Device for the production of electronic or opto-electronic components or solid-state battery layers or metallic single or multiple layers

The use of a heatable storage container for supplying liquefied or vaporized materials addresses the high costs and flexibility issues in existing deposition methods, enhancing the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of producing electronic and optoelectronic components and solid-state battery layers.

DE102023136171A1Pending Publication Date: 2025-06-26ELEMENT 3 5 GMBH
View PDF 2 Cites 0 Cited by

Patent Information

Application Number
DE102023136171
Authority / Receiving Office
DE · DE
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2023-12-21
Publication Date
2025-06-26

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing methods for producing electronic and optoelectronic components and solid-state battery layers face challenges due to high production costs and limited flexibility in sourcing materials, particularly with metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), which requires expensive and hazardous metal sources.

Method used

A method and device utilizing a heatable storage container upstream of the reactor for storing and supplying metal or compound materials in liquefied or vaporized form, with controlled gas flow and mixing, enabling continuous and flexible supply of materials to the reactor using a tubular line and activation devices, allowing for various deposition processes including PECVD, MOCVD, HVPE, and PVD.

Benefits of technology

This approach significantly reduces production costs and enhances process flexibility by allowing the use of cheaper materials and continuous supply, improving the efficiency and versatility of layer deposition processes.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

Smart Images

  • Figure 00000000_0000_ABST
    Figure 00000000_0000_ABST
Patent Text Reader

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (1) and a method for producing electronic or optoelectronic components or solid-state battery layers as composite bodies or metallic single or multiple layers by preferably chemical vapor deposition or physical vapor deposition or a combination thereof onto a substrate (2), comprising a reactor (3) for receiving the substrate (2), wherein the reactor (3) is preceded by at least one heatable storage container (4) for storing metal or at least one metal compound or at least one non-metal or at least one non-metal compound or at least one semiconductor or at least one semiconductor compound (5) in partially or completely liquefied or vaporized form,wherein at least one line (6) for supplying gas (8a) leads into the at least one storage container (4) and at least one line (7) for discharging a mass flow from the at least one storage container (4) leads out, wherein the line (6) for supplying gas (8a) connects the storage container (4) to a gas source (8) and the storage container (4) is fluidically connectable or connected to the reactor (3) via the at least one line (7) for discharging the mass flow.
Need to check novelty before this filing date? Find Prior Art

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a device for producing electronic or opto-electronic components or solid-state battery layers as composite bodies or of metallic single or multiple layers by preferably chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or physical vapor deposition (PVD) or a combination thereof on a substrate, comprising a reactor for receiving the substrate.

[0002] Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for producing electronic or optoelectronic components or solid-state battery layers as composite bodies or of metallic single or multiple layers by preferably chemical or physical vapor deposition or a combination thereof onto a substrate, in a reactor for receiving the substrate.

[0003] A wide variety of processes are known in the state of the art for the production of electronic or optoelectronic components or solid-state battery layers. For example, metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) is widely used in the production of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) or laser diodes. Other methods include molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE), and magnetron sputter epitaxy (MSE). In HVPE, MBE, and MSE, the material sources are placed in the reactor. The advantage is that the source materials are present in their natural form with high purity, whereas in MOCVD, the metal sources must be used as metal-organic (MO) sources.The production costs of these MO sources result in a price increase of 1-2 orders of magnitude compared to their natural form, and these MO sources require special precautions as they are self-igniting in air and react violently with water.

[0004] This disadvantage is turned into an advantage by the flexibility of MOCVD. The MO sources are connected to the reactor via a fixed line, gas mass flow controllers, and valves. Different MO sources can be connected, swapped, and fed into the reactor independently at different flows. While cheaper source materials are available for HVPE, MBE, and MSE, the reactor has very limited space for the metal sources, and thus, not all layered structures can be fabricated using one configuration.

[0005] It is therefore a particular object of the present invention to provide a method which has improvements in terms of the effort required to provide the metal sources.

