Reaction chamber and reaction apparatus

Abstract

This application provides a reaction chamber and a reaction apparatus. The reaction chamber includes a hollow heat generating element, a turntable, a guard plate assembly, and a separator. The turntable is rotatably mounted within the chamber of the hollow heat generating element and is used to place a wafer. The guard plate assemblies are mounted on both sides of the turntable, and the separators are mounted on the guard plate assemblies and cooperate with the guard plate assemblies. A reaction cavity is formed by the chamber partition, surrounding the turntable, and the surface of the chamber is not exposed to the reaction cavity. The reaction cavity incorporates a tray, preventing the tray from being exposed to the inner surface of the hollow heat generating element, which has a complex structure and is expensive. Reaction gas flows through the reaction cavity and does not accumulate on the surface of the hollow heat generating element. The reaction chamber has a simple and inexpensive structure, requiring only the replacement of a front guard plate, a rear guard plate, and a separator, resulting in easy maintenance and reduced maintenance costs for the reaction chamber.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the field of chemical vapor deposition, and particularly relates to a reaction chamber and a reaction apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] Silicon carbide (SiC) materials are developing rapidly because they can be expected to be applied in high-frequency, high-voltage, and high-power devices. On the other hand, since the SiC epitaxial layer has few defects and a regular lattice arrangement, SiC devices are generally made only on the epitaxial layer. The chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method is often used for manufacturing the SiC epitaxial layer, and since a very high temperature is required for depositing the silicon carbide epitaxial layer, a graphite member with high-temperature resistance is used in the reaction chamber. Due to the action of the intermediate-frequency and high-frequency induction currents, an alternating magnetic field is generated inside, and when an alternating induced current is generated in the graphite member, the graphite can be heated until it reaches the temperature required for the epitaxial process. In order to improve the uniformity of the temperature distribution in the reaction chamber and improve the quality and performance of the silicon carbide epitaxial layer, a hot-wall reaction chamber is often used in the reaction chamber of the silicon carbide epitaxial device, and the inside of the reaction chamber has a high-temperature wall surface, and the temperature distribution in the reaction chamber is more uniform than in other forms.

[0003] However, after the reaction gas is introduced, in addition to the chemical vapor deposition occurring on the surface of the wafer, a chemical vapor deposition reaction also occurs on the high-temperature wall surfaces of the reaction chamber and the gas supply channel, generating silicon carbide particles of other crystal forms. As a result, on the one hand, a large amount of the gas involved in the reaction is consumed before reaching the substrate, so the utilization rate of the reaction gas decreases, the cost increases, and on the other hand, the detachment of the silicon carbide particles deposited on the high-temperature wall surface upstream of the wafer also affects the quality and performance of the epitaxial layer deposited on the wafer to a certain extent.

[0004] In addition to the existing problems mentioned above, silicon carbide particles accumulate on the high-temperature walls after a certain batch of production, requiring regular maintenance of the reaction chamber. While it is necessary to remove the silicon carbide particles that have grown on the high-temperature surface inside the reaction chamber or replace the internal graphite components, the graphite assemblies inside the reaction chamber have complex shapes and are difficult to clean. Therefore, it may be necessary to replace all components of the reaction chamber as needed. As a result, maintenance of the reaction chamber is inconvenient, repairs and maintenance are time-consuming, and the cost of replacing the graphite components inside the reaction chamber is high. [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0005] To overcome the shortcomings of the prior art, this application provides a reaction chamber and a reaction apparatus. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The reaction chamber according to the present invention includes a hollow heating element, a turntable, a guard plate assembly, and a separator, wherein the turntable is rotatably provided within the chamber of the hollow heating element and is used to place a wafer, the guard plate assembly is provided on both sides of the turntable, the separator is mounted on the guard plate assembly and is used to cooperate with the guard plate assembly, a reaction cavity is formed by the partition of the chamber, the reaction cavity surrounds the turntable, and the surface of the chamber is not exposed into the reaction cavity.

[0007] In one possible embodiment, the separator includes two opposing side plates and a top plate connecting the two side plates, the two side plates each supported on either side of the guard plate assembly and cooperating with the guard plate assembly to separate the turntable from the side wall of the chamber, and the top plate separates the turntable from the top wall of the chamber.

[0008] In one possible embodiment, the guard plate assembly includes a front guard plate and a rear guard plate, the front guard plate and the rear guard plate each being provided on either side of the turntable, with support surfaces provided on both sides of the front guard plate and with support surfaces provided on both sides of the rear guard plate, and the sides of the side plate facing the front guard plate and the rear guard plate being provided with fitting surfaces for the support surfaces and the support surfaces, the fitting surfaces fitting with the support surfaces and the support surfaces to support the side plate on the front guard plate and the rear guard plate.

[0009] In one possible embodiment, the support surfaces on both sides of the front guard plate are opposing inclined surfaces, the support surfaces on both sides of the rear guard plate are opposing inclined surfaces, and the fitting surfaces of the two side plates are opposing inclined surfaces, thereby positioning the two side plates.

