Patent · US Expired

Multiple inclined wafer holder for improved vapor transport and reflux for sealed ampoule diffusion process

US6520348B1 · kind B1 · utility

2Cited by
5References
44Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 4, 2000
Grant dateFeb 18, 2003
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 4, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S414/138
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An apparatus and method for diffusion annealing impurities onto a plurality of wafers is described. A hollow wafer holder includes a plurality of first and second slots. The first slots are sized and shaped to receive a pair of wafers. The first slots are angled relative to a longitudinal axis of the wafer holder. The wafer holder is positioned at a first location within an ampoule, with a diffusion source being positioned at a second location within the ampoule. The ampoule is sealed and placed within or near a heat source. The heat source alters the physical state of the diffusion source to allow the entrained impurities to diffuse throughout the ampoule. The inclination of the first slots allows a sufficient clearance between the wafers and the ampoule to allow impurities within a gaseous diffusion source to extend throughout the ampoule. The presence of the second slots allows a more uniform diffusion of the impurities to the wafers.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.