# US 9,038,565 B2 · Abatement of reaction gases from gallium nitride deposition

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- Number: US 9,038,565 B2
- Document ID: US9038565B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/055,281
- Filed: 2013-10-16
- Published: 2014-02-13
- Granted: 2015-05-26
- Earliest claimed: 2006-11-22
- Assignees: Soitec
- Applicants: Soitec
- Inventors: Chantal Arena; Christiaan Werkhoven
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9038565B2

## CPC

- C30B 25/14: Feed and outlet means for the gases; Modifying the flow of the reactive gases
- C23C 16/4412: {Details relating to the exhausts, e.g. pumps, filters, scrubbers, particle traps}
- C30B 25/08: Reaction chambers; Selection of materials therefor
- C30B 25/165: {the flow of the reactive gases}
- C30B 29/40: AIIIBV compounds {wherein A is B, Al, Ga, In or Tl and B is N, P, As, Sb or Bi}
- C30B 29/403: {AIII-nitrides}
- 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
- 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)

## Abstract

Systems for the sustained, high-volume production of Group III-V compound semiconductor material suitable for fabrication of optic and electronic components, for use as substrates for epitaxial deposition, or for wafers. The equipment is optimized for producing Group III-N (nitrogen) compound semiconductor wafers and specifically for producing GaN wafers. The method includes reacting an amount of a gaseous Group III precursor as one reactant with an amount of a gaseous Group V component as another reactant in a reaction chamber to form the semiconductor material; removing exhaust gases including unreacted Group III precursor, unreacted Group V component and reaction byproducts; and heating the exhaust gases to a temperature sufficient to reduce condensation thereof and enhance manufacture of the semiconductor material. Advantageously, the exhaust gases are heated to sufficiently avoid condensation to facilitate sustained high volume manufacture of the semiconductor material.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for epitaxial deposition of a monocrystalline Group III-V semiconductor material, which comprises:
a source of a Group III precursor for use as one reactant,
a source of Group V component for use as another reactant, and
a reaction chamber for receiving the reactants for reaction to form the monocrystalline Group III-V semiconductor material while generating exhaust gases, the reaction chamber including an outlet and exhaust conduit for removing exhaust gases, including unreacted Group III precursor, unreacted Group V component and reaction byproducts, from the reaction chamber;
a pressure control system associated with the outlet and exhaust conduit that includes a pump that is operatively associated with the exhaust conduit to maintain a reduced pressure therein to assist in removing the exhaust gases from the reactor; and
a temperature control system operatively associated with the pressure control system for avoiding condensation of the exhaust gases,
wherein the temperature control system includes a heating device for heating the pressure control system and the exhaust gases to a temperature that reduces condensation of the exhaust gases in the outlet manifold, exhaust gas lines and pressure control system and to a waste abatement system, and wherein the outlet and exhaust conduit provide a free and unobstructed flow of the exhaust gases from the reaction chamber to the waste abatement system that includes a combustion zone, and the heating device is arranged for heating the pressure control system, outlet and exhaust conduit through its entire length from the reaction chamber to the waste abatement system to temperatures between about 130° C. and about 160° C. to prevent condensation of the exhaust gases therein, thus enhancing manufacture of the monocrystalline Group III-V semiconductor material.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein the pump is controlled by the pressure control system to maintain a reduced pressure in the exhaust conduit.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, which further comprises an external device for controlling temperature of the reaction chamber.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The system of claim 3, wherein the reaction chamber includes one or more walls and the external device comprises an enclosure which is operatively associated with one or more fans for circulating air in the enclosure to lower the temperature of the reaction chamber wall(s) to reduce or prevent deposition of the Group III precursor or reaction byproducts thereon to provide a longer operating time before maintenance is required.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the combustion zone of the waste abatement system is present in a thermal destruction chamber for thermally destructing the exhaust gases and forming Group III oxide solids.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The system of claim 5, wherein the heating device provides heating from the exit of the exhaust gases from the reaction chamber and until the entrance of the exhaust gases into the thermal destruction chamber.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The system of claim 5, wherein the waste abatement system further comprises a scrubber for contacting the thermally destructed exhaust gases with a solution to facilitate recovery of the Group III oxide solids.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The system of claim 7, wherein the waste abatement system further comprises a filter associated with the scrubber for recovering the Group III oxide solids for recycling and formation of additional Group III precursor.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the waste abatement system further comprises a conduit associated with the filter for recycling the additional Group III precursor into the reaction chamber.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, which further comprises a rotatable support for holding one or more substrates upon which the monocrystalline Group III-V semiconductor material is to be deposited thereon, and the reaction chamber includes entry apertures for introducing the reactants into the reaction chamber in a controlled manner so as to facilitate formation and deposition of the monocrystalline Group III-V semiconductor material upon the substrate(s).

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the reaction chamber is made of quartz.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the gaseous Group III trichloride precursor comprises gallium trichloride so that the system produces a monocrystalline gallium Group V semiconductor material.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12 wherein the gaseous Group V component is a nitrogen containing component so that the system produces a monocrystalline gallium nitride semiconductor material.

### Claim 14

A system for epitaxial deposition of a monocrystalline Group III-V semiconductor material, which comprises:
a source of a Group III precursor for use as one reactant,
a source of Group V component for use as another reactant, and
a reaction chamber for receiving the reactants for reaction to form the monocrystalline Group III-V semiconductor material while generating exhaust gases, the reaction chamber including an outlet and exhaust conduit for removing exhaust gases, including unreacted Group III precursor, unreacted Group V component and reaction byproducts, from the reaction chamber, wherein the outlet and exhaust conduit provide a free and unobstructed flow of the exhaust gases from the reaction chamber to a waste abatement system that includes a combustion zone;
a pressure control system associated with the outlet and exhaust conduit to maintain a reduced pressure therein to assist in removing the exhaust gases from the reactor; and
a temperature control system operatively associated with the pressure control system for avoiding condensation of the exhaust gases, wherein the temperature control system includes a heating device for heating the pressure control system and the exhaust gases through its entire length from the reaction chamber to the waste abatement system to a temperature between about 130° C. and about 160° C. to reduce condensation of the exhaust gases in the outlet manifold, exhaust gas lines and pressure control system and thus enhance manufacture of the monocrystalline Group III-V semiconductor material, wherein the heating device provides heating from the exit of the exhaust gases from the reaction chamber and until the entrance of the exhaust gases into the waste abatement system.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, wherein the combustion zone of the waste abatement system is present in a thermal destruction chamber for thermally destructing the exhaust gases and forming Group III oxide solids and the heating device provides heating from the exit of the exhaust gases from the reaction chamber and until the entrance of the exhaust gases into the thermal destruction chamber; and the waste abatement system further comprises:
a scrubber for contacting the thermally destructed exhaust gases with a solution to facilitate recovery of the Group III oxide solids;
a filter associated with the scrubber for recovering the Group III oxide solids for recycling and formation of additional Group III precursor; and
a conduit associated with the filter for recycling the additional Group III precursor into the reaction chamber.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, which further comprises a rotatable support for holding one or more substrates upon which the monocrystalline Group III-V semiconductor material is to be deposited thereon, and the reaction chamber includes entry apertures for introducing the reactants into the reaction chamber in a controlled manner so as to facilitate formation and deposition of the monocrystalline Group III-V semiconductor material upon the substrate(s).

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, wherein the reaction chamber is made of quartz, the gaseous Group III trichloride precursor comprises gallium trichloride and the gaseous Group V component is a nitrogen containing component so that the system produces a monocrystalline gallium nitride semiconductor material.