DE102022129723A1 - CVD reactor with removable process chamber housing - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a CVD reactor with a reactor housing (1) which has a housing lower part (3) closed at the top by a removable cover (2), wherein a process chamber housing (10) surrounding a process chamber (14) is arranged in the reactor housing (1), wherein a gas inlet element (18) and a gas outlet element (19) are fluidically connected to the process chamber (14), wherein the process chamber housing (10) can be heated by means of a heating device (15) arranged in the reactor housing (1), wherein connections (17) of the heating device (15) are led out of the process chamber housing (10), wherein the process chamber housing (10) can be removed from the reactor housing (1) together with the heating device (15). In order to clean or replace the process chamber housing (10), the process chamber housing (10) and the heating device (15) should be connected to the cover (2) in such a way that when the cover (2) is removed, the process chamber housing (10) and the heating device (15) remain on the cover.

Description

Field of technology

The invention relates to a CVD reactor with a reactor housing which has a housing lower part closed at the top by a removable lid, wherein a process chamber housing surrounding a process chamber is arranged in the reactor housing, wherein a gas inlet element is fluidly connected to the process chamber, wherein a gas outlet element is fluidly connected to the process chamber, wherein the process chamber housing can be heated with a heating device arranged in the reactor housing, wherein connections of the heating device are led out of the reactor housing, wherein the process chamber housing can be removed from the reactor housing together with the heating device.

The invention further relates to a CVD reactor with a process chamber housing arranged in a reactor housing, which is fluidly connected to a gas inlet element via a first opening and which is fluidly connected to a gas outlet element via a second opening, wherein the process chamber housing can be removed from the reactor housing.

State of the art

From the EN 10 2016 101 003 A1 A CVD reactor is already known. The CVD reactor has a tubular housing which has a first opening and a second opening opposite it. A gas inlet element is assigned to the first opening. In the tubular housing there is a process chamber housing with a susceptor which carries a substrate to be coated. The susceptor can be heated. The process chamber housing can be pulled out of the housing through the second opening.

The US8,430,965 B2 describes a process chamber housing arranged in a tubular housing, which has a susceptor on which a substrate lies that is to be coated. A process gas can be fed into the process chamber arranged inside the process chamber housing through a first opening. The process gas or exhaust gases formed during the coating process can leave the process chamber through a second opening opposite the first opening. A heating device for heating the process chamber is formed by a spiral-shaped heating coil that surrounds the process chamber housing.

The CN113604874A describes a CVD reactor with a reactor housing that has an upper opening that is closed by a lid and that has a lower opening. Inside the reactor housing there is a heating device for heating a susceptor. The heating device can be removed from the housing through the lower opening together with the susceptor and a wall surrounding the susceptor.

The WO 2020/249182 A1 describes a CVD reactor, in particular for depositing SiC layers, wherein a wall of a reactor housing has two openings facing each other. One of the openings is a gas inlet opening, to which a gas inlet element is assigned, with which a process gas can be fed into a process chamber. The other opening is a loading opening or a gas outlet opening, through which the process gas or exhaust gases formed during deposition can be led out of the process chamber. The process chamber is formed by a process chamber housing arranged between the two openings, which can be heated by a heating device.

When depositing SiC according to the invention, substrates that are to be coated with a SiC layer are brought into a process chamber. This can be done through a loading and unloading opening of a reactor housing. The substrates lie on a susceptor that can be heated to temperatures of up to over 1000 °C. During the coating of the substrates, process gases fed into the process chamber through a gas inlet element can be pyrolytically decomposed. The deposition of the layer can be accompanied by a chemical reaction of one or more process gases that are fed into the process chamber together with a carrier gas. During the chemical reaction, reaction products are formed that are deposited on the substrate as a solid layer. The reaction products also form parasitic coatings on the walls of the process chamber housing. The walls of the process chamber housing must therefore be cleaned at regular intervals. During such cleaning, the parasitic coatings are removed. To clean the walls, it may be advantageous to remove the process chamber housing from the reactor housing, for example to replace it with a cleaned process chamber housing or to reinsert the process chamber housing after cleaning.

