Apparatus for and a method of growing thin films of elemental semiconductors

A method of atomic layer epitaxial (ALE) growth of a thin film upon a surface of a substrate of a stoichiometric compound of an elemental semiconductor selected from the group consisting of silicon carbide, germanium silicide, germanium carbide and tin germanide comprising the steps of:

• hydrogenating said surface of said substrate;
• in a first exposing step, exposing said surface of said substrate to a first reactant gas thereby growing thereon a first layer, said first exposing step including the steps of resetting the pressure acting upon and the temperature of said surface of said substrate to a growth pressure within a range of growth pressures, and to a growth temperature within a range of growth temperatures, respectively, and then exposing said surface of said substrate to a halogen-group IVB containing gas;
• desorbing said first layer on said substrate of all physisorbed species of said first reactant gas;
• in a second exposing step, exposing said first layer on said substrate to a second reactant gas thereby growing thereon a second layer, said second exposing step including the steps of maintaining the pressure acting upon and the temperature of said first layer on said substrate to said growth pressure and temperature, respectively, and then exposing said first layer on said substrate to a hydrogen-group IVB containing gas;
• and
• desorbing said second layer on said substrate of all physisorbed species of said second reactant gas.

A method of atomic layer epitaxial (ALE) growth of a thin film upon a surface of a substrate of a non-stoichiometric compound of an elemental semiconductor comprising the steps of:

• (1) hydrogenating said surface of said substrate;
• (2) exposing said surface of said substrate to a first reactant gas thereby growing thereon a first layer;
• (3) desorbing said first layer on said substrate of all physisorbed species of said first reactant gas;
• (4) exposing said first layer on said substrate to a second reactant gas thereby growing thereon a second layer;
• (5) desorbing said second layer on said substrate of all physisorbed species of said second reactant gas;
• (6) repeating step (2) thereby growing a third layer;
• (7) repeating step (3);
• (8) repeating step (4) thereby growing a fourth layer;
• (9) repeating step (5);
• (10) repeating step (2) thereby growing a fifth layer;
• (11) repeating step (3);
• (12) exposing said fifth layer on said substrate to a third reactant gas thereby growing a sixth layer;
• and
• (13) desorbing said sixth layer on said substrate of all physisorbed species of said third reactant gas.

A method of atomic layer epitaxial (ALE) growth of a thin film upon a surface of a substrate of a non-stoichiometric compound of an elemental semiconductor comprising the steps of:

• (1) hydrogenating said surface of said substrate;
• (2) exposing said surface of said substrate to a first reactant gas thereby growing thereon a first layer;
• (3) desorbing said first layer of said substrate of all physisorbed species on said first reactant gas;
• (4) exposing said first layer on said substrate to a second reactant gas thereby growing thereon a second layer;
• (5) desorbing said second layer on said substrate of all physisorbed species of said second reactant gas;
• (6) exposing said second layer on said substrate to a third reactant gas thereby growing thereon a third layer;
• (7) desorbing said third layer on said substrate of all physisorbed species of said third reactant gas;
• (8) exposing said third layer on said substrate to a fourth reactant gas thereby growing thereon a fourth layer;
• (9) desorbing said fourth layer on said substrate of all physisorbed species of said fourth reactant gas;
• (10) repeating step (6) thereby growing a fifth layer;
• (11) repeating step (7);
• (12) repeating step (4) thereby growing a sixth layer;
• (13) repeating step (5);
• (14) repeating step (2) thereby growing a seventh layer;
• (15) repeating step (3);
• (16) repeating step (8) thereby growing an eighth layer;
• (17) repeating step (9);
• (18) repeating step (6) thereby growing a ninth layer;
• (19) repeating step (7);
• (20) repeating step (8) thereby growing a tenth layer;
• and
• (21) repeating step (9).