CHUCK AND BRIDGE CONNECTION POINTS FOR TUBE FILAMENTS IN A CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION REACTOR

• US 20110203101A1
• Filed: 06/23/2009
• Published: 08/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: GTAT Corporation (ON Semiconductor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: GT Solar
• Inventors: Chartier, Carl, Schweyen, Andy, Ballenger, Keith, Gum, Jeffrey C.
• Application Number:
  US13/000,455
• Publication Number:
  US 20110203101A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 29/458
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 33/035 by decomposition or reduction of gaseous or vaporised silicon compounds in the presence of heated filaments of silicon, carbon or a refractory metal, e.g. tantalum or tungsten, or in the presence of heated silicon rods on which the formed silicon is deposited, a silicon rod being obtained, e.g. Siemens process
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/24 Deposition of silicon only
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/46 characterised by the method used for heating the substrate C23C16/48, C23C16/50 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49885 with coating before or during assembling

Abstract

A chemical vapor deposition reactor system includes one or more tube filaments connected to a bridge, each tube filament being connected to a chuck. The chuck-to-filament connection can include a seed formed on an end of the tube filament, the seed being connected to a protrusion of the chuck, or the filament may be formed directly onto the chuck. For the bridge-to-filament connection, a flat cross bridge or a rectangular bridge is connected with corresponding openings in the filament. Use of these connections can maintain electrical connectivity and thus resistive heating of the tube filaments during operation of the reactor system.

Claims

1. A chemical vapor deposition reactor system, comprising:

at least one tube filament having first and second ends, the tube filament configured to carry an electrical current;

a seed attached to the first end of the tube filament; and

a chuck connected to at least the seed, the chuck being formed with a protrusion that corresponds to a groove of the seed, such that the chuck is electrically connected to the tube filament.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the protrusion is positioned in approximately a center of the chuck.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the seed is detachable from the chuck.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the seed is attached to the chuck after formation of the tube filament.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the seed is made of graphite.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one tube filament comprises first and second tube filaments, each being connected to a respective seed and chuck.

7. A chemical vapor deposition reactor system, comprising:

a first tube filament having first and second ends, the first tube filament configured to carry an electrical current, the second end being electrically connected to at least one electrode;

a second tube filament having first and second ends, the second tube filament configured to carry an electrical current; and

a bridge for connecting the first and second tube filaments.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the bridge comprises a plurality of recesses, each of the recesses for engaging one of the first ends of the first and second tube filaments.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the recesses each have at least one vent hole for providing a vent path.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the bridge is configured to completely overlap a circumference of the first ends of the first and second tube filaments.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the bridge comprises grooves for engaging at least a portion of one of the first ends of the first and second tube filaments.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the bridge is configured so as not to completely overlap a circumference of the first ends of the first and second tube filaments.

13. The system of claim 7, wherein the bridge includes a plurality of notches for engaging the first and second tube filaments.

14. The system of claim 7, wherein the bridge is made of silicon.

15. A chemical vapor deposition reactor system, comprising:

at least one tube filament having a first end and a second end, the first end being connected to a bridge;

the bridge having a contact portion for mechanically engaging the at least one tube filament; and

the contact portion having at least one recess for engaging the first end of the tube filament.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the at least one recess further comprises at least one vent hole.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the contact portion is configured to completely overlap a circumference of the first end.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the contact portion is configured so as not to completely overlap the circumference of the first end.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the bridge is made of silicon.

20. A method of forming a tube filament on a chuck in a chemical vapor deposition reactor, comprising the steps of:

providing a seed detachably connected to the chuck;

inserting at least a portion of the chuck in a silicon melt; and

withdrawing the chuck from the silicon melt such that a tube filament is formed directly on the chuck.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the seed is a reusable seed detachably connected to the chuck.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the silicon melt is contained in a crucible.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of:

adjusting a length of the tube filament based on an amount of molten material contained in the crucible.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of:

detaching the reusable seed from the chuck.

25. A method of forming a tube filament on a chuck in a chemical vapor deposition reactor, comprising the steps of:

providing a seed connected to the chuck;

inserting at least a portion of the chuck in a silicon melt;

withdrawing the chuck from the silicon melt such that a tube filament is formed on the seed; and

connecting the tube filament to the chuck.