Summary of the invention

The invention is based on the object of specifying a maintenance-friendly CVD reactor. The invention is particularly based on the object The invention is based on the development of a CVD reactor with an openable lid in this regard. Furthermore, the invention is based on the object of simplifying the removal of a process chamber housing from a reactor housing of a CVD reactor.

The problem is solved by the invention specified in the claims. The subclaims represent not only advantageous developments of the technical solution specified in the subordinate claims, but also independent solutions to the problem.

One aspect of the invention relates to a CVD reactor with a reactor housing that has a housing bottom that is closed at the top by a removable lid. A process chamber housing that surrounds a process chamber can be arranged in the reactor housing. A gas inlet element that is fluidly connected to the process chamber can be provided. A gas outlet element that is fluidly connected to the process chamber can also be provided. A process gas can be fed into the process chamber using the gas inlet element. The process gas can have one or more gaseous starting materials. The gaseous starting materials can be fed into the process chamber with a carrier gas, for example an inert gas. A gaseous starting material can be a gas that contains Si, for example silane or disilane. A gaseous starting material can be a gas that contains carbon, for example methane. An inert gas that forms the carrier gas can be hydrogen or a noble gas. The gas inlet element can be designed such that the process gas fed into the process chamber with it flows through the process chamber homogeneously and laminarly. In the process chamber there are one or more substrates which have a surface which is to be coated with a layer, for example a SiC layer. A heating device can be provided with which the process chamber housing and in particular a wall of a process chamber housing which can form a susceptor and which carries the substrate is heated to a process temperature. Preferably, however, the heating device is designed such that all walls of the process chamber housing heat up to the process temperature. At this process temperature, the reactive starting materials can react with one another in such a way that a layer, in particular a SiC layer, is deposited on the surface of the substrate. However, the layer can also be deposited on layers previously deposited on the surface of the substrate. The heating device is in particular able to heat the process chamber and in particular the walls of the process chamber housing to temperatures above 1000 °C. The heating device can have connections through which power, in particular electrical power in the form of an electrical current, can be fed into the heating device. These connections are led out of the reactor housing. This makes it possible to feed the heating power from outside. It is advantageous if the process chamber housing as a whole can be removed from the reactor housing together with the heating device. According to the invention, both the process chamber housing and the heating device are attached to the lid. The process chamber housing and the heating device can hang on the lid. They are preferably connected to the lid in such a way that when the lid of the reactor housing is removed, the heating device remains on the lid. It is advantageous if the connections through which the heating device is supplied with power are led out through the lid. The heating device is preferably operated with electrical current. It can be a resistance heater, an RF heater or an IR heater. The heating device can surround the entire, in particular tubular, preferably square tubular, process chamber housing. The electrical heating power is supplied via the connections, which are connected to a power supply device with flexible cables. The lid can then be removed without the cables having to be disconnected. The cover of the reactor housing can close an upper opening of the reactor housing that extends in a horizontal plane. However, the cover can also close an opening in another wall, for example a side wall. The process chamber housing preferably extends below the cover in a plane parallel to the cover. The process chamber housing is preferably designed as a tube that can have a round, but preferably a rectangular cross-section. The process chamber housing has two openings facing away from each other. The process gas can be fed in through one of the openings. The exhaust gases can leave the process chamber through the other opening. One opening can be connected to a gas inlet element. The gas inlet element can be firmly connected to a side wall of the reactor housing. The side wall can have an opening there through which the process gas is fed in. The other opening of the process chamber housing that faces away from the opening connected to the gas inlet element can be connected to a gas outlet element. This results in a first flow connection with which a gas inlet element is connected to the process chamber housing and a second flow connection with which a gas outlet element is connected to the process chamber housing. An additional loading and unloading opening can be provided. The loading and unloading of the process chamber mer with one or more substrates can take place through one of the two openings in the process chamber housing. Preferably, loading and unloading takes place through the opening that is fluidly connected to the gas outlet element. The loading and unloading opening can be an opening in a side wall of the reactor housing that is arranged in alignment with the opening of the process chamber, so that loading and unloading can take place with a robot arm that reaches through the loading and unloading opening to bring the substrate into the process chamber or to remove it from there, wherein the substrate preferably lies on a base of the process chamber housing that forms a susceptor. According to a preferred embodiment of the CVD reactor, the heating device is a heating element that surrounds the process chamber housing in a spiral shape. The heating element can be formed by a wire with a spiral shape or, in the case of an RF heater, by a tube with a spiral shape, wherein a cooling liquid can flow through the cavity of the tube. The two ends of this wire or tube can extend in a straight line and be guided through the cover through passages. If the heating element is a tube, the two ends can be connected to hoses. The two ends also form the connections connected to a power supply device. Means can be provided with which the heating device is attached to the underside of the cover. Means can also be provided with which the process chamber housing is attached to the underside of the cover. Such fastening means can be hangers. The hangers can be attached to the underside of the cover with an upper section. A lower section of a hanger can be connected to the heating device. The heating device is preferably designed in the shape of a spiral so that there are free spaces between the individual spirals. It can be provided that hangers reach through these free spaces, with which the heating device and/or the process chamber housing are attached to the cover. An extension direction of the process chamber housing can be defined by the position of the two openings, wherein the extension direction represents the direction of the distance between the two openings of the process chamber housing. Only one hanger can be provided, which is arranged, for example, centrally between the openings of the process chamber housing, surrounds the process chamber housing and supports the process chamber housing from below. Preferably, several hangers are provided, which are connected to the lid at points spaced apart from one another in the direction of extension of the process chamber housing. The hangers can be connected to the top of the process chamber housing. However, the hangers can also reach under the process chamber housing, so that the process chamber housing is supported on a support element that is connected to the lid with the one or more hangers. A connecting element can be provided that is connected to several hangers and on which the support elements are located. The walls of the reactor housing on which the gas inlet element or the gas outlet element are arranged can extend in the vertical direction. These walls can be rounded. However, the walls can also extend in a vertical plane. They can run parallel to one another. A first housing wall, to which the gas inlet element can be attached, can be opposite a second housing wall, to which the gas outlet element can be attached. The heating device surrounding the process chamber can form a tunnel in which the process chamber housing is slidably inserted. The extension plane of the cover is preferably a horizontal plane. The process chamber housing can preferably be inserted out of the tunnel or inserted back in in a direction parallel to the extension plane of the cover. After lifting the cover, the process chamber housing can preferably be pulled out of the tunnel in a horizontal direction.

