Susceptors and vapor phase growth devices

Abstract

The present invention provides a susceptor and vapor phase growth apparatus that improve the uniformity of the thickness of films deposited on the wafer surface. [Solution] A susceptor 34 is provided in a vapor phase growth apparatus 10 on which a wafer 60 having an upper portion 61 and a lower portion 62 is placed. The susceptor has a support surface 34a that supports the lower surface 60b of the wafer from below, and the support surface is provided with a susceptor engagement portion 34d that engages with a wafer engagement portion 60d of the wafer. The susceptor engagement portion is recessed downward from the support surface and is a recess that accommodates the wafer engagement portion.

Description

Technical Field

[0006] , ,

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to a susceptor and a vapor deposition apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] There is known a vapor deposition apparatus that improves the uniformity of the film thickness by rotating a susceptor on which a wafer is placed and forming a film such as SiC on the surface of the wafer. In such a vapor deposition apparatus, in order to prevent the wafer from falling off the susceptor,a wafer guide may be provided whose upper surface is located above the wafer surface and surrounds the susceptor. In this case, since the flow rate of the material gas supplied to the radially outer edge of the wafer surface decreases, there is a risk that the film thickness formed on the radially outer edge of the wafer becomes thin. Therefore, there is a risk that the uniformity of the film thickness decreases.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a susceptor and a vapor deposition apparatus capable of improving the uniformity of the film thickness formed on the wafer surface.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] The susceptor of the embodiment is a susceptor provided in a vapor deposition apparatus on which a wafer is placed. It has a support surface that supports the surface facing the lower side of the wafer from below. The support surface is provided with a susceptor engaging portion that engages with a wafer engaging portion of the wafer.

[0006] The vapor deposition apparatus of the embodiment has a susceptor and a drive unit that rotates the susceptor. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] A cross-sectional view showing a vapor phase growth apparatus according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] A cross-sectional view showing a part of the vapor phase growth apparatus of the first embodiment. [Figure 3] A plan view of the susceptor of the first embodiment, seen from above. [Figure 4] A first cross-sectional view showing the wafer manufacturing process of the first embodiment. [Figure 5] A second cross-sectional view showing the wafer manufacturing process of the first embodiment. [Figure 6] A third cross-sectional view showing the wafer manufacturing process of the first embodiment. [Figure 7] A cross-sectional view showing a part of the vapor phase growth apparatus of the comparative example. [Figure 8] A cross-sectional view showing a part of the vapor phase growth apparatus of the second embodiment. [Figure 9] A cross-sectional view showing a part of the vapor phase growth apparatus of the third embodiment. [Figure 10] A cross-sectional view showing a part of the vapor phase growth apparatus of the fourth embodiment. [Figure 11] A cross-sectional view showing a part of the vapor phase growth apparatus of the fifth embodiment. [Figure 12] A plan view of the susceptor of the fifth embodiment, seen from above. [Figure 13] A cross-sectional view showing a part of the vapor phase growth apparatus of the sixth embodiment. [Figure 14] A plan view of the susceptor of the sixth embodiment, seen from above. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] In each drawing, the Z-axis direction is the vertical direction. The side indicated by the Z-axis arrow (+Z side) is the upper side in the vertical direction. The side opposite to the side indicated by the Z-axis arrow (-Z side) is the lower side in the vertical direction. In the following explanation, the upper side in the vertical direction will be simply referred to as the "upper side," and the lower side in the vertical direction will be simply referred to as the "lower side." In the following explanation, the surface of each part constituting the vapor phase growth apparatus that faces upwards will be referred to as the front surface, and the surface that faces downwards will be referred to as the back surface.

[0009] The direction in which the rotation axis J shown in each figure extends is parallel to the Z-axis direction. The rotation axis J is a virtual axis. In the vapor phase growth apparatus of this embodiment, the susceptor rotates about the rotation axis J. In the following description, the radial direction about the rotation axis J will be simply referred to as the "radial direction," and the circumferential direction about the rotation axis J will be simply referred to as the "circumferential direction." In each figure, the circumferential direction is indicated by the arrow θ.

[0010] In this specification, terms such as "orthogonal," "parallel," "identical," and "similar," as well as values ​​for length and angle, which specify the shape of each part constituting a vapor phase growth apparatus and the degree of their relative arrangement, shall not be strictly interpreted, but shall be interpreted to include a range within which similar functions can be expected and within the range of design tolerances. Furthermore, each drawing is schematic and conceptual, and the dimensions of each part constituting the vapor phase growth apparatus, as well as the ratios of dimensions between each part, are not necessarily identical to those of the actual apparatus. Moreover, even when representing the same part, the dimensions and ratios may be represented differently in each drawing.

[0011] (First Embodiment) The vapor deposition apparatus 10 of the present embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is a film forming apparatus for forming an epitaxial film on the surface 60a of the wafer 60, that is, the upper-facing surface, by the CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) method. In the present embodiment, a SiC (silicon carbide) film is formed on the surface 60a of the wafer 60. The film formed on the surface 60a of the wafer 60 may be a film composed of other materials such as Si. The vapor deposition apparatus 10 includes a chamber 20, a supply pipe 24, a drive unit 31, a susceptor holding unit 32, a susceptor 34, a cover member 38, a first heating unit 41, and a second heating unit 42.

[0012] The chamber 20 houses the supply pipe 24, the drive unit 31, the susceptor holding unit 32, the susceptor 34, the cover member 38, the first heating unit 41, and the second heating unit 42 inside. The chamber 20 has a main body portion 21 and a supply portion 22. In the present embodiment, the chamber 20 is made of metal.

[0013] The main body portion 21 houses the supply pipe 24, the drive unit 31, the susceptor holding unit 32, the susceptor 34, the cover member 38, the first heating unit 41, and the second heating unit 42 inside. The main body portion 21 is in a cylindrical shape extending in the vertical direction. The main body portion 21 is provided with a main body portion opening 21a that opens upward. The main body portion 21 is provided with a discharge port 21b that opens downward. The excess material gas G in the chamber 20 is discharged to the outside of the vapor deposition apparatus 10 from the discharge port 21b.