[0006] The present invention relates to a method for producing a composite body with at least one functional layer or for further use in producing an electronic or optoelectronic component or solid-state battery layers or metallic single or multiple layers, the composite body being designed as a layer structure and including a new type of source material supply.This object is achieved according to the invention with a device of the type mentioned at the outset in that at least one heatable storage container for storing source materials such as metal or at least one metal compound or at least one non-metal or at least one non-metal compound or at least one semiconductor or at least one semiconductor compound in partially or completely liquefied or vaporized form is arranged upstream of the reactor, wherein at least one line for supplying gas leads into the at least one storage container and at least one line for discharging a mass flow from the at least one storage container, wherein the line for supplying gas connects the storage container to a gas source and the storage container is fluidically connectable or connected to the reactor via the at least one line for discharging the mass flow.

[0007] The inventive solution enables a simple and continuous supply of the reactor with metal or at least one metal compound or at least one non-metal or at least one non-metal compound or at least one semiconductor or at least one semiconductor compound. The inventive metal or metal compound or non-metal or non-metal compound or semiconductor or semiconductor compound supply can be used in all CVD processes such as PECVD, MOCVD, HVPE, etc., or PVD processes such as MBE or MSE. This could significantly reduce production costs, especially in MOCVD.

[0008] The line for supplying the gas is preferably tubular or hose-shaped, wherein a distance of an open end of the line for supplying the gas, located within the storage container, from a bottom of the storage container is smaller than a distance of the open end to an inlet point of the line for supplying the gas into the storage container, wherein an open end of the line for discharging the mass flow, facing an interior of the storage container, is further away from the bottom of the storage container than the open end of the line for supplying the gas.

[0009] In order to be able to intervene quickly in the process and interrupt the material supply, at least one switching means, in particular a switchable valve, for example a directional control valve, for example a 3 / 2-way valve, can advantageously be provided. The line for discharging the mass flow from the storage container is connected to a reactor inlet in a first switching position of the switching means and, in a second switching position of the switching means, preferably to a reactor outlet via the switching means outlet. In a further embodiment, the switching means outlet is connected to a separate vacuum extraction system.

[0010] In order to ensure a controlled gas flow and thus a defined mass transport, it can be provided that at least one first mass flow controller is arranged between the line for supplying gas and the gas source or in the line for supplying gas for controlling a quantity of the gas supplied to the at least one storage container.

[0011] In order to ensure an optimal flow rate of material through the reactor for the process, it can be provided that the line for discharging the mass flow from the storage container is connected via at least one connecting line to the at least one gas source of the gas supplied to the at least one storage container and / or to a further gas source, wherein at least one second mass flow controller is arranged in the at least one connecting line from the at least one gas source and / or the further gas source to the line for discharging the mass flow from the storage container for regulating the mass flow supplied to the reactor via the line for discharging the mass flow from the storage container. This ensures a constant overall flow and thus a constant pressure in the line to the reactor, regardless of the amount of gas through the storage container, since the overall flow can be leveled with the second gas inflow.

[0012] Particularly high heat resistance and corrosion resistance can be achieved by manufacturing the reservoir from at least one ceramic and / or mineral material, particularly quartz. Depending on the metal or metal compound, non-metal or non-metal compound, or semiconductor or semiconductor compound source used, a reservoir made of another metal or metal alloy could also be used.

[0013] In order to liquefy or vaporize the metal or metal compound or non-metal or non-metal compound or semiconductor or semiconductor compound and / or to keep it in a liquid and / or in a partially or completely vaporized state and to enable good mixing with the gas, it is necessary that at least one heating device is provided for heating the storage container, wherein the at least one heating device preferably has at least one heating element arranged around a lateral surface of the storage container.

[0014] Very efficient heating of the storage container can be achieved by using at least one heating device as an induction heater, a resistance heater, and / or a lamp heater. The metal or metal compound, the non-metal or non-metal compound, or the semiconductor or semiconductor compound in the storage container can also be partially or completely liquefied or vaporized using a laser. The laser beam can be continuous or pulsed.

