JPH02246321A - Vapor phase crystal growth equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the ignition caused by phosphorus at the time of opening a reaction furnace to the air after vapor phase crystal growth, by providing an oxidizing gas supplying means which feeds oxidizing gas into a reaction furnace. CONSTITUTION:A gas introducing pipe line 10 introducing material gas into a reaction furnace 2, and gas introducing pipe lines 11a, 11b introducing oxygen gas into the reaction furnace 1 are installed. In order that the oxygen gas may be introduced into a gas discharge pipe line 12, an opening part 12a is installed in the gas discharge pipe line 12. An oxygen gas introducing inlet 13 introducing oxygen gas into a gas discharge part 3 is installed in the gas discharge part 3. By this constitution, even when phosphorus deposits in the reaction furnace 2, the phosphorus can be turned into phosphorus pentaoxide by sending oxygen into the reaction furnace 2, and this phosphorus pentaoxide has no igniting property.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a vapor phase crystal growth apparatus equipped with a reactor and for epitaxially growing a material containing phosphorus on a substrate in a vapor phase. The present invention relates to a vapor phase crystal growth apparatus that has been improved to prevent phosphorus from igniting when the inside of the reactor is opened to the atmosphere.

[Conventional technology]

The method of epitaxially growing materials on a substrate in a vapor phase is called vapor phase epitaxial method. This vapor phase epitaxial method involves physical vapor deposition (P), which does not involve any reaction during deposition.
(VD method) and chemical deposition method (CVD method) involving a reaction. Among these methods, in the CVD method, a gas containing a compound of the substance to be deposited is transported onto a substrate heated to a high temperature, and is thermally decomposed or reacted with other gases or vapors to form a thin film on the substrate. It's a method.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram of a conventional vapor phase crystal growth apparatus for producing a phosphorus compound semiconductor. Referring to FIG. 2, 1 is a reactor. The reactor 1 includes a reaction tube 2 and an exhaust section 3.
It consists of. The reaction tube 2 is provided with a gas introduction tube 4 for introducing a material gas into the reaction tube 2. A susceptor 6 is provided within the reaction tube 2 to support the substrate 5 from below.

The susceptor 6 is fixed to a fixed base 7. A high frequency coil 8 is provided around the reaction tube 2.
is connected to a high frequency power source 9.

The high frequency generated from the high frequency coil 8 is for thermally decomposing the raw material gas.

Next, the operation of this apparatus will be described using an example in which a thin film of indium phosphide (InP) is formed on the substrate 5. Trimethylindium and phosphine, which are raw material gases, are introduced into the reaction tube 2 through the gas introduction tube 4. continue,
The high frequency power supply 9 is turned on, and the high frequency coil 8 generates high frequency waves. By this high frequency, the raw material gas introduced into the reaction tube 2 is thermally decomposed, and a thin film of indium phosphide is deposited on the substrate 5. The reaction is as follows.

I n (CH,), +PH, → I nP+3cH4 [
Problems to be Solved by the Invention] A conventional vapor phase crystal growth apparatus for producing a phosphorus-based compound semiconductor is configured as described above.

However, in the conventional apparatus, as shown in FIG. 2, it has often been observed that phosphorus is deposited on the inner wall of the reaction tube 2, the inner wall of the exhaust section 3, and the outer wall of the fixing table 7. In the figure, phosphorus is particularly concentrated and precipitated in the area indicated by the X mark.

Therefore, when the reactor 1 is opened to the atmosphere and the substrate 5 on which the crystals have grown is taken out, the precipitated phosphorus ignites, causing a problem.

This invention was made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a vapor phase crystal growth apparatus that can prevent phosphorus from igniting when the inside of the reactor is opened to the atmosphere. b.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention relates to a vapor phase crystal growth apparatus that includes a reactor and makes a material containing phosphorus into a vapor phase and epitaxially grows it on a substrate. In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an oxidizing gas supply means is provided for feeding oxidizing gas into the reactor.

[Effect]

Since the apparatus according to the present invention is equipped with an oxidizing gas supply means for feeding oxidizing gas into the reactor, even if phosphorus is precipitated in the reactor, for example, by feeding oxygen into the reactor, the following formula can be applied: Phosphorus can be converted to phosphorus pentoxide as shown in .

This phosphorus pentoxide is non-flammable.

4P + 502 → 2P20゜ [Example] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

Here, an example of an organometallic chemical deposition method will be described as a vapor phase crystal growth method. This organometallic chemical deposition method is a method in which an organometallic compound is thermally decomposed near the substrate and epitaxially grown on the substrate.

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of a vapor phase crystal growth apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, 1 is a reactor. The reactor 1 consists of a reaction tube 2 and an exhaust section 3. Reaction tube 2
and exhaust part 3 are separably connected. The reaction tube 2 is usually made of quartz.

