초록 ▼

A molecular beam epitaxy system wherein the molybdenum substrate holder and the molybdenum ring which assembles to the substrate holder to hold the wafer are kept in vacuum essentially all the time. Wafers are not pre-mounted to substrate holders, but the wafer mounting step is performed in ultrahig

A molecular beam epitaxy system wherein the molybdenum substrate holder and the molybdenum ring which assembles to the substrate holder to hold the wafer are kept in vacuum essentially all the time. Wafers are not pre-mounted to substrate holders, but the wafer mounting step is performed in ultrahigh vacuum after a cassette of wafers has already been loaded and outgassed, under ultrahigh vacuum. Thus, the substrate holder can be outgassed separately at high temperatures, and can remain under high vacuum.

대표청구항 ▼

A method of epitaxal growth, comprising the steps of: providing a plurality of wafers, on which molecular beam epitaxial growth is to be performed; loading said wafers from atmospheric pressure into a first vacuum chamber and evacuating said first vacuum chamber; holding a substrate holder and a ret

A method of epitaxal growth, comprising the steps of: providing a plurality of wafers, on which molecular beam epitaxial growth is to be performed; loading said wafers from atmospheric pressure into a first vacuum chamber and evacuating said first vacuum chamber; holding a substrate holder and a retaining ring in a second vacuum chamber separate from said first vacuum chamber while said wafers are loaded into said first vacuum chamber and said first vacuum chamber is evacuated; opening a valve to interconnect said first vacuum chamber and said second vacuum chamber; transferring one of said wafers onto said substrate holder and assembling said retaining ring thereto, said substrate holder and said retaining ring mechanically defining a cavity therebetween having dimensions approximately equal to or slightly greater than those of said wafers, said retaining ring and substrate holder being assembled to hold one of said wafers therebetween; transferring said substrate holder, wafer, and assembled retaining ring into a growth chamber, said growth chamber being held under ultrahigh vacuum, and performing molecular beam epitaxy in said growth chamber; transferring said substrate holder, wafer, and assembled retaining ring out of said growth chamber, removing said retaining ring from said substrate holder, and removing said wafer from said substrate holder; repeating ones of said proceding steps, until a plurality of wafers have been exposed to epitaxial growth in said growth chamber; transferring said wafers into said first chamber, while said retaining ring and substrate holder are retained in vacuum apart from said first chamber; closing a vacuum valve to isolate said first chamber from said second chamber; and removing said wafers from said first chamber to atmospheric pressure.