Closure element for closing a loading opening of an inner housing of a CVD reactor

Abstract

A CVD reactor includes a gas-tight and evacuatable reactor housing and an inner housing arranged therein. The inner housing has means for the infeed of a process gas and means for holding a substrate for treatment in the inner housing by means of the process gases. The inner housing also has a loading opening which can be closed off by a sealing element of a closure element. In its closure position, the closure element bears with an encircling sealing zone against a counterpart sealing zone which encircles the loading opening on the outer side of the inner housing. The sealing element is fastened to a carrier as to be adjustable in terms of inclination and/or pivotally movable about at least one spatial axis (X, Y, Z) and/or so as to be elastically deflectable in the direction of one of the spatial axes (X, Y, Z).

Claims

1. A chemical vapor deposition (CVD) reactor, comprising: a gastight and evacuable reactor housing (1); an inner housing (2) arranged within the reactor housing (1); means (3, 4) for feeding a process gas into the inner housing (2); means (5) for holding a substrate (6) to be treated in the inner housing (2) by means of the process gas; a closure element (10) comprising: a first bracket (17) with a first spring-loaded latching pin (46), wherein a head (46′) of the first spring-loaded latching pin (46) protrudes out of a mounting hole (48) of the first bracket (17); a second bracket (17) with a second spring-loaded latching pin (46), wherein a head (46′) of the second spring-loaded latching pin (46) protrudes out of a mounting hole (48) of the second bracket (17); a retainer (15) disposed between the first bracket (17) and second bracket (17), wherein the first and second brackets (17) are fixedly connected to the retainer (15); an intermediate carrier (16) fixedly connected to the retainer (15), wherein the intermediate carrier (16) comprises a first end portion (16′) and a second end portion (16′); a sealing element (11) with a first fastening element (40) and a second fastening element (40), wherein a first surface of the first fastening element (40) comprises a first latching projection (43) that contacts the head (46′) of the first spring-loaded latching pin (46) and a second surface of the first fastening element (40) faces away from the first spring-loaded latching pin (46) and faces towards the first end portion (16′) of the intermediate carrier (16), wherein a first surface of the second fastening element (40) comprises a second latching projection (43) that contacts the head (46′) of the second spring-loaded latching pin (46) and a second surface of the second fastening element (40) faces away from the second spring-loaded latching pin (46) and faces towards the second end portion (16′) of the intermediate carrier (16), wherein the sealing element (11) is configured to, when disposed in a closure position, seal a loading opening (7) of the inner housing (2), wherein when the sealing element (11) is disposed in the closure position, an encircling sealing zone (10′) of the sealing element (11) abuts against a counter-sealing zone (7′) which encircles the loading opening (7) on an outer side of the inner housing (2), a joint body (14); a fastener assembly (30) that comprises: a first elastic element (38) that generates a first force in a first direction; and a second elastic element (39) that generates a second force in a second direction opposite to the first direction, wherein the fastener assembly (30) fastens the retainer (15) to the joint body (14) so that the sealing element (11) is elastically deflectable in a direction of one of a plurality of spatial axes (X, Y, Z); and a carrier (12) configured to carry the closure element (10), wherein when the sealing element (11) is disposed in the closure position, the fastener assembly (30) exerts a sealing force that presses the sealing zone (10′) flatly against the counter-sealing zone (7′) in a sealing direction, wherein the sealing force is a sum of the first force generated by the first elastic element (38) and the second force generated by the second elastic element (39), and wherein the first and second elastic elements (38, 39), in a reciprocally prestressed neutral position, floatingly mount the sealing element (11) in the sealing direction relative to the carrier (12).

2. The CVD reactor of claim 1, wherein at least one of: (i) the loading opening (7) is arranged in a curved section of the inner housing (2), and the sealing element (11) has a curved sealing surface, an edge of which forms the sealing zone (10′); or (ii) the loading opening (7) passes through a cylindrical wall of the inner housing (2), wherein the carrier (12) is displaceable in a plane that is perpendicular to a contour axis of the cylindrical wall.