The reaction tube 2 is attached with a gas introduction pipe 10 for introducing raw material gas into the reaction tube 2, and oxygen gas introduction pipes 11a and llb for introducing oxygen gas into the reaction furnace 1. A susceptor 6 is provided within the reaction tube 2 to support the substrate 5 from below. The susceptor 6 is fixed to a fixed base 7. A high frequency coil 8 is provided around the reaction tube 2, and the high frequency coil 8 is connected to a high frequency power source 9. The high frequency generated from the high frequency coil 8 is for thermally decomposing the raw material gas.

Inside the exhaust section 3, an exhaust pipe line 12 is provided. The exhaust pipe 12 is provided with an opening 12a so that oxygen gas is introduced into the exhaust pipe 12. The exhaust section 3 includes an oxygen gas inlet 13 that introduces oxygen gas into the exhaust section 3 .

Next, the operation of this apparatus will be described using as an example a case where a thin film of indium phosphide is formed on the substrate 5.

Trimethylindium and phosphine, which are raw material gases, are introduced into the reaction tube 2 together with a carrier gas (H2 gas). Subsequently, the high frequency power source 9 is turned on, and the high frequency coil 8 generates a high frequency. By this high frequency, the reaction tube 2
The raw material gas introduced into the chamber is thermally decomposed, and a thin film of indium phosphide is deposited on the substrate 5. At this time, phosphorus is deposited on the inner wall of the reaction tube 2, the outer surface of the fixing table 7, and the inner wall of the exhaust pipe 12. After the completion of vapor phase crystal growth, the carrier gas is switched from hydrogen to nitrogen gas, and the oxygen gas introduction pipe 11a,
Oxygen gas is introduced into the reaction tube 2 from llb. Further, oxygen gas is introduced into the exhaust section 3 through the oxygen gas inlet 13 . The flow rate of oxygen gas was 1008 CCN, and the volume ratio of nitrogen to oxygen was 1:1. Oxygen gas was introduced for about 1 hour. Due to the oxygen gas introduced into the reaction tube 2, the phosphorus deposited on the inner wall surface of the reaction tube 2 was changed to phosphorus pentoxide, which became non-flammable. In addition, the phosphorus deposited on the inner wall of the exhaust pipe 12 is removed from the opening 1 of the exhaust pipe 12.
Oxygen introduced from 2a converted it to phosphorus pentoxide, making it non-flammable.

Next, after the crystal growth was completed, the reaction tube 2 and the exhaust section 3 were separated, and the reactor was opened to the atmosphere. At this time, no ignition was observed because the ignitable phosphorus had already been changed to non-ignitable phosphorus pentoxide.

In the above embodiment, an organic metal chemical deposition method using trimethylindium and phosphine was described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention is not limited to this method. Any method can be applied.

Further, in the above embodiment, the case where oxygen is used as the oxidizing gas is exemplified, but the present invention is not limited to this, and even if other oxidizing gases such as ozone are used, the same Realize the effect.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the reaction tube 2 and the exhaust section 3 are each provided with an oxygen gas supply means, but even if either one is provided with such an oxidizing gas supply means, the Achieve the effect of

Although the present invention has been described above with reference to specific examples, the preferred examples described in this specification are illustrative and not restrictive.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the vapor phase crystal growth apparatus according to the present invention, since the oxidizing gas supply means for feeding the oxidizing gas into the reactor is provided, phosphorus is not deposited in the reactor. However, the phosphorus can be converted to phosphorus pentoxide by feeding an oxidizing gas into the reactor. This phosphorus pentoxide is non-flammable. Therefore, even if the reactor is opened to the atmosphere after vapor phase crystal growth, phosphorus will not cause ignition.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of a vapor phase crystal growth apparatus for phosphorus-based compound semiconductors according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram of a conventional vapor phase crystal growth apparatus for phosphorus-based compound semiconductors. In the figure, 1 is a reactor, 2 is a reaction tube, 3 is an exhaust part, and 5
is a substrate, 8 is a high-frequency coil, 10 is a gas introduction pipe, ll
a, llb are oxygen gas introduction pipes, 12 are exhaust pipes, 1
2a is an opening, and 13 is an oxygen gas inlet. In each figure, the same reference numerals indicate the same or corresponding parts. No. 10 11I+1 Patent Applicant Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. 1" Meng # 2 L Response'! '3゛Exhaust cape b +o, ++b: iL not tf 4h'tk
12120 Near + / 1 Kuchi County 13: Drunken wood 5゛ Substrate Kanλyi Y road

Claims (1)

[Claims] A vapor phase crystal growth apparatus that includes a reactor and makes a material containing phosphorus into a vapor phase and epitaxially grows it on a substrate, comprising an oxidizing gas supply means for feeding an oxidizing gas into the reactor. A vapor phase crystal growth apparatus characterized by: