US 12,692,602 B2Granted

Wall-cooled gas-inlet element for a CVD reactor

AssigneeAixtron SE

InventorsMarcel Kollberg, Benjamin David Wright, Merim Mukinovic, Barry O'Neil, Marc Plummer

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Abstract

A gas inlet element for a CVD reactor includes a cylindrical main body, which together with an outer wall, forms a gas outlet face. The outer wall surrounds at least one gas distribution chamber. A plurality of gas outlet openings originating in the gas distribution chamber open out into the gas outlet face. A cooling device includes a plurality of cooling channels running adjacently but separately in the outer wall, and the gas outlet openings extend between the cooling channels.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A gas inlet unit (1) for a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) reactor, comprising:

at least one gas distribution chamber (13, 14, 15);
a cylindrical outer wall (10) that surrounds the at least one gas distribution chamber (13, 14, 15);
a cylindrical base body (8) that, with the cylindrical outer wall (10) forms a gas outlet surface (11), into which open a plurality of gas outlet openings (12) originating in the at least one gas distribution chamber (13, 14, 15);
at least one gas supply line (31, 32, 33) fluidly coupled to the at least one gas distribution chamber (13, 14, 15);
a first coolant chamber (5) disposed adjacent to a top end of the cylindrical base body (8), wherein the first coolant chamber (5) comprises an annular volume;
a second coolant chamber (6) disposed adjacent to a bottom end of the cylindrical base body (8);
a first coolant line and second coolant line (3, 4), wherein the first coolant line (3) is an innermost pipe (30) of a plurality of nested pipes which form the at least one gas supply line (31, 32, 33), and wherein the first coolant chamber (5) surrounds the plurality of nested pipes in an annular manner;
and
a cooling device that is fluidly connected to the first and second coolant lines (3, 4) and the second coolant chamber (6) so as to convey a coolant through the cooling device, wherein the cooling device has a plurality of cooling channels (7) that are arranged in a uniform angular distribution in the cylindrical outer wall (10) between the second coolant chamber (6) and the first coolant chamber (5), the plurality of cooling channels (7) being spaced apart from one another, wherein each of the cooling channels (7) receives the coolant from the second coolant chamber (6), transports the coolant away from the second coolant chamber (6) and towards the first coolant chamber (5), and delivers the coolant into the first coolant chamber (5),
wherein each of the cooling channels (7) comprises a first opening (7′) to the first coolant chamber (5) and a second opening (7″) to the second coolant chamber (6), and
wherein the first and second openings face away from another and are each located in respective end surfaces (8′, 8″) of the cylindrical base body (8).

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

A gas inlet unit (1) for a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) reactor, comprising:

at least one gas distribution chamber (13, 14, 15);
a cylindrical outer wall (10) that surrounds the at least one gas distribution chamber (13, 14, 15);
a cylindrical base body (8) that, with the cylindrical outer wall (10) forms a gas outlet surface (11), into which open a plurality of gas outlet openings (12) originating in the at least one gas distribution chamber (13, 14, 15);
at least one gas supply line (31, 32, 33) fluidly coupled to the at least one gas distribution chamber (13, 14, 15);
a first coolant chamber (5) disposed adjacent to a top end of the cylindrical base body (8), wherein the first coolant chamber (5) comprises an annular volume;
a second coolant chamber (6) disposed adjacent to a bottom end of the cylindrical base body (8);
a first coolant line and second coolant line (3, 4), wherein the first coolant line (3) is an innermost pipe (30) of a plurality of nested pipes which form the at least one gas supply line (31, 32, 33), and wherein the first coolant chamber (5) surrounds the plurality of nested pipes in an annular manner;
and
a cooling device that is fluidly connected to the first and second coolant lines (3, 4) and the second coolant chamber (6) so as to convey a coolant through the cooling device, wherein the cooling device has a plurality of cooling channels (7) that are arranged in a uniform angular distribution in the cylindrical outer wall (10) between the second coolant chamber (6) and the first coolant chamber (5), the plurality of cooling channels (7) being spaced apart from one another, wherein each of the cooling channels (7) receives the coolant from the second coolant chamber (6), transports the coolant away from the second coolant chamber (6) and towards the first coolant chamber (5), and delivers the coolant into the first coolant chamber (5),
wherein each of the cooling channels (7) comprises a first opening (7′) to the first coolant chamber (5) and a second opening (7″) to the second coolant chamber (6), and
wherein the first and second openings face away from another and are each located in respective end surfaces (8′, 8″) of the cylindrical base body (8).

8 more elements