[0015] The mixing of the gas with the partially or completely liquefied or vaporized metal or metal compound or non-metal or non-metal compound or semiconductor or semiconductor compound can be improved by designing the free end of the line for supplying gas into the storage container as a distribution device for distributing the gas, wherein the distribution device is preferably formed from a tubular section with a plurality of outlet openings for the gas provided in a wall of the tubular section.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment, it can be provided that the reactor is an HVPE or MOCVD reactor or basically equipment from chemical vapor deposition or physical vapor deposition or a combination thereof and with or without an additional energy beam source, the energy beam source preferably comprises a microwave plasma source, an inductively coupled plasma source (ICP), a capacitively coupled plasma source (CCP), a remote plasma source, a sputtering source, in particular a magnetron sputtering source or an ion source.an ion beam source, a laser beam source, an electron beam source, an X-ray source and / or a UV source, where UV stands for ultraviolet radiation, and / or mixed forms of these beam sources, such as laser- and plasma-based X-ray and UV sources, wherein the line for discharging the mass flow is fluidically connectable or connected to the energy beam source and / or a gas distribution device of the reactor.

[0017] One embodiment provides that the gas is activated by at least one activation device for activating the gas, in particular a heating device and / or a plasma source and / or a laser and / or a high-energy lamp, to form chemically relatively stable particles with the supplied gas 8a and the partially or completely liquefied or vaporized metal or metal compound or non-metal or non-metal compound or semiconductor or semiconductor compound 5, which particles condense less or hardly at all in line 7 or adhere in line 7 when fed to the reactor 3.

[0018] Furthermore, the line for discharging the mass flow towards the reactor can be made of stainless steel and / or quartz glass and / or ceramic and / or a composite material and / or have a protective layer inside

[0019] The above-mentioned object is also achieved according to the invention by a method of the type mentioned at the outset in that at least one gas from at least one gas source is supplied to a metal present in partially or completely liquefied or vaporized form, or to at least one metal compound present in partially or completely liquefied or vaporized form, or to at least one non-metal present in partially or completely liquefied or vaporized form, or to at least one non-metal compound present in partially or completely liquefied or vaporized form, or to at least one semiconductor present in partially or completely liquefied or vaporized form,and the at least one gas is mixed with the partially or completely liquefied or vaporized metal or metal compound or non-metal or non-metal compound or semiconductor or semiconductor compound and a mixture is produced, wherein a mass flow containing the mixture is fed to the reactor.

[0020] In order to always ensure an optimal total mass flow into the reactor, it can be provided that a flow rate of the mass flow supplied to the reactor via a line for discharging the mass flow from the storage container is regulated to a setpoint value, wherein a quantity of the gas supplied to the storage container is changed depending on a deviation of the setpoint value from an actual value and / or gas, in particular a gas of the same type as the gas supplied to the storage container, is supplied to the line for discharging the mass flow depending on a deviation of the setpoint value from an actual value.

[0021] It has been found to be particularly advantageous in terms of flow technology that a working pressure in the storage vessel is greater than or equal to a working pressure in the reactor.

[0022] In order to reliably prevent condensation of the mixture during transport from the storage container to the reactor, it can be provided that the gas mixed with the partially or completely liquefied or vaporized metal or metal compound or non-metal or non-metal compound or semiconductor or semiconductor compound is activated before mixing with the metal or metal compound or non-metal or non-metal compound or semiconductor or semiconductor compound and / or the mass flow line is heated to 25°C to 1000°C

[0023] It has been found to be particularly advantageous that the gas is a nitrogen, hydrogen, oxygen, chlorine gas or chlorine or carbon compound or a noble gas, for example argon or helium, or a mixture of two or more of these gases.

[0024] For a better understanding of the invention, it is explained in more detail with reference to the following figures.

[0025] It shows in a highly simplified, schematic representation: Fig. 1 A first variant of a device according to the invention. Fig. 2 A second variant of a device according to the invention. Fig. 3 - 6 further variants of a device according to the invention.

[0026] According to Fig. 1 comprises a device 1 for producing electronic or optoelectronic components or solid-state battery layers as composite bodies or metallic single or multiple layers by preferably chemical vapor deposition or physical vapor deposition or a combination thereof onto a substrate 2, a reactor 3 for receiving the substrate 2. The substrate 2 can be formed from a wide variety of carrier materials, such as silicon or other semiconductor blank materials or crystals, metal, polymers, textiles, glass, paper, or other temperature-sensitive materials.

