Abstract: A heating device for controllably heating an article defines a processing chamber to hold the article and includes a housing and an EMF generator. The housing includes a susceptor portion surrounding at least a portion of the processing chamber, and a conductor portion interposed between the susceptor portion and the processing chamber. The EMF generator is operable to induce eddy currents within the susceptor portion such that substantially no eddy currents are induced in the conductor portion. The conductor portion is operative to conduct heat from the susceptor portion to the processing chamber. The heating device may further include a platter and an opening defined in the conductor portion, wherein the opening is interposed between the susceptor portion and the platter.

Abstract: Parasitic deposits are controlled in a deposition system for depositing a film on a substrate, the deposition system of the type defining a reaction chamber for receiving the substrate and including a process gas in the reaction chamber and an interior surface contiguous with the reaction chamber. Such control is provided by flowing a buffer gas between the interior surface and at least a portion of the process gas to form a gas barrier layer such that the gas barrier layer inhibits contact between the interior surface and components of the process gas. A deposition system for depositing a film on a substrate using a process gas includes a reaction chamber adapted to receive the substrate and the process gas. The system further includes an interior surface contiguous with the reaction chamber.

Abstract: A method for locally controlling the stoichiometry of an epitaxially deposited layer on a semiconductor substrate is provided. The method includes directing a first reactant gas and a doping gas across a top surface of a semiconductor substrate and directing a drive gas and a second reactant gas against the substrate separately from the first reactant gas in a manner that rotates the substrate while introducing the second reactant gas at an edge of the substrate to control each reactant separately, thereby compensating and controlling depletion effects and improving doping uniformity in resulting epitaxial layers on the substrate.

Abstract: A method for locally controlling the stoichiometry of an epitaxially deposited layer on a semiconductor substrate is provided. The method includes directing a first reactant gas and a doping gas across a top surface of a semiconductor substrate and directing a drive gas and a second reactant gas against the substrate separately from the first reactant gas in a manner that rotates the substrate while introducing the second reactant gas at an edge of the substrate to control each reactant separately, thereby compensating and controlling depletion effects and improving doping uniformity in resulting epitaxial layers on the substrate.

Abstract: A bipolar device has at least one p? type layer of single crystal silicon carbide and at least one n? type layer of single crystal silicon carbide, wherein those portions of those stacking faults that grow under forward operation are segregated from at least one of the interfaces between the active region and the remainder of the device.

Abstract: A heating device for controllably heating an article defines a processing chamber to hold the article and includes a housing and an EMF generator. The housing includes a susceptor portion surrounding at least a portion of the processing chamber, and a conductor portion interposed between the susceptor portion and the processing chamber. The EMF generator is operable to induce eddy currents within the susceptor portion such that substantially no eddy currents are induced in the conductor portion. The conductor portion is operative to conduct heat from the susceptor portion to the processing chamber. The heating device may further include a platter and an opening defined in the conductor portion, wherein the opening is interposed between the susceptor portion and the platter.

Abstract: A method of forming a bipolar device includes forming at least one p-type layer of single crystal silicon carbide and at least one n-type layer of single crystal silicon carbide on a substrate. Stacking faults that grow under forward operation of the device are segregated from at least one of the interfaces between the active region and the remainder of the device. The method of forming bipolar devices includes growing at least one of the epitaxial layers to a thickness greater than the minority carrier diffusion length in that layer. The method also increases the doping concentration of epitaxial layers surrounding the drift region to decrease minority carrier lifetimes therein.

Abstract: A housing assembly for an induction heating device defines a processing chamber and includes a susceptor and a thermally conductive liner. The susceptor surrounds at least a portion of the processing chamber. The thermally conductive liner is interposed between the susceptor and the processing chamber. The liner is separately formed form the susceptor. The liner is removable from the susceptor without requiring disassembly of the susceptor.

Abstract: A housing assembly for an induction heating device defines a processing chamber and includes a susceptor and a thermally conductive liner. The susceptor surrounds at least a portion of the processing chamber. The thermally conductive liner is interposed between the susceptor and the processing chamber. The liner is separately formed form the susceptor. The liner is removable from the susceptor without requiring disassembly of the susceptor.

Abstract: A method for controlling parasitic deposits in a deposition system for depositing a film on a substrate, the deposition system defining a reaction chamber for receiving the substrate and including a process gas in the reaction chamber and an interior surface contiguous with the reaction chamber, includes flowing a buffer gas between the interior surface and at least a portion of the process gas to form a gas barrier layer such that the gas barrier layer inhibits contact between the interior surface and components of the process gas.

