Reaction chamber with controlled radiant energy heating and distributed reactant flow

An apparatus for supplying radiant energy over a sample having a reaction surface, the sample absorbing at least a component of the radiant energy, and characterized by a nonuniform distribution of that loss, the apparatus comprising:

• a reaction chamber;
• means, mounted with the reaction chamber, for supporting the sample within the reaction chamber;
• means, mounted with the reaction chamber, or supporting the sample within the reaction chamber;
• means, mounted with the reaction chamber, or generating radiant energy;
• and
• energy distribution means, mounted with the means for generating, for distributing the radiant energy generated by the means or generating to from a controlled distribution of radiant energy at the reaction surface, and wherein the controlled distribution of radiant energy offsets the nonuniform distribution of heat loss of the sample;
• wherein the means for generating radiant energy includes a plurality of lamps;
• and the energy distribution means comprises:
• a lamp housing having a lamp seat for each of the plurality of lamps, each lamp seat having a reflective surface and the reflective surface of at least one lamp seat has a first portion with a first tilt with respect to a plane parallel to the reaction surface, and a second portion with a second tilt with respect to the plane parallel to the reaction surface.

An apparatus for supplying radiant energy over a sample having a reaction surface, the sample absorbing at least a component of the radiant energy, and characterized by a nonuniform distribution of hat loss, the apparatus comprising:

• a reacting chamber;
• means, mounted with the reaction chamber, for supporting the sample within the reaction chamber;
• means, mounted with the reaction chamber, for generating radiant energy;
• and
• energy distribution means, mounted with the means for generating, for distributing the radiant energy generated by the means for generating to form a controlled distribution of radiant energy at the reaction surface, and wherein the controlled distribution of radiant energy offsets the nonuniform distribution of heat loss of the sample;
• wherein the reaction chamber includes a window on the reaction chamber through which the radiant energy enters the reaction chamber and wherein the window consists of a material that is essentially transparent to radiant energy in a first range absorbed by the sample, and that absorbs a long infrared range of radiation generated by the means for generating radiant energy, and has a thickness sufficient to filter the long infrared range of radiation so that the long infrared range does no the at inside the reaction chamber.

An apparatus for supplying a flow of a gas reactant over a reaction surface on a sample, the sample absorbing radiant energy within a given range of wavelengths, comprising:

• a reaction chamber having a window essentially transparent to radiant energy in the given range;
• means, mounted with the fraction chamber, for supporting the sample within the reaction chamber, so that the reaction surface on the sample faces the window;
• means, in gas flow communication with the reaction chamber, for supplying a flow of reactant gas to the chamber between the window and the reaction surface;
• pump means, having an exhaust port in gas flow communication with the reaction chamber, for pumping gas out of the reaction chamber to maintain a reduced pressure within the reaction chamber;
• and
• a reactant distribution means, mounted int eh reaction chamber between the reaction surface and the means for supplying reactant gas, and essentially transparent to radiant energy in the given range, for directing a distributed flow of reactant gas essentially perpendicular to the reaction surface.

An apparatus for supplying a flow of a gas reactant over a reaction surface on a sample, the sample absorbing radiant energy within a given range of wavelengths, comprising:

• a reaction chamber having a window essentially transparent to radiant energy in the given range;
• means, mounted with the reaction chamber, for supporting the sample within the reaction chamber, so that the reaction surface on the sample faces the window;
• means, in gas flow communication with the reacting chamber, for supplying a flow of reactant gas to the chamber between the window and the reaction surface;
• and
• a reactant distribution means, mounted in the reaction chamber between the reaction surface and the means for supplying reactant gas, and essentially transparent to radiant energy in the given range, for directing a distributed flow of reactant gas essentially perpendicular to the reaction surface;
• wherein the means for supporting includes:
• a support member within the reaction chamber supporting the sample so that the reaction surface faces the reactant distribution means;
• and
• means, coupled to the support member, for rotating the support member about an axis perpendicular to the reaction surface.

An apparatus for supplying a flow of a gas reactant over a reaction surface on a sample, the sample absorbing radiation energy within a given range of wavelengths, comprising:

• a reaction chamber having a wall and a window essentially transparent to radiant energy in the given range;
• means of cooling the wall of the reaction chamber;
• means, mounted with the reaction chamber, for supporting the sample within the reaction chamber, so that the reaction surface on the sample faces the window, and including a thermally inert support member contacting the sample;
• means, in gas flow communication with the reaction chamber, for supplying a flow of reactant gas to the chamber between the window and the reaction surface;
• and
• a reactant distribution means, mounted in the fraction chamber between the reaction surface and the mans for supplying reactant gas, and essentially transparent to radiant energy in the given range, for directing a distributed flow of reactant gas essentially perpendicular to the reaction surface.

