# US 5,710,407 A · Rapid thermal processing apparatus for processing semiconductor wafers > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,710,407 A - Document ID: US5710407A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/479,889 - Filed: 1995-06-07 - Granted: 1998-01-20 - Earliest claimed: 1993-01-21 - Assignees: Moore Epitaxial, Inc. - Inventors: Gary M. Moore; Katsuhito Nishikawa - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5710407A ## CPC - H10P 72/7611: {characterised by edge profile or support profile} - C23C 16/4404: {Coatings or surface treatment on the inside of the reaction chamber or on parts thereof} - C23C 16/4405: {Cleaning of reactor or parts inside the reactor by using reactive gases} - C23C 16/45565: {Shower nozzles} - C23C 16/45589: {Movable means, e.g. fans} - C23C 16/45591: {Fixed means, e.g. wings, baffles} - C23C 16/4581: {characterised by material of construction or surface finish of the means for supporting the substrate} - C23C 16/4585: {Devices at or outside the perimeter of the substrate support, e.g. clamping rings, shrouds} - C23C 16/4586: {Elements in the interior of the support, e.g. electrodes, heating or cooling devices} - C23C 16/46: characterised by the method used for heating the substrate (C23C16/48, C23C16/50 take precedence) - C23C 16/481: {by radiant heating of the substrate} - C23C 16/54: Apparatus specially adapted for continuous coating - C30B 25/02: Epitaxial-layer growth - C30B 25/10: Heating of the reaction chamber or the substrate - C30B 25/105: {by irradiation or electric discharge} - C30B 25/12: Substrate holders or susceptors - C30B 25/14: Feed and outlet means for the gases; Modifying the flow of the reactive gases - C30B 31/12: Heating of the reaction chamber - C30B 31/14: Substrate holders or susceptors - H05B 3/0047: {for semiconductor manufacture} - H10P 72/0436: {mainly by radiation} - H10P 72/0462: {characterised by the construction of the processing chambers, e.g. modular processing chambers} - H10P 72/7618: {characterised by a movable susceptor, stage or support, others than those only rotating on their own vertical axis, e.g. susceptors on a rotating carrousel} - H10P 72/7621: {characterised by supporting two or more semiconductor substrates} - H10P 72/7624: {characterised by the mechanical construction of the susceptor, stage or support} - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - 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) - C30B: SINGLE-CRYSTAL GROWTH (by using ultra-high pressure, e.g. for the formation of diamonds, B01J3/06); UNIDIRECTIONAL SOLIDIFICATION OF EUTECTIC MATERIAL OR UNIDIRECTIONAL DEMIXING OF EUTECTOID MATERIAL; REFINING BY ZONE-MELTING OF MATERIAL (zone-refining of metals or alloys C22B); PRODUCTION OF A HOMOGENEOUS POLYCRYSTALLINE MATERIAL WITH DEFINED STRUCTURE (casting of metals, casting of other substances by the same processes or devices B22D; working of plastics B29; modifying the physical structure of metals or alloys C21D, C22F); SINGLE CRYSTALS OR HOMOGENEOUS POLYCRYSTALLINE MATERIAL WITH DEFINED STRUCTURE; AFTER-TREATMENT OF SINGLE CRYSTALS OR A HOMOGENEOUS POLYCRYSTALLINE MATERIAL WITH DEFINED STRUCTURE (for producing semiconductor devices or parts thereof H10); APPARATUS THEREFOR - H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL ## Abstract A novel rapid thermal process (RTP) reactor processes a multiplicity of wafers or a single large wafer, e.g., 200 mm (8 inches), 250 mm (10 inches), 300 mm (12 inches) diameter wafers, using either a single or dual heat source. The wafers or wafer are mounted on a rotatable susceptor supported by a susceptor support. A susceptor position control rotates the wafers during processing and raises and lowers the susceptor to various positions for loading and processing of wafers. A heat controller controls either a single heat source or a dual heat source that heats the wafers to a substantially uniform temperature during processing. A gas flow controller regulates flow of gases into the reaction chamber. Instead of the second heat source, a passive heat distribution is used, in one embodiment, to achieve a substantially uniform temperature throughout the wafers. Further, a novel susceptor is used that includes a silicon carbide cloth enclosed in quartz. ## Claims ### Claim 1 In a reactor for processing a substrate, a structure comprising: a susceptor having a first surface adapted for mounting a substrate thereon; a second surface; and a plurality of openings extending through said susceptor from said first surface to said second surface wherein each opening in said plurality of openings extending through said susceptor from said first surface to said second surface has a surface; and a plurality of substrate support pins; wherein a substrate support pin is movably mounted in each of said plurality of openings and in a first position said substrate support pins are seated in said susceptor when said substrate is supported by said susceptor, and in a second position said substrate support pins hold said substrate above said first surface; and each substrate support pin in said plurality of substrate support pins has a surface wherein in said first position, the surface on the substrate support pin mates with the surface of the opening so as to inhibit gas flow through said plurality of openings in said susceptor during processing. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) In a reactor for processing a substrate, the structure of claim 1 further comprising; a plurality of supports, one for each substrate support pin, mounted in said reactor so that when said susceptor is in a third position, said plurality of supports hold said plurality of substrate support pins in said second position. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) In a reactor for processing a substrate, the structure of claim 2 wherein when said susceptor is in a fourth position, said plurality of substrate support pins are in said first position. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) In a reactor for processing a substrate, a structure as in claim 1 wherein said surface of said opening and said surface of said substrate support pin are both tapered so that said tapered surface of said substrate support pin mates with tapered surface of said opening is said first position. ### Claim 5 A rapid thermal process reactor comprising: a reaction chamber; a rotatable susceptor mounted within the reaction chamber, and having: a first surface adapted for supporting at least one substrate; a second surface; a plurality of openings extending through said rotatable susceptor from said first surface to said second surface with each opening in said plurality of openings extending through said rotatable susceptor from said first surface to said second surface having a surface; and a plurality of substrate support pins wherein a substrate support pin is movably mounted in each of said plurality of openings and in a first position said substrate support pins are seated in said susceptor when said at least one substrate is supported by said susceptor, and in a second position said substrate support pins hold said at least one substrate above said first surface; and each substrate support pin in said plurality of substrate support pins has a surface wherein in said first position, the surface on the substrate support pin mates with the surface of the opening so as to inhibit gas flow through said plurality of openings in said susceptor during processing; and a radiant heat source mounted outside said reaction chamber so that radiant heat from said heat source directly heats said at least one substrate. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) A rapid thermal process reactor as in claim 5 further comprising: a plurality of gas jets mounted within said rapid thermal process reaction chamber about an outer circumference of said rotatable rapid thermal process susceptor.