SUSCEPTOR SUPPORT STRUCTURE AND DOCKING ASSEMBLY

• US 3,830,194 A
• Filed: 09/28/1972
• Issued: 08/20/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: James Mcdiarmid, Walter C. Benzing
• Original Assignee: James Mcdiarmid, Walter C. Benzing
• Inventors: Benzing, Walter C., McDiarmid, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Kaplan, Morris
• Application Number:
  US05/292,992
• Time in Patent Office: 691 Days
• Field of Search: 118/5,9,48-49.5,47,500-503 269/13,14 266/4,5,5R 214/310,16.6,23 432/50 198/222 219/388
• US Class Current: 118/712
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/00 Chemical coating by decomposition of gaseous compounds, without leaving reaction products of surface material in the coating, i.e. chemical vapour deposition [CVD] processes reactive sputtering or vacuum evaporation C23C14/00

Abstract

A chemical vapor deposition reactor or like apparatus including means for accurately sensing the temperature of a susceptor upon which substrates to be coated are positioned. Means for facilitating insertion and removal of the sensing means relative to the susceptor, and for facilitating movement of the susceptor from a reaction chamber to permit expedited loading or unloading of the susceptor, are included with the apparatus. A support structure is provided upon which the susceptor is movable relative to the reaction chamber. Externally of the reaction chamber a docking assembly is provided to receive the susceptor supporting structure and the susceptor during substrate loading and unloading. The temperature sensing means comprises a sheathed thermocouple, which is automatically and accurately positioned in the susceptor following each loading or unloading cycle.

Claims

1. In a chemical vapor deposition reactor or like apparatus, the combination comprising A. a reaction chamber in which chemical vapor deposition is to be effected on substrates, B. a supporting structure movably positioned within said chamber and being selectively removable therefrom, C. a susceptor positioned on, supported by, and movable with said supporting structure on which said substrates are positionable, 1. a recess extending longitudinally of said susceptor from an end thereof, D. a temperature sensor projecting into said susceptor recess when said supporting structure and said susceptor thereon are operatively positioned within said chamber, and E. means supporting said temperature sensor in a predetermined fixed orientation within said chamber and maintaining said sensor in such orientation as said supporting structure and said susceptor are moved relative to said chamber during loading or unloading of substrates relative to said susceptor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 which further includes F. means between said supporting structure and said susceptor for maintaining said susceptor properly aligned with said supporting structure during relative movement therebetween.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 in which said means comprises interfitting longitudinal rails and grooves between said supporting structure and said susceptor which permit longitudinal sliding movement therebetween and preclude lateral movement therebetween.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 in which said rails are provided on said supporting structure and said grooves are formed in the undersurface of said susceptor.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 which further includes F. stop shoulder means on said supporting structure against which said susceptor is engagable to properly position said susceptor thereon when said supporting structure with said susceptor thereon are operatively positioned within said chamber.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 in which said stop shoulder means comprises an enlarged shoulder against which an end of said susceptor is engagable, said shoulder having a guide opening therethrough through which said temperature sensor extends into said susceptor recess.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 which further includes F. reactant gas inlet means and spent reactant gas outlet means in operative communication with said chamber, G. said susceptor being oriented in said chamber so that said susceptor recess therein opens in a direction facing away from said gas inlet means so that reactant gases do not flow directly into said susceptor recess.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 which further includes F. a docking rack assembly adjacent said reaction chamber for receiving said supporting structure and said susceptor thereon when removed from said chamber for substrate loading or unloading.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 in which said docking rack includes two spaced docking surfaces for receiving said supporting structure and said susceptor separately thereon.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 in which said docking rack further includes guide rollers on each of said surfaces to facilitate movement of said supporting structure and said susceptor thereover.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 in which said rollers on one of said surfaces are grooved to interfit with rails provided on said supporting structure.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 in which said docking rack assembly further includes stop lug means to temporarily preclude movement of said supporting structure over said docking rack assembly as said susceptor is being moved over said supporting structure.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 in which one of said spaced docking surfaces defines stop means to limit movement of said supporting structure over said other docking surface.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said supporting structure comprises a slidable sled having a plate at one end thereof through which said temperature sensor extends, said plate maintaining an end of said sensor properly oriented when such end is removed from said susceptor recess in response to movement of said susceptor over said sled.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said supporting structure comprises a slidable sled defined by a pair of spaced plates having a pair of laterally spaced rails extending therebetween over which said susceptor slides during relative movement between said sled and said susceptor.