Method and device for regulating the differential pressure in epitaxy reactors

A device for regulating a pressure in an epitaxy reactor, wherein the reactor comprises a wafer handling chamber, a process chamber, and a gate valve connecting the wafer handling chamber with the process chamber, said device comprising:

• a) at least one wafer handling gas feed line coupled to the wafer handling chamber;
• b) at least one process chamber gas feed line coupled to the process chamber);
• c) at least one wafer handling chamber gas discharge line coupled to the wafer handling chamber;
• d) at least one process chamber gas discharge line coupled to the process chamber;
• e) at least one pressure monitoring sensor in communication with the wafer handling chamber and the process chamber for measuring a pressure difference between said wafer handling chamber and said pressure chamber;
• and
• f) at least one control circuit coupled to said at least one wafer handling chamber gas discharge line, wherein said at least one control circuit regulates a pressure in said wafer handling chamber, and wherein said wafer handling chamber is continuously purged with an inert gas via said wafer handling chamber gas feed line;
• wherein said pressure difference between the wafer handling chamber and the process chamber is measured by said pressure monitoring sensor;
• wherein said at least one control circuit regulates said pressure in the wafer handling chamber via a measurement signal which is used in said at least one control circuit so as to reduce said pressure in the wafer handling chamber if a pressure difference between the wafer handling chamber and the process chamber is above a predetermined value, or to increase said pressure in the wafer handling chamber if said pressure difference between the wafer handling chamber and the process chamber is below said predetermined value;
• and
• wherein said predetermined pressure difference is between 5 and 500 Pa.