Abstract: Methods of forming high voltage silicon carbide power devices utilize high purity silicon carbide drift layers that are derived from high purity silicon carbide wafer material, instead of prohibitively costly epitaxially grown silicon carbide layers. The methods include forming both minority carrier and majority carrier power devices that can support greater than 10 kV blocking voltages, using drift layers having thicknesses greater than about 100 um. The drift layers are formed as boule-grown silicon carbide drift layers having a net n-type dopant concentration therein that is less than about 2×1015 cm?3. These n-type dopant concentrations can be achieved using neutron transmutation doping (NTD) techniques.

Abstract: A heating device for controllably heating an article defines a processing chamber to hold the article and includes a housing and an EMF generator. The housing includes a susceptor portion surrounding at least a portion of the processing chamber, and a conductor portion interposed between the susceptor portion and the processing chamber. The EMF generator is operable to induce eddy currents within the susceptor portion such that substantially no eddy currents are induced in the conductor portion. The conductor portion is operative to conduct heat from the susceptor portion to the processing chamber. The heating device may further include a platter and an opening defined in the conductor portion, wherein the opening is interposed between the susceptor portion and the platter.

Abstract: A bipolar device has at least one p-type layer of single crystal silicon carbide and at least one n-type layer of single crystal silicon carbide, wherein those portions of those stacking faults that grow under forward operation are segregated from at least one of the interfaces between the active region and the remainder of the device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlled, extended and repeatable growth of high quality silicon carbide boules of a desired polytype is disclosed which utilizes graphite crucibles coated with a thin coating of a metal carbide and in particular carbides selected from the group consisting of tantalum carbide, hafnium carbide, niobium carbide, titanium carbide, zirconium carbide, tungsten carbide and vanadium carbide.

Abstract: A gas driven rotation apparatus for use with a flow of drive gas includes a base member having an upper surface, a main platter overlying the upper surface of the base member, and a satellite platter overlying the main platter. The apparatus is adapted to direct the flow of drive gas between the upper surface of the base member and the main platter such that the main platter is rotated relative to the base member by the flow of drive gas. At least a portion of the flow of drive gas is directed from between the upper surface of the base member and the main platter to between the main platter and the satellite platter such that the satellite platter is rotated relative to the main platter by the at least a portion of the flow of drive gas.

Abstract: A gas driven rotation apparatus for use with a flow of drive gas includes a base member having an upper surface, a main platter overlying the upper surface of the base member, and a satellite platter overlying the main platter. The apparatus is adapted to direct the flow of drive gas between the upper surface of the base member and the main platter such that the main platter is rotated relative to the base member by the flow of drive gas. At least a portion of the flow of drive gas is directed from between the upper surface of the base member and the main platter to between the main platter and the satellite platter such that the satellite platter is rotated relative to the main platter by the at least a portion of the flow of drive gas.

Abstract: A heating device for controllably heating an article defines a processing chamber to hold the article and includes a housing and an EMF generator. The housing includes a susceptor portion surrounding at least a portion of the processing chamber, and a conductor portion interposed between the susceptor portion and the processing chamber. The EMF generator is operable to induce eddy currents within the susceptor portion such that substantially no eddy currents are induced in the conductor portion. The conductor portion is operative to conduct heat from the susceptor portion to the processing chamber. The heating device may further include a platter and an opening defined in the conductor portion, wherein the opening is interposed between the susceptor portion and the platter.

Abstract: A bipolar device has at least one p-type layer of single crystal silicon carbide and at least one n-type layer of single crystal silicon carbide, wherein those portions of those stacking faults that grow under forward operation are segregated from at least one of the interfaces between the active region and the remainder of the device.

Abstract: An improved chemical vapor deposition method is disclosed that increases the uniformity of silicon carbide epitaxial layers and that is particularly useful for obtaining thicker epitaxial layers. The method comprises heating a reactor to a temperature at which silicon carbide source gases will form an epitaxial layer of silicon carbide on a substrate in the reactor; and then directing a flow of source and carrier gases through the heated reactor to form an epitaxial layer of silicon carbide on the substrate with the carrier gases comprising a blend of hydrogen and a second gas in which the second gas has a thermal conductivity that is less than the thermal conductivity of hydrogen so that the source gases deplete less as they pass through the reactor than they would if hydrogen is used as the sole carrier gas.

Abstract: An improved chemical vapor deposition method is disclosed that increases the uniformity of silicon carbide epitaxial layers and that is particularly useful for obtaining thicker epitaxial layers. The method comprises heating a reactor to a temperature at which silicon carbide source gases will form an epitaxial layer of silicon carbide on a substrate in the reactor; and then directing a flow of source and carrier gases through the heated reactor to form an epitaxial layer of silicon carbide on the substrate with the carrier gases comprising a blend of hydrogen and a second gas in which the second gas has a thermal conductivity that is less than the thermal conductivity of hydrogen so that the source gases deplete less as they pass through the reactor than they would if hydrogen is used as the sole carrier gas.