Method of manufacturing semiconductor light emitting device and oxidation furnace

Abstract

A sample stand is set in a chamber provided with an observation window on its upper surface and a heater for heating a sample is provided in the vicinity of the sample stand. Then, a microscope, a camera and a television monitor are connected and mounted outside the observation window of the chamber. The microscope is mounted such that a specific layer of the sample is focused on and can be observed. According to a manufacturing method of the preset invention, oxidation treatment is performed in such equipment while an oxidation process of the specific layer (semiconductor layer for selective oxidation) of the sample is observed. As a result, the amount of oxidation of the semiconductor layer for selective oxidation can be strictly controlled, a semiconductor light emitting device which restricts a current into a certain region can be obtained with high yield ratio, and there is obtained an oxidation furnace which can precisely control the amount of oxidation of the semiconductor layer for selective oxidation.

1 - 11 . (canceled)  
     
     
         12 . An oxidation furnace comprising: 
 a chamber provided with an observation window on its upper surface;    a sample stand provided in said chamber;    a heater provided in the vicinity of said sample stand to heat a sample provided on said sample stand;    a vapor source supplying a vapor for oxidation to the vicinity of said sample;    a microscope mounted outside said chamber for observing said sample through said observation window,    wherein said sample stand is provided such that a specific layer of said sample can be focused on and observed by said microscope by adjusting a distance between said sample surface and said observation window and oxidation treatment is performed while oxidation process of the specific layer of said sample is observed.    
     
     
         13 . An oxidation furnace according to  claim 12 , wherein said observation window is formed such that a through hole provided in said chamber is closed by a thin transparent plate.  
     
     
         14 . An oxidation furnace according to  claim 12 , wherein there is provided a means for uniformizing the temperature and/or concentration of vapor in the vicinity of said sample.  
     
     
         15 . An oxidation furnace according to  claim 14 , wherein said means comprises a means for heating up a vapor so as to be at the same temperature as the oxidation temperature of said sample or more and a means for introducing it into said chamber.  
     
     
         16 . An oxidation furnace according to  claim 12 , wherein a concave part is formed at a part of said sample stand, said sample being put on said concave part.  
     
     
         17 . An oxidation furnace according to  claim 12 , wherein a convex part is formed around a part of said sample stand on which said sample is put.