Abstract: Valved couplers and gas processing components particularly suitable for ultra-high purity gas distribution for use in semiconductor manufacturing. In the couplers, a valve stem/bullnose seals the aperture of the coupler immediately adjacent the exterior of the coupler, so that only a minimal amount of the wetted surface of the coupler is exposed to the external environment. A gas processing component (e.g., a filter), or an entire integrated gas stick assembly, may be sealed from the exterior environment at both its inlet and outlet sides, by these valved couplers. As a result, the entire device can be purged after manufacture and left in a controlled environment during shipment and installation, reducing the need for purging after installation.

Abstract: Valved couplers and gas processing components particularly suitable for ultra-high purity gas distribution for use in semiconductor manufacturing. In the couplers, a valve stem/bullnose seals the aperture of the coupler immediately adjacent the exterior of the coupler, so that only a minimal amount of the wetted surface of the coupler is exposed to the external environment. A gas processing component (e.g., a filter), or an entire integrated gas stick assembly, may be sealed from the exterior environment at both its inlet and outlet sides, by these valved couplers. As a result, the entire device can be purged after manufacture and left in a controlled environment during shipment and installation, reducing the need for purging after installation.

Abstract: Valved couplers and gas processing components particularly suitable for ultra-high purity gas distribution for use in semiconductor manufacturing. In the couplers, a valve stem/bullnose seals the aperture of the coupler immediately adjacent the exterior of the coupler, so that only a minimal amount of the wetted surface of the coupler is exposed to the external environment. A gas processing component (e.g., a filter), or an entire integrated gas stick assembly, may be sealed from the exterior environment at both its inlet and outlet sides, by these valved couplers. As a result, the entire device can be purged after manufacture and left in a controlled environment during shipment and installation, reducing the need for purging after installation.

Abstract: Valved couplers and gas processing components particularly suitable for ultra-high purity gas distribution for use in semiconductor manufacturing. In the couplers, a valve stem/bullnose seals the aperture of the coupler immediately adjacent the exterior of the coupler, so that only a minimal amount of the wetted surface of the coupler is exposed to the external environment. A gas processing component (e.g., a filter), or an entire integrated gas stick assembly, may be sealed from the exterior environment at both its inlet and outlet sides, by these valved couplers. As a result, the entire device can be purged after manufacture and left in a controlled environment during shipment and installation, reducing the need for purging after installation.

Abstract: Valved couplers and gas processing components particularly suitable for ultra-high purity gas distribution for use in semiconductor manufacturing. In the couplers, a valve stem/bullnose seals the aperture of the coupler immediately adjacent the exterior of the coupler, so that only a minimal amount of the wetted surface of the coupler is exposed to the external environment. A gas processing component (e.g., a filter), or an entire integrated gas stick assembly, may be sealed from the exterior environment at both its inlet and outlet sides, by these valved couplers. As a result, the entire device can be purged after manufacture and left in a controlled environment during shipment and installation, reducing the need for purging after installation.

Abstract: Methods of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) are disclosed wherein high quality films are deposited on patterned wafer substrates. In the methods, a patterned wafer is rotated about an axis thereof in a CVD reaction chamber and reactant gases are directed into the reaction chamber and toward the patterned wafer substrate in a direction generally perpendicular to the plane of rotation of the wafer. The reaction chamber is maintained at a suitable pressure and the wafer is heated to a suitable temperature whereby a high quality film is deposited by CVD on the patterned wafer substrate. The process is applicable to deposit elemental films, compound films, alloy films and solid solution films, and is particularly advantageous in that high film deposition rates and high reactant conversion rates are achieved.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer processing apparatus or module for a cluster tool is provided with a single wafer rotating susceptor that thins the gas boundary layer to facilitate the transfer of material to or from the wafer, in, for example, CVD for blanket or selective deposition of tungsten or titanium nitride, and degassing and annealing processes. Preferably, a downwardly facing showerhead directs a gas mixture from a cooled mixing chamber onto a rapidly rotating wafer, for example at from 500 to 1500 RPM, thinning a boundary layer for gas flowing radially outwardly from a stagnation point at the wafer center. Smoothly shaped interior reactor surfaces include baffles and plasma cleaning electrodes to minimize turbulence. Inert gases from within the rotating susceptor minimize turbulence by filling gaps in structure, prevent contamination of moving parts, conduct heat between the susceptor and the wafer, and vacuum clamp the wafer to the susceptor.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer processing apparatus is provided with a susceptor for supporting a wafer for CVD of films such as blanket or selective deposition of tungsten or titanium nitride, and degassing and annealing processes. Preferably, a downwardly facing showerhead directs a gas mixture from a cooled mixing chamber onto an upwardly facing wafer on the susceptor. Smooth interior reactor surfaces include baffles and a susceptor lip and wall shaped to minimize turbulence. Inert gases flow to minimize turbulence by filling gaps in susceptor structure, prevent contamination of moving parts, conduct heat between the susceptor and the wafer, and vacuum clamp the wafer to the susceptor. A susceptor lip surrounds the wafer and is removable for cleaning, to accommodate different size wafers, and allows change of lip materials to for different processes, such as, one which will resist deposits during selective CVD, or one which scavenges unspent gases in blanket CVD.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer processing apparatus, particularly a CVD reactor, is provided with plasma cleaning electrodes integrated into process gas flow shaping structure that smoothly directs the gas past the wafer on a susceptor. The processing apparatus preferably has a showerhead or other inlet to direct a gas mixture onto a wafer and a plurality of baffles to reduce turbulence. Plasma cleaning electrodes are included in the baffles or the showerhead or both, one or more of which preferably have cleaning gas outlet orifices therein, preferably evenly distributed around the axis of the susceptor to provide uniform cleaning gas flow.

Abstract: A chemical vapor deposition process in which an internal reactor is disposed within a chemical vapor deposition reactor including means for enclosing a reaction chamber and means for heating the reaction chamber. The position at which the internal reactor is disposed relative to the heating means is selected to provide control of the temperature within the internal reactor. At least two solid precursor materials are placed in the internal reactor and are contacted with at least one precursor gas, reactive with the solid precursor materials to produce at least two reactant gases. These gases are directed to the reaction chamber to react with one or more additional reactants.

Abstract: A CVD apparatus including an internal reactor for in-situ generation of source gases for the CVD reaction. The internal reactor comprises a shell for containing solid precursor material, inlet and outlet means for a precursor gas and the gaseous product respectively, and preferably gas distribution means and means for preventing entrainment of the solid precursor in the gas flow. The internal reactor is positioned within the CVD reactor to provide the optimum temperature for the reaction taking place within the internal reactor.