[0010] In one possible embodiment, the rear guard plate is further provided with a guide portion, which is located between the two support surfaces and extends from the side closer to the turntable to the side closer to the exhaust port of the chamber.

[0011] In one possible embodiment, the side panel and the top panel are integrally molded.

[0012] In one possible embodiment, in the flow direction of the reaction gas, the separator is composed of at least two sub-separators.

[0013] In one possible embodiment, the hollow heating element is a single annular structure and has the same thickness at each position.

[0014] In one possible embodiment, a rotating groove is provided on the side of the rotating platform away from the separator, and a drive cavity is further provided in the hollow heating element, the drive cavity is located below the bottom wall of the chamber and extends to the center of the chamber along the direction of arrangement of the chamber, and the rotating groove is in communication with the drive cavity. In one possible embodiment, the hollow heating element is further provided with a temperature measuring cavity, which is located on the top wall of the chamber and extends to the center of the chamber along the direction of arrangement of the chamber.

[0015] In one possible embodiment, the reaction chamber further includes an insulating layer covering the outside of the hollow heat-generating member.

[0016] In one possible embodiment, the insulating layer is uniformly covered on the outside of the hollow heat-generating member and is composed of a plurality of sub-insulating members.

[0017] In one possible embodiment, the reaction chamber is further provided with a gas guide member located at the tip of the hollow heating element, communicating with the reaction cavity of the hollow heating element, and used to guide the reaction gas entering the air intake of the insulation layer to the rotating platform in the reaction cavity.

[0018] In one possible embodiment, the gas guide member is a graphite structure joined vertically, with an insulating layer or insulating element provided on the contact surface.

[0019] In one possible embodiment, the gas guide member is a single annular structure and is made of a non-conductive material.

[0020] In one possible embodiment, the surfaces of the turntable, the guard plate assembly, and the separator exposed within the reaction cavity are further coated.

[0021] In one possible embodiment, the coating is a TaC coating.

[0022] In one possible embodiment, two chambers of the hollow heating member are arranged vertically, and the corresponding turntable, the guard plate assembly, and the separator are provided inside each of the two chambers.

[0023] In one possible embodiment, the guard plate assembly is of an integral structure.

[0024] The present application also provides a reaction apparatus including the above reaction chamber.

Advantages of the Invention

[0025] Compared with the prior art, the present application has the following advantages.

[0026] The turntable, the guard plate assembly, and the separator have a simple structure and low cost. The reaction cavity defined by the separator and the guard plate assembly surrounds the turntable, so that the turntable is not exposed to the inner surface of the hollow heating member which has a complex structure and high cost. When the reaction gas enters the hollow heating member, it only flows in the reaction cavity, chemically vapor-deposits on the wafer on the turntable, causes a vapor-phase growth reaction with the separator and the guard plate assembly, generates extra deposits, and does not deposit on the surface of the hollow heating member. After manufacturing a certain batch, only the turntable, the guard plate assembly, and the separator with a simple structure and low cost need to be replaced, and the maintenance and replacement of the hollow heating member with high cost and complex structure are not required, the maintainability is excellent, and moreover, the maintenance cost of the reaction chamber is reduced.

[0027] To more clearly explain the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings required for use in the embodiments will be briefly described below. The following drawings are only some embodiments of the present invention and should not be regarded as limiting the scope. It should be understood that those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings from these drawings without creative efforts.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0028] [Figure 1] The structural schematic diagram of the reaction chamber according to an embodiment of the present application is shown. [Figure 2] The exploded schematic diagram of the reaction chamber according to FIG. 1 is shown. [Figure 3] The front view of the reaction chamber according to FIG. 1 is shown. [Figure 4] The IV-IV cross-sectional view of the reaction chamber according to FIG. 3 is shown. [Figure 5] The V-V cross-sectional view of the reaction chamber according to FIG. 4 is shown. [Figure 6] The three-dimensional cross-sectional view of the reaction chamber according to FIG. 1 is shown. [Figure 7] The VII-VII cross-sectional view of the reaction chamber according to FIG. 3 is shown. [Figure 8] The V-V cross-sectional view of the reaction chamber according to another embodiment of the present application is shown. [Figure 9] The schematic diagram of the hollow heating member according to still another embodiment of the present application is shown. [Figure 10] The structural schematic diagram of the reaction chamber according to a further embodiment of the present application is shown. [Figure 11] The exploded schematic diagram of the reaction chamber according to FIG. 10 is shown. [Figure 12] The front view of the reaction chamber according to FIG. 10 is shown. [Figure 13] The XIII-XIII cross-sectional view of the reaction chamber according to FIG. 12 is shown. [Figure 14] The XIV-XIV cross-sectional view of the reaction chamber according to FIG. 13 is shown. [Figure 15] The three-dimensional cross-sectional view of the reaction chamber according to FIG. 10 is shown. [Figure 16] The XVI-XVI cross-sectional view of the reaction chamber according to FIG. 12 is shown. [Figure 17] The temperature simulation diagram of the reaction chamber according to FIG. 1 is shown. [Figure 18] The structural schematic diagram of the reaction device according to an embodiment of the present application is shown.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0029] The embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below, and an example of such an embodiment is shown in the drawings. Throughout the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals indicate the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the drawings are illustrative and used solely to illustrate the present invention, and should not be understood as limiting the present invention.

[0030] In the description of this application, the directions or positional relationships indicated by terms such as "center," "vertical direction," "horizontal direction," "length," "width," "thickness," "top," "bottom," "front," "back," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inside," "outside," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial direction," "radial direction," and "circumferential direction" are based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the drawings and are merely for the purpose of facilitating and simplifying the description of this application. They do not indicate or suggest that the device or element in question has a specific direction, is composed of a specific direction, or must operate in a specific direction, and therefore should not be understood as limiting this application.

[0031] Furthermore, terms such as “first,” “second,” etc., are used solely for descriptive purposes and should not be understood as indicating or suggesting relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features shown. Therefore, features limited to “first,” “second,” etc., may explicitly or implicitly include one or more such features. In this description, “multiple” means two or more unless otherwise explicitly and specifically limited.

[0032] In this application, unless otherwise explicitly provided and limited, terms such as “attach,” “connect,” “join,” and “fix” should be understood in a broad sense, for example, a fixed connection, a removable connection, which may be integral, a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, a direct connection, an indirect connection via an intermediate medium, an internal communication between two elements, or an interaction relationship between two elements. Those skilled in the art may understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application on a case-by-case basis.

[0033] In this application, unless otherwise explicitly provided and limited, when the first feature is "above" or "below" the second feature, the first and second features may be in direct contact or indirectly in contact via an intermediate medium. Furthermore, when the first feature is "above," "above," and "above" the second feature, it indicates that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the horizontal height of the first feature is greater than the horizontal height of the second feature. When the first feature is "below," "below," and "above" the second feature, it indicates that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the horizontal height of the first feature is less than the horizontal height of the second feature.

[0034] As shown in Figure 1, one embodiment of the present invention provides a reaction chamber 100. The reaction chamber 100 grows an epitaxial layer and obtains a product having an epitaxial layer. For example, it is used to manufacture a SiC epitaxial layer device. The reaction chamber 100 can provide an internal environment with a uniform temperature to facilitate the deposition of the epitaxial layer, and the reaction chamber 100 facilitates the maintenance of internal structural members and reduces the maintenance cost of the reaction chamber 100.

[0035] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, the reaction chamber 100 includes an insulating layer 10, a hollow heat-generating member 20, a turntable, a guard plate assembly, and a separator 70. The turntable, guard plate assembly, and separator 70 are all provided inside the hollow heat-generating member 20. The hollow heat-generating member 20 is provided with a predetermined high temperature. The insulating layer 10 covers the outside of the hollow heat-generating member 20. The insulating layer 10 is used to reduce heat loss by the hollow heat-generating member 20.

[0036] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the hollow heating element 20 has a horizontal opening. The turntable includes a turntable base 30 and a tray 40. The turntable base 30 is rotatably mounted in the center of the hollow heating element 20, and its axis of rotation is oriented vertically. The tray 40 is mounted on the turntable base 30. The tray 40 is used to place wafers and form epitaxial layers on the wafers. The guard plate assembly includes a front guard plate 50 and a rear guard plate 60. The front guard plate 50 and the rear guard plate 60 are each mounted on either side of the tray 40 and extend to the two openings of the hollow heating element 20, respectively. The separator 70 is mounted on the front guard plate 50 and the rear guard plate 60, with both sides extending to the two openings of the hollow heating element 20, respectively. The separator 70 divides the chamber 201 of the hollow heating element 20 into a reaction cavity 202 and a heat-generating cavity 203 that separate each other. The reaction cavity 202 is defined by the separator 70, the front guard plate 50 and the rear guard plate 60, and surrounds the tray 40. The reaction cavity 202 is used to carry out an epitaxial reaction on the tray 40. The heat-generating cavity 203 is formed by the inner wall of the hollow heating element 20 and the separator 70. The heat-generating cavity 203 is used to receive heat from the hollow heating element 20 and transfer it to the reaction cavity 202 via the separator 70.

[0037] Specifically, the hollow heat-generating member 20 is made of graphite, preferably high-purity graphite. The hollow heat-generating member 20 transfers heat and temperature to other internal components through thermal conduction and thermal radiation. Because graphite has good thermal conductivity and high blackness, in addition to the insulating layer 10 made of insulating material, each other component in the reaction chamber 100 is made of graphite material. In this way, the overall temperature inside the reaction chamber 100 becomes approximately equal, ensuring that epitaxial deposition proceeds smoothly.

[0038] Furthermore, the hollow heating element 20 has a single annular structure, and its thickness at each position is smaller than the skin depth of the graphite at the induction power frequency. For example, if the thickness is equal at each position, then during induction heating, heat is generated uniformly at each position of the hollow heating element 20, resulting in excellent temperature consistency.

[0039] In some embodiments, the heat insulating layer 10 may be formed by joining together a plurality of heat insulating members, and may also be uniformly covering the outside of the hollow heat-generating member 20.