3. The CVD reactor of claim 1, wherein the fastener assembly (30) further comprises a screw (31) with a head (31′) and a shaft (31″), wherein the head (31′) is secured to the retainer (15), and the shaft (31″) is inserted in a mounting hole (34) of the joint body (14), and wherein the first and second elastic elements (38, 39) are supported on support surfaces (34′, 34″) that face away from each other and include edges of the mounting hole (34).

4. The CVD reactor of claim 3, wherein the first elastic element (38) is supported on the retainer (15), and the second elastic element (39) is supported on the shaft (31″).

5. The CVD reactor of claim 3, wherein the first elastic element (38) is supported on the retainer (15), and the second elastic element (39) is supported on a body connected with the shaft (31″).

6. The CVD reactor of claim 3, wherein the first elastic element (38) is supported on the retainer (15), and the second elastic element (39) is supported on a sliding sleeve (35) connected with the shaft (31″).

7. The CVD reactor of claim 1, wherein the fastener assembly (30) is configured for adjusting an inclination of the closure element (10) around a vertically oriented Z-axis.

8. The CVD reactor of claim 1, wherein the intermediate carrier (16) is an insulating body, and wherein the retainer (15) is pivotable relative to the carrier (12) around at least one of the spatial axes (X, Y, Z).

9. The CVD reactor of claim 1, wherein the sealing element (11) is exchangeable with an adjusting element (55) with screwdriver insertion openings (56, 57) for activating adjusting screws, with which an inclined position of at least one of the intermediate carrier (16) or the retainer (15) is adjustable relative to the carrier (12).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) An exemplary embodiment of the invention will be explained below based on the attached drawings. Shown on:

(2) FIG. 1 is a schematic construction of an MOCVD reactor,

(3) FIG. 2 is the cutout II on FIG. 1,

(4) FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a closure element 10, which has a sealing element 11 that is secured to a carrier 12 and can be used to close off a loading opening 7 of an inner housing 2,

(5) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the closure element 10, partially broken open,

(6) FIG. 5a is a first exploded view of the essential elements of the closure element 10,

(7) FIG. 5b is a second exploded view of the essential elements of the closure element 10,

(8) FIG. 6 is a top view of the closure element,

(9) FIG. 7 is the section along the VII-VII line on FIG. 6,

(10) FIG. 8 is a rearward, partially broken open view of the closure element 10,

(11) FIG. 9 is the section along the IX-IX line on FIG. 6,

(12) FIG. 10 is a view of the closure element 10, partially broken open,

(13) FIG. 11 is the section along the XI-XI line on FIG. 6,

(14) FIG. 12 is a view according to FIG. 10, but broken up differently, wherein the sealing element 11 is only denoted with dashed lines,

(15) FIG. 13 is the section along the XIII-XIII line on FIG. 6,

(16) FIG. 14 is a view according to FIG. 10, but broken up differently,

(17) FIG. 15 is the view according to FIG. 8, but with a joint body 14 shown with dashed lines, and

(18) FIG. 16 is an adjusting element 15, which can be replaced with a sealing element 11.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

(19) FIG. 1 presents a schematic view of the construction of an MOCVD reactor, which has a gastight reactor housing 1 that contains a loading opening 8, which can be closed by a door 9. An atmospheric pressure is present outside of the door 9. An adjustable sub-atmospheric pressure can prevail inside of the reactor housing 1. To this end, a vacuum pump is provided (not shown in the drawings).

(20) Located inside of the reactor housing 1 is an inner housing 2, which seals the processing chamber located in the inner housing gastight against the environment of the inner housing 2. Located inside of the inner housing 2 is a gas inlet member 4 for introducing process gases, which are supplied from outside via a gas supply line 3. Also located inside of the processing chamber is a heatable susceptor 5, which carries the substrate to be coated.

(21) FIG. 2 shows a magnified view of a loading opening 7 in a cylindrical wall of the inner housing 2. The loading opening 7 is surrounded by a counter-sealing zone 7′ on the outwardly facing side of the inner housing 2. A sealing zone 10′ of a sealing element 11 of a closure element 10 abuts against this counter-sealing zone 7′ in a closure position. The sealing connection 10′, 7 is essentially gastight at least when the pressure prevailing in the inner housing 2 is the same as the one prevailing in the volume of the reactor housing 1 surrounding the inner housing 2. S denotes an axis of symmetry, which runs through the gas inlet member 4 and the center of the susceptor 5. The inner housing 2 forms a cylindrical lateral wall around this axis of symmetry S, in which the loading opening 7 is arranged.

(22) The sealing element 11 is carried by a carrier 12. The carrier 12 can be adjusted between two positions with a mechanical retaining device (not shown) inside of the reactor housing 1. In a closure position, the sealing element 11 closes off the loading opening 7. In an open position, the loading opening 7 is open with a substrate 6 for loading or unloading the susceptor 5. A gripper (not shown) or the like can engage through the flush loading openings 7, 8 once the closure element 10 and door 9 have assumed their respective open positions. In the opening process, the closure element 10 and in particular a sealing element 11 formed by the closure element 10 is removed from the axis of symmetry S.

(23) The carrier 12 has a carrier head 13, which has a bearing hole. The bearing hole 18′ extends in an X-direction. A bearing axis 18 that forms a bearing shaft is inserted in the bearing hole 18′. The bearing axis 18 has two free ends, which each protrude out of an end section of the bearing hole 18′. Each of the two ends of the bearing axis 18 is inserted into an oblong opening of a leg 14′ of a joint body 14. As shown on FIG. 7, adjustable retaining elements arranged in the legs 14′ engage onto the free ends of the bearing axis 18. An adjusting screw 20 is inserted into a hole formed transverse to the X-axis, in the exemplary embodiment in the direction of the Z-axis. Involved in this case is a grub screw, whose free end of the shaft abuts against the bearing axis 18. By adjusting the adjusting screw 20, the bearing point can be adjusted in a direction Sz toward the Z-axis. A spring element 22 is inserted into a hole that aligns with the hole in which the adjusting screw 20 is inserted, and is acted upon by a pressure screw 21. The spring element 22 is supported on the bearing axis 18 on the side lying opposite the adjusting screw 20. The adjusting screw 20 or the pressure screw 21 can be adjusted in the direction of the Z-axis. Adjusting the adjusting screw 20 makes it possible to adjust the location of the end section of the bearing axis 18 in the oblong hole 19 of the leg 14′, and hence the position of the joint body 14 at two differing points in the Z-direction. The angle of inclination around the Y-axis can be adjusted by varyingly enlarging or reducing the adjusting paths Sz.

(24) Situated roughly centrally in the joint body 14 are two adjusting elements 24, 26 shown on FIGS. 13 and 14, which can be used to adjust a pivoting motion of the joint body 14 around the X-axis. A stop plunger 24 has a stop end 24′, which can support itself on the carrier head 13. A spring element 25 designed as a helical pressure spring is supported at one end on a stop surface 13′ of the carrier head 13, and at a second end on a pressure end 24″ of the stop plunger 24. In addition, a shaft end 26″ of a pressure screw 26 engages the pressure end 24″, the head 26′ of which has a screwdriver engaging opening, which can be used to adjust the pressure screw 26, and hence the distance of the stop end 24′ from the stop surface 13′. The distances are denoted with a and a′ on FIG. 13. The two spring elements 25 hold the joint body 14 in a central position. The joint body 14 can be pivoted out of this central position around the X-axis, until the stop ends 24′ contact the stop surface 13′.

(25) FIG. 14 additionally shows holes 27 in the retainer 15 and holes 28 in an intermediate carrier 16 carried by the retainer. A screwdriver can be inserted through the holes 27, 28, so as to adjust the pressure screws 26.

(26) The retainer 15 can be linearly displaced in the Y-direction relative to the joint body 14. Two spring or fastener assemblies 30 offset parallel to each other in the XY-plane are provided for this purpose. The spring or fastener assemblies 30 extend in the Y-axis. Each of the spring or fastener assemblies 30 has a shaft 31″, with which the retainer 15 is pivotably connected with the joint body 14. A head 31′ of the spring or fastener assembly 30 is supported on the retainer 15. The shaft 31″ connected with the head 31′ engages through a mounting hole 34 of the joint body 14. In the exemplary embodiment, the shaft 31″ also engages through a mounting hole 32 of the retainer 15, wherein a respective plate 33, 33′ is provided on both sides of the mounting hole 32. A first elastic element 38 is supported on the plate 33′ or on the retainer, and can be a rubber buffer or a helical pressure spring. The elastic element 38 is further supported on the joint body 14. In the exemplary embodiment, the first elastic element 38 is supported on an edge of the mounting hole 34 that faces the retainer 15. The edge of the mounting hole 34 lying opposite this edge forms a support surface, on which a second elastic elements 39 is supported, which is counter-mounted on the other side by a sliding sleeve 35. The sliding sleeve 35 can have a female thread, into which the male thread of the shaft 31″ is screwed. The head 31′ and the shaft 31″ can be comprised of one screw 31.

(27) The sliding sleeve 35 can slide in the direction of the Y-axis in a bearing recess 37 of the joint body 14. A guide screw 36 is provided for rotationally securing the sliding sleeve 35, and engages into a recess in the sliding sleeve 35.

(28) As a result of the two elastic elements 38,39 acting in opposite directions, the sealing element 11, its retainer 15 and/or the sliding sleeve 35 are floatingly mounted relative to the joint body 14. Therefore, the invention also relates to a sealing element 11 floatingly mounted relative to the carrier 12, which can be displaced in a sealing direction from an adjustable, central position against the elastic restoring force of one respective element 38, 39 acting on the carrier 12, wherein the sealing direction in particular is a radial direction on the S axis on FIG. 1. A preferred further development provides a twofold floating mount, so that the sealing element 10 can also swivel slightly in a plane in which the sealing direction runs.

(29) The head 31′ has a screwdriver engaging opening, with which the screw 31 can be turned. This either enlarges or reduces the stress of the elastic elements 38, 39. Turning the screw 31 makes it possible to linearly displace the retainer 15 in direction Sy at two different points. By varyingly adjusting the retainer 15 by means of the two fastener assemblies 30, the inclined position of the retainer 15 around the Z-axis can be adjusted. Involved here is a bilaterally cushioned, floating mount of the retainer 15 relative to the joint body 14. The first elastic element 38 can be tensioned with the sealing element 11 in the end phase of closing the loading opening 7, so that it exerts a sealing force with which the sealing zone 10′ abuts against the counter-sealing zone 7′.

(30) The intermediate carrier 16 is fabricated out of a thermally insulating material, and fixedly connected with the retainer 15. Two brackets 17 are likewise fixedly connected with the retainer 15. To this end, the brackets 17 are screwed onto the leg 15′ of the retainer 15.

(31) Located inside of the brackets 17 are the latching means depicted on FIG. 9, with which the sealing element 11 plugged onto the intermediate carrier 16 is kept in a latching connection. Fastening elements 40 of the sealing element 11 here engage into respective fastening niches 41 disposed between respective end portions 16′ of the intermediate carrier 16 and each of the brackets 17, wherein each of the fastening elements 40 forms a run-on slope 44 and a latching projection 43 adjacent thereto. Located inside of the bracket 17 is a mounting hole 48, which forms a guide section 48′. A piston section 47 of a latching pin 46 can be displaced in the guide section 48′. The latching pin 46 forms a latching head 46′, which rearwardly engages the latching projection 43 in the latching position. The piston section 47 is acted upon by a spring element 49, which is supported on a pressure screw 50.

