the heat-insulating cover on the same side as the cover with the air inlet, which is used to avoid the connecting parts between the gas flow control device and the air inlet.

[0014] Furthermore, the reaction chamber body also includes a carrier disk, which is disposed within the gas reaction chamber and is used to support the silicon carbide substrate.

[0015] Furthermore, the gas flow control device includes a gas mass flow meter and a valve. The gas mass flow meter is used to acquire gas flow information entering the upper half-moon closed cavity, and the valve is used to control the gas flow entering the upper half-moon closed cavity. The input end of the gas mass flow meter is connected to an external gas source, and the output end of the gas mass flow meter is connected to the air inlet through a gas pipe. The valve is installed on the gas pipe.

[0016] Furthermore, the valve is a flow regulating valve.

[0017] Furthermore, the extended reaction chamber also includes a first gas pressure monitoring device, which is disposed inside the gas reaction chamber and is used to acquire gas pressure information inside the gas reaction chamber.

[0018] Furthermore, the epitaxial reaction chamber also includes a second pressure monitoring device, which is disposed in the upper half-moon sealed cavity and is used to acquire pressure information in the upper half-moon sealed cavity.

[0019] A second aspect of the present invention provides a method for controlling an epitaxial reaction chamber, wherein the epitaxial reaction is carried out in the aforementioned epitaxial reaction chamber, and a reaction gas is introduced into the gas reaction chamber during the epitaxial reaction; the control method includes the following steps:

[0020] Protective gas is introduced into the upper half-moon sealed cavity through an external gas source;

[0021] The gas flow control device controls the input flow rate of the protective gas until a pressure difference is formed between the upper half-moon sealed cavity and the gas reaction cavity, so that the protective gas passes through the vent and forms a protective gas film on the upper surface of the gas reaction cavity, thereby isolating the reaction gas from contact with the upper half-moon.

[0022] The protective gas is hydrogen or an inert gas;

[0023] The gas pressure inside the upper half-moon sealed cavity is greater than the gas pressure inside the gas reaction chamber, and the pressure difference is 1 mbar-10 mbar.

[0024] The beneficial effects of the control method for the epitaxial reaction chamber in the second aspect of this invention are as follows: Based on the aforementioned epitaxial reaction chamber structure, the control method for the epitaxial reaction chamber of this invention achieves a stable pressure difference by controlling the flow rate of the protective gas, ensuring the continuous effectiveness of the protective gas film. This significantly reduces deposits in the first half of the month, extends the maintenance interval of the reaction chamber, avoids frequent shutdowns for cleaning, and improves production efficiency and equipment uptime. The operation process requires no additional complex steps and can be seamlessly integrated with existing epitaxial processes. While reducing deposits, it does not interfere with the normal growth of the silicon carbide epitaxial layer, ensuring stable product quality. Furthermore, it reduces wear and tear from repeated disassembly and reassembly of the reaction chamber, extends equipment life, and reduces maintenance costs.

[0025] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0026] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and readily understood from the description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

[0027] Fig. 1 This is a cross-sectional view of the epitaxial reaction chamber in one embodiment;

[0028] Fig. 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the epitaxial reaction chamber in one embodiment.

[0029] In the attached diagram: 100 - Upper half-moon structure; 101 - Upper half-moon body; 1011 - Vent hole; 102 - Cover; 1021 - Air inlet; 103 - Upper half-moon sealed cavity; 200 - Lower half-moon structure; 300 - Side baffle; 400 - Gas reaction chamber; 500 - Gas mass flow meter; 601 - Upper half-moon insulation felt; 602 - Lower half-moon insulation felt; 603 - Insulation cover; 700 - Carrier plate; 800 - Gas pipe. Detailed Implementation

[0030] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0031] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the orientation descriptions, such as up, down, front, back, left, right, etc., are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limiting this invention.

[0032] In the description of this invention, unless otherwise explicitly defined, terms such as "set up," "install," and "connect" should be interpreted broadly, and those skilled in the art can reasonably determine the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention in conjunction with the specific content of the technical solution.

[0033] The following is combined with Figs. 1-2 Embodiments of the present invention will be described.

[0034] This invention provides an epitaxial reaction chamber, comprising:

[0035] The reaction chamber body includes an upper crescent structure 100, a lower crescent structure 200, and two side baffles 300. The two sides of the upper crescent structure 100 are connected to the lower crescent structure 200 through the side baffles 300 to enclose and form a gas reaction chamber 400. The upper crescent structure 100 includes an upper crescent body 101 and two end caps 102 located at both ends of the upper crescent body 101. The upper crescent body 101 and the two end caps 102 enclose an upper crescent closed cavity 103. One of the end caps 102 has an air inlet 1021 that is connected to an external gas source. An array of vent holes 1011 are provided on the bottom plate of the upper crescent body 101, and the vent holes 1011 connect the upper crescent closed cavity 103 and the gas reaction chamber 400.

