A method and apparatus for performing chemical vapor deposition (CVD) processes is provided. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a reactor body having a processing region, comprising a wafer carrier track having a wafer carrier disposed thereon, at least one sidewall having an exhaust assembly for exhausting gases from the processing region, a lid assembly disposed on the reactor body, comprising a lid support comprising a first showerhead assembly for supplying reactant gases to the processing region, a first isolator assembly for supplying isolation gases to the processing region, a second showerhead assembly for supplying reactant gases to the processing region, and a second isolator assembly for supplying isolation gases to the processing region, wherein the first showerhead assembly, the first isolator assembly, the second showerhead assembly, and the second isolator assembly are consecutively and linearly disposed next to each other.
1. A method for processing a wafer within a chemical vapor deposition reactor, comprising:
heating at least one wafer disposed on a wafer carrier by exposing a lower surface of a wafer carrier track to a radiation emitted from a lamp assembly, wherein the wafer carrier is disposed on the wafer carrier track within the chemical vapor deposition reactor;
traversing the wafer carrier along the wafer carrier track through a first isolated processing region comprising a first isolator assembly, a first showerhead assembly, a second isolator assembly, and a first exhaust assembly positioned below the first showerhead assembly;
exposing the wafer to a process gas flowing from the first isolator assembly; exposing the wafer to a first mixture of gaseous precursors flowing from the first showerhead assembly;
exposing the wafer to a process gas flowing from the second isolator assembly;
traversing the wafer carrier along the wafer carrier track through a second isolated processing region comprising the second isolator assembly, a second showerhead assembly, a third isolator assembly, and a second exhaust assembly;
exposing the wafer to a second mixture of gaseous precursors flowing from the second showerhead assembly;
exposing the wafer to a process gas flowing from the third isolator assembly; and
removing gases from the vapor deposition reactor through the first exhaust assembly and the second exhaust assembly, wherein the first exhaust assembly and the second exhaust assembly each comprise a pair of opposing side exhaust assemblies wherein each side exhaust assembly is laterally positioned in a sidewall of the chemical vapor deposition reactor relative to the other side exhaust assembly such that gases are exhausted out of each side exhaust assembly transversely to the carrier track and symmetrically from each isolated processing region thereby preventing gas flow along the carrier track.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first exhaust assembly and the second exhaust assembly are positioned such that the wafer carrier does not travel directly under the first exhaust assembly and the second exhaust assembly when traversing the wafer carrier along the wafer track.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein gas flow is exhausted symmetrically to the side of the CVD reactor.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the first mixture of precursor gases comprises a corrosive component added to the first mixture of precursor gases to etch deposits from the surfaces of the reactor while epitaxial growth proceeds.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the corrosive component is selected from the group comprising hydrochloric acid, chlorine, chlorinated gallium, chlorinated arsenic, chlorinated aluminum, and combinations thereof.
6. The method of claim 4 , further comprising flowing the corrosive component at a flow rate such that the flow of the corrosive component removes deposits from the surfaces of the reactor but does not etch films deposited on the wafer.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the first isolator assembly, the first showerhead assembly, and the second isolator assembly are consecutively and linearly disposed next to each other, the second exhaust assembly is positioned below the second showerhead assembly, and the second isolator assembly, the second showerhead assembly, and the third isolator assembly are consecutively and linearly disposed next to each other.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the first exhaust assembly comprises a first pair of opposing side exhaust assemblies and the second exhaust assembly comprises a second pair of opposing side exhaust assemblies spaced apart from the first pair of opposing side exhaust assemblies.