[0040] As shown in Figure 4, during the reaction, a reaction gas is introduced from one side of the hollow heating element 20. The gas flows from the reaction cavity 202 to the wafer on the tray 40, and is heated to a predetermined temperature by the tip of the hollow heating element 20 before reaching the wafer surface. After reaching the wafer surface, a good epitaxial layer is generated by a predetermined mechanism. Furthermore, the reaction cavity 202 is separated from the heating cavity 203 that exposes the inner surface of the hollow heating element 20 by the tray 40, the front guard plate 50, the rear guard plate 60, and the separator 70. This prevents the reaction gas from reacting in the heating cavity 203 and avoids deposition on the inner surface of the hollow heating element 20.

[0041] As shown in Figures 3 and 5, the internal space of the reaction cavity 202 is small, and due to the combined action of the insulating layer 10 covering the outside of the hollow heating element 20 and the separator 70 inside the hollow heating element 20, uniformity of temperature within the reaction cavity 202, particularly on the wafer surface, is more easily achieved. The tray 40, front guard plate 50, rear guard plate 60, and separator 70 have a simple structure and low cost, and because the reaction cavity 202 defined by the separator 70, front guard plate 50, and rear guard plate 60 surrounds the tray 40, the tray 40 is not exposed to the inner surface of the hollow heating element 20, which has a complex structure and high cost. When the reaction gas enters the hollow heating element 20, it flows only within the reaction cavity 202, undergoing chemical vapor deposition on the wafer on the tray 40. This vapor deposition reaction occurs in the separator 70, front guard plate 50, or rear guard plate 60, generating excess deposits that do not flow into the heating cavity 203 and therefore do not accumulate on the surface of the hollow heating element 20. After the production of a certain batch, only the tray 40, front guard plate 50, rear guard plate 60, and separator 70, which have a simple structure and low cost, need to be replaced, eliminating the need for maintenance or replacement of the hollow heating element 20, which has a high cost and a complex structure. This reaction chamber offers excellent internal temperature uniformity, higher utilization of the reaction gas, lower frequency of maintenance and replacement of each component within the reaction chamber, superior maintainability, and reduced maintenance costs for the reaction chamber 100.

[0042] Figure 17 shows a temperature simulation diagram of the reaction chamber. As can be seen from the figure, the reaction chamber 100 of this invention exhibits excellent temperature uniformity on the wafer surface, allowing for the growth of a film with uniform thickness and improving the quality of the product.

[0043] As shown in Figures 1 to 7, the reaction chamber 100 according to this embodiment can be used for the growth of an epitaxial layer. This embodiment is an improvement based on the technology of Embodiment 1 described above, and differs from Embodiment 1 in the following respects.

[0044] An insulating cavity 101, an air intake 102, and an exhaust 103 are provided within the insulating layer 10. The hollow heat-generating member 20 is provided within the insulating cavity 101. The air intake 102 and exhaust 103 are located on both sides of the insulating cavity 101 and communicate with the insulating cavity 101. The air intake 102 and exhaust 103 are each opposite two openings in the hollow heat-generating member 20.

[0045] The opening of the hollow heating element 20 has a roughly chamfered rectangular shape, and the rotating base 30, front guard plate 50, and rear guard plate 60 are each provided on the bottom wall of the chamber 201.

[0046] As shown in Figures 1 to 7, the reaction chamber 100 according to this embodiment can be used for growing an epitaxial layer. This embodiment is an improvement based on the techniques of Examples 1 and 2 described above, and differs from Example 1 in the following respects.

[0047] The surface heights of the front guard plate 50, the rear guard plate 60, and the tray 40 are the same.

[0048] Specifically, the rotating base 30 and the tray 40 are circular. The sides of the front guard plate 50 and the rear guard plate 60 facing the tray 40 are semicircular to match the shape of the tray 40. The front guard plate 50 and the rear guard plate 60 are each provided on the bottom wall of the chamber 201, defining a circular reaction vessel (not denoted by a symbol), the rotating base 30 and the tray 40 are almost completely embedded in the reaction vessel, and the side of the tray 40 away from the rotating base 30 and the sides of the front guard plate 50 and the rear guard plate 60 away from the bottom wall of the chamber 201 are at the same height.

[0049] The bottom wall of the chamber 201 is machined with structures (not shown) that restrict the front guard plate 50 and the rear guard plate 60, such as restricting pins, protrusions, and grooves. These structures work in cooperation with the rotating shaft 31 and the rotating shaft groove 206 to maintain a constant relative position when the front guard plate 50, the rear guard plate 60, and the rotating base 30 are mounted.

[0050] A support portion 33 is provided on the side of the rotating base 30 that faces the tray 40. The support portion 33 is used to support the tray 40. In this embodiment, the support portion 33 is a circular protrusion in the center of the rotating base 30, and the tray 40 is placed on the circular protrusion.