A further aspect of the invention relates to a CVD reactor with one or more features of the first aspect of the invention, as previously listed and explained. To simplify removal of the process chamber housing from the reactor housing, it can be provided that a pipe is located between the gas inlet element and an opening of the process chamber housing associated with the gas inlet element. It can also be provided that a pipe is located between the gas outlet element and an opening of the process chamber housing associated with the gas outlet element. Preferably, there is a pipe between the gas inlet element and the opening associated with it and between the gas outlet element and the opening associated with it. These one or more pipes form a flow connection between the gas inlet element or gas outlet element and the opening of the process chamber housing. In an operating state of the CVD reactor in which a layer can be deposited on a substrate, the pipes are arranged between the gas inlet element and opening or gas outlet element and opening in such a way that a flow channel enclosed all around is formed in each case. The connection between the gas inlet or gas outlet and the process chamber housing does not have to be 100 percent flow-tight. However, on the gas inlet side, a relatively tight connection between the gas inlet and Process chamber housing is aimed at in order to prevent contaminating objects from getting into the process chamber housing. It can be provided that these pipes form movable nozzles. In the aforementioned operating state, the nozzles form the flow connection. The nozzles can then rest sealingly on the edge of the opening of the process chamber housing. To remove the process chamber housing from the reactor housing, the nozzles can be moved in such a way that they move away from the opening of the process chamber housing. In such a removed position, the edge of the nozzle is spaced from the edge of the opening. This has the result that the process chamber housing has a play of movement between the two nozzles, which are preferably opposite one another, which makes it easier to remove and reinsert the process chamber housing. The nozzle can be part of a pipe arrangement which has an outer pipe and an inner pipe, wherein the inner pipe can be pushed telescopically into the outer pipe. The nozzle is preferably formed by the inner pipe. The outer tube can be fixedly arranged on the reactor housing, so that the nozzle forms an inner tube that can be moved relative to the outer tube. The nozzle can thus be guided telescopically relative to a tubular body that is fixedly assigned to the reactor housing. Both the nozzle and the tubular body can have a circular or rectangular cross-section. However, they can also have a different cross-section. In a further development, it can be provided that a wall of an outer tube that is connected to a loading opening has an opening that is connected to the gas outlet element, so that the gas outlet element can be formed, for example, by a hollow body, for example a tube, that emerges from the reactor housing through a bottom side opposite the cover. If a movable nozzle designed as an inner tube is provided in such an arrangement, an outer wall of this inner tube can close the opening in the wall of the outer tube when the nozzle is in the removed position. It can thus be provided that an outer tube which is firmly connected to a wall of the reactor housing has an opening pointing downwards, upwards or to the side, which is connected to a flow channel, wherein the flow channel forms a gas outlet element, wherein an inner tube is displaceably arranged in the outer tube, which can be brought into a flow connection with the process chamber housing, wherein in a remote position of the inner tube from the process chamber housing, a section of the inner tube at least partially covers the opening.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the process chamber housing is attached to the underside of the lid in such a way that it can be removed from the housing cavity of the reactor housing by simply lifting the lid. The process chamber housing is also attached to the lid so that it can be displaced in the horizontal direction in such a way that it can be released from the lid by a horizontal movement. It is arranged displaceably in a cavity of the heating device in particular.

Further aspects of the invention provide that actuating means are provided with which the nozzle can be displaced between a contact position, in which an edge of the opening of the nozzle lies sealingly against the edge of the opening of the process chamber housing, and the remote position. These actuating means can preferably be actuated from an outside of the reactor housing. For example, an actuating means can be a slider that can be displaced in the direction of displacement of the nozzle and is guided outwards through a seal. Such a slider can be, for example, a rod that is guided outwards through a guide opening in the wall of the reactor housing. An actuating means can also be a lever with which the nozzle can be displaced back and forth. This lever can be connected to a shaft that is guided outwards from the inside of the reactor housing by means of a shaft feedthrough. By rotating the shaft, the nozzle can be brought from the contact position to the remote position. Electric drives can be provided, for example stepper motors, with which one or more actuating means are driven to displace the one or more nozzles. Instead of an electric drive, however, a pneumatic drive can also be used. It is also provided that a telescopic nozzle is an inner tube that is guided in an outer tube. Preferably, the inner tube is guided in the outer tube in a sealing manner. A certain amount of leakage is also permissible here, however. An end face of the nozzle can have a sealing element. An end face of the process chamber housing that surrounds the opening and is opposite the end face of the nozzle can have a counter-sealing element. The seal between the sealing element and the counter-sealing element can be implemented by interlocking sealing ribs and sealing grooves, so that a labyrinth seal is formed. Instead of a labyrinth seal, however, a flat seal, for example made of graphite foil, can also be provided. Elastic elements can also be provided with which a permanent sealing force is applied, with which the nozzle is actuated against the edge of the opening. These elastic elements are preferably arranged outside the reactor housing and interact with the actuating means with the nozzle. Means can also be provided that are attached to the cover of the reactor housing in order to raise or lower the lid. These means can comprise an electric drive. It can be provided that the lid carries sensors, for example optical sensors, with which the surface of the substrate is observed through optical paths that extend through the lid and an upper wall of the process chamber housing.

Short description of the drawings

• 1 schematisch einen ersten Vertikalschnitt durch ein Reaktorgehäuse 1, wobei die Schnittfläche durch einen Deckel 2, einen Gehäuseboden 5 und Gehäuseöffnungen 26, 27 verläuft, wobei der Deckel 2 eine obere Öffnung des Reaktorgehäuses 1 verschließt,
• 2 einen zweiten Vertikalschnitt durch das Reaktorgehäuse 1 entlang der Schnittlinie II-II in 1,
• 3 den Vertikalschnitt gemäß 1 jedoch mit angehobenem Deckel 2.

