US 2003/0140854 A1 · Apparatus for growing thin films

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus for growing thin films onto the surface of a substrate by exposing the substrate to alternately repeated surface reactions of vapor-phase reactants. The apparatus comprises a reaction chamber including a reaction space, infeed means connected to the reaction space for feeding into the reaction space the reactants used in the thin film growth process, and outfeed means connected to the reaction space for discharging excess reactants and gaseous reaction products from the reaction space. At least one substrate is adapted into the reaction space and a second surface is also adapted into the reaction space in a disposition opposed to the surface of the substrate. The thin-film growth supporting surface of the substrate and the other surface disposed opposing the same are arranged in the reaction chamber so as to subtend an angle opening in the flow direction of the reactants in relation to the opposed surfaces. The distance between the opposed surfaces at the infeed end of reactants is smaller than at the gas outfeed end.

Claims27

Dependent claims

An apparatus for growing thin films onto the surface of a substrate by exposing the substrate to alternately repeated surface reactions of vapor-phase reactants, the apparatus comprising:

a reaction chamber including a reaction space, an inlet connected to said reaction space for supplying a plurality of reactant pulses into said reaction space, and an outlet connected to said reaction space for discharging excess reactants and gaseous reaction products from said reaction space;
a first substrate disposed within said reaction space, said first substrate comprising a first surface configured for growing thin films;
a second surface which is also disposed within said reaction space, said second surface being spaced from and facing said first surface so as to form at least in part a passage through which said reactant pulses can flow from said inlet to said outlet, said passage having an inlet portion and an outlet portion, said inlet portion located closer said inlet than said outlet portion and said outlet portion located closer to said outlet than said inlet portion,
wherein a distance between said first surface and said second surface at said inlet portion is larger than a distance between said first surface and said second surface at said outlet portion.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Apparatus for growing thin films

Life of this patent

Apparatus for growing thin films

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims27