Method for the deposition of silicon germanium layers

Abstract

A vertical chemical vapor deposition (CVD) apparatus and methods for the deposition of compound films, such as silicon germanium films, are provided. In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus comprises a process chamber, wherein the process chamber is elongated in a first generally vertical direction; a boat to support a plurality of wafers, wherein individual wafers comprising the plurality of wafers are oriented substantially horizontally, stacked substantially vertically and spaced apart vertically; and a gas injector inside the process chamber, wherein the gas injector extends in a second generally vertical direction over about the height of the boat and comprises a plurality of gas injection holes, wherein the plurality of gas injection holes extends over about the height of the gas injector, and wherein the gas injector has a feed end connected to a source of a silicon-containing gas and a source of a germanium-containing gas. The aggregate cross-section of the holes is relatively large to prevent reactions inside the gas injector and the horizontal cross-section of gas conduction channels inside the gas injector is relatively large to facilitate distribution of the precursor source gases over the height of the boat.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.