[0014] The supply portion 22 is in a cylindrical shape protruding upward from the main body portion 21. The supply portion 22 is provided with a supply port 22a that opens upward. The supply portion 22 is provided with a supply portion opening 22b that opens downward. The inside of the supply portion 22 and the inside of the main body portion 21 are connected via the supply portion opening 22b and the main body portion opening 21a. The material gas G supplied into the supply portion 22 from the supply port 22a is supplied into the main body portion 21 via the supply portion opening 22b and the main body portion opening 21a.

[0015] The supply pipe 24 is housed inside the main body 21. The supply pipe 24 is cylindrical and extends in the vertical direction. The supply pipe 24 has openings on both the upper and lower sides. During film formation, the material gas G flows downward inside the supply pipe 24. During film formation, the material gas G flowing downward inside the supply pipe 24 is supplied to the surface 60a of the wafer 60. The excess material gas G inside the supply pipe 24 is discharged to the outside of the vapor deposition apparatus 10 through the lower opening of the supply pipe 24 and the discharge port 21b. In the present embodiment, the supply pipe 24 is made of graphite. A coating layer made of materials such as SiC and TaC (tantalum carbide) may be provided on the inner surface of the supply pipe 24.

[0016] In the present embodiment, the material gas G contains a source gas, an impurity gas, a carrier gas, and hydrogen chloride (HCl) gas. The source gas contains silane (SiH4) and propane (C3H8). The flow rate of the source gas is preferably in the range of several tens [sccm] to several hundreds [sccm]. The impurity gas contains nitrogen and TMA (trimethylaluminum). The flow rate of the impurity gas is preferably in the range of several [sccm] to several hundreds [sccm]. The carrier gas is either argon gas or hydrogen gas. More specifically, when the wafer 60 is carried into the vapor deposition apparatus 10 and placed on the susceptor 34, and when the wafer 60 after film formation is removed from the susceptor 34 and carried out of the vapor deposition apparatus 10, the carrier gas is argon gas. Also, during film formation, the carrier gas is hydrogen gas. The flow rate of the carrier gas is preferably in the range of 100 [slm] to 200 [slm]. The flow rate of the hydrogen chloride gas is preferably in the range of several tens [sccm] to several [slm]. The flow rates, etc. of the source gas, impurity gas, carrier gas, and hydrogen chloride gas are adjusted by a gas adjustment unit (not shown).

[0017] The first heating section 41 is annular in shape, surrounding the supply pipe 24. The first heating section 41 is located between the main body 21 and the supply pipe 24. In this embodiment, the vapor phase growth apparatus 10 is equipped with three first heating sections 41. Each first heating section 41 is spaced apart in the vertical direction. Each first heating section 41 heats the material gas G passing through the inside of the supply pipe 24. This increases the temperature of the material gas G when it reaches the wafer 60, thereby increasing the rate of SiC film deposition. In addition, the silane and propane contained in the material gas G are thermally decomposed into silylene (SiH2) and methane (CH4), respectively. The number of first heating sections 41 in the vapor phase growth apparatus 10 may be two or fewer, or four or more.

[0018] The second heating unit 42 is located inside the drive unit 31. The second heating unit 42 is located below the susceptor holding unit 32. During film formation, the second heating unit 42 heats the susceptor holding unit 32, the susceptor 34, and the wafer 60, respectively. During film formation, the second heating unit 42 heats the wafer 60 to a temperature of 1500°C or higher and 1650°C or lower. When material gas G is supplied to the surface 60a of the wafer 60 heated to this temperature, a SiC film is formed on the surface 60a of the wafer 60.

[0019] The drive unit 31 includes a drive device, such as a motor (not shown). The drive unit 31 is rotated around the rotation axis J by the drive device. The drive unit 31 is rotatably supported at the bottom of the main body 21 around the rotation axis J. The drive unit 31 is located below the susceptor holding unit 32. The drive unit 31 rotates the susceptor holding unit 32, the susceptor 34, the cover member 38, and the wafer 60 around the rotation axis J. As a result, in the vapor phase growth apparatus 10 of this embodiment, the drive unit 31 can rotate the wafer 60 around the rotation axis J when depositing a SiC film on the surface 60a of the wafer 60. Therefore, variations in the amount of material gas G supplied to the surface 60a of the wafer 60 can be reduced. Consequently, the uniformity of the thickness of the film deposited on the surface 60a of the wafer 60 can be improved.

[0020] The susceptor holder portion 32 is plate-shaped, extending in a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction. In this embodiment, the susceptor holder portion 32 is substantially disc-shaped with respect to the axis of rotation J. When viewed from the vertical direction, the susceptor holder portion 32 may have other shapes, such as an ellipse. As shown in Figure 2, the susceptor 34 is fixed to the surface 32a of the susceptor holder portion 32. In this way, the susceptor holder portion 32 holds the susceptor 34. In this embodiment, the susceptor holder portion 32 is made of graphite. At least a portion of the outer surface of the susceptor holder portion 32 may be provided with a coating layer made of materials such as SiC and TaC.

[0021] A wafer 60 is placed on the susceptor 34. The susceptor 34 supports the wafer 60 from below. The susceptor 34 also supports the cover member 38 from below. In this embodiment, the susceptor 34 is substantially annular in shape with a rotation axis J as its center. The susceptor 34 is positioned above the susceptor holding portion 32. The back surface 34b of the susceptor 34 is fixed to the surface 32a of the susceptor holding portion 32. The outer diameter of the susceptor 34 and the outer diameter of the susceptor holding portion 32 are substantially the same. In this embodiment, the susceptor 34 is made of graphite. A coating layer made of materials such as SiC and TaC may be provided on the outer surface of the susceptor 34. The susceptor 34 has a support surface 34a.

[0022] The support surface 34a is the upper-facing surface of the outer surface of the susceptor 34. During film formation, the wafer 60 is placed on the support surface 34a. More specifically, during film formation, the support surface 34a supports the back surface 60b of the wafer 60, i.e., the lower-facing surface, from below. In this way, the wafer 60 is placed on the susceptor 34 during film formation. The support surface 34a is provided with a susceptor engagement portion 34d.

