CVD Equipment's Series 3000 Liquid Phase Epitaxial Reactor System provides optimum control over III-V and II-VI wafer processing. The system is a reliable, repeatable automatic laboratory or production piece of equipment for growing of epitaxial layers. The system is available as a single or multi-tube system with either left or right hand loading. System features include:

• A quick response, multi-zone heating element provides a uniform flat zone (< +/-.25 degrees Celsius) and long life operation at temperatures up to 1000 degrees Celsius. By moving the heating element on and off of the process tube, we can rapidly heat-up and cool down the LPE process boat. For movement, the heating element is mounted on twin roller bearings, equipped with a non-backlash drive system, a speed controlled DC motor and interfaced with the microprocessor control system.

• A multi-zone dual loop microprocessor based temperature control system allows for direct temperature control by furnace thermocouples or cascade control by thermocouples located in the LPE process boat. Direct control by the internal thermocouples enables the user to control boat temperatures to better than +/-.1 degree Celsius during ramps or soaks.

• A linear actuator LPE boat index control system consists of a stepper motor and drive controller interfaced to the Pentium PC microprocessor control system. A preset step dimension, speed and sequence are easily programmed into the automatic control system based on the process temperature and/or time.

• A Nitrogen purged glovebox maintains the process tube and work area in a clean atmosphere during loading and unloading operations.

• A high purity quartz process tube and stainless steel End Cap Assembly incorporates dual O-Rings to assure repetitive process sealing and safe operation.

• A clean, leak tight, automatic gas flow control system incorporates mass flow controllers, Nupro air-operated valves, 316L stainless steel lines and Cajon VCR fittings. Prior to final assembly, the tubing is cleaned and passivated to eliminate any possible contaminants. Upon completion, the system is Helium leak checked to a level of 1x10E-9 Atm. cc/sec.

• A quartz process tube, dry pump vacuum system and Hydrogen purifier assure contaminant free material processsing.

• A "user friendly", PC based, automatic, microprocessor control system generates the rampable, programmable temperatures and gas flow profiles. It also sequences valves, furnace movement, vacuum pumps and monitors on a real-time basis all temperatures, pressures, gas flows and safeties. Logging of run data to disk and hard copy printout are provided for.