Optimal design of stagnation-flow movpe reactors with axisymmetric multi-aperture inlets

摘要

An approach for optimal design of vertical stagnation flow Metalorganic Vapor Phase Epitaxy (MOVPE) reactors that minimizes parasitic pre-reactions between the film precursors is presented. The use of axisymmetric multi-aperture inlets (e.g. tube-in-tube or concentric-ring inlets) enables the separation of incompatible precursors, while preserving the axial symmetry of the reactor. A careful selection of the inlet velocity of each stream and the distance between the inlet and the susceptor (reactor height) can lead to complete mixing just above the substrate, while keeping the contact time between the precursors in the gas phase low enough to suppress pre-reactions. This idea has been used by our group for growing high quality ZnSe films on GaAs substrates from (CH_3)_2Zn:Z(C_2H_5)_3 and H_2Se diluted in H_2 in a stagnation flow MOVPE reactor with an axisymmetric split inlet. A transport model describing the MOVPE of ZnSe, for conditions at which the growth rate is limited by the precursors' arrival rate at the surface, has been developed. A parametric study was performed aiming at identifying operating conditions in industrial-scale reactors that maximize film thickness uniformity while minimizing precursor contact time. Operation at Gr/Re~2<100 eliminated flow recirculations in the region above the substrate. Such recirculations may lead to formation of particulates by trapping reactants. Optimal conditions correspond to equal velocities of the inlet streams, satisfying the above criterion, and to the minimum possible reactor height leading to uniform film thickness across the substrate.