# US 12,595,587 B2 · Method and a substrate processing apparatus for forming an epitaxial stack on a plurality of substrates

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- Number: US 12,595,587 B2
- Document ID: US12595587B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/350,517
- Filed: 2023-07-11
- Published: 2024-01-25
- Granted: 2026-04-07
- Earliest claimed: 2022-07-13
- Assignees: ASM IP Holding B.V.
- Applicants: ASM IP Holding, B.V.
- Inventors: Rami Khazaka
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12595587B2

## CPC

- C30B 25/165: {the flow of the reactive gases}
- C23C 16/24: Deposition of silicon only
- C23C 16/45529: {specially adapted for making a layer stack of alternating different compositions or gradient compositions}
- C23C 16/45546: {specially adapted for a substrate stack in the ALD reactor}
- C23C 16/52: Controlling or regulating the coating process {(C23C16/45557, C23C16/279 take precedence)}
- C30B 25/02: Epitaxial-layer growth
- C30B 25/12: Substrate holders or susceptors
- C30B 29/06: Silicon
- C30B 29/10: Inorganic compounds or compositions
- C30B 29/68: Crystals with laminate structure, e.g. "superlattices"
- H10P 14/24: using chemical vapour deposition [CVD]
- H10P 14/3211: {Silicon, silicon germanium or germanium}
- H10P 14/3252: {Alternating layers, e.g. superlattice}
- H10P 14/3411: {Silicon, silicon germanium or germanium}
- H10P 14/3442: {N-type}
- H10B 12/01: {Manufacture or treatment}
- H10P 14/2905: {Silicon, silicon germanium or germanium}
- H10P 14/2926: {Crystal orientations}
- 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)
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H10B: ELECTRONIC MEMORY DEVICES

## Abstract

A method for forming an epitaxial stack on a plurality of substrates comprises providing a plurality of substrates to a process chamber and executing deposition cycles, wherein each deposition cycle comprises a first deposition pulse and a second deposition pulse. The epitaxial stack comprises a first epitaxial layer stacked alternatingly and repeatedly with a second epitaxial layer, the second epitaxial layer being different from the first epitaxial layer. The first deposition pulse comprises a provision of a first reaction gas mixture to the process chamber, thereby forming the first epitaxial layer having a first native lattice parameter. The second deposition pulse comprises a provision of a second reaction gas mixture to the process chamber, thereby forming the second epitaxial layer having a second native lattice parameter, wherein the first native lattice parameter lies in a range within 1.5% larger than and 0.9% smaller than the second native lattice parameter.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of forming an epitaxial stack on a plurality of substrates; the method comprising
providing the plurality of substrates to a process chamber; and
executing a plurality of deposition cycles, thereby forming the epitaxial stack on the plurality of substrates, the epitaxial stack comprising a first epitaxial layer stacked alternatingly and repeatedly with a second epitaxial layer, the second epitaxial layer being different from the first epitaxial layer, wherein the first epitaxial layer has a phosphorus concentration in a range of 0.5 atomic % to 3 atomic %, and wherein a deposition cycle comprises:
a first deposition pulse comprising a provision of a first reaction gas mixture to the process chamber, thereby forming the first epitaxial layer having a first lattice parameter, and
a second deposition pulse comprising a provision of a second reaction gas mixture to the process chamber, the second reaction gas mixture being different from the first reaction gas mixture, thereby forming the second epitaxial layer having a second lattice parameter,
wherein the first and the second lattice parameters are native lattice parameters, and wherein the first lattice parameter lies in a range within 1.5% larger than and 0.9% smaller than the second lattice parameter.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the first lattice parameter is 0.2% to 0.7% smaller than the second lattice parameter.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the first epitaxial layer comprises a first semiconductor material,
wherein the provision of the first reaction gas mixture comprises:
providing a first semiconductor material precursor gas, and
providing a Group-VA element precursor comprising a Group-VA element,
wherein the second epitaxial layer comprises a second semiconductor material, and
wherein the provision of the second reaction gas mixture comprises providing a second semiconductor material precursor gas.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method according to claim 3, wherein the provision of the first semiconductor material precursor gas is performed simultaneously with the provision of the Group-VA element precursor comprising the Group-VA element.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The method according to claim 3, wherein the first semiconductor material precursor gas comprises substantially a first silicon-containing compound and the second semiconductor material precursor gas comprises substantially a second silicon-containing compound.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method according to claim 5, wherein the first silicon-containing compound is the same as the second silicon-containing compound.

### Claim 7 (depends on 3)

The method according to claim 3, wherein the first semiconductor material precursor gas is provided in a continuous flow and wherein the Group-VA element precursor comprising the Group-VA element is provided intermittently.

### Claim 8 (depends on 3)

The method according to claim 3, wherein the Group-VA element precursor is phosphine.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein neither the provision of the first reaction gas mixture nor the provision of the second reaction gas mixture comprises providing a Ge-comprising precursor gas.