Susceptor system
The present invention relates to a susceptor system for an apparatus for the treatment of substrates and/or wafers, provided with a treatment chamber ( 1 ) delimited by at least two walls and with at least one heating solenoid ( 9 ); the susceptor system comprises at least one susceptor element ( 2, 3 ) delimited by an outer surface and made of electrically conducting material suitable for being heated by electromagnetic induction; the susceptor element ( 2, 3 ) is hollow; a first portion of the outer surface of the susceptor element ( 2, 3 ) is suitable for acting as a wall of the treatment chamber ( 1 ); a second portion of the outer surface of the susceptor element ( 2, 3 ) is suitable for being disposed close to the heating solenoid ( 9 ).
1. A susceptor system for an apparatus for the treatment of substrates and/or wafers, provided with a treatment chamber ( 1 ) delimited by at least two walls and with at least one heating solenoid ( 9 ), comprising at least one susceptor element ( 2 , 3 ) delimited by an outer surface and made of electrically conducting material suitable for being heated by electromagnetic induction, characterized in that the at least one susceptor element ( 2 , 3 ) is hollow so as to have at least one through hole which extends in a longitudinal direction, and in that a first portion of the outer surface of the at least one susceptor element ( 2 , 3 ) is suitable for acting as a wall of the treatment chamber ( 1 ), and in that a second portion of the outer surface of the at least one susceptor element ( 2 , 3 ) is suitable for being disposed close to the heating solenoid ( 9 ).
2. A susceptor system according to claim 1 , in which the at least one susceptor element ( 2 , 3 ) is provided with thermal and chemical protection at least on the first portion of the outer surface.
3. A susceptor system according to claim 2 in which the protection is constituted by at least a surface layer of inert and refractory material internal to the at least one susceptor element ( 2 , 3 ).
4. A susceptor system according to claim 2 in which the protection is constituted by at least one plate of inert and refractory material adjacent the outer surface of the at least one susceptor element ( 2 , 3 ).
5. A susceptor system according to claim 2 in which the protection is constituted by a combination of at least one surface layer of inert and refractory material internal to the at least one susceptor element ( 2 , 3 ) and at least one plate of inert and refractory material adjacent the outer surface of the at least one susceptor element ( 2 , 3 ).
6. A susceptor system according to claim 3 , in which the inert and refractory material is also electrically insulating.
7. A susceptor system according to claim 1 comprising two hollow susceptor elements ( 2 , 3 ) in which a first portion of the outer surface of one ( 2 ) of the two susceptor elements and a first portion of the outer surface of the other ( 3 ) of the two susceptor elements are suitable for acting as an upper wall and as a lower wall of the treatment chamber ( 1 ), respectively, and in which a second portion of the outer surface of one ( 2 ) of the two susceptor elements and a second portion of the outer surface of the other ( 3 ) of the two susceptor elements are suitable for being disposed close to the heating solenoid ( 9 ).
8. A susceptor system according to claim 7 , further comprising two susceptor elements ( 4 , 5 ) made of electrically insulating and also inert and refractory material and suitable for acting as a right-hand side wall and as a left-hand side wall of the treatment chamber ( 1 ), respectively.
9. A susceptor system according to claim 7 , further comprising two susceptor elements ( 4 , 5 ) made of electrically conducting material and suitable for acting as a right-hand side wall and as a left-hand side wall of the treatment chamber ( 1 ), respectively.
10. A susceptor system according to claim 9 , in which the side susceptor elements ( 4 , 5 ) are provided with thermal and chemical protection at least on the portion of their surface that is adjacent the treatment chamber ( 1 ).
11. A susceptor system according to claim 8 , in which the side susceptor elements ( 4 , 5 ) are not hollow.
12. A susceptor system according to claim 1 , in which at least one of the hollow susceptor elements ( 2 , 3 ) extends substantially uniformly in a longitudinal direction and has a cross-section having the external shape substantially of a segment of a circle or ellipse.
13. A susceptor system according to claim 1 , in which at least one of the non-hollow susceptor elements ( 4 , 5 ) extends substantially uniformly in a longitudinal direction and has a cross-section having a substantially rectangular or trapezoidal external shape.
14. Apparatus of the type suitable for treating substrates and/or wafers, provided with a treatment chamber ( 1 ) delimited by at least two walls, characterized in that it comprises a susceptor system ( 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ) according to claim 1 adjacent the treatment chamber ( 1 ) and at least one solenoid ( 9 ) which is wound around the susceptor system ( 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ) and the treatment chamber ( 1 ) and is suitable for heating the susceptor system by electromagnetic induction.
15. Apparatus according to claim 14 in which the susceptor system ( 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ) extends in a longitudinal direction, and in which the external shape of the cross-section of the susceptor system ( 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ) is substantially uniform in the longitudinal direction and is substantially circular or elliptical.
16. Apparatus according to claim 14 , in which the treatment chamber ( 1 ) extends in a longitudinal direction and in which the shape of the cross-section of the treatment chamber ( 1 ) is substantially uniform in the longitudinal direction.
17. Apparatus according to claim 16 , in which the average width of the treatment chamber ( 1 ) is at least three times, preferably at least five times the average height of the treatment chamber ( 1 ).
18. Apparatus according to claim 14 , comprising a first structure ( 7 ) which surrounds the treatment chamber ( 1 ) and the susceptor system ( 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ) and which is constituted substantially by a tube of refractory and thermally insulating material which extends in a longitudinal direction, and in which the solenoid ( 9 ) is wound around the first structure ( 7 ).
19. Apparatus according to claim 18 , comprising a second, hermetic structure ( 8 ) suitable for surrounding the first structure ( 7 ), and in which the solenoid ( 9 ) is also wound around the second structure ( 8 ).
20. Apparatus according to claim 16 , comprising means for causing at least one gas-flow to flow in at least one through-hole ( 21 , 31 ) of the susceptor system ( 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ).
21. Apparatus according to claim 14 , comprising a slide ( 6 ) mounted inside the treatment chamber ( 1 ) and suitable for supporting at least one substrate or at least one wafer, the slide ( 6 ) being slidable in guided manner in the longitudinal direction.
22. Apparatus according to claim 21 in which the susceptor system ( 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ) has a guide ( 32 ) which is suitable for receiving the slide ( 6 ) and which extends in the longitudinal direction so that the slide) can slide along the guide ( 32 ).
23. Apparatus according to claim 21 in which the slide ( 6 ) comprises at least one disc ( 61 ) suitable for supporting at least one substrate or at least one wafer, and is provided with a recess ( 62 ) suitable for housing the disc ( 61 ) rotatably.
24. Apparatus according to claim 15 , characterized in that it is a reactor for the epitaxial growth of silicon carbide or similar material on substrates.
25. Apparatus according to claim 15 , characterized in that it is an apparatus for the high-temperature thermal treatment of wafers.