Apparatus for liquid-phase epitaxial growth

Abstract

A method and an apparatus capable of efficiently producing an epitaxial layer grown at one time on a multiplicity of substrates with uniform thickness and quality are disclosed, in which a sealable growth chamber filled in a solution used to achieve liquid-phase epitaxial growth and holding therein at least one row of thin plate-like substrate is turned about the horizontal axis. The growth chamber is tilted or overturned so that the solution in the growth chamber is stirred homogeneously and the effect of gravity on the solution is excluded. A solution chamber for holding therein the solution is connected with the growth chamber via a gate valve. After the liquid-phase epitaxial growth, the growth chamber is overturned and then the gate valve is opened so that the solution in the growth chamber returns to the solution chamber. Thus, reuse of the solution is possible.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.