(32) The intermediate carrier 16 forms a stop zone 42 in the form of a lug, on which the fastening element 40 can be supported, wherein the stop zone 42 lies opposite the latching pin 46.

(33) A stop extension 52 is provided, which is allocated to the sealing element 11 and can be supported on the intermediate carrier 16.

(34) The sealing element 11 has a closed sealing surface that is surrounded by the sealing zone 10′.

(35) An adjusting element 55 that can be exchanged for the sealing element 11 and is otherwise structurally identical to the sealing element 11 has screwdriver insertion openings 56, 57, which align flush with mounting holes that can be used to adjust the adjusting screws 26 and 31. The adjusting element 55 is used instead of the sealing element 11 for adjusting the different inclination angles or inclination angle limitations.

(36) The sealing element 11 has a centering rib 54 on the side of the sealing element 11 facing away from the sealing surface. The centering rib 54 engages into a centering recess 53, which is arranged in about the middle of the retainer 15.

(37) The above statements serve to explain the inventions encompassed by the application as a whole, which further develop the prior art at least by the following feature combinations, even taken separately, wherein two, several or all of these feature combinations can also be combined, specifically:

(38) A CVD reactor, characterized in that the sealing element 11 is fastened to a carrier 12 so that it can be adjusted in terms of inclination and/or pivoted around at least one spatial axis X, Y, Z and/or elastically deflected in the direction of one of the spatial axes X, Y, Z.

(39) A CVD reactor, characterized in that the sealing element 11 is fastened to the carrier 12 so that it can be at least adjusted in terms of inclination and/or pivoted around at least two spatial axes X, Y, Z and/or around the three spatial axes X, Y, Z.

(40) A CVD reactor, characterized by at least one first elastic element 38 of a spring and/or fastener assembly 30, which in the closure position exerts a sealing force that presses the sealing zone 10′ flatly against the counter-sealing zone 7′.

(41) A CVD reactor, characterized in that the sealing force is the sum of a first force generated by the first elastic element 38 and a second force generated by a second elastic element 39, wherein the first force is directed opposite the second force, and both elastic elements 38, 39 are prestressed against each other in a neutral position.

(42) A CVD reactor, characterized in that the loading opening 7 is arranged in a curved section of the inner housing 2, and the sealing element 11 has a curved sealing surface, the edge of which forms the sealing zone 10′ and/or that the loading opening 7 is allocated to a cylindrical wall of the inner housing 2, wherein the carrier 12 can be displaced in a plane on which the contour axis of the cylindrical housing wall is perpendicular.

(43) A CVD reactor, characterized in that the spring and/or fastener assembly 30 has a second elastic element 39, whose spring direction is directed opposite the spring direction of the first elastic element 38.

(44) A CVD reactor, characterized in that the spring and/or fastener assembly 30 has a head 31′ and a shaft 31″, wherein the head 31′ is secured to a retainer 15, and the shaft 31″ is inserted in a mounting hole 34 of a joint head 14, and the elastic elements 38, 39 are supported on support surfaces 34′, 34″ that face away from each other and consist in particular of edges of the mounting hole 34, wherein it is provided in particular that the first elastic element 38 is supported on the retainer 15, and the second elastic element 39 is supported on the shaft 31″, and in particular on a body connected with the shaft 31″, for example a sliding sleeve 35.

(45) A CVD reactor, characterized by a bearing axis 18, with which the closure element 10 can be pivoted around an X-axis.

(46) A CVD reactor, characterized by pivot limiting means 24, 25, with which the pivot angle of the closure element 10 around the X-axis can be limited, and/or with which the closure element 10 can be fixed in an initial position in an elastically adjustable manner.

