Vapor phase growth system and method of producing epitaxial wafer

Abstract

In a vapor phase growth system in which a preheating ring is provided around a susceptor, the flow rate of source gas can be adjusted by changing the position of the susceptor, and the effect on the film thickness variation of a semiconductor single-crystal layer due to the changes of the position of the susceptor is caused to be less likely to occur. The susceptor is raised/lowered by a susceptor position changing mechanism, and the height position of holding the susceptor in a reaction vessel body can be changed. A preheating ring position changing mechanism changes the height position of holding the preheating ring in the reaction vessel body based on raising/lowering of the preheating ring in accordance with the changes of the height position of holding the susceptor. The misalignment between the preheating ring and the substrate in the height direction may be reduced even if the susceptor holding position is changed, advantageously reducing the effects of insufficient heat equalization effect on the outer circumference of the substrate due to the preheating ring and the effect of turbulence in the source gas flow due to a step between the substrate main surface and the preheating ring, and thereby reducing the effects on the thickness variation of the resulting semiconductor single-crystal layer.