Patent ID: 6869481
Filing Date: 2005-03-22
Classification: C23C,C30B

Abstract:
1. A method for regulating a pressure in an epitaxy reactor comprising a wafer handling chamber, a process chamber, a gate valve connecting the two chambers and a control circuit the method comprising the steps of: a) continuously purging the wafer handling chamber with an inert gas; b) measuring a pressure difference between the wafer handling chamber and the process chamber; c) regulating said pressure in the wafer handling chamber based upon a measurement of the pressure difference between the wafer handling chamber and the process chamber using the control circuit; d) reducing said pressure in the wafer handling chamber if the pressure difference between the wafer handling chamber and the process chamber is above a predetermined value; e) increasing said pressure in the wafer handling chamber if said pressure difference between the wafer handling chamber and the process chamber is below said predetermined value, wherein said predetermined pressure difference is between 5 and 500 Pa.