# US 11,441,236 B2 · Chamber components for epitaxial growth apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,441,236 B2 - Document ID: US11441236B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/077,345 - Filed: 2016-03-22 - Published: 2016-09-29 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2015-03-25 - Assignees: Applied Materials, Inc. - Applicants: Applied Materials, Inc. - Inventors: Shinichi Oki; Yoshinobu Mori - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11441236B2 ## CPC - C30B 25/08: Reaction chambers; Selection of materials therefor - C23C 16/45502: {Flow conditions in reaction chamber} - C23C 16/45565: {Shower nozzles} - C23C 16/4558: {Perforated rings} - C23C 16/45587: {Mechanical means for changing the gas flow} - C23C 16/45591: {Fixed means, e.g. wings, baffles} - C23C 16/4581: {characterised by material of construction or surface finish of the means for supporting the substrate} - C23C 16/4585: {Devices at or outside the perimeter of the substrate support, e.g. clamping rings, shrouds} - C23C 16/481: {by radiant heating of the substrate} - C30B 25/12: Substrate holders or susceptors - C30B 25/14: Feed and outlet means for the gases; Modifying the flow of the reactive gases - C30B 29/06: Silicon - F24C 15/10: Tops, e.g. hot plates; Rings (cover lids or splash guards F24C15/12; spillage trays or grooves F24C15/14) - H10P 72/7611: {characterised by edge profile or support profile} - H10P 72/7612: {characterised by lifting arrangements, e.g. lift pins} - H10P 72/7624: {characterised by the mechanical construction of the susceptor, stage or support} - H10P 14/24: using chemical vapour deposition [CVD] - H10P 14/3411: {Silicon, silicon germanium or germanium} - C30B: SINGLE-CRYSTAL GROWTH (by using ultra-high pressure, e.g. for the formation of diamonds, B01J3/06); UNIDIRECTIONAL SOLIDIFICATION OF EUTECTIC MATERIAL OR UNIDIRECTIONAL DEMIXING OF EUTECTOID MATERIAL; REFINING BY ZONE-MELTING OF MATERIAL (zone-refining of metals or alloys C22B); PRODUCTION OF A HOMOGENEOUS POLYCRYSTALLINE MATERIAL WITH DEFINED STRUCTURE (casting of metals, casting of other substances by the same processes or devices B22D; working of plastics B29; modifying the physical structure of metals or alloys C21D, C22F); SINGLE CRYSTALS OR HOMOGENEOUS POLYCRYSTALLINE MATERIAL WITH DEFINED STRUCTURE; AFTER-TREATMENT OF SINGLE CRYSTALS OR A HOMOGENEOUS POLYCRYSTALLINE MATERIAL WITH DEFINED STRUCTURE (for producing semiconductor devices or parts thereof H10); APPARATUS THEREFOR - C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04) - F24C: DOMESTIC STOVES OR RANGES (exclusively for solid fuels F24B); DETAILS OF DOMESTIC STOVES OR RANGES, OF GENERAL APPLICATION - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract Chamber components for an epitaxial growth apparatus are disclosed. A reaction chamber defined and formed by a ceiling plate. A reactant gas is rectified in a reactant gas supply path disposed in the side wall, so that a horizontal component in a flow direction of the reactant gas in the reaction chamber corresponds to a horizontal component in a direction extending from the center of an opening of the reactant gas supply path. Improvements to the upper side wall, susceptor and rectification plate of the epitaxial growth apparatus have resulted in improvements to the uniformity and formation speed of the epitaxial layer formed on substrates resulting in higher throughput and lower defects. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A susceptor for supporting a substrate within an epitaxial growth apparatus, comprising: an annular body extending to an outer radius from a center axis, the annular body including a top surface and a bottom surface opposite the top surface, the top surface including: an inner portion disposed at the center axis and extending to an inner radius, the inner portion having an inner portion bottom surface, a non-concave portion disposed along a circumference of the annular body, the non-concave portion having a non-concave bottom surface, wherein the inner portion bottom surface and the non-concave bottom surface are coplanar with the bottom surface, and a uniform thickness between the top surface and the non-concave bottom surface, and a transition portion connecting the inner portion to the non-concave portion, the inner radius extends to the transition portion, the transition portion is configured to form an abutment with the substrate and support the substrate, wherein the transition portion is at a higher elevation than the inner portion and at a lower elevation than the non-concave portion when the top surface is facing upward and the center axis is disposed vertically; a first plurality of through holes, each of the first plurality of holes has a first diameter; and a second plurality of through holes, each of the second plurality of holes has a second diameter, each extending from the top surface to the bottom surface, wherein the first diameter is substantially equal to the second diameter, the first plurality of through holes are positioned within an entirety of the inner portion at a first density and the second plurality of through holes are positioned in an entirety of the non-concave portion at a second density, wherein the first density of the first plurality of through holes in the inner portion and the second density of the second plurality of through holes in the non-concave portion are at least 5.0 through holes per square centimeters, wherein the first density and the second density are substantially the same. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The susceptor of claim 1, wherein the inner portion and the non-concave portion are disposed orthogonal to the center axis. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The susceptor of claim 2, wherein the transition portion is orthogonal to the center axis. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The susceptor of claim 1, wherein the transition portion is elevated above the non-concave portion by less than 0.2 millimeters when the top surface is facing upward and the center axis is disposed vertically. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The susceptor of claim 1, wherein the transition portion is disposed at an elevation at least half a millimeter above the non-concave portion when the top surface is facing upward and the center axis is disposed vertically. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The susceptor of claim 1, wherein the transition portion is free of the plurality of through holes. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The susceptor of claim 1, wherein a thickness of the susceptor is less than five (5) millimeters. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The susceptor of claim 1, wherein the susceptor comprises carbon graphite. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The susceptor of claim 1, further comprising lift pin holes arranged equidistantly from the center axis of the susceptor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The susceptor of claim 9, wherein the lift pin holes extend into the inner portion. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The susceptor of claim 1, wherein the bottom surface comprises: a first support position and a second support position disposed on the bottom surface, the first support position and the second support position each having a recess, the recess having a width and a length, wherein the first support position and the second support position are free of the through holes, and each recess has dimensions of at least two millimeters wide by at least five millimeters long. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The susceptor of claim 11, wherein the first support position and the second support position are disposed directly opposite the non-concave portion. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The susceptor of claim 11, further comprising: a third support position, wherein the first support position, the second support position, and the third support position are disposed equidistantly from the center axis of the susceptor. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The susceptor of claim 11, further comprising: a third support position, wherein each of the first support position, the second support position, and the third support position includes respective recessed surfaces elevated at least 0.7 millimeters from an immediate surrounding support portion of the bottom surface when the top surface of the susceptor is facing upward and the center axis is disposed vertically. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The susceptor of claim 1, wherein center axes of the through holes are parallel to the center axis of the susceptor. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The susceptor of claim 1, wherein an outer diameter of the susceptor is in a range from two-hundred (200) to three-hundred (300) millimeters. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The susceptor of claim 1, wherein a diameter of the inner portion is in a range from one-hundred (100) to two-hundred (200) millimeters. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The susceptor of claim 1, further comprising a retainment surface configured to prevent horizontal movement of the substrate during rotation of the susceptor about the center axis. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The susceptor of claim 18, wherein the retainment surface is orthogonal or substantially orthogonal to at least one of: the non-concave portion and the inner portion of the top surface. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The susceptor of claim 1, wherein the annular body is integrally formed.