Susceptor arrangement for a reactor and method of heating a process gas for a reactor

Abstract

A susceptor arrangement for a reactor includes a heater element configured to heat a process gas to be used in the reactor. Also included is an inner susceptor portion located radially inwardly of the heater element and configured to route the process gas therein along a radially inner process gas path. Further included is an outer susceptor portion located radially outwardly of the heater element and configured to route the process gas therein along a radially outer process gas path, wherein the radially inner process gas path and the radially outer process gas path are fluidly coupled and substantially fluidly isolated from the heater element.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of heating a process gas for a reactor comprising:
 heating a heater element located within a heater region, wherein the heater region is at least partially defined by an outer susceptor portion, an inner susceptor portion and an end susceptor portion; and   routing a process gas through a process gas path defined by and extending through the outer susceptor portion, the inner susceptor portion and the end susceptor portion, wherein the process gas path is fluidly isolated from the heater element.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising purging the heater region with a heater element protective fluid comprising at least one of gaseous tetrachlorosilane, trichlorosilane, dichlorosilane, monochlorosilane, nitrogen, argon and hydrogen chloride. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising distributing heat from the heater element in a equal distribution to the inner susceptor portion and the outer susceptor portion. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising routing the process gas through the process gas path along regions radially outwardly of the heater element and radially inwardly of the heater element.