[0051] In this embodiment, a positioning groove 34 is provided on the side of the support portion 33 facing the tray 40. The positioning groove 34 is used to position the tray 40. A positioning portion 41 is provided on the side of the tray 40 facing the rotating base 30, and the tray 40 is positioned on the rotating base 30 by the fitting of the positioning portion 41 and the positioning groove 34. In this embodiment, the positioning groove 34 is a circular recess in the center of the support portion 33, and the positioning portion 41 is a circular protrusion, but it is not limited to this, and in other embodiments, the positioning groove 34 and the positioning portion 41 may have other shapes that match each other.

[0052] A mounting section 42 is provided on the side of the tray 40 away from the rotating base 30. The mounting section 42 is used to place a wafer and form an epitaxial layer on the wafer. In this embodiment, the mounting section 42 is a circular groove in the center of the tray 40.

[0053] In some embodiments, the rotating base 30 and the tray 40 may be integrally molded as the same component, that is, the rotating base is an integral piece with a wafer mounting groove for placing wafers opened in the center.

[0054] The separator 70 is substantially U-shaped and has the same length as the hollow heating element 20. The separator 70 includes two side plates 71 that are installed opposite each other and a top plate 72 that connects the two side plates 71. The two side plates 71 are each supported on both sides of the front guard plate 50 and the rear guard plate 60 and cooperate with the front guard plate 50 and the rear guard plate 60 to separate the tray 40 from the side wall of the chamber 201, and the top plate 72 separates the tray 40 from the top wall of the chamber 201, thereby separating the tray 40.

[0055] In the U-shaped separator 70, both the surface and the side facing the interior of the wafer are very flat, and the temperature at each position of the U-shaped separator 70 is uniform, providing radiation to the wafer surface and the area near the wafer edge. In addition, heat conduction to the wafer surface by the rotating base 30 and tray 40 further improves the temperature uniformity of the wafer surface, that is, the temperature difference at each position on the wafer surface becomes smaller.

[0056] In some embodiments, the side plates 71 and the top plate 72 are integrally molded, but are not limited thereto, and the side plates 71 and the top plate 72 may be formed by joining two separate members together. Specifically, the two side plates 71 may be provided on the front guard plate 50 and the rear guard plate 60 respectively, and then the top plate 72 may be provided on top of the two side plates 71, or the two side plates 71 may be first joined to the top plate 72 and then set on the front guard plate 50 and the rear guard plate 60. The side plates 71 and the top plate 72 should cooperate with the front guard plate 50 and the rear guard plate 60 to partition the chamber 201 of the hollow heating element 20 into a reaction cavity 202 and a heating cavity 203 that separate each other.

[0057] Specifically, the front guard plate 50 is provided with support surfaces 51 on both sides of the reaction vessel, and the rear guard plate 60 is provided with support surfaces 61 on both sides of the reaction vessel. The side of the side plate 71 facing the front guard plate 50 and the rear guard plate 60 is provided with a fitting surface 711 for the support surfaces 51 and 61. The side plate 71 is supported by the front guard plate 50 and the rear guard plate 60 by the fitting surface 711 with the support surfaces 51 and 61.

[0058] The support surfaces 51 and 61 on both sides are opposing inclined surfaces, and the support surface 51 has the same inclination as the opposing support surface 61. The fitting surfaces 711 of the two side plates 71 are similarly opposing inclined surfaces, and the fitting surfaces 711 have the opposite inclination direction and the same inclination angle as the corresponding support surfaces 51 and 61, thereby providing a support function as well as a positioning function for the side plates 71.

[0059] In some embodiments, the front guard plate 50 and the rear guard plate 60 may be integrally molded as the same component, i.e., the guard plate assembly is a complete plate with a circular reaction groove in the center for supporting the rotating base 30 and the tray 40.

[0060] As shown in Figures 1 to 7, the reaction chamber 100 according to this embodiment can be used for growing an epitaxial layer. This embodiment is an improvement based on the techniques of Examples 1 to 3 described above, and differs from Example 3 in the following respects.

[0061] To increase the bonding force between the by-products during the reaction and the wall surface, and to prevent by-products generated by gas accumulation in the reaction chamber 100 from detaching from the wall surface and adversely affecting the quality and effect of the epitaxial layer deposited on the wafer surface, the reaction chamber 100 is further provided with a coating.

[0062] The coating may be applied to other components besides the hollow heating element 20 and the rotating base 30.

[0063] Specifically, the coating may be uniformly applied to the surfaces of the tray 40, front guard plate 50, rear guard plate 60, and separator 70, which are in positions where material may accumulate. These components have a relatively simple structure, low cost, are easy to apply, and require simple subsequent maintenance, resulting in significantly lower maintenance costs.

[0064] In some embodiments, a SiC coating is used for the coating. In some other embodiments, though not limited to them, a TaC coating is used for the coating.

[0065] As shown in Figures 1 to 7, the reaction chamber 100 according to this embodiment can be used for growing an epitaxial layer. This embodiment is an improvement based on the techniques of Examples 1 to 4 described above, and differs from Example 4 in the following respects.

