초록 ▼

A method for epitaxially growing a layer of III-V material on a wafer of a material such as silicon comprises the steps of placing the wafer (16′) in a first ultra-high vacuum chamber (11), and epitaxially growing a transition layer such as germanium on the wafer. An intermediate high vacuum chamber

A method for epitaxially growing a layer of III-V material on a wafer of a material such as silicon comprises the steps of placing the wafer (16′) in a first ultra-high vacuum chamber (11), and epitaxially growing a transition layer such as germanium on the wafer. An intermediate high vacuum chamber (13) is used to transport the wafer 16′to a second ultra-high vacuum chamber (12), and the second chamber (12) is used to epitaxially grow a layer of III-V material over the transition layer. Gate valves (33 and 15) are sequentially opened and closed to that the second vacuum chamber (12) cannot be contaminated by gases or particles from the first vacuum chamber (11). Wafer transport from chamber (11) to (13) is achieved without exposure to the atmosphere or to significant pressure changes thus avoiding the waste of transfer time or the formation of native oxide on the wafer surface.

대표청구항 ▼

A method for making semiconductor devices comprising the steps of, epitaxially growing, in an ultra-high vacuum and on a crystalline substrate, a first layer of a first material, and then epitaxially growing, in an ultra-high vacuum and over the first layer, a second layer of a second material that

A method for making semiconductor devices comprising the steps of, epitaxially growing, in an ultra-high vacuum and on a crystalline substrate, a first layer of a first material, and then epitaxially growing, in an ultra-high vacuum and over the first layer, a second layer of a second material that is different from the first material, characterized in that the first layer is epitaxially grown in a first vacuum chamber that has been separately evacuated to a high vacuum condition; vapors and particulates of the first layer material are evacuated from the first vacuum chamber; an intermediate vacuum chamber is separately evacuated to a high vacuum condition; the first and intermediate vacuum chambers are thereafter brought into mutual communication so that together they constitute a combined single high vacuum chamber and the substrate is transported to the intermediate vacuum chamber; the first vacuum chamber is next UHV-sealed from the intermediate vacuum chamber; a second vacuum chamber is separately evacuated to a high vacuum condition; the intermediate and second vacuum chambers are thereafter brought into mutual communication so that together they constitute a single high vacuum chamber and the substrate is transported to the second vacuum chamber; the intermediate vacuum chamber is next UHV-sealed from the second vacuum chamber; and the second layer is next epitaxially grown over the first layer.