[0023] In this embodiment, the susceptor engagement portion 34d is a recess that is recessed downward from the support surface 34a. As shown in Figure 3, when viewed from above, the susceptor engagement portion 34d is an annular shape centered on the rotation axis J. In other words, in this embodiment, the susceptor engagement portion 34d is a groove that extends around the circumference. As shown in Figure 2, during film formation, the wafer engagement portion 60d of the wafer 60, which will be described later, is housed in the susceptor engagement portion 34d. The radially inward-facing surface and the radially outward-facing surface of the susceptor engagement portion 34d each face the wafer engagement portion 60d with a small gap between them. As a result, the wafer engagement portion 60d engages with the susceptor engagement portion 34d. Note that the radially inward-facing surface and the radially outward-facing surface of the susceptor engagement portion 34d may each be in contact with the wafer engagement portion 60d.

[0024] The cover member 38 is annular in shape, surrounding the axis of rotation J. In this embodiment, the cover member 38 is substantially annular in shape, centered on the axis of rotation J. The cover member 38 is positioned above the susceptor 34. The inner diameter of the cover member 38 is larger than the inner diameter of the susceptor 34. In the radial direction, the inner circumferential surface of the cover member 38 is located radially outward from the susceptor engagement portion 34d. The back surface 38b of the cover member 38 is fixed to the portion of the support surface 34a that is radially outward from the susceptor engagement portion 34d. As a result, the cover member 38 is attached to the susceptor 34. Therefore, the cover member 38 can rotate together with the susceptor 34 around the axis of rotation J. The outer diameter of the cover member 38 is approximately the same as the outer diameter of the susceptor 34. During film formation, the cover member 38 surrounds the outer edge of the wafer 60 placed on the susceptor 34 from the radially outward direction. The inner diameter of the cover member 38 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the wafer 60. The thickness Tg of the cover member 38 shown in Figure 2 is the vertical dimension of the cover member 38. In this embodiment, the cover member 38 is made of poly-SiC. The cover member 38 may also be made of graphite. In this case, at least a portion of the surface of the cover member 38 may be provided with a coating layer made of SiC. Note that the vapor phase growth apparatus 10 does not necessarily have to be equipped with a cover member 38.

[0025] The wafer 60 is substantially disc-shaped, extending in a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction. During film formation, the wafer 60 is placed on the radially inward portion of the support surface 34a of the susceptor 34. The back surface 60b of the wafer 60 is in contact with the support surface 34a in the vertical direction. In this embodiment, the thickness Tw of the wafer 60 is 0.35 mm. The thickness Tw of the wafer 60 is the vertical dimension of the wafer 60. The thickness Tw of the wafer 60 may be thinner than 0.35 mm or thicker than 0.35 mm. In this embodiment, the wafer 60 has a first wafer 61, a second wafer 62, and a wafer engaging portion 60d.

[0026] The first wafer 61 is the upper portion of wafer 60. The first wafer 61 is roughly disc-shaped, extending in a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction. The surface of the first wafer 61 facing upward is the surface 60a of wafer 60. A film such as SiC is deposited on the surface 60a of wafer 60. In this embodiment, the first wafer 61 is made of single-crystal SiC.

[0027] The second wafer 62 is the lower portion of wafer 60. The second wafer 62 is a substantially disc shape that extends in a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction. The outer diameter of the second wafer 62 is approximately the same as the outer diameter of the first wafer 61. The surface of the second wafer 62 facing downwards is the back surface 60b of wafer 60. In this embodiment, the second wafer 62 is made of polycrystalline SiC. The polycrystalline SiC that makes up the second wafer 62 has a lower material cost than the single-crystal SiC that makes up the first wafer 61. Therefore, in this embodiment, the increase in the cost of wafer 60 can be suppressed compared to the case where the second wafer 62 is made of single-crystal SiC. Note that the second wafer 62 may also be made of single-crystal SiC. In this case, the first wafer 61 and the second wafer 62 may be integrally molded.

[0028] The wafer engagement portion 60d is a projection that protrudes downward from the back surface 60b. In this embodiment, the wafer engagement portion 60d is part of the second wafer 62. In this embodiment, the wafer engagement portion 60d is an annular shape centered on the rotation axis J. That is, in this embodiment, the wafer engagement portion 60d is a projection that extends around the circumference. In this embodiment, the wafer engagement portion 60d extends around the circumference along the radial outer edge of the wafer 60. During film formation, the wafer engagement portion 60d is housed inside the susceptor engagement portion 34d. As a result, the wafer engagement portion 60d engages with the susceptor engagement portion 34d.

[0029] During film formation, when the drive unit 31 rotates the susceptor 34 on which the wafer 60 is placed around the rotation axis J, a centrifugal force is applied to the wafer 60 radially outward. Therefore, if the susceptor 34 does not have a susceptor engagement portion 34d and the wafer 60 does not have a wafer engagement portion 60d, there is a risk that the wafer 60 will detach from the susceptor 34 due to this centrifugal force. In contrast, in this embodiment, as described above, during film formation, the wafer engagement portion 60d engages with the susceptor engagement portion 34d. Therefore, during film formation, when a centrifugal force is applied to the wafer 60 radially outward, and the wafer 60 attempts to move radially outward relative to the susceptor 34, the wafer engagement portion 60d catches on at least one of the radially outward or radially inward surfaces of the susceptor engagement portion 34d. This prevents the wafer 60 from moving radially outward relative to the susceptor 34. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the wafer 60 from detaching from the susceptor 34 due to the resulting centrifugal force.

[0030] Next, the manufacturing process of the wafer 60 in this embodiment will be described. First, as shown in Figure 4, the radially inner portion of the back surface 962b of the disc-shaped second member 962, which is made of polycrystalline SiC, is polished. As a result, as shown in Figure 5, the second wafer 62 having a wafer engagement portion 60d and a back surface 60b is formed. Next, the surface 62a of the second wafer 62 is polished. This removes impurities adhering to the surface 62a and smooths the surface 62a. Next, the disc-shaped first member 961, which is made of single-crystal SiC, is bonded to the surface 62a of the second wafer 62 at room temperature. Next, as shown in Figure 6, the upper portion of the first member 961 is removed by thermal peeling. As a result, the first wafer 61 bonded to the second wafer 62 is formed. Next, after activating the surface 60a, which is the upper side of the first wafer 61, the surface 60a is polished to manufacture the wafer 60.

