Stable wafer-carrier system
One embodiment of the present invention provides a wafer-carrier system used in a deposition chamber for carrying wafers. The wafer-carrier system includes a base susceptor and a top susceptor nested inside the base susceptor with its wafer-mounting side facing the base susceptor's wafer-mounting side, thereby forming a substantially enclosed narrow channel. The base susceptor provides an upward support to the top susceptor.
1. A wafer-carrier system used in a deposition chamber for carrying wafers, comprising:
a base susceptor; and
a top susceptor nested inside the base susceptor with its wafer-mounting side facing the base susceptor's wafer-mounting side, thereby forming a substantially enclosed narrow channel;
wherein the base susceptor provides an upward support to the top susceptor.
2. The wafer-carrier system of claim 1 , wherein the base susceptor and/or the top susceptor are formed using at least one of: SiC-coated graphite and monolithic SiC.
3. The wafer-carrier system of claim 1 , wherein the cross section of the base susceptor is C-shaped, wherein the cross section of the top susceptor is also C-shaped to allow the C-shaped top susceptor to nest in the C-shaped base susceptor, and wherein the openings of the top susceptor and the base susceptor are facing opposite directions.
4. The wafer-carrier system of claim 1 , wherein the base susceptor includes a three-point supporting mechanism configured to provide substantially stable upward support to the wafer-carrier system.
5. The wafer-carrier system of claim 1 , wherein the base susceptor further includes a suspension mechanism configured to allow the wafer-carrier system to be suspended after being loaded into the deposition chamber, thereby allowing the wafer-carrier system to maintain a substantially vertical orientation after being loaded into the deposition chamber.
6. The wafer-carrier system of claim 5 , wherein the suspension mechanism comprises a hook situated at the top edge of the base susceptor.
7. The wafer-carrier system of claim 1 , wherein the base susceptor supports the top susceptor using a pivoting mechanism to allow the top susceptor to pivot against the base susceptor.
8. A reactor for material deposition, comprising:
a chamber;
a top gas nozzle situated at the top of the chamber;
a bottom gas nozzle situated at the bottom of the chamber; and
a wafer-carrier system situated inside the chamber for carrying wafers, comprising:
a base susceptor; and
a top susceptor nested inside the base susceptor with its wafer-mounting side facing the base susceptor's wafer-mounting side, thereby forming a substantially enclosed narrow channel;
wherein the base susceptor provides an upward support to the top susceptor.
9. The reactor of claim 8 , wherein the base susceptor and/or the top susceptor are formed using at least one of: SiC-coated graphite and monolithic SiC.
10. The reactor of claim 8 , wherein the chamber is formed using a material comprising quartz.
11. The reactor of claim 8 , wherein the cross section of the base susceptor is C-shaped, wherein the cross section of the top susceptor is also C-shaped to allow the C-shaped top susceptor to nest in the C-shaped base susceptor, and wherein the openings of the top susceptor and the bottom susceptor are facing opposite directions.
12. The reactor of claim 8 , wherein the base susceptor includes a three-point supporting mechanism configured to provide substantially stable upward support to the wafer-carrier system when the wafer-carrier system is resting on the bottom gas nozzle.
13. The reactor of claim 8 , wherein the base susceptor further includes a suspension mechanism configured to allow the wafer-carrier system to hang from the top gas nozzle after being loaded into the deposition chamber, thereby allowing the wafer-carrier system to maintain a substantially vertical orientation after being loaded into the deposition chamber.
14. The reactor of claim 13 , wherein the suspension mechanism comprises a hook situated at the top edge of the base susceptor.
15. The reactor of claim 8 , wherein the base susceptor supports the top susceptor using a pivoting mechanism to allow the top susceptor to pivot against the base susceptor.
16. A wafer-carrying means, comprising:
means for carrying wafers on a base susceptor; and
means for carrying wafers on a top suceptor, wherein the top susceptor is nested inside the base susceptor with its wafer-mounting side facing the base susceptor's wafer-mounting side, thereby forming a substantially enclosed narrow channel, and wherein the base susceptor provides an upward support to the top susceptor.
17. The wafer-carrying means of claim 16 , wherein the base susceptor and/or the top susceptor are formed using at least one of: SiC-coated graphite and monolithic SiC.
18. The wafer-carrying means of claim 16 , wherein the cross section of the base susceptor is C-shaped, wherein the cross section of the top susceptor is also C-shaped to allow the C-shaped top susceptor to nest in the C-shaped base susceptor, and wherein the openings of the top susceptor and the base susceptor are facing opposite directions.
19. The wafer-carrying means of claim 16 , wherein the base susceptor further include a three-point supporting means for providing substantially stable upward support.
20. The wafer-carrying means of claim 16 , wherein the base susceptor further includes a suspension means for allowing the susceptors to be suspended after being loaded into a deposition chamber, thereby allowing the susceptors to maintain a substantially vertical orientation after being loaded into the deposition chamber.
21. The wafer-carrying means of claim 20 , wherein the suspension means comprises a hook situated at the top edge of the base susceptor.
22. The wafer-carrying means of claim 16 , wherein the base susceptor further includes a pivoting means for allowing the top susceptor to pivot against the base susceptor.