The invention is explained below using an embodiment. Shown are:

• 1 schematically a first vertical section through a reactor housing 1, wherein the cut surface runs through a cover 2, a housing base 5 and housing openings 26, 27, wherein the cover 2 closes an upper opening of the reactor housing 1,
• 2 a second vertical section through the reactor casing 1 along the section line II-II in 1 ,
• 3 the vertical section according to 1 but with the lid raised 2.

Description of the embodiments

The reactor housing 1 shown in the drawings has a rectangular floor plan and an approximately cuboid-shaped housing. Embodiments not shown can have a reactor housing 1 that has a circular floor plan.

The reactor housing 1 has a housing base 3 which has housing walls 4, 4', 4", whereby the housing walls 4, 4', 4" extend in vertical planes. The reactor housing 1 has a housing base 5 which extends in a horizontal plane. The housing base 5 closes the housing base 3 downwards. The housing base 3 forms edges 3' which surround a housing opening and which run in a horizontal plane. On the edges 3' lies a removable cover 2 which is in the 1 a housing cavity of the reactor housing 1 is sealed gas-tight. The cover 2, like the housing walls 4, 4', 4" and the housing base 5, can be made of stainless steel or aluminum. For maintenance purposes, the cover 2 can be lifted upwards, as shown in the 3 is shown. The cover 2 is connected to the housing base 3 with fastening means not shown. These fastening means can be screw connections or clamps. The cover 2 can also rest loosely on the housing walls 4, 4', 4" and be held in position by a negative pressure generated within the housing.

The two openings 26, 27 are aligned opposite each other. The opening 26 is connected to a gas inlet element 18, with which the process gases described above can be fed in. In the flow direction of the process gases, an outer tube 24 is attached to the inside of the wall 4, which can have a round or rectangular cross-section. An inner tube 25 is slidably guided in the outer tube 24, which forms a gas inlet nozzle 20. The inner tube 25 is vertically separated from the 1 shown position in the 3 shown position is slidably mounted in the outer tube 24.

The opening 27 forms a loading opening and can be closed with a closure plate 28. The closure plate 28 can be arranged on the outside. The closure plate 28 can be formed by a slide. An outer tube 22 is attached to the inside of the housing wall 4', which can have a round or square cross-section. An inner tube 23 is slidably guided in the outer tube 22, which forms a gas outlet nozzle 21. The inner tube 23 is vertically separated from the 1 shown position in the 3 shown position is slidably mounted in the outer tube 22.

The wall of the outer tube 22 forms an opening 19' of a gas inlet element 18. The gas outlet element 19 forms a gas channel which projects through the housing base 5. In the 3 In the retracted position of the inner tube 23 shown, a portion 23' of the wall of the inner tube 23 covers the opening 19'.

Supports 6 are attached to the underside 2' of the cover 2, which form hangers 7. A connector 8 is attached to the hangers 7. The connector 8 can be a web or a plate. Support elements 9 are provided with which a process chamber housing 10 can be supported on the connector 8. The process chamber housing 10 surrounding a process chamber 14 is thus attached to the underside of the cover 2 by means of hangers 7 in such a way that it is removed from the cavity of the reactor housing 1 when the cover 2 is opened.

The process chamber housing 10 limits the cuboid volume of the process chamber 14 upwards, downwards and on two sides facing away from each other. The process chamber housing 10 has two openings 32, 33 facing away from each other, which are flanked by edges of the process chamber housing. The above-described nozzles 20, 21 can rest sealingly against these edges. In this, in the 1 In the operating position shown, a completely closed flow channel is formed from the gas inlet element 18 to the Gas outlet element 19, in particular when the opening 27 is also closed.

A heating device 15 with a heating element 16 is provided. The process chamber housing 10 is surrounded by the heating element 16. The heating element is only shown schematically in the figures. It is shown as a tubular object that has two openings facing away from each other. The two openings form a tunnel extending in the horizontal direction into which the process chamber housing 10 is inserted. In embodiments of the invention, the heating element 16 is formed by a spiral-shaped wire or spiral-shaped tube through which an electric current can flow or with which eddy currents can be induced in the walls of the process chamber housing 10. For this purpose, an alternating electromagnetic field is generated with the wire or tube. The wire or tube has two ends that are led outwards through the cover 2 as connections 17 in order to feed a cooling liquid into the tube, particularly if it is an RF heater, or to feed an electric current into the tube or wire.

Spacer elements 34 can be provided to hold the heating device 15 in a proper relative position to the process chamber housing 10. The process chamber housing 10 is preferably arranged vertically displaceably within the heating device 15.

The following method according to the invention can be carried out with the device described above:

The housing lower part 3 is sealed gas-tight with the cover 2. The gas inlet nozzle 20 is brought into a sealing position against the edge of the opening 32 of the process chamber housing 10 so that the opening 20' of the gas inlet nozzle 20 is aligned with the opening 32. The gas outlet nozzle 23 is brought into a sealing position against the edge of the opening 33 of the process chamber housing 10 so that the opening 21' of the gas outlet nozzle 23 is aligned with the opening 33.

Through the open loading opening 27, a substrate to be coated can be placed on the susceptor 11 formed by the lower housing wall of the process chamber housing 10. When the loading opening 27 is closed, a deposition process can be carried out.

A gas mixing system (not shown) can be used to provide a process gas which, for example, contains a mixture of a silicon-containing and a carbon-containing gaseous starting material. However, other process gases can also be provided using the gas mixing system, particularly when other layers are to be deposited on substrates arranged in the process chamber 14. For example, GaN layers or other III-V layers can also be deposited there. The gas mixing system is then designed so that reactive gases with elements from main group III and main group V can be provided. This gas mixture can be fed into the process chamber 14 together with a carrier gas through the gas inlet element 18.

The process chamber 14 is heated by the heating device 15 to a process temperature of, for example, more than 1000 °C.

A SiC layer is deposited on the substrate.

The process chamber 14 is flushed with the carrier gas and cooled. The substrate is removed from the process chamber 14 through the loading opening 27.

The gas inlet nozzle 20 and the gas outlet nozzle 21 are brought into a remote position to the process chamber housing 10. For this purpose, the inner tube 20 is moved into the outer tube 24 and the inner tube 23 into the outer tube 22, as shown in the 3 shows. An opening 19' is partially covered by a wall 23' of the inner tube 23. The inner tube 23 can also be designed such that the opening 19' is not covered by the wall 23' of the inner tube.

The lid 2 is lifted. Since the process chamber 14 and the heating element 16 are firmly connected to the underside 2' of the lid 2, the process chamber housing 10 and the heating element 16 can be removed from the reactor housing 1 when the lid 2 is lifted. The removal of the process chamber housing 10 is thus possible by simply lifting the lid 2.

It is advantageous if the process chamber housing 10 is attached to the cover 2 in a displaceable or merely displaceable manner and in particular in a horizontally displaceable manner. For this purpose, the process chamber housing 10 can be displaceably positioned in the cavity surrounded by the heating device 15. It can thus be easily removed and reinserted for maintenance purposes.

The above statements serve to explain the inventions covered by the application as a whole, which constitute the state of the art at least through the following combinations of features, whereby two, several or all of these combinations of features can also be combined, namely:

A CVD reactor, which is characterized in that the process chamber housing 10 and the heating device 15 are so firmly connected to the lid 2 that when the lid 2 is removed, the process chamber housing 10 and the heating device 15 remain on the lid 2.

A CVD reactor, characterized in that the connections 17 of the heating device 15 are led out through the cover 2.

A CVD reactor, characterized in that the process chamber housing 10 is a tube extending in a horizontal plane parallel to the cover 2, which extends in an extension direction from a first opening 32, which is connected to the gas inlet member 18, to a second opening 33 pointing away from the first opening 32, which is fluidly connected to the gas outlet member 19.

A CVD reactor, which is characterized in that the process chamber housing 10 is displaceably inserted in a tunnel parallel to the surface extension of the cover 2.

A CVD reactor, which is characterized in that the heating device 15 has a heating element 16 which surrounds the process chamber housing 10 in a spiral shape and has ends which form the connections 17, wherein it is particularly provided that the heating device 15 is an RF heating device.

A CVD reactor, which is characterized in that one or more hangers 7 are arranged on an underside 2' of the lid 2, with which the process chamber housing 10 is fastened to the lid 2.

