JPS5919920B2 - Liquid phase epitaxial growth equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a liquid phase epitaxial growth apparatus.

Several methods have been proposed for liquid phase epitaxial growth on semiconductor substrates.

As an example, the outline of a sliding type epitaxial growth apparatus will be explained with reference to FIG. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a slider, and a container 2 is formed at a predetermined location of the slider. A semiconductor substrate (hereinafter simply referred to as a substrate) 6 to be subjected to epitaxial growth is placed inside the container 2.

Reference numeral 3 designates a side wall constituting a metal solution tank, and 4A and 4B designate the metal solution tanks, in which Ga metal solutions 5A and 5B are accommodated, respectively.

This sliding type liquid phase epitaxial growth apparatus is characterized in that the substrate 6 slides one-dimensionally with respect to the metal solutions 5A, 5B or metal solution baths 4A, 4B containing the epitaxial growth material.

Furthermore, as is clear from Fig. 1, a plurality of metal solution tanks 4
By using A, 4B and metal solutions 5A, 5B, epitaxial growth layers having different properties can be sequentially grown. However, despite the above characteristics, it has some drawbacks as described below.

That is, in general, when the number of substrates 6 to be processed is small (about 1 to 2), it is easy to adhere and separate the metal solutions 5A and 5B from the substrates 6, but when the number of substrates to be processed increases, each metal solution tank 4A, The weighing of each component constituting the substrate 6 to be put into 4B, the method of composition, the uniformity of temperature, the temperature change, and crystal precipitation by slow cooling from a certain soaking zone, but due to changes and errors in each of the above-mentioned conditions. As a result, if variations occur in the crystal layer on the substrate 6 and an abnormally thick crystal layer is formed, that is, as shown in the front cross-sectional view of FIG. 2 and the side cross-sectional view of FIG. The metal solution 5A (or 5B) cannot be moved from the substrate 6, and it is difficult to take out the substrate 6. In addition, since the metal solution 5A (or 5B) is once taken out of the metal solution tank 4A (or 4B), it becomes a cause of contamination, which results in poor workability and poses a problem when moving to mass production. Further, since the metal solution 5A (or 5B) adheres to the metal solution tank 4A (or 4B) from which it is taken out and decreases, it also includes a factor that causes variations in characteristics. Further, when the area of the substrate 6 is increased in order to improve mass productivity, there is a drawback that it becomes even more difficult to separate the metal solution 5A (or 5B) from the substrate 6. In addition, 7
is the lid of the metal solution tank 4A (or 4B). This invention has been made in order to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks and to sufficiently improve the workability of the crystal growth process.

This invention will be explained below. FIGS. 4 and 5 are a front sectional view and a side sectional view showing an embodiment of a liquid phase epitaxial growth apparatus for a semiconductor substrate according to the present invention.

In this figure, the same reference numerals as in Figures 1 to 3 indicate the same components, and 8 is a metal solution receiving plate, which becomes a bottom plate when the whole is turned upside down, and acts to prevent the metal solution 5A from flowing out. . Reference numeral 9 denotes a notch groove formed at a predetermined location of the slider 1, into which both ends of the substrate 6 placed on the substrate support stand 10 are inserted.

Reference numeral 11 denotes a wedge-shaped support rod, which is detachably provided through a predetermined location of the slider 1, and the tip of the support rod 11 is engaged with a groove 12 formed in the side wall 3 corresponding to the support rod 11. The slider 1 and the metal solution tank 4A are coupled and supported.

Reference numeral 13 denotes a concave groove for mounting the substrate support 10 thereon.

In this embodiment, when the metal solution 5A is in contact with the substrate 6, a metal solution receiving plate 8 is placed in the upper part of the metal solution tank 4A,
The whole is reversed manually or by an automatic reversing device (not shown) to place the metal solution 5A on the metal solution receiving plate 8, and then the metal solution tank 4A and the slider 1 are separated by pulling out the support rod 11 in the direction of B. , substrate support stand 1 of slider 1
This liquid phase epitaxial growth apparatus is characterized in that the substrate 6 on which epitaxial growth has been completed is taken out in the direction of the bottom A of the slider.

Further, the liquid phase epitaxial growth apparatus of the present invention is based on the same principle as the conventional slide type liquid phase epitaxial growth apparatus, but the metal solution tank 4A separates the substrate 6 from the metal solution 5A. By inserting a metal solution receiving plate 8 which becomes a bottom plate when the whole is turned upside down, it becomes a container for receiving a solution and serves to improve workability.

Also, the support rod 1 separates the slider 1 and the metal solution tank 4A.
This can be easily done by pulling out 1. Further, since a groove 12 having the size of the tip of the support rod 11 is formed on the side surface of the side wall 3 constituting the metal solution tank 4A, movement in the front and rear direction is also easy. Next, when the substrate 6 is to be taken out from the separated slider 1, the substrate support 10 can be pulled out and the substrate 6 can be taken out in the direction A from the bottom of the slider.

Furthermore, the setting of the board 6 can be easily done by placing it on the notch groove 9 of the slider 1 and inserting the board support stand 10. In addition, since the substrate 6 is fixed in the form of a sanderch between the notch groove 9 of the slider 1 and the substrate support 10, the substrate 6 does not move when the metal solution 5A comes into close contact with the substrate 6. There is no inconvenience that it cannot be done.

The above-mentioned device can be used in mass production when the area of the substrate 6 is increased and variations in the crystal layer 14 occur, or when changes occur in the weighing of each component, composition method, temperature conditions, etc. According to this device, the substrate 6 can be easily taken out.

As described above, according to the present invention, a semiconductor substrate subjected to epitaxial growth can be taken out very easily, so there is an advantage that the workability of the crystal growth process can be sufficiently improved.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of a conventional liquid phase epitaxial growth apparatus, FIGS. 2 and 3 are partial front sectional views and side sectional views of a conventional liquid phase epitaxial growth apparatus, and FIGS. 4 and 5. 1 is a front sectional view and a side sectional view of a liquid phase epitaxial growth apparatus showing an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. In the figure, 1 is a slider, 3 is a side wall, 4A, 4B are metal solution tanks, 5A, 5B are metal solutions, 6 is a semiconductor substrate, 8 is a metal solution receiving plate, 9 is a notch groove, 10 is a substrate support stand, 11 is a support rod, 12 is a groove, 13 is a concave groove, and 14 is a crystal layer.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. In a liquid phase epitaxial growth apparatus in which a slider on which a semiconductor substrate is placed at the bottom of a metal solution tank is slidably mounted, the top of the metal solution tank is closed and becomes the bottom part when turned upside down. A coupling means that detachably provides a metal solution receiving plate, and further engages the metal solution tank and the slider so as to be slidable only at all times, and releases the engagement between the metal solution tank and the slider when removing the semiconductor substrate. A liquid phase epitaxial growth apparatus characterized by being provided with. 2. The liquid phase epitaxial growth apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the coupling means is constituted by a groove provided in the metal solution bath and a support rod fixed to the slider and engaged with the groove. . 3. The liquid phase epitaxial growth apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the slider holds the semiconductor substrate in a sandwich shape using a substrate support.