Apparatus and Method of Forming a Semiconductor Layer

Abstract

A method of forming a silicon layer includes introducing a source gas containing a precursor material and a carrier gas into a reactor, controlling a gas flow of the source gas through a first main flow controller unit in response to a change of a concentration of the precursor material in the source gas, introducing an auxiliary gas into the reactor, and controlling a gas flow of the auxiliary gas through a second main flow controller unit such that a total gas flow of the source gas and the auxiliary gas into the reactor is held constant when the gas flow of the source gas changes.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of forming a silicon layer, the method comprising:
 introducing a source gas containing a precursor material and a carrier gas into a reactor;   controlling a gas flow of the source gas through a first main flow controller unit in response to a change of a concentration of the precursor material in the source gas;   introducing an auxiliary gas into the reactor; and   controlling a gas flow of the auxiliary gas through a second main flow controller unit such that a total gas flow of the source gas and the auxiliary gas into the reactor is held constant when the gas flow of the source gas changes.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the source gas is combined with the auxiliary gas to form a main gas mixture, and wherein the main gas mixture is introduced into the reactor through at least one main inlet. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the source gas is combined with the auxiliary gas to form a cross-flow gas mixture, wherein the cross-flow gas mixture is introduced into the reactor through at least one cross-flow inlet, and wherein a ratio of a gas flow of the main gas mixture to a gas flow of the cross-flow gas mixture is held constant when the gas flow of the source gas changes. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein a portion of the source gas in the main gas mixture differs from a portion of the source gas in the cross-flow gas mixture. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein a flow direction of the cross-flow gas mixture at an opening of the cross-flow inlet into the reactor is tilted to a flow direction of the main gas mixture at an opening of the main inlet into the reactor. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the precursor material is liquid at a temperature of 30° C. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the precursor material contains at least one of trichlorosilane and tetrachlorosilane. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the carrier gas contains hydrogen gas. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary gas contains hydrogen gas. 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus for forming a semiconductor layer, comprising:
 a reactor configured for deposition of a silicon layer;   a first main flow controller unit configured to control a gas flow of a source gas through the first main flow controller unit into the reactor, the source gas containing a precursor material and a carrier gas;   a second main flow controller unit configured to control a gas flow of an auxiliary gas through the second main flow controller unit into the reactor; and   a processor unit configured to control the second main flow controller unit in response to information about a change of the gas flow of the source gas through the first main flow controller unit.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the processor unit is configured to control the second main flow controller unit to keep a total gas flow of the source gas and the auxiliary gas into the reactor constant when the gas flow of the source gas through the first main flow controller unit changes. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a main mixture unit configured to combine the source gas and the auxiliary gas prior to introduction into the reactor.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a concentration measurement unit configured to measure a concentration of the precursor material in the source gas.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the processor unit is configured to control the second main flow controller unit in response to information about a change of a concentration of the precursor material in the source gas. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the reactor comprises at least one main inlet configured to let pass a main gas mixture that contains the source gas passing the first main flow controller unit and the auxiliary gas passing the second main flow controller unit. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the reactor comprises at least one cross-flow inlet configured to let pass a cross-flow gas mixture, wherein a flow direction of the cross-flow gas mixture at an opening of the cross-flow inlet into the reactor is tilted to a flow direction of the main gas mixture at an opening of the main inlet into the reactor. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a first cross-flow controller unit configured to control a gas flow of the source gas through the at least one cross-flow inlet; and   a second cross-flow controller unit configured to control a gas flow of the auxiliary gas through the at least one cross-flow inlet,   wherein the processor unit is configured to control the second cross-flow controller unit in response to data that contains information about a change of the gas flow of the source gas through the first cross-flow controller unit.   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a cross-flow mixture unit configured to combine the source gas passing the first cross-flow controller unit and the auxiliary gas passing the second cross-flow controller unit prior to introduction into the reactor.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the reactor is configured to form the semiconductor layer by at least one of vapor phase epitaxy and vapor phase deposition.