[0027] A heatable reservoir 4 for storing metal or a metal compound, or a non-metal or a non-metal compound, or a semiconductor or a semiconductor compound 5 in partially or completely liquefied or vaporized form is arranged upstream of the reactor 3. The reservoir 4 is preferably made of a ceramic and / or mineral material, in particular quartz. Depending on the source used, a reservoir made of another metal or metal alloy could also be used.

[0028] A heating device 19 can be provided for heating the storage container 4 and for liquefying or vaporizing the metal or metal compound or non-metal or non-metal compound or semiconductor or semiconductor compound. The heating device 19 preferably has one or more heating elements 20 arranged around a circumferential surface of the storage container 4. The heating device 19 is preferably designed as an induction heating device, resistance heating, or lamp heating. The metal or metal compound or non-metal or non-metal compound or semiconductor or semiconductor compound 5 in the storage container can also be partially or completely liquefied or vaporized using a laser. The laser beam can be continuous or pulsed over time.

[0029] A line 6 for supplying gas 8a leads into the storage vessel 4. A line 7 leads from one of the storage vessels 4 to discharge a mass flow from the storage vessel 4. The line 6 connects the storage vessel 4 to a gas source 8. The storage vessel 4 is fluidically connectable or connected to the reactor 3 via the line 7. The line 7 can consist of several interconnected line sections. The line 7 is understood here, regardless of its structural and design, as any fluidic connection between the storage vessel 4 and the reactor 3. The reactor 3 can, for example, also be an HVPE or MOCVD reactor, basically apparatus from chemical vapor deposition or physical vapor deposition or a combination thereof, and with or without an additional energy beam source.The energy beam source can comprise a microwave plasma source, an inductively coupled plasma source (ICP), a capacitively coupled plasma (CCP), a remote plasma source, a sputter source, in particular a magnetron sputter source, or an ion source or an ion beam source, a laser beam source, an electron beam source, an X-ray source, and / or a UV source, where UV stands for ultraviolet radiation. Mixed forms of these beam sources are also applicable, such as laser- and plasma-based X-ray and UV sources. Alternatively or in addition to the energy beam source 22, a gas distribution device can also be provided, wherein the line 7 is fluidically connectable or connected to the gas distribution device and / or the energy beam source 22 in the reactor 3.

[0030] An activation device 23 for chemically activating the gas 8a, in particular a heating device and / or a plasma source and / or a laser and / or a high-energy lamp, can be arranged between the gas source 8 and the storage container 4 or in the storage container 4.

[0031] Additionally or alternatively, the line 7 can be heated. For this purpose, a heating device (not shown in detail here) can be provided for the line 7.

[0032] The line 6 can preferably be tubular or hose-shaped. A distance from an open end 9 of the line 6 located within the storage container 4 to a bottom 10 of the storage container 4 can be smaller than a distance from the open end 9 to an entry point 11 of the line 6 into the storage container 4. An open end 12 of the line 7 facing an interior of the storage container 4 can be farther away from the bottom 10 than the open end 9 of the line 6 is from the bottom 10.

[0033] The free end of the line 6 can be designed as a distribution device 21 for distributing the gas 8a. The distribution device 21 is preferably formed from a tubular section with a plurality of outlet openings for the gas 8a provided in a wall of the tubular section.

[0034] As in Fig. 1, the distribution device 21 may be arranged near the bottom 10 and below a level of the partially or completely liquefied or vaporized metal or metal compound or non-metal or non-metal compound or semiconductor or semiconductor compound 5.

[0035] Alternatively, it may be provided that the distribution device 21 is arranged above the level of the partially or completely liquefied or vaporized metal or metal compound or non-metal or non-metal compound or semiconductor or semiconductor compound 5, as shown in Fig. 2. The Fig. The embodiment shown in Figure 2 is particularly advantageous when the gas 8a is a reactive gas and reactions between the gas 8a and the surface of the partially or completely liquefied or vaporized metal or metal compound or non-metal or non-metal compound or semiconductor or semiconductor compound 5 are desired in order to generate and transport away particles.

[0036] Furthermore, a switching means 13, in particular a switchable valve, for example a directional control valve, for example a 3 / 2-way valve, can be provided. In a first switching position of the switching means 13, the line 7 can be connected to the reactor 3. In a second switching position of the switching means 13, the line 7 can be connected to a switching means outlet 14 for the mass flow. Furthermore, a vacuum pump 15 connected to the reactor 3 can be provided. The switching means outlet 14 can be connected to a reactor outlet 24 of the reactor 3 upstream of the vacuum pump 15 so that no pressure differences occur in the storage container 4 when the switching means 13 is switched. In a further embodiment, the switching means outlet 14 is connected to a separate vacuum extraction system.

[0037] A first mass flow controller 16 for regulating a quantity of the gas 8a supplied to the at least one storage container 4 can be arranged between the line 6 and the gas source 8 or in the line 6.

[0038] Line 7 can be connected to gas source 8 and / or another gas source not shown here via a connecting line 17. Line 7 connects storage container 4 to reactor 3. Line 7 can, of course, also be composed of several interconnected line sections.

[0039] The line 7 may be made of stainless steel or quartz glass or ceramic or a composite material and / or have a protective layer inside.

[0040] A second mass flow controller 18 can be arranged in the connecting line 17 to regulate the mass flow supplied to the reactor 3 via line 7. When the quantity is varied by the mass flow controller 16, a constant flow in the line 7 can always be ensured with the help of the mass flow controller 18. The line 7 can be connected directly to the switching means 13 or first to a pressure regulator 26 and then to the switching means 13. The pressure regulator 26 is basically also a mass flow controller, which can ensure that a certain pressure level upstream of the pressure regulator 26, which can be set and maintained higher than the pressure in the reactor 3, is maintained. The pressure regulator 26 and the mass flow controller 16 can be used to vary the quantity of metal or metal compound, non-metal or non-metal compound, semiconductor or semiconductor compound withdrawn from the storage container 4.In the method for producing electronic or optoelectronic components or solid-state battery layers or metallic single or multiple layers, the gas 8a is supplied from the gas source 8 to the metal or metal compound or non-metal or non-metal compound or semiconductor or semiconductor compound 5 present in partially or completely liquefied or vaporized form, and the gas 8a is mixed with the partially or completely liquefied or vaporized metal or metal compound or non-metal or non-metal compound or semiconductor or semiconductor compound 5 in the storage container 4.In this way, a gaseous mixture 25 is generated in the pre-storage container 4, which occupies the space above a level of the partially or completely melted or vaporized metal or metal compound or non-metal or non-metal compound or semiconductor or semiconductor compound 5 in the storage container 4. A working pressure in the storage container 4 is preferably greater than or equal to a working pressure in the reactor 3. The pressure regulator 26 can be used to generate a defined, pre-adjustable pressure difference in line 7 between the storage container 4 and the reactor 3. A mass flow containing the mixture 25 is discharged from the storage container 4 and fed to the reactor 3.

[0041] The gas 8a is preferably a nitrogen, hydrogen, oxygen, chlorine gas or chlorine compound or carbon compound or a noble gas, for example argon or helium, or a mixture of two or more of these gases. The metal used is preferably aluminum and / or gallium and / or indium and / or boron and / or cadmium and / or tin and / or magnesium and / or zinc and / or copper and / or selenium and / or scandium and / or lithium and other metals or metal compounds or non-metals or non-metal compounds or semiconductors or semiconductor compounds known from the semiconductor and solid-state battery industry. Furthermore, it can be provided that the gas 8a is activated by the activation device 23 before mixing with the partially or completely liquefied or vaporized metal or metal compound or non-metal or non-metal compound or semiconductor or semiconductor compound 5.

[0042] In principle, different gas compositions and operating modes of the process according to the invention are possible. For example, a pure noble gas, such as helium, neon, argon, krypton, or xenon, can be used as the carrier gas 8a. In this case, no reaction occurs between the metal or metal compound, non-metal or non-metal compound, semiconductor or semiconductor compound, and the carrier gas. The carrier gas serves merely to transport the pure metal or metal compound, non-metal or non-metal compound, semiconductor or semiconductor compound 5, present in partially or completely liquefied or vaporized form, to the reactor 3. This is particularly advantageous when pure layers, such as pure metal layers, are to be produced.

[0043] Furthermore, the gas 8a can be a mixture of a noble gas and a reactive gas, for example nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen, chlorine gas or chlorine compounds or carbon compounds, wherein the reactive gas can be activated by the activation device 23 so that the reactive gas can combine with the metal or the metal compound or the non-metal or the non-metal compound or the semiconductor or the semiconductor compound 5 to form particles, while the carrier gas does not react with the metal or the metal compound or the non-metal or the non-metal compound or the semiconductor or the semiconductor compound 5.

[0044] In a further variant, the gas 8a can also consist only of the reactive gas which reacts with the metal or metal compound or non-metal or non-metal compound or semiconductor or semiconductor compound 5.

[0045] The flow rate of the mass flow supplied to reactor 3 via line 7 is regulated to a setpoint. Depending on a deviation of the setpoint from a measured actual value, the amount of gas 8a supplied to storage tank 4 via line 6 can be varied. Furthermore, depending on a deviation of the setpoint from a measured actual value, gas 8a can also be supplied to line 7. The amounts of supplied gas 8a are regulated via mass flow controllers 16 and 18.

[0046] As in Fig. 3, the device 1 can also have a plurality of storage containers 4, 4a, 4b. The storage containers 4, 4a, 4b can contain different materials. For example, to deposit AlGaN (aluminum gallium nitride) layers onto the substrate 2 in the reactor 3, the storage container 4 can contain partially or completely liquefied or vaporized gallium as material 5, and the storage container 5a can contain partially or completely liquefied or vaporized aluminum as material 5a. In an MOCVD reactor, AlGaN could additionally be grown using ammonia together with hydrogen and nitrogen in order to achieve good gas distribution in the reactor. In a device and method according to DE102013112785B3, AlGaN could also be grown using nitrogen and argon, for example via an ion source.If chlorine gas is used as gas 8a in both cases, sufficient hydrogen would have to be added to the reactor so that the chlorine reacts with hydrogen to form hydrogen chloride and is removed from the reactor.

[0047] The gas or gas mixture 8a supplied to the storage vessel 5a can, if desired or necessary, also be activated via an activation device 23a. The gas flow in the line 7a and further into the reactor can be adjusted using mass flow controllers 16a and 18a and via the pressure regulator 26a. Furthermore, a switching device 13a is also provided. The functioning of the storage vessel 5a, the activation device 13a, the mass flow controllers 16a and 18a, the pressure regulator 26a, and the switching device 13a corresponds to the above-described functioning of the storage vessel 5, the activation device 23, the mass flow controllers 16 and 18, the pressure regulator 26, and the switching device 13.

[0048] The gas mixtures 25, 25a with the different materials are combined after the switching means 13, 13a and before the reactor 3. The reactor 3 is then fed with the resulting mixture of 25 and 25a. Depending on the position of the switching means 13, 13a, the resulting mixture can also be fed to the reactor outlet 24. In a further embodiment, the switching means outlet 14 of the switching means 13 is connected to a separate vacuum extraction device 15a, as is the case, for example, in Fig. 4. The mass flows extracted via 15 and 15a can be discharged into the environment together or separately.

[0049] According to Fig. 5, a gas 8c from a separate gas source 8b can be supplied to the storage container 4a, while gas 8a from the gas source 8 is supplied via the mass flow regulator 18a upstream of the pressure regulator 26a.

[0050] According to another variant of the invention as described in Fig.However, as shown in Figure 6, gas 8e can also be supplied from a separate gas source 8d via the mass flow regulator 18a upstream of the pressure regulator 26a into the line 7a. Of course, additional storage containers with other fully or partially liquefied or vaporized materials can be provided, which can be connected to the system in one of the ways described above. Reference symbol list 1 device 2 Substrat 3 reactor 4, 4a, 4b storage tank 5, 5a Metal, or metal compound or non-metal or non-metal compound or semiconductor or semiconductor compound 6 Line for supplying gas 7 Line for discharging a mass flow 8, 8b, d gas source 8a, c, e Gas 9 Open end of line 6 10 Bottom of the storage container 11 Entry point into the storage tank 12 Open end of the storage container 13,13a Switching devices 14 Switching device outlet 15, 15a Vacuum pump 16, 16a Mass flow controller 17, 17a connecting line 18, 18a Mass flow controller 19 Heating device 20 heating element 21 Distribution device 22 Energy beam source / gas distribution device 23, 23a Activation device 24 Reactor outlet 25, 25a mixture 26, 26a pressure regulator QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] DE 102013112785B3

[0046]

Claims

[1] Device (1) for producing electronic or opto-electronic components or solid-state battery layers as composite bodies or metallic single or multiple layers by preferably chemical vapor deposition or physical vapor deposition or a combination thereof on a substrate (2), comprising a reactor (3) for receiving the substrate (2), characterized bythat at least one heatable storage container (4) for storing metal or at least one metal compound or at least one non-metal or at least one non-metal compound or at least one semiconductor or at least one semiconductor compound (5) in partially or completely liquefied or vaporized form is arranged upstream of the reactor (3), wherein at least one line (6) for supplying gas (8a) leads into the at least one storage container (4) and at least one line (7) for discharging a mass flow from the storage container (4) leads out of the at least one storage container (4), wherein the line (6) for supplying gas (8a) connects the storage container (4) to at least one gas source (8) and the storage container (4) is or can be fluidically connected to the reactor (3) via the at least one line (7) for discharging the mass flow. [2] Device according to claim 1, characterized byin that the line (6) for supplying the gas is preferably tubular or hose-shaped, wherein a distance of an open end (9) of the line (6) for supplying the gas (8a), which is located inside the storage container (4), from a bottom (10) of the storage container (4) is smaller than a distance of the open end (9) from an inlet point (11) of the line (6) for supplying the gas (8a) into the storage container (4), wherein an open end (12) of the line (7) facing an interior of the storage container (4) for discharging the mass flow is further away from the bottom (10) of the storage container (4) than the open end (9) of the line (6) for supplying the gas (8a). [3] Device according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized bythat at least one switching means (13), in particular a switchable valve, for example a directional control valve, for example a 3 / 2-way valve, is provided, wherein the line (7) for discharging the mass flow from the storage container (4) is connected to the reactor (3) in a first switching position of the switching means (13) and to a switching means outlet (14) for the mass flow in a second switching position of the switching means (13), wherein the switching means outlet (14) is preferably connected to a reactor outlet (24). In a further embodiment, the switching means outlet 14 is connected to a separate vacuum extraction system 15a. [4] Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized bythat between the line (6) for supplying gas and the at least one gas source (8) or in the line (6) for supplying gas, at least one first mass flow controller (16) for controlling a quantity of the gas (8a) supplied to the at least one storage container (4) is arranged. [5] Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized byin that the line (7, 7a) for discharging the mass flow from the storage container (4, 4a) is connected via at least one connecting line (17, 17a) to the at least one gas source (8) of the gas (8a) supplied to the at least one storage container (4) and / or to a further gas source, wherein in the at least one connecting line (17, 17a) from the at least one gas source (8) and / or the further gas source to the line (7, 7a) for discharging the mass flow from the storage container (4) at least one second mass flow controller (18, 18a) for regulating the mass flow supplied to the reactor (3) via the line (7, 7a) for discharging the mass flow from the storage container (4, 4a) is arranged. [6] Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by that the storage container (4) is made of at least one ceramic and / or mineral material, in particular quartz or metal or a metal alloy. [7] Device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized by that at least one heating device (19) is provided for heating the storage container (4), wherein the at least one heating device (19) preferably has at least one heating element (20) arranged around a lateral surface of the storage container (4). [8] Device according to claim 7, characterized by that the at least one heating device (19) is an induction heating device and / or a resistance heating device and / or a lamp heater. [9] Device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized by that at least one laser is provided for the partial or complete liquefaction or evaporation of the material (5) in the storage container (4), wherein a laser beam can be continuous or temporally pulsed. [10] Device according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized bythat the free end of the line (6) for supplying gas (8a) into the storage container (4) is designed as a distribution device (21) for distributing the gas (8a), wherein the distribution device (21) is preferably formed from a tubular section with a plurality of outlet openings for the gas provided in a wall of the tubular section. [11] Device according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized bythat the reactor (3) is an HVPE or MOCVD reactor or basically