[0036] Insulation felt 601 for the first half of the month;

[0037] The lower half-moon insulation felt 602, the upper half-moon insulation felt 601 and the lower half-moon insulation felt 602 are symmetrically arranged, the upper half-moon insulation felt 601 and the lower half-moon insulation felt 602 enclose a receiving cavity, and the main body of the reaction chamber is located in the receiving cavity;

[0038] A gas flow control device is connected in series between an external gas source and the air inlet 1021. The gas flow control device is used to control the gas output from the external gas source to enter the upper half-moon closed cavity 103 through the air inlet 1021.

[0039] In the epitaxial reaction chamber provided in this embodiment, the main body of the reaction chamber consists of an upper crescent structure 100, a lower crescent structure 200, and two side blocks 300. The side blocks 300 are used to fix the upper crescent structure 100 and the lower crescent structure 200, while ensuring that the gas reaction chamber 400 formed by the three structures has good sealing performance, providing a closed space for the epitaxial reaction. The upper crescent structure 100 includes an upper crescent body 101 and two plugs 102 located at its two ends. The upper crescent body 101 and the two plugs 102 together form an upper crescent closed cavity 103. This closed cavity can temporarily store protective gas (introduced by an external gas source) and maintain a stable gas pressure, providing the necessary conditions for the formation of a pressure difference between the upper crescent closed cavity 103 and the gas reaction chamber 400. One of the plugs 102 has an air inlet 1021 that is connected to an external gas source, clearly defining the directional input channel of the protective gas and avoiding gas turbulence during the transportation process. The upper half-moon body 101 has an array of vent holes 1011 on its base plate. These vent holes 1011 connect the upper half-moon sealed cavity 103 and the gas reaction chamber 400, allowing the protective gas to permeate evenly into the gas reaction chamber 400. In another embodiment, the base plate of the upper half-moon body 101 can be made of a homogeneous breathable graphite plate, which has the same breathable function. A gas flow control device is connected in series between the external gas source and the air inlet 1021. Its core function is to precisely regulate the input flow rate of the protective gas. By controlling the flow rate, it indirectly regulates the gas pressure of the upper half-moon sealed cavity 103, ensuring that a stable pressure difference is formed between the upper half-moon sealed cavity 103 and the gas reaction chamber 400. This provides power for the protective gas to pass through the vent holes 1011, solving the problem of deposit deposition caused by direct contact between the reaction gas and the upper half-moon body 101 in traditional epitaxial reaction chambers.

[0040] Epitaxial reactions require a high-temperature environment, and the uniformity of the temperature field directly affects the quality of the silicon carbide epitaxial wafer. In this embodiment, the upper half-moon insulation felt 601 and the lower half-moon insulation felt 602 effectively reduce the heat loss from the main body of the reaction chamber to the outside, while isolating the influence of external environmental temperature fluctuations on the temperature field of the main body of the reaction chamber, ensuring a uniform and stable temperature field within the gas reaction chamber 400. Rapid thickening of surface deposits on the upper half-moon structure 100 accelerates the risk of slag shedding, and local temperature differences can easily cause premature condensation and deposition of the reactive gases, further accelerating the accumulation of deposits. By maintaining the uniformity and stability of the overall temperature field within the main body of the reaction chamber, the insulation felt can prevent localized low-temperature areas from appearing in the upper half-moon structure 100, suppressing unintended condensation and deposition of reactive gases from the source, and reducing the total amount of deposits generated. This effect, together with the protective gas film, forms a dual protection mechanism—both physically isolating the reactive gases from contact with the upper half-moon body 101 through the gas film and reducing unintended deposition by stabilizing the temperature field, further enhancing the effect of reducing deposits in the upper half-moon. With the deposition rate slowed down, frequent shutdowns for cleaning are no longer necessary, significantly improving equipment uptime and production efficiency. Simultaneously, the number of times the epitaxial reaction chamber is disassembled and reassembled is reduced, minimizing internal structural precision loss, slowing down equipment aging, and extending the overall lifespan of the reaction chamber. This reduces maintenance costs related to labor, consumables, and equipment wear, ensuring the economic viability and stability of industrial-scale silicon carbide epitaxial wafer production, supporting large-scale development, and guaranteeing the process stability of the epitaxial reaction.

[0041] Furthermore, the diameter of the vent 1011 is 0.1mm-0.5mm.

[0042] If the diameter of the vent 1011 is less than 0.1 mm, trace impurities or reaction byproducts in the protective gas may easily clog the pores; if the diameter is greater than 0.5 mm, the protective gas will flow too fast through the pores, impacting the reaction gas flow field within the gas reaction chamber 400 and interfering with the uniformity of epitaxial deposition. A diameter range of 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm balances these issues, ensuring uniform penetration of the protective gas under pressure difference while controlling the gas flow rate to ensure the formation of a complete and uniformly thick protective gas film on the upper surface of the gas reaction chamber 400, while reducing the risk of pore blockage and ensuring the continuous effectiveness of the protective gas film. In this embodiment, the diameter of the vent 1011 is 0.2 mm, which is a relatively optimal pore size.

[0043] Furthermore, the epitaxial reaction chamber also includes two heat-insulating covers 603, which are located at both ends of the accommodating cavity. A clearance hole is provided on the heat-insulating cover 603 on the same side as the plug 102 on which the air inlet 1021 is provided. The clearance hole is used to avoid the connecting parts between the gas flow control device and the air inlet 1021.

[0044] In this embodiment, two heat-insulating covers 603 are respectively placed over both ends of the accommodating cavity, which is equivalent to constructing a "sealed" structure for the accommodating cavity, thereby preventing heat from the accommodating cavity from escaping outward through the openings at both ends and avoiding temperature loss due to heat convection and heat radiation. In addition, in order to avoid assembly interference between the gas flow control device and the connecting parts of the air inlet 1021 and the heat-insulating cover 603, a clearance hole is provided on the heat-insulating cover 603 on the same side as the cover 102 where the air inlet 1021 is located. The size of the clearance hole only needs to be large enough to accommodate the connecting parts, and the gap can be filled by a sealant to ensure that the heat insulation function of the heat-insulating cover 603 is not affected.

[0045] Furthermore, the reaction chamber body also includes a carrier disk 700, which is disposed within the gas reaction chamber 400 and is used to support the silicon carbide substrate.

[0046] In this embodiment, the carrier disk 700 provides stable support for the growth of the silicon carbide epitaxial wafer. The carrier disk 700 is typically positioned in the lower part of the gas reaction chamber 400, forming a reasonable spatial fit with the upper crescent structure 100.

[0047] Furthermore, the gas flow control device includes a gas mass flow meter 500 and a valve. The gas mass flow meter 500 is used to acquire gas flow information entering the upper half-moon closed cavity 103, and the valve is used to control the gas flow entering the upper half-moon closed cavity 103. The input end of the gas mass flow meter 500 is connected to an external gas source, and the output end of the gas mass flow meter 500 is connected to the air inlet 1021 through a gas pipe 800. The valve is installed on the gas pipe 800.

[0048] In this embodiment, the gas mass flow meter 500 can directly acquire the mass flow rate data of the protective gas, unaffected by temperature and pressure fluctuations. Compared to ordinary volumetric flow meters, it can more accurately reflect the actual amount of gas entering the upper half-moon closed cavity 103, providing precise data for subsequent flow rate adjustment and avoiding the impact of temperature changes on the stability of the gas pressure difference due to volumetric flow rate distortion. A valve is installed on the gas pipe 800 connecting the output end of the gas mass flow meter 500 and the inlet 1021. Based on the flow information fed back by the gas mass flow meter 500, the valve opening can be adjusted in real time to control the gas flow or the flow rate.

[0049] Furthermore, the valve is a flow regulating valve.

[0050] In this embodiment, the valve is a flow regulating valve. This valve allows for continuous opening adjustment, rather than simply having on / off or fixed-position adjustment functions. It can fine-tune the protective gas flow rate according to changes in the actual operating conditions of the epitaxial reaction. For example, when the gas pressure in the gas reaction chamber 400 increases due to an increase in the amount of reactant gas entering, the flow regulating valve opening can be increased to increase the protective gas input and maintain the pressure difference between the upper half-moon closed chamber 103 and the reaction chamber. When the reaction process is adjusted (such as changing the epitaxial wafer growth thickness), causing changes in the reactant gas flow rate, the flow regulating valve can quickly adapt and adjust the protective gas flow rate to ensure the protective gas film remains stable. This flexible adjustment capability prevents the protective gas film from failing due to process changes, further enhancing the adaptability of the epitaxial reaction chamber to different process requirements.

[0051] Furthermore, the extended reaction chamber also includes a first gas pressure monitoring device, which is disposed within the gas reaction chamber 400 and is used to acquire gas pressure information within the gas reaction chamber 400.

[0052] During the epitaxial reaction, the amount of reactant gas introduced and the amount of reaction byproducts discharged may cause pressure fluctuations in the gas reaction chamber 400. In this embodiment, the first pressure monitoring device can acquire these pressure data in a timely manner, providing a reference for the gas flow control device. The gas flow control device needs to ensure that the pressure of the upper half-moon closed chamber 103 is always higher than the pressure of the gas reaction chamber 400 and maintain a certain pressure difference based on this reference.

[0053] Furthermore, the extended reaction chamber also includes a second pressure monitoring device, which is disposed in the upper half-moon sealed cavity 103 and is used to acquire the pressure information in the upper half-moon sealed cavity 103.

[0054] This embodiment further enhances the accuracy of pressure difference control and the reliability of equipment operation by setting up a second pressure monitoring device, forming a dual pressure monitoring system with the first pressure monitoring device. By simultaneously acquiring real-time pressure data from the upper half-moon closed chamber 103 and the gas reaction chamber 400, the actual pressure difference between the two can be directly calculated, avoiding potential errors that may occur when indirectly estimating the pressure difference solely through the protective gas flow rate.

[0055] This invention also provides a method for controlling an epitaxial reaction chamber, wherein the epitaxial reaction is carried out in the aforementioned epitaxial reaction chamber, and a reaction gas is introduced into the gas reaction chamber 400 during the epitaxial reaction; the control method includes the following steps:

[0056] Protective gas is introduced into the upper half-moon sealed cavity 103 through an external gas source;

[0057] The gas flow control device controls the input flow rate of the protective gas until a pressure difference is formed between the upper half-moon sealed cavity 103 and the gas reaction cavity 400, so that the protective gas passes through the vent hole 1011 and forms a protective gas film on the upper surface of the gas reaction cavity 400, thereby isolating the reaction gas from contact with the upper half-moon.

[0058] The protective gas is hydrogen or an inert gas;

[0059] The gas pressure inside the upper half-moon sealed cavity 103 is greater than the gas pressure inside the gas reaction cavity 400, and the pressure difference is 1 mbar-10 mbar.

[0060] The specific process of reducing the sediment in the upper half of the epitaxial reaction chamber using the method provided in this embodiment during the epitaxial reaction is as follows:

[0061] During the epitaxial reaction, reactant gas (from an external gas source, not the same as the protective gas source) is first introduced into the gas reaction chamber 400. Then, the following steps are performed: First, protective gas is introduced into the upper half-moon sealed chamber 103 through the external gas source, filling the sealed chamber completely. Then, the input flow rate of the protective gas is adjusted by a gas flow control device, ensuring that the gas pressure in the upper half-moon sealed chamber 103 is higher than the gas pressure in the gas reaction chamber 400, forming a stable pressure difference. This pressure difference provides driving force for the protective gas, causing it to uniformly enter the gas reaction chamber 400 through the vent holes 1011 in the bottom plate of the upper half-moon body 101, forming a continuous and dense protective gas film on the upper surface of the gas reaction chamber 400. This protective gas film acts as a physical barrier, preventing direct contact between the reactant gas and the upper half-moon structure 100, fundamentally avoiding chemical deposition of the reactant gas on the surface of the upper half-moon.

[0062] Specific adjustments can be made through the flow setting of the gas flow control device. If a gas mass flow meter 500 is used, the operator can directly set the output flow rate of the protective gas according to the number of vents 1011, the diameter of the vents 1011, and the process gas pressure of the gas reaction chamber 400. For example, if it is set to 500 sccm, the gas mass flow meter 500 will strictly control and allow only the protective gas at this flow rate to enter the upper half-moon closed chamber 103. Since the upper half-moon sealed cavity 103 is a sealed structure except for the vent 1011, the protective gas introduced cannot leak from other gaps and can only flow out slowly through the array of vents 1011. When the set small flow rate of gas passes through the vents 1011, it will form a continuous gas film unit near the outlet of each vent 1011 due to the effect of gas tension. These gas film units are connected to each other to form a complete protective gas film covering the upper surface of the gas reaction chamber 400. At the same time, since the gas is continuously introduced and the only outlet channel is the vent 1011, the upper half-moon sealed cavity 103 naturally forms a stable gas pressure difference higher than that of the gas reaction chamber 400, which can ensure the continuous effectiveness of the protective gas film without additional complex control.