[0066] The separator 70 is composed of at least two sub-separators in the direction of reaction gas flow. Each of the sub-separators is supported on both sides of the front guard plate 50, or on both sides of the rear guard plate 60, or on both sides of both the front guard plate 50 and the rear guard plate 60, thereby jointly dividing the chamber 201 into a reaction cavity 202 and an exothermic cavity 203.

[0067] In the reaction cavity 202, the concentration of reaction gas on the side of tray 40 closer to the air inlet 102 is much higher than the concentration on the side of tray 40 closer to the exhaust port 103. As a result, a large amount of deposits are generated on the separator 70 on the side closer to the air inlet 102. By dividing the separator 70 into multiple sub-separators, during maintenance, only the sub-separator on the side closer to the air inlet 102 can be replaced, or the replacement frequency of the sub-separator on the side closer to the air inlet 102 can be increased compared to the sub-separator on the side closer to the exhaust port 103. This improves the efficiency of maintenance and further reduces maintenance costs.

[0068] As shown in Figures 1 to 7, the reaction chamber 100 according to this embodiment can be used for growing an epitaxial layer. This embodiment is an improvement based on the techniques of Examples 1 to 5 described above, and differs from Example 5 in the following respects.

[0069] Both sides of the tray 40 are flush with both sides of the chamber 201, that is, the chamber 201 is almost completely covered by the tray 40.

[0070] Specifically, the cross-section of the chamber 201 may be approximately square in shape, and the tray 40 may be a circle inscribed within the square. In Examples 1 to 6, since a large amount of reaction gas accumulates on the front guard plate 50, the tray 40 is maximized, and the front guard plate 50 and rear guard plate 60 are shaped to not overlap with the circular tray 40 inscribed within the cross-section of the chamber 201. As a result, almost all of the reaction gas that enters the chamber 201 accumulates directly upstream of the chamber 201, that is, on the side of the tray 40 closer to the air inlet 102. Furthermore, because the tray 40 rotates uniformly, the reaction gas accumulates uniformly on each part of the wafer on the tray 40. Since the reaction gas can only accumulate almost exclusively on the surface of the wafer on the tray 40, by-products are reduced, which in turn reduces the frequency of maintenance on each part of the reaction chamber 100.

[0071] As shown in Figures 1 to 7, the reaction chamber 100 according to this embodiment can be used for growing an epitaxial layer. This embodiment is an improvement based on the techniques of Examples 1 to 6 described above, and differs from Example 6 in the following respects.

[0072] A gas guide member 80 is further provided in the reaction chamber 100. The gas guide member 80 is located at the end of the hollow heating element 20 on the side closer to the air inlet 102, and is inserted through the air inlet 102 of the heat insulating layer 10 and communicates with the reaction cavity 202 of the hollow heating element 20. The gas guide member 80 has a tubular structure that guides the reaction gas to enter the air inlet 102 to the tray 40 in the reaction cavity 202.

[0073] Since the chamber 201 is defined by the hollow heating element 20, when the hollow heating element 20 is subjected to the action of an alternating magnetic field and generates heat, the temperature inside the chamber 201 rises to a high temperature. When the reaction gas enters the chamber 201 from the air inlet 102, it accumulates on the side of the chamber 201 closest to the air inlet 102 and is consumed in large quantities, resulting in waste of raw material gas and a decrease in the production rate.

[0074] In some embodiments, the gas guide member 80 is a graphite device joined vertically. By adding insulating layers or insulating elements that are insulated from each other to the contact surfaces of the vertically joined graphite devices, heat generated by alternating induced currents in an alternating magnetic field is avoided, the amount of reaction gas consumed before reaching the wafer on the tray 40 is reduced, and the amount of reaction gas that reaches the wafer surface is increased, thereby accelerating the growth rate of the epitaxial layer and improving the utilization rate of the reaction gas. Furthermore, because the temperature of the gas guide member 80 is low and its inner surface is at a lower temperature than the temperature required for particle deposition due to the reaction of the reaction gas, less reaction gas flows through and is consumed in the gas guide member 80, the rate of gas deposition on it is also slower, the utilization rate of the reaction gas reaction on the wafer surface is increased, and the possibility of particles generated on the inner surface of the gas guide member 80 falling off and affecting the quality of the wafer surface is almost eliminated, thereby reducing the frequency of maintenance of the gas guide member 80. Furthermore, by reducing the accumulation of reaction gas on the front guard plate 50 and the tip of the hollow heating element 20, surface damage to the wafer due to the detachment of particles accumulated in that area can be reduced to some extent, thereby reducing defects in wafer growth and improving the characteristics and quality of the wafer.

[0075] In some other embodiments, the gas guide member 80 is manufactured from another non-conductive material, thereby avoiding the generation of alternating induced currents that generate heat and cause a temperature rise. In this case, the gas guide member 80 may be a integrally machined annular structure. For example, a gas guide member 80 made of high-temperature resistant polycrystalline silicon carbide may be employed.

[0076] As shown in Figures 1 to 8, the reaction chamber 100 according to this embodiment can be used for growing an epitaxial layer. This embodiment is an improvement based on the techniques of Examples 1 to 7 described above, and differs from Example 7 in the following respects.

