Lsi Logic Corporation

Mark I Mayeda

Wilbur G Catabay

Joe W Zhao

Steven E Reder

Matthew R Trattles

Richard C Gimmi

An apparatus for reducing residual oxygen content from a processing chamber of an atmospheric reactor after the processing chamber of the atmospheric reactor has been exposed to an oxygen environment. The processing chamber of the atmospheric reactor has an inert gas purge, including an inert gas source, for reducing a residual oxygen level within the processing chamber of the atmospheric reactor at a rate of reduction. A venturi vacuum system is enabled by the inert gas source. The venturi vacuum system draws a vacuum on the processing chamber of the atmospheric reactor and supplements the inert gas purge, thereby accelerating the rate at which the residual oxygen level is reduced within the processing chamber of the atmospheric reactor. In this manner, the vacuum created by the venturi vacuum system increases the efficiency of the inert gas purge by reducing by some moderate degree the pressure within the processing chamber of the atmospheric reactor. This provides additional gas flow within the processing chamber to physically remove the residual oxygen from the processing chamber. However, the vacuum provided by the venturi vacuum system is not high enough to cause damage to the components of the atmospheric reactor, which are not designed to withstand the forces that are created by a relatively high vacuum.

Residual oxygen reduction system

Disclosed is a wafer clamp which holds a wafer in place during chemical vapor deposition processes. The wafer clamp includes (1) a clamp body having an inner facing portion and an outer facing portion; and (2) an overhang member attached to and extending inwardly from the inner facing portion of the clamp body. The clamp is designed such that when it holds the wafer, the overhang member extends over the wafer's peripheral region and is separated from that peripheral region by at least a predefined distance. The peripheral region is a region on the wafer's upper face that resides near the perimeter of the upper face. The predefined distance is chosen such that during deposition, a layer of material does not contact both the wafer face and the overhang member. The predefined distance is at least about 100 times the thickness of the layer of material. When the disclosed wafer clamp is used to hold a wafer for reaction in a chemical vapor deposition reactor, a deposition layer is formed that contacts only the wafer and not the clamp as well.

Method of forming a layer of material on a wafer

A chemical vapor deposition apparatus includes a gas manifold having a first gas flow port through which a gas flow path extends, and a first peripheral surface which extends about the first gas flow port. The chemical vapor deposition apparatus further includes a second gas flow port through which the gas flow path extends, and a second peripheral surface extending about the second gas flow port. A connection of the gas manifold is provided such that the first and second peripheral surfaces substantially mutually engage intended for providing a substantial seal of the gas flow path. A groove is provided in at least one of the first and second peripheral surfaces and extends so as to communicate with at least one of the first and second gas flow ports. The groove facilitates flow of a test gas therein from outside the chemical vapor deposition apparatus towards the respective gas flow port. A method for checking seals of a chemical vapor deposition apparatus gas manifold includes providing groove in a least one of a pair of mutually engaging peripheral surfaces which surround a gas flow port through which a gas flow path of the gas manifold extends. The groove extends so as to communicate with the gas flow port for facilitating flow of a test gas in the groove. A vacuum is drawn in the gas mixing manifold while a test gas is provided in an area proximate the gas manifold seal, and the entrance of the test gas inside the gas flow path through the seal is detected in order to determine the reliability of the seal.

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Las Vegas, NV, United States of America

Mark I Mayeda