An apparatus for inducing a controlled reaction on a reaction surface on a sample, the sample absorbing radiant energy within a given range of wavelengths, and characterized by a nonuniform distribution of heat loss, the apparatus comprising:

• a reaction chamber having a wall and a window essentially transparent to radiant energy in the given range;
• means, coupled with the reaction chamber, for cooling the wall of the reaction chamber;
• support means, mounted with the reaction chamber, for supporting the sample within the reaction chamber, so that the reaction surface faces the window, and including a thermally inert support member contacting the sample;
• means, mounted with the fraction chamber outside the window, for generating radiant energy in the given range;
• energy distribution means, mounted with the means for generating, for distributing the radiant energy in the given range to form a controlled distribution of radiant energy at the reaction surface of the sample, and wherein the controlled distribution of radiant energy offsets the nonuniform distribution of heat loss on the sample;
• means, in gas flow communication with the reaction chamber, for supplying a flow of reactant gas to the chamber between the window and the sample;
• and
• a reactant distribution means, mounted in the reaction chamber between the reaction surface on the sample and the means for supplying reactant gas, and transparent to radiant energy in the given range, for distributing the flow of reactant gas to create a distributed flow over the reaction surface on the sample.

An apparatus for growing an epitaxial layer on a sample having a reaction surface, the sample absorbing heat causing energy;

• the apparatus comprising:
• a reaction chamber having a wall;
• means, coupled wit the reaction chamber, for cooling the wall of the reaction chamber;
• support means, mounted within the reaction chamber, for supporting the sample within the reaction chamber, and including a thermally inert support member contacting the sample;
• means mounted with the reaction chamber for generating heat causing energy and directing the heat causing energy on the reaction surface.

An apparatus of supplying a flow of a gas reactant over a reaction surface on a sample, the sample absorbing radiant energy within a given range of wavelengths, comprising:

• a reaction chamber having a window essentially transparent to radiant energy in the given range;
• means, counted with the reaction chamber, for supporting the sample within the reaction chamber, so that the reaction surface on the sample faces the window;
• means, in gas flow communication with the reaction chamber, for supplying a flow of reactant gas to the chamber between the window and the reaction surface;
• pump means, having an exhaust port in gas flow communication with the reaction chamber, for pumping gas out of the reaction chamber to maintain a reduced pressure within the reaction chamber;
• and
• a reactant distribution means, mounted in the reaction chamber between the reaction surface and the means for supplying reactant gas, and essentially transparent to radiant energy in the given range, for directing a distributed flow of reactant gas essentially perpendicular to the reaction surface;
• wherein the fraction surface is between the reactant distribution means and the exhaust port, and wherein the reactant distribution means, reaction surface and exhaust port provide for an essentially radially symmetric gas flow path over the reaction surface through the reaction chamber.

An apparatus for inducing a controlled reaction on a reaction surface on a sample, the sample absorbing radiant energy within a given range of wavelengths, and characterized by a nonuniform distribution of that loss, the apparatus comprising:

• a reaction chamber having a wall and a window essentially transparent to radiant energy in the given range;
• means, coupled with the reaction chamber, for cooling the wall of the reaction chamber;
• support means, mounted with the reaction chamber, for supporting the sample within the reaction chamber, so that the reaction surface faces the window, the support means including a support member within the reaction chamber supporting the sample, and means, coupled of the support member, for rotating the support member about an axis perpendicular to the reaction surface;
• means, mounted with the reaction chamber outside the window, for generating radiant energy in the given range;
• energy distribution means, mounted with the means for generating, for distribution the radiant energy in the given range to form a controlled distribution having essentially rectangular symmetry of radiant energy at the reaction surface of the sample, and wherein the controlled distribution of radiant energy offsets the nonuniform distribution of that loss while the sample is rotated;
• means, in gas flow communication with the reaction chamber, for supplying a flow of reactant gas to the chamber between the window and the sample;
• and
• a reactant distribution means, mounted in the reaction chamber between the reaction surface of the sample and the means for supplying reactant gas, and transparent to radiant energy in the given range, for directing the flow of reactant gas to create a distributed flow essentially perpendicular of the reaction surface on the sample.