A CVD reactor, which is characterized in that the process chamber housing 10 is connected to the cover 2 at locations spaced apart from one another in the extension direction of the process chamber housing 10.

A CVD reactor, characterized in that the gas inlet element 18 is arranged on a first housing wall 4 extending substantially in the vertical direction and that the gas outlet element 19 is arranged near a second housing wall 4' opposite the first housing wall 4.

A CVD reactor, which is characterized in that a displaceable, tubular nozzle 20, 21 is provided between the gas inlet element 18 and an opening 32 of the process chamber housing 10 and/or that between the gas outlet element 19 and an opening 33 of the process chamber housing 10, which can be brought from a contact position in which an edge of an opening 20', 21' of the nozzle 20, 21 rests sealingly against an edge of the opening 32, 33 of the process chamber housing 10, into a remote position in which the edge 20', 21' of the nozzle 20, 21 is spaced apart from the edge of the opening 32, 33.

A CVD reactor, which is characterized in that the nozzle 21 assigned to the gas outlet element 19 forms an inner tube 23 which is displaceably guided in an outer tube 33 fastened to the reactor housing 1, wherein a wall 23' closes an opening 19' of the gas outlet element 19 in the removed position and/or that the nozzle 20 assigned to the gas outlet element 19 forms an inner tube 25 which is displaceably guided in an outer tube 24 fastened to the reactor housing 1.

A CVD reactor, which is characterized in that a displaceable, tubular nozzle 20, 21 is provided between the gas inlet element 18 and the first opening 32 and/or between the gas outlet element 19 and the second opening 33, which can be brought from a contact position in which an edge of the opening 20', 21' of the nozzle 20, 21 rests sealingly against an edge of the opening 32, 33 of the process chamber housing 10, into a remote position in which the edge 20', 21' of the nozzle 20, 21 is spaced apart from the edge of the opening 32, 33.

A CVD reactor characterized by actuating means operable from an outside of the reactor housing 1, with which the nozzle 20, 21 can be displaced between the contact position and the remote position.

A CVD reactor, which is characterized in that the nozzle 20, 21 is guided telescopically relative to a tubular body 24, 33 which is fixedly assigned to the reactor housing 1.

A CVD reactor characterized in that the two openings 32, 33 are opposite each other in a straight horizontal plane.

A CVD reactor, which is characterized in that the process chamber housing 10 together with a heating device 15 is arranged in the reactor housing 1 so as to be removable upwards from the reactor housing 1 in a vertical direction.

A CVD reactor, which is characterized in that the process chamber housing 10 is attached to the cover 2 so that it can move in the horizontal direction and/or is inserted into a heating device 15 attached to the cover 2.

All disclosed features are essential to the invention (individually, but also in combination with one another). The disclosure content of the associated/attached priority documents (copy of the prior application) is hereby fully included in the disclosure of the application, also for the purpose of incorporating features of these documents in claims of the present application. The subclaims characterize, even without the features of a referenced claim, with their features independent inventive developments of the prior art, in particular in order to make divisional applications based on these claims. The invention specified in each claim can additionally have one or more of the features provided in the above description, in particular with reference numbers and/or specified in the list of reference numbers. The invention also relates to designs in which individual features mentioned in the above description are not implemented, in particular insofar as they are clearly dispensable for the respective intended use or can be replaced by other technically equivalent means.

QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of documents listed by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA accepts no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• DE 102016101003 A1 [0003]
• US 8430965 B2 [0004]
• CN113604874A [0005]
• WO 2020249182 A1 [0006]

Claims (16)