(47) A CVD reactor, characterized by adjusting means 20 for adjusting an inclined position of the closure element 10 around the Y-axis, wherein it is provided in particular that the adjusting means 20 be adjusting screws that are supported on end sections of the bearing axis 18.

(48) A CVD reactor, characterized in that elastic pressure elements formed by a pressure screw 21, and a spring element 22 are spatially allocated to the adjusting means 20, wherein it is provided in particular that the elements pressure screw 21, and the spring element 22 lie opposite the adjusting means 20 relative to the bearing axis 18, and permit an elastic adjustment of the inclined position of the closure element 10 around the Y-axis.

(49) A CVD reactor, characterized in that the spring and/or fastener assembly 30 makes it possible to adjust the inclination of the closure element 10 around the Z-axis, and/or that the sealing element 11 is floatingly mounted in a sealing direction relative to the carrier 12.

(50) A CVD reactor, characterized in that the sealing element 11 is connected with the intermediate carrier 16 via a detachable connection 43, 44, 46, wherein it is provided in particular that the intermediate carrier 16 is an insulating body and connected with a retainer 15, which can be pivoted relative to the carrier 12 around the at least one spatial axis X, Y, Z.

(51) A CVD reactor, characterized in that the sealing element 11 can be exchanged for an essentially structurally identical adjusting element 55, wherein the adjusting element 55 has screwdriver insertion openings 56, 57 for activating adjusting screws, with which the inclined position of an intermediate carrier 16 and/or of a retainer 15 can be adjusted relative to the carrier 12.

(52) All disclosed features (whether taken separately or in combination with each other) are essential to the invention. The disclosure of the application hereby also incorporates the accompanying/attached priority documents (copy of the previous application) in their entirety, also for the purpose of including features of these documents in the claims of the present application. Even without the features of a referenced claim, the subclaims with their features characterize independent inventive further developments of prior art, in particular so as to generate partial applications based upon these claims. The invention indicated in each claim can additionally have one or several of the features indicated in the above description, in particular those provided with reference numbers and/or enumerated in the reference list. The invention also relates to forms of design in which some of the features mentioned in the above description are not realized, in particular insofar as they are obviously not required for the respective intended purpose or can be replaced by other technically equivalent means.

REFERENCE LIST

(53) TABLE-US-00001  1 Reactor housing  2 Inner housing  3 Gas supply line  4 Gas inlet member  5 Susceptor  6 Substrate  7 Loading opening  7′ Counter-sealing zone  8 Loading opening  9 Door 10 Closure element 10′ Sealing zone 11 Sealing element 12 Carrier 13 Carrier head 13′ Contact surface 14 Joint body 14′ Leg 15 Retainer 15′ Leg 16 Intermediate carrier/insulating body 17 Bracket 18 Bearing axis 18′ Mounting hole 19 Oblong hole 20 Adjusting screw 21 Pressure screw 22 Spring element 23 Pressure pin 24 Stop plunger 24′ Stop end 24″ Pressure end 25 Spring element 26 Pressure screw 26′ Head 26″ Shaft end 27 Hole 28 Hole 29 Fastening screw 30 Fastener assembly 31 Screw 31′ Head 31″ Shaft 32 Mounting hole 33 Shoulder 33′ Plate 34 Mounting hole 34′ Support surfaces 35 Support surfaces 35′ Guide groove 36 Sliding sleeve 37 Bearing recess 38 First elastic element 39 Second elastic element 40 Fastening web 41 Fastening niche 42 Stop zone 43 Latching projection 44 Run-on slope 45 Fastening shoulder 46 Latching pin 46′ Latching head 47 Piston section 48 Mounting hole 48′ Guide section 49 Spring element 50 Pressure screw 51 Spring element 52 Stop extension 53 Centering recess 54 Centering rib 55 Adjusting element 56 Screwdriver insertion opening D Rotational motion S Axis of symmetry Sy Adjusting path Sz Adjusting path X Axis Y Axis Z Axis