Movable injectors in rotating disc gas reactors

Abstract

A system and method for uniform deposition of material layers on wafers in a rotating disk chemical vapor deposition reaction system is provided, wherein one or more substrates are rotated on a carrier about an axis while maintaining surfaces of the one or more substrates substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation and facing in an upstream direction along the axis of rotation. During rotating a first gas is discharged in the downstream direction towards the one or more substrates from a first set of gas inlets. A second gas is discharged in the downstream direction towards the one or more substrates from at least one movable gas injector, and the at least one movable gas inlet is moved with a component of motion in a radial direction towards or away from the axis of rotation.

1 . A method of treating one or more substrates, comprising:
 (a) rotating the substrates about an axis of rotation while maintaining surfaces of the substrates substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation and facing in an upstream direction along the axis of rotation; and, during the rotating step,   (b) discharging a first gas with a component of motion in the downstream direction towards the substrates from at least one first movable gas inlet; and, during the discharging step,   (c) moving the at least one first movable gas inlet with a component of motion in a radial direction towards or away from the axis of rotation.   
     
     
         2 . The method as recited in  claim 1  further comprising, during the rotating step, the step of discharging a second gas with a component of motion in the downstream direction towards the substrates from a set of second gas inlets. 
     
     
         3 . The method as recited in  claim 1  wherein the step of moving comprises moving the at least one first movable gas inlet linearly. 
     
     
         4 . The method as recited in  claim 3  wherein the linear movement is radially aligned with the axis of rotation. 
     
     
         5 . The method as recited in  claim 4  wherein the linear movement extends through the axis of rotation. 
     
     
         6 . The method as recited in  claim 1  wherein the step of moving comprises moving the at least one first movable gas inlet in an arc about a second axis. 
     
     
         7 . The method as recited in  claim 6  wherein the arc is aligned with the axis of rotation. 
     
     
         8 . The method as recited in  claim 7  wherein the arcuate movement extends through the axis of rotation. 
     
     
         9 . The method as recited in  claim 1  wherein the step of moving comprises moving the at least one first movable gas inlet in two opposite directions. 
     
     
         10 . The method as recited in  claim 1  further comprising the step of discharging a gas with a component of motion in the downstream direction towards the substrates from another gas inlet and moving with the at least one first movable gas inlet. 
     
     
         11 . The method as recited in  claim 10  wherein the another gas inlet is adjacent to the at least one first movable gas inlet. 
     
     
         12 . The method as recited in  claim 10  wherein the another gas inlet is coaxial with the at least one first movable gas inlet. 
     
     
         13 . The method as recited in  claim 1  further comprising the step of discharging a second gas with a component of motion in the downstream direction towards the substrates from one second movable gas inlet and moving the one second movable gas inlet with a component of motion in radial direction towards or away from the axis of rotation. 
     
     
         14 . The method as recited in  claim 13  wherein the one second movable gas inlet moves with the at least one first movable gas inlet. 
     
     
         15 . The method as recited in  claim 14  wherein the one second movable gas inlet moves in a path aligned with a path of movement of the at least one first movable gas inlet. 
     
     
         16 . The method as recited in  claim 1  further comprising the step of discharging the first gas with a component of motion in the downstream direction towards the substrates from at least one fixed gas inlet. 
     
     
         17 . The method as recited in  claim 1  further comprising the step of varying the direction of discharge of the first gas flow of the at least one first movable gas inlet. 
     
     
         18 . The method as recited in  claim 1  further comprising the step of changing flux of the first gas from the at least one first movable gas inlet so that flux is different for different positions of the at least one first movable gas inlet. 
     
     
         19 . The method as recited in  claim 1  further comprising the step of changing speed of movement of the at least one first movable gas inlet at different positions. 
     
     
         20 . The method as recited in  claim 1  further comprising the step of pulse modulating the first gas flow from the at least one first movable gas inlet. 
     
     
         21 . The method as recited in  claim 1  further comprising the steps of directing an optical signal onto the surface of the substrates so that the optical signal is reflected from the surface of the substrate and detecting the reflected optical signal, wherein the optical signal path moves along with the movement of the at least one first movable gas inlet. 
     
     
         22 . The method as recited in  claim 21  further comprising calculating growth rate of the substrates as a function of the detected reflected optical signal. 
     
     
         23 . The method as recited in  claim 21  further comprising calculating composition of the substrates as a function of the detected reflected optical signal. 
     
     
         24 . The method as recited in  claim 21  further comprising calculating absolute reflectivity of the substrates as a function of the detected reflected optical signal.