HT2008-56313 COMPUTATIONAL STUDY OF REACTIVE FLOW IN HALIDE CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION OF SILICON CARBIDE EPITAXIAL FILM

ABSTRACT In this study, a comprehensive transport model is developed for Halide Chemical Vapor Deposition (HCVD) system which includes gas dynamics, heat and mass transfer, gas-phase and surface chemistry, and radio-frequency induction heating. This model addresses transport of multiple chemical species in high temperature environment with large temperature difference and complex chemical reactions in gas-phase and on the deposition surface. Numerical modeling of the deposition process in a horizontal hot-wall reactor using SiCl 4 /C 3 H 8 /H 2 as precursors has been performed over a wide range of operational parameters to quantify the effects of processing parameters on the film growth. The simulations of the deposition process provide detailed information on the gas-phase composition as well as the distributions of gas velocity and temperature in the reactor. The deposition rate on the substrate surface is also predicted. The results illustrate that deposition temperature and the flow rate of carrier gas play an important role in determining the processing conditions and deposition rate. A high concentration of HCl exists in the growth chamber and the etching of the SiC films by HCl has significant effect on the deposition rate. The modeling approach can be further used to improve reactor design and optimization of processing conditions