[0031] The protrusion height La shown in Figure 2 is the distance in the vertical direction between the surface 38a of the cover member 38 and the surface 60a of the wafer 60. As described above, in this embodiment, the cover member 38 and the wafer 60 are each supported from below by the susceptor 34. Therefore, in this embodiment, the protrusion height La is the difference between the thickness Tg of the cover member 38 and the thickness Tw of the wafer 60. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, if the thickness Tg of the cover member 38 is thinner than the thickness Tw of the wafer 60, that is, if the surface 38a of the cover member 38 is located below the surface 60a of the wafer 60, the protrusion height La is a negative value. Although not shown in the figure, if the thickness Tg of the cover member 38 and the thickness Tw of the wafer 60 are the same, the protrusion height La is 0 mm. In this embodiment, as in the comparative example vapor phase growth apparatus 110 shown in Figure 7, when the thickness Tg of the cover member 138 is greater than the thickness Tw of the wafer 60, that is, when the surface 138a of the cover member 138 is located above the surface 60a of the wafer 60, the protrusion height La is a positive value. In this embodiment, the protrusion height La is 0.65 mm or less. That is, in this embodiment, the surface 38a of the cover member 38, i.e., the upward-facing surface, is located below a position 0.65 mm above the surface 60a of the wafer 60, i.e., the upward-facing surface. In this embodiment, the thickness Tg of the cover member 38 is less than 1.00 mm.

[0032] The thickness Tg of the cover member 138 in the comparative example vapor phase growth apparatus 110 shown in Figure 7 is, for example, 1.85 mm. Therefore, in the comparative example vapor phase growth apparatus 110, the protrusion height La is, for example, 1.50 mm. In the comparative example vapor phase growth apparatus 110, the surface 138a of the cover member 138 is located above a position 0.65 mm above the surface 60a of the wafer 60. As described above, during film formation to deposit a SiC film on the surface 60a of the wafer 60, the material gas G flowing downward inside the supply pipe 24 shown in Figure 1 is supplied to the surface 60a of the wafer 60. Also, as described above, during film formation, when the material gas G is supplied to the surface 60a of the wafer 60 heated by the second heating unit 42, a SiC film is formed on the surface 60a of the wafer 60.

[0033] As shown in Figure 7, during film formation, the material gas G supplied to the surface 60a of the wafer 60 flows radially outward along the surface 60a of the wafer 60. This allows the material gas G to be supplied to the entire surface 60a of the wafer 60. However, if the protrusion height La is too large, as in the comparative example vapor phase growth apparatus 110, the cover member 138 significantly obstructs the flow of the material gas G flowing radially outward from the radial outer edge of the wafer 60. As a result, the flow velocity of the material gas G at the radial outer edge of the wafer 60 decreases significantly, and the film formation rate at the radial outer edge of the surface 60a of the wafer 60 decreases significantly. Consequently, the thickness of the film formed on the radial outer edge of the wafer 60 becomes too thin compared to the thickness of the film formed in the radial center of the wafer 60, making it difficult to improve the uniformity of the film thickness formed on the surface 60a of the wafer 60.

[0034] In contrast, as described above, in this embodiment, the protrusion height La is less than 0.65 mm. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the protrusion height La from becoming too large. Accordingly, as shown in Figure 2, in this embodiment, the cover member 38 can suppress obstruction of the flow of material gas G flowing from the radial outer edge of the wafer 60 toward the radially outward side of the wafer 60. As a result, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the flow velocity of material gas G at the radial outer edge of the wafer 60, and thus suppress a decrease in the film deposition rate at the radial outer edge of the surface 60a of the wafer 60. Accordingly, it is possible to suppress the thickness of the film deposited on the radial outer edge of the wafer 60 from becoming too thin compared to the thickness of the film deposited in the radial center of the wafer 60, and thus improve the uniformity of the film thickness deposited on the surface 60a of the wafer 60.

[0035] According to this embodiment, the susceptor 34 is provided in the vapor phase growth apparatus 10 and is on which the wafer 60 is placed. The susceptor 34 has a support surface 34a that supports the back surface 60b of the wafer 60, i.e., the downward-facing surface, from below. The support surface 34a is provided with a susceptor engagement portion 34d that engages with the wafer engagement portion 60d of the wafer 60. Therefore, since the wafer engagement portion 60d engages with the susceptor engagement portion 34d, as described above, it is possible to suppress the wafer 60 from falling off the susceptor 34 during film formation. As a result, in this embodiment, there is no need to suppress the wafer 60 from falling off the susceptor 34 with the cover member 38. Accordingly, in this embodiment, the thickness Tg of the cover member 38 can be appropriately set to a height that can suppress a decrease in the flow velocity of the material gas G at the radial outer edge of the wafer 60. As a result, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the film formation rate at the radial outer edge of the surface 60a of the wafer 60. Therefore, as described above, it is possible to prevent the thickness of the film deposited on the radial outer edge of the wafer 60 from becoming too thin compared to the thickness of the film deposited in the radial center of the wafer 60. Consequently, the uniformity of the thickness of the film deposited on the surface 60a of the wafer 60 can be improved.

[0036] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as described above, by engaging the wafer engaging portion 60d with the susceptor engaging portion 34d, the wafer 60 can be prevented from falling off the susceptor 34, so the cover member 38 does not need to be provided. Therefore, in this embodiment, by omitting the cover member 38, the number of parts and manufacturing costs of the vapor phase growth apparatus 10 can be reduced.

[0037] According to this embodiment, the susceptor engagement portion 34d is a recess that is recessed downward from the support surface 34a and accommodates the wafer engagement portion 60d. Therefore, when the susceptor 34 on which the wafer 60 is placed is rotated, if the wafer 60 attempts to move radially outward relative to the susceptor 34, the wafer engagement portion 60d catches on at least one of the radially outward-facing or radially inward-facing surfaces of the susceptor engagement portion 34d, as described above. This effectively prevents the wafer 60 from moving radially outward relative to the susceptor 34. Consequently, the wafer 60 can be effectively prevented from falling off the susceptor 34.