CVD reactor with a reactor housing (1) which has a housing lower part (3) closed at the top by a removable cover (2), wherein a process chamber housing (10) surrounding a process chamber (14) is arranged in the reactor housing (1), wherein a gas inlet element (18) and a gas outlet element (19) are fluidically connected to the process chamber (14), wherein the process chamber housing (10) can be heated with a heating device (15) arranged in the reactor housing (1), wherein connections (17) of the heating device (15) lead out of the reactor housing (1), wherein the process chamber housing (10) can be removed from the reactor housing (1) together with the heating device (15), characterized in that the process chamber housing (10) and the heating device (15) are connected to the cover (2) in such a fixed manner that when the cover (2) is removed, the process chamber housing (10) and the heating device (15) remain on the cover (2). CVD reactor according to Claim 1 , characterized in that the connections (17) of the heating device (15) are led out through the cover (2). CVD reactor according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the process chamber housing (10) is a tube extending in a horizontal plane parallel to the cover (2) and extending in an extension direction from a first opening (32) which is connected to the gas inlet member (18) to a second opening (33) pointing away from the first opening (32) which is fluidly connected to the gas outlet member (19). CVD reactor according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the process chamber housing (10) is slidably inserted in a tunnel parallel to the surface extension of the cover (2). CVD reactor according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the heating device (15) has a heating element (16) which surrounds the process chamber housing (10) in a spiral shape and has ends which form the connections (17), wherein it is particularly provided that the heating device (15) is an RF heating device. CVD reactor according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that one or more hangers (7) are arranged on an underside (2') of the lid (2), with which the process chamber housing (10) is fastened to the lid (2) and/or that the process chamber housing (10) is connected to the lid (2) at locations spaced apart from one another in the direction of extension of the process chamber housing (10). CVD reactor according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the gas inlet element (18) is arranged on a first housing wall (4) extending substantially in the vertical direction and that the gas outlet element (19) is arranged close to a second housing wall (4') opposite the first housing wall (4). CVD reactor according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a displaceable, tubular nozzle (20, 21) is provided between the gas inlet element (18) and an opening (32) of the process chamber housing (10) and/or that between the gas outlet element (19) and an opening (33) of the process chamber housing (10), which can be brought from a contact position in which an edge of an opening (20', 21') of the nozzle (20, 21) lies sealingly against an edge of the opening (32, 33) of the process chamber housing (10), into a remote position in which the edge (20', 21') of the nozzle (20, 21) is spaced apart from the edge of the opening (32, 33). CVD reactor according to Claim 8 , characterized in that the nozzle (21) assigned to the gas outlet element (19) forms an inner tube (23) which is slidably guided in an outer tube (33) fastened to the reactor housing (1), wherein a wall (23') closes an opening (19') of the gas outlet element (19) in the removed position and/or that the nozzle (20) assigned to the gas outlet element (19) forms an inner tube (25) which is slidably guided in an outer tube (24) fastened to the reactor housing (1). CVD reactor with a process chamber housing (10) arranged in a reactor housing (1), which is fluidically connected to a gas inlet element (8) via a first opening (32) and to a gas outlet element (19) via a second opening (33), wherein the process chamber housing (10) can be removed from the reactor housing (1), characterized in that a displaceable, tubular nozzle (20, 21) is provided between the gas inlet element (18) and the first opening (32) and/or between the gas outlet element (19) and the second opening (33), which can be brought from a contact position, in which an edge of the opening (20', 21') of the nozzle (20, 21) lies sealingly against an edge of the opening (32, 33) of the process chamber housing (10), into a remote position, in which the edge (20', 21') of the nozzle (20, 21) is spaced from the edge of the opening (32, 33). CVD reactor according to Claim 10 , characterized by actuating means which can be actuated from an outside of the reactor housing (1) and with which the nozzle (20, 21) can be displaced between the contact position and the remote position. CVD reactor according to one of the Claims 10 or 11 , characterized in that the nozzle (20, 21) is guided telescopically relative to a tubular body (24, 33) which is fixedly assigned to the reactor housing (1). CVD reactor according to one of the Claims 3 until 12 , characterized in that the two openings (32, 33) are opposite one another in a straight line in a horizontal plane. CVD reactor according to one of the Claims 10 until 13 , characterized in that the process chamber housing (10) together with a heating device (15) is arranged in the reactor housing (1) so as to be removable in a vertical direction upwards from the reactor housing (1). CVD reactor according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the process chamber housing (10) is attached to the cover (2) so as to be displaceable in the horizontal direction and/or is inserted so as to be displaceable in a heating device (15) attached to the cover (2). CVD reactor, characterized by one or more of the characterizing features of any of the preceding claims.

Images