DEVELOPMENT OF A PLANETARY-MOTION MOCVD REACTOR

WE PROPOSE HERE THE DEVELOPMENT OF A METALORGANIC CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION (MOCVD) SYSTEM HAVING IMPROVED SAFETY ASPECTS AND SOURCEUTILIZATION EFFICIENCY. OUR NOVEL DESIGN EMPLOYS A PLANETARY-MOTION SUSCEPTOR WHICH IS ROTATED AND LEVITATED SOLEY BY GAS FLOW STREAMS. THIS LARGE-CAPACITY PRODUCTION REACTOR HOLDS UP TO SIX 4-INCH DIAMETER WAFERS PER BATCH, HAS A STAINLESS STEEL ENVELOPE FOR SAFETY, AND UTILIZES A WAFER-TRANSFER LOAD-LOCK MECHANISM FOR INCREASED SAFETY, THROUGHPUT, AND YEILD. THE UE OF A PLANETARY-MOTION SUSCEPTOR WITH A RADIALLY OUTWARD GAS-FLOW PATTERN ENABLES THE ACHIEVEMENT OF BOTH EXCELLENT GROWTH UNIFORMITY AND HIGH SOUCEUTILIZATION EFFICIENCY OVER A LARGE DEPOSITION AREA. THE PHASE I EFFORT WILL CONSIST OF DESIGNING THE DETAILS OF THIS SYSTEM AND CONSTRUCTING A SIMPLIFIED WORKING MODEL; COMPLETE SYSTEM FABRICATION, INSTALLATION AND OPERATION WILL OCCUR IN PHASE II. THE ESTABLISHMENT OF SUCH AN ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY WILL HELP INSURE THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS A U.S.-BASED COMMERCIAL SUPPLY OF BOTH MOCVD SYSTEMS AND EPITAXIAL WAFERS.