# US 2019/0376180 A1 · Gas-phase chemical reactor and method of using same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0376180 A1 - Document ID: US20190376180A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/004,041 - Filed: 2018-06-08 - Published: 2019-12-12 - Earliest claimed: 2018-06-08 - Assignees: ASM IP Holding B.V. - Applicants: ASM IP Holding B.V. - Inventors: Antti Juhani Niskanen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190376180A1 ## CPC - C23C 16/45544: {characterized by the apparatus} - C23C 16/4401: {Means for minimising impurities, e.g. dust, moisture or residual gas, in the reaction chamber} - C23C 16/4412: {Details relating to the exhausts, e.g. pumps, filters, scrubbers, particle traps} - C23C 16/45502: {Flow conditions in reaction chamber} - C23C 16/45536: {Use of plasma, radiation or electromagnetic fields} - C23C 16/45561: {Gas plumbing upstream of the reaction chamber} - C23C 16/4581: {characterised by material of construction or surface finish of the means for supporting the substrate} - C23C 16/52: Controlling or regulating the coating process {(C23C16/45557, C23C16/279 take precedence)} - C23C 16/54: Apparatus specially adapted for continuous coating - H01J 37/32449: {Gas control, e.g. control of the gas flow} - H01J 37/32477: {characterised by the means for protecting vessels or internal parts, e.g. coatings} - H01J 37/32743: {for introducing the material into processing chamber} - H01J 37/32788: {for extracting the material from the process chamber} - H01J 2237/332: Coating - 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) - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) ## Abstract A gas-phase chemical reactor, a system including the reactor, and methods of using the reactor and system are disclosed. An exemplary reactor includes a reaction chamber and is configured to provide a precursor within the reaction chamber for a soak period—e.g., a period wherein a supply of the precursor to the reaction chamber is ceased and before purging of the reaction chamber begins. This allows relatively high residence times, relatively high partial pressures of the precursor(s) and/or a relatively high absolute pressure to be obtained within the reaction chamber during substrate processing. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A gas-phase chemical reactor comprising: a reaction chamber for processing a substrate; a load/unload chamber comprising an opening to receive the substrate and a valve to seal the opening; a susceptor having a top surface to receive the substrate, wherein the susceptor is moveable within the load/unload chamber, and wherein a top surface of the susceptor defines at least a portion of a bottom section of the reaction chamber when the substrate is in a processing position; a vacuum source for evacuating the load/unload chamber; and, a controller for controlling a precursor delivery process and an evacuation process, the controller comprising a memory being programmed to enable the controller to execute the following steps: while the susceptor is in the processing position, providing a precursor to the reaction chamber, while evacuating the load/unload chamber with the vacuum source; and ceasing a flow of the precursor, and evacuating the reaction chamber by moving the susceptor into the load/unload chamber. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The gas-phase chemical reactor of claim 1, further comprising a protective shield to protect the valve. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The gas-phase chemical reactor of claim 2, further comprising an inert gas source, wherein an inert gas from the inert gas source is provided between an interior wall of the load/unload chamber and a surface of the protective shield. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The gas-phase chemical reactor of claim 1, further comprising a shaft for moving the susceptor and a protective cover about at least a portion of the shaft. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The gas-phase chemical reactor of claim 4, wherein the protective cover comprises a bellows. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The gas-phase chemical reactor of claim 1, wherein a seal is formed between the reaction chamber and the load/unload chamber during processing of the substrate. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The gas-phase chemical reactor of claim 1, wherein a ratio of an interior volume of the load/unload chamber to an interior volume of the reaction chamber greater than 5 to 1. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The gas-phase chemical reactor of claim 1, wherein the step of moving the susceptor to the load/unload chamber comprises exposing the substrate to a second pressure of the load/unload chamber that is lower than a first pressure within the reaction chamber. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The gas-phase chemical reactor of claim 1, further comprising a guide to direct a flow of gas from the reaction chamber to the load/unload chamber. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) The gas-phase chemical reactor of claim 2, wherein the protective shield does not touch an interior wall of the load/unload chamber when the valve moves from an open position to a closed position. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The gas-phase chemical reactor of claim 1, wherein the memory is programmed to enable the controller to execute the following steps after ceasing the flow of the precursor: exposing the substrate to the precursor in the reaction chamber for a soak period; and after the soak period, evacuating the reaction chamber by moving the susceptor to the load/unload chamber. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A system comprising the gas-phase chemical reactor of claim 1. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, further comprising a direct plasma apparatus. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, further comprising a remote plasma apparatus. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, further comprising a showerhead gas distribution apparatus. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, further comprising a robotic arm to transfer the substrate from outside the gas-phase chemical reactor to the susceptor through the opening. ### Claim 17 A method comprising the steps of: moving a susceptor from a load/unload position to a processing position; while the susceptor is in the processing position, providing a precursor to a reaction chamber, while evacuating a load/unload chamber; and ceasing a flow of the precursor; and moving the susceptor into the load/unload chamber to expose the substrate to a second pressure that is lower than the first pressure. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising opening a valve to receive the substrate, closing the valve to seal the opening and protecting the valve with a protective shield. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising using a carrier gas during only a portion of the step of providing a precursor. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising a step of providing a purge gas during or after the step of moving the susceptor into the load/unload chamber. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising exposing a substrate to the precursor in the reaction chamber for a soak period at a first pressure; and after the soak period moving the susceptor into the load/unload chamber to expose the substrate to a second pressure that is lower than the first pressure.