[0038] In this embodiment, as described above, the susceptor engagement portion 34d is a recess that is recessed downward from the support surface 34a. Therefore, the wafer 60 can be prevented from falling out of the susceptor 34 with a simple configuration without using a separate member to prevent the wafer 60 from falling out of the susceptor 34. Consequently, the increase in the number of parts and manufacturing costs of the vapor phase growth apparatus 10 can be more effectively suppressed.

[0039] According to this embodiment, when viewed from above, the susceptor engagement portion 34d is annular. Therefore, when the susceptor 34 on which the wafer 60 is placed is rotated, even if the wafer 60 tries to move radially relative to the susceptor 34, a portion of the circumferential direction of at least one of the radially outward-facing or radially inward-facing surfaces of the susceptor engagement portion 34d is reliably caught on the wafer engagement portion 60d. This makes it possible to more effectively suppress the radially outward movement of the wafer 60 relative to the susceptor 34. Therefore, it is possible to more effectively suppress the wafer 60 from falling off the susceptor 34.

[0040] According to this embodiment, the vapor phase growth apparatus 10 includes a susceptor 34 and a drive unit 31 for rotating the susceptor 34. Therefore, during film formation on the surface 60a of the wafer 60, the drive unit 31 can rotate the wafer 60 around the rotation axis J. As a result, as described above, variations in the amount of material gas G supplied to the surface 60a of the wafer 60 can be reduced. Consequently, the uniformity of the thickness of the film formed on the surface 60a of the wafer 60 can be improved.

[0041] According to this embodiment, the vapor phase growth apparatus 10 is equipped with an annular cover member 38 surrounding the wafer 60, and the surface 38a of the cover member 38, i.e., the surface facing upward, is located below a position 0.65 mm above the surface 60a of the wafer 60, i.e., the surface facing upward. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the protrusion height La, which is the distance between the surface 38a of the cover member 38 and the surface 60a of the wafer 60 in the vertical direction, from becoming too large. As a result, as described above, it is possible to suppress the obstruction of the flow of material gas G flowing from the radial outer edge of the wafer 60 toward the radially outward direction of the wafer 60 by the cover member 38. Therefore, as described above, the difference between the film deposition rate at the radial outer edge of the surface 60a of the wafer 60 and the film deposition rate at the radial center of the surface 60a of the wafer 60 can be reduced. Consequently, the uniformity of the thickness of the film deposited on the surface 60a of the wafer 60 can be improved.

[0042] (Second Embodiment) Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of the vapor phase growth apparatus 210 of this embodiment. In the following description, components that are identical to those in the above-described embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions may be omitted.

[0043] A wafer 260 is placed on the susceptor 234. The susceptor 234 supports both the wafer 260 and the cover member 38 from below. The support surface 34a of the susceptor 234 supports the back surface 60b of the wafer 260 from below. A susceptor engagement portion 234d is provided on the support surface 34a.

[0044] In this embodiment, the susceptor engagement portion 234d is a recess that is recessed downward from the support surface 34a. Viewed from above, the susceptor engagement portion 234d is an annular shape centered on the rotation axis J. During film formation, the wafer engagement portion 260d of the wafer 260, which will be described later, is housed in the susceptor engagement portion 234d. The other configurations of the susceptor 234 in this embodiment are the same as the other configurations of the susceptor 34 in the first embodiment described above.

[0045] The wafer 260 is substantially disc-shaped, extending in a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction. During film formation, the wafer 260 is placed on the radially inward portion of the support surface 34a of the susceptor 234. In this embodiment, the wafer 260 has a first wafer 61, a second wafer 262, and a wafer engaging portion 260d.

[0046] The second wafer 262 is substantially disc-shaped, extending in a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction. The surface of the second wafer 262 facing downwards is the back surface 60b of wafer 260. The wafer engagement portion 260d is a projection that protrudes downwards from the back surface 60b. In this embodiment, the wafer engagement portion 260d is a part of the second wafer 262. In this embodiment, the wafer engagement portion 260d is annular with respect to the rotation axis J. In this embodiment, the wafer engagement portion 260d is provided radially inward from the radial outer edge of wafer 260. During film formation, the wafer engagement portion 260d is housed inside the susceptor engagement portion 234d. The radially outward-facing surface and the radially inward-facing surface of the susceptor engagement portion 234d each face the wafer engagement portion 260d with a small gap between them. As a result, the wafer engagement portion 260d engages with the susceptor engagement portion 234d. The radially outward-facing surface and the radially inward-facing surface of the susceptor engagement portion 234d may be in contact with the wafer engagement portion 260d. The other configurations of the wafer 260 in this embodiment are the same as the other configurations of the wafer 60 in the first embodiment described above. The other configurations of the vapor phase growth apparatus 210 in this embodiment are the same as the other configurations of the vapor phase growth apparatus 10 in the first embodiment described above.

[0047] According to this embodiment, the susceptor 234 has a support surface 34a that supports the back surface 60b of the wafer 260, i.e., the side facing downwards, from below, and the support surface 34a is provided with a susceptor engaging portion 234d that engages with the wafer engaging portion 260d of the wafer 260. Therefore, similar to the first embodiment described above, it is possible to suppress the wafer 260 from falling off the susceptor 234 during film formation. Accordingly, the thickness Tg of the cover member 38 can be appropriately set to a height that can suppress a decrease in the flow velocity of the material gas G at the radial outer edge of the wafer 260. Therefore, similar to the first embodiment described above, it is possible to suppress the thickness of the film formed on the radial outer edge of the wafer 260 from becoming too thin compared to the thickness of the film formed in the radial center of the wafer 260. Accordingly, it is possible to improve the uniformity of the thickness of the film formed on the surface 60a of the wafer 260.

[0048] (Third embodiment) Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of the vapor phase growth apparatus 310 of this embodiment. In the following description, components that are identical to those in the above-described embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions may be omitted.

[0049] A wafer 360 is placed on the susceptor 334. The susceptor 334 supports the wafer 360 and the cover member 38 from below. The support surface 34a of the susceptor 334 supports the back surface 60b of the wafer 360 from below. A susceptor engagement portion 334d is provided on the support surface 34a.