[0063] This method can significantly reduce deposits in the upper half of the moon, extend the service life of the upper half structure 100, reduce the frequency of equipment maintenance, reduce defects in silicon carbide epitaxial wafers caused by deposit falling, improve device yield, and at the same time eliminate the need to rely on traditional cooling systems, simplifying equipment structure and reducing energy consumption.

[0064] The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, but the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described. Those skilled in the art can make various equivalent modifications or substitutions without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and these equivalent modifications or substitutions are all included within the scope defined by the claims of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. An epitaxial reactor chamber, comprising: The application relates to an epitaxial reaction chamber. The epitaxial reaction chamber comprises a reaction chamber body, an upper half moon structure (100), a lower half moon structure (200) and two side blocks (300), the two sides of the upper half moon structure (100) are connected with the lower half moon structure (200) through the side blocks (300) to enclose a gas reaction cavity (400), the upper half moon structure (100) comprises an upper half moon body (101) and two blocking covers (102) arranged at the two ends of the upper half moon body (101), the upper half moon body (101) and the two blocking covers (102) enclose an upper half moon closed cavity (103), one of the blocking covers (102) is provided with an air inlet (1021), the air inlet (1021) is communicated with an external gas source, the bottom plate of the upper half moon body (101) is provided with array-arranged air permeation holes (1011), the air permeation holes (1011) are communicated between the upper half moon closed cavity (103) and the gas reaction cavity (400), and the diameters of the air permeation holes (1011) are 0.1mm-0.5mm; An upper half moon heat preservation felt (601); A lower half moon heat preservation felt (602) is symmetrically arranged with the upper half moon heat preservation felt (601), the upper half moon heat preservation felt (601) and the lower half moon heat preservation felt (602) enclose a containing cavity, and the reaction chamber body is arranged in the containing cavity; A gas flow control device is connected between the external gas source and the air inlet (1021), and the gas flow control device is used for controlling the gas output by the external gas source to be introduced into the upper half moon closed cavity (103) through the air inlet (1021).

2. The epitaxial reactor chamber of claim 1, wherein, The epitaxial reaction chamber further comprises two heat preservation covers (603), the two heat preservation covers (603) are arranged at the two ends of the containing cavity respectively, the heat preservation cover (603) on the same side of the blocking cover (102) provided with the air inlet (1021) is provided with a avoiding hole for avoiding the connecting component between the gas flow control device and the air inlet (1021).

3. The epitaxial reactor chamber of claim 1, wherein, The reaction chamber body further comprises a carrier disc (700), the carrier disc (700) is arranged in the gas reaction cavity (400), and the carrier disc (700) is used for carrying a silicon carbide substrate.

4. The epitaxial reactor chamber of claim 1, wherein, The gas flow control device comprises a gas mass flow meter (500) and a valve, the gas mass flow meter (500) is used for acquiring the gas flow information introduced into the upper half moon closed cavity (103), the valve is used for controlling the gas flow introduced into the upper half moon closed cavity (103), the input end of the gas mass flow meter (500) is connected with the external gas source, the output end of the gas mass flow meter (500) is connected with the air inlet (1021) through a gas pipe (800), and the valve is arranged on the gas pipe (800).

5. The epitaxial reactor chamber of claim 4, wherein, The valve is a flow regulating valve.

6. The epitaxial reactor chamber of claim 1, wherein, The epitaxial reaction chamber further comprises a first gas pressure monitoring device arranged in the gas reaction cavity (400), which is used to obtain the gas pressure information in the gas reaction cavity (400).

7. The epitaxial reactor chamber of claim 6, wherein, The epitaxial reaction chamber further comprises a second gas pressure monitoring device arranged in the upper half moon closed cavity (103), which is used to obtain the gas pressure information in the upper half moon closed cavity (103).

8. A method of controlling an epitaxial reactor chamber, the method comprising: The epitaxial reaction is carried out by using the epitaxial reaction chamber according to any one of claims 1-7, and the reaction gas is introduced into the gas reaction cavity (400) when the epitaxial reaction is carried out; the control method comprises the following steps: The protective gas is inputted into the upper half moon closed cavity (103) by an external gas source; The input flow of the protective gas is controlled by the gas flow control device until the upper half moon closed cavity (103) and the gas reaction cavity (400) form a gas pressure difference, so that the protective gas penetrates through the gas permeable hole (1011) and forms a protective gas film on the upper surface of the gas reaction cavity (400) to separate the reaction gas from the upper half moon; The protective gas is hydrogen or inert gas; The gas pressure in the upper half moon closed cavity (103) is greater than that in the gas reaction cavity (400), and the gas pressure difference is 1-10 mbar.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

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