AUTOMATION IN CVD WAFER PROCESSING.

Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) processing has resisted the trend to automated wafer handling; emphasis has been placed instead on larger batch size equipment. A step toward automated wafer handling in production CVD horizontal flow reactors is provided by a new automatic susceptor inserter which automatically places a high capacity susceptor into the reaction chamber with no contact to the chamber walls. Abrasion and particle generation are eliminated, significantly increasing the processed wafer yield. Other system features which maximize operation are described.