[0050] In this embodiment, the susceptor engaging portion 334d is a projection that protrudes upward from the support surface 34a. Viewed from above, the susceptor engaging portion 334d is an annular shape centered on the rotation axis J. During film formation, the susceptor engaging portion 334d is housed inside the wafer engaging portion 360d of the wafer 360, which will be described later. The other configurations of the susceptor 334 in this embodiment are the same as those of the susceptor 34 in the first embodiment described above.

[0051] The wafer 360 is substantially disc-shaped, extending in a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction. During film formation, the wafer 360 is placed on the radially inward portion of the support surface 34a of the susceptor 334. In this embodiment, the wafer 360 has a first wafer 61, a second wafer 362, and a wafer engaging portion 360d.

[0052] The second wafer 362 is substantially disc-shaped, extending in a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction. The surface of the second wafer 362 facing downwards is the back surface 60b of the wafer 360. The wafer engagement portion 360d is a recess that is recessed upwards from the back surface 60b. In this embodiment, the wafer engagement portion 360d is open to the radially outward side. In this embodiment, the wafer engagement portion 360d extends circumferentially along the radial outer edge of the wafer 360. During film formation, the susceptor engagement portion 334d is housed inside the wafer engagement portion 360d. The susceptor engagement portion 334d faces the radially outward-facing surface of the wafer engagement portion 360d with a small gap between them. As a result, the susceptor engagement portion 334d engages with the wafer engagement portion 360d. The other configurations of the wafer 360 in this embodiment are the same as the other configurations of the wafer 60 in the first embodiment described above. The other configurations of the vapor phase growth apparatus 310 in this embodiment are the same as the other configurations of the vapor phase growth apparatus 10 in the first embodiment described above.

[0053] According to this embodiment, the susceptor engaging portion 334d is a projection that protrudes upward from the support surface 34a and is housed inside the wafer engaging portion 360d. Therefore, when the susceptor 334 on which the wafer 360 is placed is rotated, if the wafer 360 attempts to move radially outward relative to the susceptor 334, the susceptor engaging portion 334d catches on the radially outward-facing surface of the wafer engaging portion 360d. This effectively suppresses the radially outward movement of the wafer 360 relative to the susceptor 334. Consequently, it effectively prevents the wafer 360 from falling off the susceptor 334.

[0054] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as described above, the detachment of the wafer 360 from the susceptor 334 can be suitably suppressed. Therefore, similar to the first embodiment described above, the thickness Tg of the cover member 38 can be appropriately set to a height that suppresses a decrease in the flow velocity of the material gas G at the radial outer edge of the wafer 360. As a result, it is possible to suppress the thickness of the film deposited on the radial outer edge of the wafer 360 from becoming too thin compared to the thickness of the film deposited in the radial center of the wafer 360. Consequently, the uniformity of the thickness of the film deposited on the surface 60a of the wafer 360 can be improved.

[0055] (Fourth Embodiment) Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of the vapor phase growth apparatus 410 of this embodiment. In the following description, components that are identical to those in the above-described embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions may be omitted.

[0056] A wafer 460 is placed on the susceptor 434. The susceptor 434 supports both the wafer 460 and the cover member 38 from below. The support surface 34a of the susceptor 434 supports the back surface 60b of the wafer 460 from below. A susceptor engagement portion 434d is provided on the support surface 34a.

[0057] In this embodiment, the susceptor engagement portion 434d is a projection that protrudes upward from the support surface 34a. Viewed from above, the susceptor engagement portion 434d is an annular shape centered on the rotation axis J. During film formation, the susceptor engagement portion 434d is housed inside the wafer engagement portion 460d of the wafer 460, which will be described later. The other configurations of the susceptor 434 in this embodiment are the same as the other configurations of the susceptor 334 in the third embodiment described above.

[0058] The wafer 460 is substantially disc-shaped, extending in a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction. During film formation, the wafer 460 is placed on the radially inward portion of the support surface 34a of the susceptor 434. In this embodiment, the wafer 460 has a first wafer 61, a second wafer 462, and a wafer engaging portion 460d.

[0059] The second wafer 462 is substantially disc-shaped, extending in a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction. The surface of the second wafer 462 facing downwards is the back surface 60b of wafer 460. The wafer engagement portion 460d is a recess that is recessed upwards from the back surface 60b. In this embodiment, the wafer engagement portion 460d is annular in shape with the rotation axis J as the center. In this embodiment, the wafer engagement portion 460d is provided radially inward from the radial outer edge of wafer 460. During film formation, the susceptor engagement portion 434d is housed inside the wafer engagement portion 460d. The susceptor engagement portion 434d faces the radially outward-facing surface and the radially inward-facing surface of the wafer engagement portion 460d with a small gap between them. As a result, the susceptor engagement portion 434d engages with the wafer engagement portion 460d. The susceptor engagement portion 434d may be in contact with the radially outward-facing surface and the radially inward-facing surface of the wafer engagement portion 460d, respectively. The other configurations of the wafer 460 in this embodiment are the same as the other configurations of the wafer 360 in the third embodiment described above. The other configurations of the vapor phase growth apparatus 410 in this embodiment are the same as the other configurations of the vapor phase growth apparatus 310 in the third embodiment described above.

[0060] According to this embodiment, the susceptor 434 has a support surface 34a that supports the back surface 60b of the wafer 460, i.e., the side facing downwards, from below, and the support surface 34a is provided with a susceptor engaging portion 434d that engages with the wafer engaging portion 460d of the wafer 460. Therefore, similar to the third embodiment described above, it is possible to suppress the wafer 460 from falling off the susceptor 434 during film formation. Accordingly, the thickness Tg of the cover member 38 can be appropriately set to a height that can suppress a decrease in the flow velocity of the material gas G at the radial outer edge of the wafer 460. Therefore, similar to the third embodiment described above, it is possible to suppress the thickness of the film formed on the radial outer edge of the wafer 460 from becoming too thin compared to the thickness of the film formed in the radial center of the wafer 460. Accordingly, it is possible to improve the uniformity of the thickness of the film formed on the surface 60a of the wafer 460.

[0061] (Fifth embodiment) Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of the vapor phase growth apparatus 510 of this embodiment. Figure 12 is a plan view of the susceptor 534 of this embodiment, viewed from above. In the following description, components that are the same as those in the above-described embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions may be omitted.

