US 12,252,806 B2
Systems and methods for a preheat ring in a semiconductor wafer reactor
Chieh Hu, Chiayi (TW); and Chun-Chin Tu, Zhubei (TW)
Assigned to GlobalWafers Co., Ltd, Hsinchu (TW)
Filed by GlobalWafers Co., Ltd., Hsinchu (TW)
Filed on Dec. 31, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/139,339.
Prior Publication US 2022/0205134 A1, Jun. 30, 2022
Int. Cl. C30B 25/14 (2006.01); C23C 16/455 (2006.01); C23C 16/458 (2006.01); C30B 25/10 (2006.01); C30B 25/12 (2006.01)
CPC C30B 25/14 (2013.01) [C23C 16/45591 (2013.01); C23C 16/4585 (2013.01); C30B 25/12 (2013.01); C23C 16/45563 (2013.01); C23C 16/4588 (2013.01); C30B 25/10 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A reaction apparatus for contacting a process gas with a semiconductor wafer, the reaction apparatus comprising:
an upper dome;
a lower dome attached to the upper dome, the upper dome and the lower dome defining a reaction chamber;
an upper liner;
a lower liner positioned below the upper liner, the upper liner and the lower liner defining a process gas inlet for channeling the process gas into the reaction chamber, wherein the process gas inlet includes:
a first inlet segment that directs the process gas to an edge of the semiconductor wafer;
a second inlet segment that directs the process gas to a center region of the semiconductor wafer;
a third inlet segment that directs the process gas to the center region of the semiconductor wafer; and
a fourth inlet segment that directs the process gas to the edge of the semiconductor wafer; and
a preheat ring positioned within the reaction chamber for heating the process gas prior to contacting the semiconductor wafer, the preheat ring attached to an inner circumference of the lower liner, the preheat ring comprising:
an annular disk having an inner edge, an outer edge, a first side, and a second side opposite the first side, the inner edge and the outer edge defining a radial distance therebetween;
a first edge bar positioned on the first side proximate the outer edge and downstream from the first inlet segment, the first edge bar extending radially from the outer edge toward the inner edge a first edge bar radial thickness, wherein the radial distance is greater than the first edge bar radial thickness, the first edge bar extending a circumferential length to form an arc segment and having a first edge bar height; and
a second edge bar adjacent the first edge bar, wherein the second edge bar is positioned downstream from the fourth inlet segment, and wherein the first and second edge bars are spaced circumferentially from one another to allow the process gas to flow therebetween from the second and third inlet segments to the center region of the semiconductor wafer.