apparatus from chemical vapor deposition or physical vapor deposition or a combination thereof and with or without an additional energy beam source (22), the energy beam source preferably comprises a microwave plasma source, an inductively coupled plasma source (ICP), a capacitively coupled plasma (CCP), a remote plasma source, a sputtering source, in particular a magnetron sputtering source or an ion source oran ion beam source, a laser beam source, an electron beam source, an X-ray source and / or a UV source, where UV stands for ultraviolet radiation, and / or mixed forms of these beam sources, such as laser- and plasma-based X-ray and UV sources, wherein the line (7) for discharging the mass flow is fluidically connectable or connected to the energy beam source (22) and / or a gas distribution device of the reactor (3). [12] Device according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized by that at least one activation device (23) for activating the gas (8a), in particular a heating device and / or a plasma source and / or a laser and / or a high-energy lamp, is arranged between the gas source (8) and the storage container (4) or in the storage container (4). [13] Device according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized bythat the line (7) for discharging the mass flow in the direction of the reactor (3) is made of stainless steel and / or quartz glass and / or ceramic and / or a composite material and / or has a protective layer on the inside. [14] Device according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized by that it has at least one heating device for the line (7) for discharging the mass flow in the direction of the reactor (3) for heating the line (7) to temperatures of 25°C to 1000°C. [15] Device according to claims 1 to 14, characterized by that in the at least one line (7) for discharging the mass flow there is a pressure regulator (26) which is designed to set and maintain the pressure in the storage container (4) at a higher pressure than in the reactor (3). [16] Process for the production of electronic or opto-electronic components or of solid-state battery layers as composite bodies or of metallic single or multiple layers by preferably chemical vapor deposition or physical vapor deposition or a combination thereof on a substrate (2), in a reactor (3) for receiving the substrate (2), characterized bythat at least one gas (8a) from at least one gas source (8) is supplied to a metal present in partially or completely liquefied or vaporized form or to at least one metal compound present in partially or completely liquefied or vaporized form or to at least one non-metal present in partially or completely liquefied or vaporized form or to at least one non-metal compound present in partially or completely liquefied or vaporized form or to at least one semiconductor present in partially or completely liquefied or vaporized form or to at least one semiconductor compound (5) present in partially or completely liquefied or vaporized form,and the at least one gas (8a) is mixed with the partially or completely liquefied or vaporized metal or metal compound or non-metal or non-metal compound or semiconductor or semiconductor compound (5) and a mixture (25) is produced, wherein a mass flow containing the mixture (25) is fed to the reactor (3). [17] Method according to claim 16, characterized by that a flow rate of the mass flow fed to the reactor (3) via a line (7) for discharging the mass flow from the storage container (4) is regulated to a desired value, wherein a quantity of the gas (8a) fed to the storage container (4) is changed as a function of a deviation of the desired value from an actual value and / or gas (8a), in particular a gas of the same type as the gas fed to the storage container (4), is fed into the line (7) for discharging the mass flow as a function of a deviation of the desired value from an actual value. [18] Method according to claim 16 or 17, characterized by that a working pressure in the storage container (4) is greater than or equal to a working pressure in the reactor (3). [19] Method according to one of claims 16 to 18, characterized by that the gas (8a) mixed with the partially or completely liquefied or vaporized metal or metal compound or non-metal or non-metal compound or semiconductor or semiconductor compound (5) is activated before mixing with the metal or metal compound or non-metal or non-metal compound or semiconductor or semiconductor compound (5), in particular by means of a heating device and / or a plasma source and / or a laser and / or a high-energy lamp. [20] Method according to one of claims 16 to 19, characterized bythat the gas (8a) is a nitrogen, hydrogen, oxygen or chlorine gas and / or comprises a chlorine compound or carbon compound and / or is a noble gas, for example argon or helium, or a mixture of two or more of these gases.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

  • Method for producing a composite body with at least one functional layer or for further manufacturing electronic or optoelectronic components

    DE102013112785B3

  • vapor phase growth device, storage tank and vapor phase growth method

    DE102015221830A1