Aixtron has been granted a patent for a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) reactor design. The reactor includes a gas inlet member with a circular outline, a susceptor that can be heated, and a shield plate with a central zone and an annular zone. The shield plate has a material thickness between 3 to 12 mm and is spaced apart from the ceiling panel by a gap with a height between 0.3 to 1 mm. The design aims to influence thermal coupling and heat flow within the reactor. GlobalData’s report on Aixtron gives a 360-degree view of the company including its patenting strategy. Buy the report here.
Smarter leaders trust GlobalData
According to GlobalData’s company profile on Aixtron, 3D memory devices was a key innovation area identified from patents. Aixtron's grant share as of September 2023 was 39%. Grant share is based on the ratio of number of grants to total number of patents.
Patent granted for a cvd reactor with improved shield plate
A recently granted patent (Publication Number: US11746419B2) describes a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) reactor with improved design features. The reactor includes a process chamber, a gas inlet member with a cooled ceiling panel, a heating device, a heated susceptor, and a shield plate adjacent to the ceiling panel.
The shield plate has a central zone, an annular zone surrounding the central zone, and a rear face facing towards the ceiling panel. The shield plate also has a planar first gas outlet surface with gas outlet openings. The rear face of the shield plate includes structures that influence the thermal coupling of the shield plate to the ceiling panel and the heat flow through the shield plate. These structures can be in the form of elevations or depressions relative to a rear plane.
The material thickness of the shield plate is in the range of 3 to 12 mm, with the thickness continuously decreasing in the annular zone in a radial direction away from the center of the shield plate. The cylindrical shell surface boundary defined by the susceptor intersects the annular zone, creating a radially inner region and a radially outer region within the annular zone.
The shield plate is spaced apart from the second gas outlet surface of the ceiling panel by a gap with a height ranging from 0.3 to 1 mm. This gap allows for the distribution of process gas exiting through the outlet openings of the ceiling panel and entering the process chamber through gas passage channels in the annular zone.
In addition, the patent mentions that the depressions or elevations on the shield plate spatially correspond to the substrates placed on the susceptor and extend vertically above each substrate. The outlet openings of the ceiling panel can be aligned with the gas outlet openings of the shield plate or arranged offset from them. The gas outlet openings of the shield plate can also be restricted in the area radially inside the boundary line.
Overall, this patented CVD reactor design aims to improve the thermal coupling and heat flow within the reactor, enhance gas distribution, and optimize the deposition process for various substrates.
To know more about GlobalData’s detailed insights on Aixtron, buy the report here.
Data Insights
From
The gold standard of business intelligence.
Blending expert knowledge with cutting-edge technology, GlobalData’s unrivalled proprietary data will enable you to decode what’s happening in your market. You can make better informed decisions and gain a future-proof advantage over your competitors.
GlobalData, the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article.
GlobalData Patent Analytics tracks bibliographic data, legal events data, point in time patent ownerships, and backward and forward citations from global patenting offices. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
