Gas port sealing for CVD/CVI furnace hearth plates
First Claim
1. A gas inlet port assembly for a CVD/CVI furnace having a furnace compartment and a CVD/CVI process apparatus with a plurality of holes, said gas inlet port assembly comprising:
- a plurality of gas inlet ports delivering process gas to said furnace compartment; and
a plurality of flow direction nozzles positioned between said holes of said CVD/CVI process apparatus and said gas inlet ports.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for sealing gas ports in CVD/CVI furnaces and processes is disclosed. A fluid direction nozzle (160) is positioned between a top lip (101) of a gas inlet port (100) delivering a reactant gas (G) to a furnace compartment (200) in a CVD/CVI furnace (10) and corresponding holes (151) of a CVD/CVI process apparatus such as a hearth plate (150). The fluid direction nozzle 160 reduces leakage of reactant gases (G) and ensures a smooth transition of gas flow direction between the gas inlet port (100) and the corresponding holes (151). CVD/CVI process times are significantly reduced with the use of the reusable/replaceable flow direction nozzles (160).
68 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A gas inlet port assembly for a CVD/CVI furnace having a furnace compartment and a CVD/CVI process apparatus with a plurality of holes, said gas inlet port assembly comprising:
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a plurality of gas inlet ports delivering process gas to said furnace compartment; and
a plurality of flow direction nozzles positioned between said holes of said CVD/CVI process apparatus and said gas inlet ports. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
a gas inlet port upper lip respectively provided on each of said gas inlet ports; and
a pair of annular sealing discs respectively provided for each of said flow direction nozzles, said flow direction nozzles sealingly engaging said gas inlet port upper lip with a corresponding hole of said CVD/CVI process apparatus.
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3. The gas inlet port assembly according to claim 2, wherein a first sealing disc of said pair of annular sealing discs is positioned adjacent to an outlet side of each flow direction nozzle and a second sealing disc is positioned adjacent to an inlet side of said flow direction nozzle.
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4. The gas inlet port assembly according to claim 3, wherein said sealing discs are flexible graphite sealing discs.
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5. The gas inlet port assembly according to claim 1, wherein said holes are located in a hearth plate of said CVD/CVI process apparatus, and said holes are chamfered holes formed on a bottom of said hearth plate.
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6. The gas inlet port assembly according to claim 1, wherein each of said flow direction nozzles includes:
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a gas inlet port sealing portion, said gas inlet port sealing portion extending into said respective gas inlet ports;
a support shoulder; and
a nozzle portion.
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7. The gas inlet port assembly according to claim 6, wherein said nozzle portion extends into said holes of said CVD/CVI process apparatus.
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8. The gas inlet port assembly according to claim 6, wherein said gas inlet ports include a protective ceramic tubing having an upper edge positioned along an interior diameter of said gas inlet ports, said nozzle portion of said respective flow direction nozzles sealingly engaging the upper edge of said protective ceramic tubing.
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9. The gas inlet port assembly according to claim 8, wherein said protective ceramic tubing is mullite tubing.
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10. The gas inlet port assembly according to claim 1, wherein said flow direction nozzles are made of graphite.
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11. A flow direction nozzle assembly for a CVD/CVI furnace, said flow direction nozzle assembly comprising:
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a flow direction nozzle, wherein said flow direction nozzle is an annular shaped collar including a gas inlet port sealing portion adjacent to a gas inlet of said collar;
a support shoulder extending in a direction away from said gas inlet of said collar; and
a nozzle portion, wherein said gas inlet sealing portion, said nozzle portion and said shoulder portion are formed of an integrally formed, single piece of molded, cast or machined graphite. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification