Method, system, and apparatus for the growth of SiC and related or similar material, by chemical vapor deposition, using precursors in modified cold-wall reactor

Abstract

An approach for the growth of high-quality epitaxial silicon carbide (SiC) films and boules, using the Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) technique is described here. The method comprises modifications in the design of the typical cold-wall CVD reactors, providing a better temperature uniformity in the reactor bulk and a low temperature gradient in the vicinity of the substrate, and an approach to increase the silicon carbide growth rate and to improve the quality of the growing layers, using halogenated carbon-containing precursors (carbon tetrachloride CCl 4 or halogenated hydrocarbons, CHCl 3 , CH 2 Cl 2 , CH 3 Cl, etc.), or introducing other chlorine-containing species in the gas phase in the growth chamber. The etching effect, proper ranges, and high temperature growth are also examined.

1 . A chemical vapor deposition system, said system comprising:
 an enclosure with walls;   a substrate holder; and   an inlet for one or more gasses,   wherein said system uses or produces one or more of the followings: halogenated carbon, carbon tetrachloride, halogenated hydrocarbon, CHCl 3 , CH 2 Cl 2 , or CH 3 Cl.   
   
   
       2 . A system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said halogenated carbon comprises one or more of the followings: F, Cl, Br, I, or At. 
   
   
       3 . A system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said halogenated hydrocarbon comprises one or more of the followings: F, Cl, Br, I, or At. 
   
   
       4 . A system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said system uses or produces a gas comprising Si, H, C, and Cl species. 
   
   
       5 . A system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said system is used for the growth of SiC. 
   
   
       6 . A system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said system comprises a heating element. 
   
   
       7 . A system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said system comprises a water cooling unit. 
   
   
       8 . A system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said system produces or uses one or more of the followings: SiH 2 , SiH, Si, CCl 3 , or CCl 2 . 
   
   
       9 . A system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said system produces or uses one or more of the followings: HCl, CH 3 Cl, CH 4 , or SiH 2 Cl 2 . 
   
   
       10 . A system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said system produces or uses one or more of the followings: SiCl 2 , CH 4 , or HCl. 
   
   
       11 . A system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said system produces an etching agent. 
   
   
       12 . A system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said substrate holder holds a wafer or substrate of at least 3 inch in diameter. 
   
   
       13 . A system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said system comprises one or more of the following materials, or their alloys or mixtures: graphite, SiC-coated graphite, graphite coated with carbides of refractory metals, carbides of refractory metals, quartz, quartz coated with refractory metals, or pure refractory metals. 
   
   
       14 . A system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said system comprises at least a refractory metal. 
   
   
       15 . A system as recited in  claim 14 , wherein said at least a refractory metal is made of one or more of the following materials, or their alloys or mixtures:
 tantalum, niobium, titanium, tungsten, molybdenum, zirconium, or hafnium.   
   
   
       16 . A system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said system is a cold-wall CVD reactor. 
   
   
       17 . A system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said system has a relatively uniform temperature distribution around said substrate holder. 
   
   
       18 . A system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said system is used for the growth of semiconductor materials. 
   
   
       19 . A system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said system is used for the growth of epitaxial materials. 
   
   
       20 . A system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said system uses a specific ratio of the number of Si to C atoms in input gas mixture. 
   
   
       21 . A system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said system uses a specific ratio of the number of Si to Cl atoms in input gas mixture. 
   
   
       22 . A system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said system uses an input gas mixture with a value in the range of 0.02 to 1.5 for the ratio of the number of Si to Cl atoms in said input gas mixture. 
   
   
       23 . A system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said system uses an input gas mixture with a value in the range of 0.7 to 1.3 for the ratio of the number of Si to C atoms in said input gas mixture. 
   
   
       24 . A system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said system uses an input gas mixture with a value close to the range of 0.02 to 1.5 for the ratio of the number of Si to Cl atoms in said input gas mixture. 
   
   
       25 . A system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said system uses an input gas mixture with a value close to the range of 0.7 to 1.3 for the ratio of the number of Si to C atoms in said input gas mixture. 
   
   
       26 . A system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said system uses a relatively low growth temperature. 
   
   
       27 . A system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said system produces a relatively high growth rate. 
   
   
       28 . A system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said system accepts multiple substrates on said substrate holder. 
   
   
       29 . A system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said system suppresses parasitic deposits inside said system. 
   
   
       30 . A system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said system uses a Si substrate coated with a thin film of monocrystalline SiC. 
   
   
       31 . A system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said system produces or uses one or more of the CH i Cl j  or SiH m Cl n  species, wherein i, j, m, and n are non-negative integers. 
   
   
       32 . A system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said system uses a growth temperature in the range of 1000 to 1800 centigrade. 
   
   
       33 . A system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said system reduces the consumption of the source materials. 
   
   
       34 . A system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said system uses a growth temperature in the range of 1500 to 1800 centigrade. 
   
   
       35 . A system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said system uses a relatively high growth temperature.