SiC epitaxial layer growth in a novel multi-wafer VPE reactor

Preliminary results are presented for SiC epitaxial layer growth employing a unique planetary SiC-VPE reactor. The high-throughput, multi-wafer(7x2-inch) reactor, was designed for atmospheric and reduced pressure operation at temperatures up to and exceeding 1600 degrees C. Specular epitaxial layers have been grown in the reactor at growth rates from 3-5 mu m/hr. The thickest layer grown to date was 42 mu m The layers exhibit minimum unintentional n-type doping of similar to 1x10(15) cm(-3), room temperature mobilities of similar to 1000 cm(2)/Vs, and intentional n-type-doping from similar to 5x10(15) cm(-3) to >1x10(19) cm(-3). Intrawafer thickness and doping uniformities of 3% and 7% (standard deviation/mean) have been obtained, respectively, on 35 mm diameter substrates. Recently, 3% thickness uniformity has been demonstrated on a 50 mm substrate. Within a run, wafer-to-wafer thickness deviation is similar to 4-14%. Doping variation is currently larger, ranging as much as a factor of two from the highest to the lowest doped wafer. Continuing efforts to improve the susceptor temperature uniformity and reduce unintentional hydrocarbon generation to improve layer uniformity and reproducibility, are presented.