[0062] A wafer 560 is placed on the susceptor 534. The susceptor 534 supports the wafer 560 and the cover member 38 from below. The support surface 34a of the susceptor 534 supports the back surface 60b of the wafer 560 from below. In this embodiment, the support surface 34a is provided with a plurality of susceptor engagement portions 534d.

[0063] In this embodiment, each susceptor engagement portion 534d is a recess that is recessed downward from the support surface 34a. As shown in Figure 12, in this embodiment, four susceptor engagement portions 534d are provided on the support surface 34a. The number of susceptor engagement portions 534d provided on the support surface 34a may be three or fewer, or five or more. When viewed from above, each of the multiple susceptor engagement portions 534d is circular in shape. When viewed from above, each susceptor engagement portion 534d may have other shapes such as rectangular, polygonal, or elliptical. Each susceptor engagement portion 534d is spaced apart from each other along the circumferential direction. As shown in Figure 11, during film formation, each susceptor engagement portion 534d accommodates the wafer engagement portion 560d of the wafer 560, which will be described later. The other configurations of the susceptor 534 in this embodiment are the same as those of the susceptor 34 in the first embodiment described above.

[0064] The wafer 560 is substantially disc-shaped, extending in a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction. During film formation, the wafer 560 is placed on the radially inward portion of the support surface 34a of the susceptor 534. In this embodiment, the wafer 560 has a first wafer 61, a second wafer 562, and a plurality of wafer engaging portions 560d.

[0065] The second wafer 562 is substantially disc-shaped, extending in a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction. The surface of the second wafer 562 facing downwards is the back surface 60b of wafer 560. Each wafer engagement portion 560d is a projection that protrudes downwards from the back surface 60b. In this embodiment, when viewed from below, each wafer engagement portion 560d is circular in shape. Although not shown in the figures, wafer 560 has four wafer engagement portions 560d. Each wafer engagement portion 560d is spaced apart from each other along the circumferential direction. During film formation, each wafer engagement portion 560d is housed inside different susceptor engagement portions 534d. The inner circumferential surface of each susceptor engagement portion 534d faces the wafer engagement portion 560d with a small gap between them. As a result, the wafer engagement portion 560d engages with each susceptor engagement portion 534d. The other configurations of the wafer 560 in this embodiment are the same as the other configurations of the wafer 60 in the first embodiment described above. The other configurations of the vapor phase growth apparatus 510 in this embodiment are the same as the other configurations of the vapor phase growth apparatus 10 in the first embodiment described above.

[0066] According to this embodiment, the support surface 34a is provided with a plurality of susceptor engagement portions 534d, and the plurality of susceptor engagement portions 534d are arranged at intervals from each other along the circumferential direction. Therefore, when the susceptor 534 on which the wafer 560 is placed is rotated, if the wafer 560 attempts to move radially outward relative to the susceptor 534, at least one wafer engagement portion 560d will catch on the inner circumferential surface of the susceptor engagement portion 534d. This effectively prevents the wafer 560 from moving radially outward relative to the susceptor 534. Therefore, it effectively prevents the wafer 560 from falling off the susceptor 534.

[0067] According to this embodiment, when viewed from above, each of the multiple susceptor engagement portions 534d is circular in shape. Therefore, since each susceptor engagement portion 534d has a simple shape, it is easy to suppress an increase in the number of work steps required to mold each susceptor engagement portion 534d. Consequently, an increase in the number of work steps required to mold the susceptor 534 can be suppressed.

[0068] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as described above, each of the multiple susceptor engagement portions 534d is circular in shape. Therefore, when the susceptor 534 on which the wafer 560 is placed is rotated, if the wafer 560 attempts to move circumferentially relative to the susceptor 534, at least one wafer engagement portion 560d catches on the circumferentially facing portion of the inner circumferential surface of the susceptor engagement portion 534d. This effectively suppresses the circumferential movement of the wafer 560 relative to the susceptor 534. Consequently, the rotation speed of the wafer 560 can be stabilized, and the uniformity of the thickness of the film deposited on the surface 60a of the wafer 560 can be improved.

[0069] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as described above, the detachment of the wafer 560 from the susceptor 534 can be suitably suppressed. Therefore, similar to the first embodiment described above, the thickness Tg of the cover member 38 can be appropriately set to a height that suppresses a decrease in the flow velocity of the material gas G at the radial outer edge of the wafer 560. As a result, the thickness of the film deposited on the radial outer edge of the wafer 560 can be prevented from becoming too thin compared to the thickness of the film deposited in the radial center of the wafer 560. Consequently, the uniformity of the thickness of the film deposited on the surface 60a of the wafer 560 can be more suitably improved.

[0070] (Sixth Embodiment) Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of the vapor phase growth apparatus 610 of this embodiment. Figure 14 is a plan view of the susceptor 634 of this embodiment, viewed from above. In the following description, components that are the same as those in the above-described embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions may be omitted.

[0071] A wafer 660 is placed on the susceptor 634. The susceptor 634 supports the wafer 660 and the cover member 38 from below. The support surface 34a of the susceptor 634 supports the back surface 60b of the wafer 660 from below. In this embodiment, the support surface 34a is provided with a plurality of susceptor engagement portions 634d.

[0072] In this embodiment, each susceptor engaging portion 634d is a projection that protrudes upward from the support surface 34a. As shown in Figure 14, in this embodiment, four susceptor engaging portions 634d are provided on the support surface 34a. The number of susceptor engaging portions 634d provided on the support surface 34a may be three or fewer, or five or more. When viewed from above, each of the multiple susceptor engaging portions 634d is rectangular in shape. More specifically, when viewed from above, each susceptor engaging portion 634d is rectangular in shape with its long side extending radially. When viewed from above, each susceptor engaging portion 634d may also be circular, polygonal, elliptical, or rectangular in shape with its long side extending circumferentially. The susceptor engaging portions 634d are spaced apart from each other along the circumferential direction. As shown in Figure 13, during film formation, each susceptor engagement portion 634d is housed inside the different wafer engagement portions 660d of the wafer 660, which will be described later. The other configurations of the susceptor 634 in this embodiment are the same as the other configurations of the susceptor 34 in the first embodiment described above.

