# US 12,009,206 B2 · Vapor phase epitaxial growth device

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 12,009,206 B2
- Document ID: US12009206B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/112,750
- Filed: 2023-02-22
- Published: 2023-06-22
- Granted: 2024-06-11
- Earliest claimed: 2017-09-25
- Assignees: National University Corporation Nagoya University; Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: National University Corporation Nagoya University; Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd
- Inventors: Shugo Nitta; Yoshio Honda; Kentaro Nagamatsu; Hiroshi Amano; Naoki Fujimoto
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12009206B2

## CPC

- C30B 29/406: {Gallium nitride}
- H10P 14/34: {Deposited materials, e.g. layers}
- C23C 16/4412: {Details relating to the exhausts, e.g. pumps, filters, scrubbers, particle traps}
- C23C 16/455: characterised by the method used for introducing gases into reaction chamber or for modifying gas flows in reaction chamber
- C30B 25/14: Feed and outlet means for the gases; Modifying the flow of the reactive gases
- C30B 29/16: Oxides
- C30B 29/36: Carbides
- C30B 29/38: Nitrides
- C30B 35/007: {Apparatus for preparing, pre-treating the source material to be used for crystal growth}
- H10P 14/60: of insulating materials
- C30B 23/02: Epitaxial-layer growth
- C30B 23/06: Heating of the deposition chamber, the substrate or the materials to be evaporated
- H10P 14/24: using chemical vapour deposition [CVD]
- H10P 14/271: {characterised by the preparation of substrate for selective deposition}
- H10P 14/3416: {Nitrides}
- Y10T 117/00: Single-crystal, oriented-crystal, and epitaxy growth processes; non-coating apparatus therefor
- 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
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- 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)
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A vapor phase epitaxial growth device comprises a reactor vessel and a wafer holder arranged within the reactor vessel. The wafer holder includes a wafer holding surface configured to hold a wafer with a wafer surface oriented substantially vertically downward. The device comprises a first material gas supply pipe configured to supply a first material gas and arranged below the wafer holding surface. The device comprises a second material gas supply pipe configured to supply a second material gas and arranged below the wafer holding surface. The device comprises a gas exhaust pipe configured to exhaust gases and arranged below the wafer holding surface. A distance between the gas exhaust pipe and an axis line passing through a center of the wafer holding surface is greater than distances between the axis line and each of the first material gas supply pipe and the second material gas supply pipe.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for controlling a vapor phase epitaxial growth device configured to grow a compound semiconductor,
the vapor phase epitaxial growth device comprising:
a reactor vessel;
a wafer holder arranged within the reactor vessel;
a first material gas supply pipe;
a second material gas supply pipe;
a shower head to which outlets of the first material gas supply pipe and the second material gas supply pipe are connected, a surface of the shower head being arranged at a position below the wafer holder and facing the wafer holder;
a particular gas supply unit; and
a gas exhaust pipe,
the method comprising:
holding a wafer by the wafer holder such that a wafer surface is oriented vertically downward;
flowing the first material gas and the second material gas discharged from the shower head within the reactor vessel in a first direction that is a vertically upward direction;
deflecting the first material gas and the second material gas that reached the wafer surface in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction and is a downward direction from the wafer;
flowing, by using the particular gas supply unit, a particular gas into the reactor vessel vertically downward from above the wafer holder, the particular gas being a gas not containing oxygen and being a gas that does not react with the first material gas nor with the second material gas;
exhausting, by using the gas exhaust pipe, the first material gas and the second material gas that were used for crystal growth of the compound semiconductor on the surface of the wafer in a lateral side surface direction of the shower head and a downward direction from the wafer; and
exhausting, by using the gas exhaust pipe, the particular gas in the reactor vessel from below the wafer surface,
wherein a distance between the gas exhaust pipe and an axis line passing through a center of the wafer surface and vertical to the wafer surface is greater than distances between the axis line and each of the first material gas supply pipe and the second material gas supply pipe.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein
an inlet of the gas exhaust pipe is located on a lateral side surface of the shower head.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the surface of the shower head has a material containing tungsten arranged thereon.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein
a surface of at least one of the first material gas supply pipe and the second material gas supply pipe in a region in a vicinity of a gas supply outlet is covered with a catalyst,
the catalyst is capable of decomposing the second material gas by a catalytic effect, and
the method further comprising heating a surface of the catalyst to 800° C. or higher and 1100° C. or lower.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method according to claim 4, wherein
the surface of the shower head at least on a gas supply outlet side is covered with the catalyst.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The method according to claim 4, wherein the catalyst is a material containing tungsten.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein
the first material gas is a gas containing GaCl, and
the second material gas is a gas containing NH3.

### Claim 8

A method for controlling a vapor phase epitaxial growth device configured to grow a compound semiconductor,
the vapor phase epitaxial growth device comprising:
a reactor vessel;
a wafer holder arranged within the reactor vessel and configured to hold a wafer;
a ring unit including a hole corresponding to the wafer held by the wafer holder;
a first material gas supply pipe;
a second material gas supply pipe;
a shower head to which outlets of the first material gas supply pipe and the second material gas supply pipe are connected, a surface of the shower head being arranged at a position below the wafer holder and facing the wafer holder;
a particular gas supply unit; and
a gas exhaust pipe,
the method comprising:
holding the wafer by the wafer holder such that a wafer surface is oriented vertically downward;
flowing the first material gas and the second material gas discharged from the shower head within the reactor vessel vertically upward;
flowing, by using the particular gas supply unit, a particular gas into the reactor vessel vertically downward from above the wafer holder, the particular gas being a gas not containing oxygen and being a gas that does not react with the first material gas nor with the second material gas;
exhausting, by using the gas exhaust pipe, the first material gas and the second material gas that were used for crystal growth of the compound semiconductor on the surface of the wafer in a lateral side surface direction of the shower head and a downward direction from the wafer;
exhausting, by using the gas exhaust pipe, the particular gas in the reactor vessel from below the wafer surface;
moving at least one of the wafer holder and the ring unit along the axis line vertical to the wafer surface;
maintaining a constant distance between a surface of the ring unit and a surface of a compound semiconductor crystal grown on the wafer; and
maintaining a non-contact state between the ring unit and the surface of the compound semiconductor crystal,
wherein a distance between the gas exhaust pipe and an axis line passing through a center of the wafer surface and vertical to the wafer surface is greater than distances between the axis line and each of the first material gas supply pipe and the second material gas supply pipe,
an entirety of the wafer surface is encompassed by a range of the hole of the ring unit, and
in the moving of at least one of the wafer holder and the ring unit, a moving speed is same as a growing speed of the compound semiconductor crystal.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method according to claim 8, wherein
the surface of the ring unit is covered with a catalyst capable of decomposing the second material gas by a catalytic effect.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method according to claim 9, wherein the catalyst is a material containing tungsten.