[0077] The chambers 201 are arranged in pairs, one above the other, enabling the growth of epitaxial layers on two wafers and increasing production efficiency.

[0078] Specifically, as shown in Figure 8, each of the two chambers 201 is provided with a rotating base 30, a tray 40, a front guard plate 50, a rear guard plate 60, and a separator 70, and the two chambers 201 are each divided into a reaction cavity 202 and an exothermic cavity 203.

[0079] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 9, in some embodiments, the hollow heating element 20 may be designed as a multilayered structure to improve the uniformity of the wafer surface temperature in the tray 40. During induction heating, neither the rotating base 30 on which the wafer is placed nor the graphite layer of the hollow heating element 20 at the bottom of the tray 40 generates heat. Heat is transferred to the tray 40 and the wafer solely by the high temperature generated by the annular graphite layer on the outer periphery, and the non-heating layer above the wafer radiates heat to the wafer surface. This combination improves the uniformity of the surface temperatures of the two wafers.

[0080] As shown in Figures 10 to 16, the reaction chamber 100 according to this embodiment can be used for growing an epitaxial layer. This embodiment is an improvement based on the techniques of Examples 1 to 8 described above, and differs from Example 1 in the following respects.

[0081] The hollow heating element 20 is further provided with a temperature measuring cavity 204. The temperature measuring cavity 204 is located on the top wall of the chamber 201 and extends to the center of the chamber 201 along the direction of arrangement of the chamber 201. In the heat insulating layer 10, a temperature measuring hole 104 is provided corresponding to the temperature measuring cavity 204. During epitaxial deposition, a temperature measuring device can be placed in the reaction chamber 100 via the temperature measuring hole 104 and the temperature measuring cavity 204 to monitor the temperature near the tray 40 during the epitaxial reaction and match it with the process temperature, which is advantageous for the deposition of the epitaxial layer.

[0082] The rotating base 30 is driven to rotate by gas. The rotating base 30 is provided on the bottom wall of the chamber 201 via a rotating shaft 31. A rotating groove 32 is provided on the side of the rotating base 30 away from the tray 40. By injecting gas into the rotating groove 32, the rotating base 30 is driven to rotate around the rotating shaft 31.

[0083] Specifically, the hollow heating element 20 is further provided with a drive cavity 205. The drive cavity 205 is located below the bottom wall of the chamber 201, extends along the direction of arrangement of the chamber 201 to the center of the chamber 201, and communicates with the chamber 201 at its center. A rotating shaft groove 206 is further provided in the bottom wall of the chamber 201. The rotating shaft 31 is rotatably provided within the rotating shaft groove 206. The rotating groove 32 communicates with the drive cavity 205 and can rotate the rotating base 30. The heat insulating layer 10 is provided with a drive hole 105 corresponding to the drive cavity 205. During epitaxial deposition, a drive gas may be introduced from the drive hole 105 and the drive cavity 205 into the rotating groove 32 to rotate the rotating base 30.

[0084] In some embodiments, at least two of the rotating grooves 32 are provided, and these at least two rotating grooves 32 are rotationally symmetric with respect to the rotation axis of the rotating base 30. At least two communication points are provided between the drive cavity 205 and the chamber 201, and these at least two communication points are rotationally symmetric with respect to the rotation axis groove 206, thereby corresponding to the rotating grooves 32.

[0085] In other embodiments, the rotating base 30 may be rotationally driven by other means such as electrical or mechanical transmission. A hole can be made in the bottom wall of the chamber 201 of the hollow heating element 20, and a drive shaft such as a motor or a rotating cylinder can be passed through the hollow heating element 20 and connected to the rotating base 30.

[0086] As shown in Figures 14 to 16, the rear guard plate 60 is further provided with a guide portion 62. The guide portion 62 guides the entry and exit of the attachment / detachment device for attaching and detaching the tray 40. In some embodiments, the attachment / detachment device is a manipulator. The guide portion 62 is provided between the two support surfaces 61 and extends from the side closer to the tray 40 to the side closer to the exhaust port of the hollow heating element 20, thereby facilitating the attachment / detachment device to enter and exit the reaction cavity 202 to insert and remove the tray 40 with wafers.

[0087] Furthermore, the guide portion 62 is two parallel grooves provided in the rear guard plate 60, and each of the two grooves is close to a corresponding support surface 61. The guide portion 62 allows the gas that rotates the rotating base 30 to flow out of the rotating groove 32 before flowing out of the reaction chamber 100, thereby preventing the gas from affecting the deposition of reaction gas on the wafer surface.

[0088] The rear guard plate 60 is further provided with a calibration section 63. The calibration section 63 performs travel distance calibration on the attachment / detachment device and determines its relative position. In some embodiments, the calibration section 63 is a groove opened next to the recessed groove of the guide section 62, and fits with the guide section 62 to form a stepped structure. However, it is not limited to this, and in other embodiments, the calibration section 63 may be a protrusion, a pin, or other structure.

[0089] As shown in Figures 1 to 18, this embodiment also provides a reaction apparatus 200 for processing an epitaxial layer. The reaction apparatus 200 includes a reaction chamber 100 as described in any of Examples 1 to 9.

