Apparatus and process for growing silicon epitaxial layer

• US 5,993,555 A
• Filed: 01/16/1997
• Issued: 11/30/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SEH America, Inc. (Shin-Etsu Chemical Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: SEH America, Inc. (Shin-Etsu Chemical Company Limited)
• Inventors: Hamilton, Todd A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bueker, Richard
• Application Number:
  US08/784,322
• Time in Patent Office: 1,048 Days
• Field of Search: 118/715
• US Class Current: 118/715
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45561 Gas plumbing upstream of the reaction chamber
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 25/14 Feed and outlet means for the gases; Modifying the flow of the reactive gases
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 29/06 Silicon
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02381 Silicon, silicon germanium, germanium
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02532 Silicon, silicon germanium, germanium
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0262 Reduction or decomposition of gaseous compounds, e.g. CVD

Abstract

An apparatus and a process for growing a silicon epitaxial layer on a main surface of a silicon substrate wafer are disclosed. The apparatus and process provide a reactor and a gas feeder system. The gas feeder system utilizes an auxiliary dopant supply mass flow control (MFC) to provide an auxiliary dopant only into a central injector that effects epitaxial deposition on the center of the wafer for autodoping correction. An auxiliary bellows metering valve is provided between the auxiliary MFC and the center injector to absorb pressure variations in the central flow line to prevent the pressure variations from reaching the auxiliary MFC. This results in a stable and consistent dopant concentration and resistivity profile.

Claims

1. An apparatus for growing a silicon epitaxial layer on a main surface of a silicon substrate wafer, said apparatus having a horizontal chamber containing a susceptor mounted within the chamber for holding the silicon substrate wafer in a horizontal position on a top surface of the susceptor so that the main surface of the silicon substrate wafer is facing upward, said apparatus comprising:

a series of injectors arranged transversely to a horizontal axis of the chamber, the injectors comprising a central injector passing a flow of a reactive gas past a central part of the chamber and peripheral injectors passing flows of the reactive gas past a peripheral part of the chamber, the reactive gas consisting of a silicon source, a dopant and hydrogen;

a gas feeder system connected to the central injector and the peripheral injectors and feeding the reactive gas to the injectors;

an auxiliary dopant feeder system connected to the central injector and passing flows of dopant gas past the central part of the chamber, wherein both the gas feeder system and the auxiliary dopant feeder system are connected to the central injector through a central flow line; and

means connected between the auxiliary dopant feeder system and the central injector for absorbing pressure variations in the central flow line to prevent the pressure variations from reaching the auxiliary dopant feeder system.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said means for absorbing pressure is a bellows metering valve.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said reactive gas feeder system further comprises a controller controlling the mass flows of at least one of the silicon source, the dopant, and the hydrogen.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means connected between the gas feeder system and the central injector for providing a predetermined amount of the reactive gas into the central injector.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said means for providing the predetermined amount of the reactive gas is a bellows metering valve.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said susceptor is a single wafer-processing type.

7. An apparatus for growing a silicon epitaxial layer on a main surface of a silicon substrate wafer, said apparatus having a horizontal chamber containing a susceptor mounted within the chamber for holding the silicon substrate wafer in a horizontal position on a top surface of the susceptor so that said main surface of the silicon substrate wafer is facing upward, said apparatus comprising:

a series of injectors arranged transversely to a horizontal axis of the chamber, the injectors comprising a central injector passing a flow of a reactive gas past a central part of the chamber and peripheral injectors passing flows of the reactive gas past a peripheral part of the chamber, the reactive gas consisting of a silicon source, a dopant and hydrogen;

a gas feeder system connected to the central injector and the peripheral injectors and feeding the reactive gas to the injectors;

a valve having a first end connecting to the gas feeder system and a second end connecting to the central injector for allowing a predetermined amount of the reactive gas into the central injector; and

an auxiliary dopant feeder system connecting to the first end of said valve for passing flows of dopant gas past the central part of the chamber.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said valve is a bellows metering valve.