Epitaxial Growth Lower Side Wall Grooves for Gas Concentration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current epitaxial growth apparatuses face challenges in increasing growth rate without increasing the amount of source gas, which can lead to higher film formation costs and particle formation issues due to the difficulty in adjusting film thickness and resistivity distributions.
Innovation Solution
The epitaxial growth apparatus features a lower side wall with a concentric inner and outer circumference, flanges, and a first concave portion with grooves that concentrate gas, enhancing gas rectification and flow efficiency, allowing for improved reactant gas distribution and reduced boundary layer thickness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a large amount of source gas is included in the reactant gas to increase the growth rate, then the film formation speed increases, but the film formation cost increases and particle formation occurs due to inability to adjust film thickness and resistivity distributions
Solution Approach 1:
The lower side wall is divided into multiple radial sections with grooves at different positions and orientations, segmenting the gas flow path into controlled channels that distribute reactant gas uniformly across the substrate surface, enabling precise local control of film deposition
Solution Approach 2:
Grooves are strategically positioned at different radial distances from the center axis with specific orientations, creating localized flow control zones that optimize gas distribution characteristics in different regions of the substrate, achieving uniform film thickness and resistivity distributions
2Productivity
If the thickness of the boundary layer on the substrate surface decreases to increase growth rate, then the growth rate increases, but the reactant gas escapes toward the circumferential edge causing difficulty in adjusting film thickness and resistivity distributions
Solution Approach 1:
The groove structures extend in the radial direction perpendicular to the circumferential flow direction, creating a three-dimensional flow control architecture that redirects gas flow from circumferential escape paths toward the substrate center, maintaining boundary layer control while preventing edge accumulation
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration enhances the growth rate by 50% while maintaining uniform film thickness and resistivity distribution, reducing particle formation and operational costs.
Implementation Method 1
Each groove has an arc shape such that the plurality of grooves concentrate a gas when the gas contacts the plurality of grooves
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments described herein relate to a lower side wall for use in a processing chamber. a lower side wall for use in a processing chamber is disclosed herein. The lower side wall includes an inner circumference, an outer circumference, a top surface, a plurality of flanges, and a first concave portion. The outer circumference is concentric with the inner circumference. The plurality of flanges project from the inner circumference. The first concave portion includes a plurality of grooves arranged along a circumferential direction of the lower side wall. Each groove has an arc shape such that the plurality of grooves concentrate a gas when the gas contacts the plurality of grooves.