[0090] The reaction apparatus 200 further includes a quartz tube 211 and an induction coil 212. The reaction chamber 100 is located inside the quartz tube 211. The induction coil 212 is provided outside the quartz tube 211. When an alternating current flows through the induction coil 212, Joule heat is generated inside the hollow heating element 20, causing the temperature inside the reaction chamber 100 to rise.

[0091] Specifically, the quartz tube 211 has a double casing, and cooling water is introduced into the intermediate layer of the double casing to maintain the temperature of the outermost wall surface of the quartz tube 211 at 50°C or below, thereby preventing burn accidents.

[0092] In this specification, any reference to the terms “one embodiment,” “several embodiments,” “example,” “specific example,” or “several examples” means that the specific features, structures, materials, or properties described with reference to such embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. In this specification, the general expressions of the above terms do not have to apply to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or properties described may be combined in an appropriate manner in any one or more embodiments or examples. Furthermore, a person skilled in the art may combine or combine different embodiments or examples and features of different embodiments or examples described herein without contradiction.

[0093] Although embodiments of the present application have been shown and described above, these embodiments are illustrative and should not be understood as limiting the present application. Those skilled in the art will understand that they may change, modify, substitute, and transform the above embodiments within the scope of the present application. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0094] 100 reaction chambers 10. Insulation layer 101 Insulated Cavity 102 Air supply port 103 Exhaust port 104 Temperature measurement hole 105 Drive holes 20 Hollow Heat-Generating Components 201 Chamber 202 Reaction Cavity 203 Heat-generating cavity 204 Temperature Measurement Cavity 205 Drive Cavity 206 Rotating shaft groove 30 RPM base 31 Rotation axis 32 Rotating grooves 33 Support part 34 Positioning groove 40 trays 41 Positioning section 42 Mounting section 50 Front Guard Plate 51 Support surface 60 Rear Guard Plate 61 Support surface 62 Information Department 63 Proofreading Department 70 Separators 71 Side panel 711 Mating surface 72 Top plate 80 Gas guide member 200 Reactor 211 Quartz tube 212 Induction Coil

Claims

1. A hollow heating element in which a chamber is formed, A rotating platform is rotatably provided within the chamber of the hollow heating element and used for placing wafers, Guard plate assembly and Includes a separator, The guard plate assembly includes a front guard plate provided on the front side of the turntable and having support surfaces on both its left and right sides, and a rear guard plate provided on the rear side of the turntable and having support surfaces on both its left and right sides. The separator includes two side plates positioned opposite each other in the left-right direction, and a top plate connecting the two side plates. The sides of the side plates facing the front guard plate and the rear guard plate are provided with fitting surfaces for the support surface and the support surface. The fitting surfaces engage with the support surface and the support surface to support the entire separator on the front guard plate and the rear guard plate. The separator divides the chamber of the hollow heating element into a reaction cavity and a heating cavity that separate each other. The reaction cavity is defined by the separator, the front guard plate, and the rear guard plate, and surrounds the tray. The heat-generating cavity is formed by the inner wall of the hollow heat-generating member and the separator. A coating layer is applied to the front guard plate, the rear guard plate, and the separator, respectively. Reaction chamber.

2. The reaction chamber according to claim 1, wherein the two side plates separate the turntable from the side wall of the chamber, and the top plate separates the turntable from the top wall of the chamber.

3. The reaction chamber according to claim 1, wherein the support surfaces on both sides of the front guard plate are opposing inclined surfaces, the support surfaces on both sides of the rear guard plate are opposing inclined surfaces, and the fitting surfaces of the two side plates are opposing inclined surfaces, thereby positioning the two side plates.

4. The reaction chamber according to claim 1, wherein the rear guard plate is further provided with a guide portion, the guide portion is provided between the two support surfaces and extends from the side closer to the turntable to the side closer to the exhaust port of the chamber.

5. The reaction chamber according to claim 1, wherein a rotating groove is provided on the side of the rotating platform away from the separator, a drive cavity is further provided in the hollow heating member, the drive cavity is provided below the bottom wall of the chamber and extends to the center of the chamber along the direction of arrangement of the chamber, and the rotating groove communicates with the drive cavity.

6. The reaction chamber according to claim 1, wherein the hollow heating element is further provided with a temperature measuring cavity, the temperature measuring cavity is provided on the top wall of the chamber and extends to the center of the chamber along the direction of arrangement of the chamber.

7. The reaction chamber according to claim 6, further comprising an insulating layer, the reaction chamber further provided with a gas guide member, the gas guide member provided at the tip of the hollow heating member, communicating with the reaction cavity of the hollow heating member, and used to guide the reaction gas that has entered the air supply port of the insulating layer to the rotating table in the reaction cavity.

8. The reaction chamber according to claim 1, wherein the chambers of the hollow heating element are arranged in two vertically, and the corresponding rotating platform, guard plate assembly, and separator are provided inside each of the two chambers.

9. A reaction apparatus including a reaction chamber according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

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