[0073] The wafer 660 is substantially disc-shaped, extending in a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction. During film formation, the wafer 660 is placed on the radially inward portion of the support surface 34a of the susceptor 634. In this embodiment, the wafer 660 has a first wafer 61, a second wafer 662, and a plurality of wafer engaging portions 660d.

[0074] The second wafer 662 is substantially disc-shaped, extending in a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction. The surface facing downwards of the second wafer 662 is the back surface 60b of wafer 660. In this embodiment, each wafer engagement portion 660d is a recess that is recessed upwards from the back surface 60b. In this embodiment, when viewed from below, each wafer engagement portion 660d is rectangular in shape, with its long side extending radially. Although not shown in the figures, wafer 660 has four wafer engagement portions 660d. Each wafer engagement portion 660d is spaced apart from each other along the circumferential direction. During film formation, different susceptor engagement portions 634d are housed inside each wafer engagement portion 660d. Each susceptor engagement portion 634d faces the inner circumferential surface of the wafer engagement portion 660d with a small gap between them. As a result, each susceptor engagement portion 634d engages with the wafer engagement portion 660d. Each susceptor engagement portion 634d may be in contact with the inner circumferential surface of the wafer engagement portion 660d. Other configurations of the wafer 660 in this embodiment are the same as those of the wafer 60 in the first embodiment described above. Other configurations of the vapor phase growth apparatus 610 in this embodiment are the same as those of the vapor phase growth apparatus 10 in the first embodiment described above.

[0075] According to this embodiment, when viewed from above, each of the multiple susceptor engagement portions 634d is rectangular in shape. Therefore, since each susceptor engagement portion 634d has a simple shape, it is easy to suppress an increase in the number of work steps required to mold each susceptor engagement portion 634d. Consequently, an increase in the number of work steps required to mold the susceptor 634 can be suppressed.

[0076] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the susceptor 634 has a support surface 34a that supports the back surface 60b of the wafer 660, i.e., the side facing downwards, from below, and the support surface 34a is provided with a susceptor engaging portion 634d that engages with the wafer engaging portion 660d of the wafer 660. Therefore, similar to the first embodiment described above, it is possible to suppress the wafer 660 from falling off the susceptor 634 during film formation. Accordingly, the thickness Tg of the cover member 38 can be appropriately set to a height that can suppress a decrease in the flow velocity of the material gas G at the radial outer edge of the wafer 660. Therefore, similar to the first embodiment described above, it is possible to suppress the thickness of the film formed on the radial outer edge of the wafer 660 from becoming too thin compared to the thickness of the film formed in the radial center of the wafer 660. Accordingly, it is possible to improve the uniformity of the thickness of the film formed on the surface 60a of the wafer 660.

[0077] According to the susceptor and vapor phase growth apparatus of the embodiments described above, the support surface that supports the downward-facing side of the wafer from below is provided with a susceptor engagement portion that engages with a wafer engagement portion of the wafer. This makes it possible to improve the uniformity of the thickness of the film deposited on the wafer surface.

[0078] The present invention includes the following appended embodiments. (Note 1) A susceptor provided in a vapor phase growth apparatus on which a wafer is placed, The wafer has a support surface that supports the downward-facing side from below, A susceptor wherein the support surface is provided with a susceptor engaging portion that engages with a wafer engaging portion of the wafer. (Note 2) The susceptor engaging portion is recessed below the support surface and accommodates the wafer engaging portion, as described in Appendix 1. (Note 3) The susceptor engaging portion is a projection that protrudes upward from the support surface and is housed inside the wafer engaging portion, as described in Appendix 1. (Note 4) The susceptor engagement portion, as viewed from above, is annular, as described in any one of the appendices 1 to 3. (Note 5) Multiple susceptor engagement portions are provided on the support surface. The susceptor according to any one of the appendices 1 to 3, wherein the plurality of susceptor engaging portions are arranged at intervals from one another along the circumferential direction. (Note 6) The susceptor described in Appendix 5, wherein, when viewed from above, each of the multiple susceptor engagement portions is circular in shape. (Note 7) The susceptor described in Appendix 5, wherein, when viewed from above, each of the multiple susceptor engagement portions is rectangular in shape. (Note 8) A susceptor described in any one of the appendices 1 through 7, A drive unit for rotating the susceptor, A vapor phase growth apparatus equipped with the following features.

[0079] While several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These embodiments can be carried out in a variety of other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their variations are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as in the claims and their equivalents. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0080] 10,210,310,410,510,610…Vapor phase growth apparatus, 31…Drive unit, 34,234,334,434,534,634…Susceptor, 34a…Support surface, 34d,234d,334d,434d,534d,634d…Susceptor engagement part, 38…Cover member, 38a…Surface of cover member (surface facing upwards), 60,260,360,460,560,660…Wafer, 60a…Surface of wafer (surface facing upwards), 60b…Back surface of wafer (surface facing downwards), 60d,260d,360d,460d,560d,660d…Wafer engagement part

Claims

1. A susceptor provided in a vapor phase growth apparatus on which a wafer is placed, The wafer has a support surface that supports the downward-facing side from below, A susceptor wherein the support surface is provided with a susceptor engaging portion that engages with a wafer engaging portion of the wafer.

2. The susceptor engaging portion is recessed below the support surface and is a recess for accommodating the wafer engaging portion, according to claim 1.

3. The susceptor engaging portion is a projection that protrudes upward from the support surface and is housed inside the wafer engaging portion, according to claim 1.

4. The susceptor according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, when viewed from above, the susceptor engaging portion is annular.

5. Multiple susceptor engagement portions are provided on the support surface. The susceptor according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the plurality of susceptor engaging portions are arranged at intervals from one another along the circumferential direction.

6. The susceptor according to claim 5, wherein, when viewed from above, each of the multiple susceptor engagement portions is circular in shape.

7. The susceptor according to claim 5, wherein, when viewed from above, each of the multiple susceptor engagement portions is rectangular in shape.

8. A susceptor according to any one of claims 1 to 3, A drive unit for rotating the susceptor, A vapor phase growth apparatus equipped with the following features.

Images