Claims

1. A chemical vapor deposition reactor, comprising:a lid assembly having a body;a track assembly having a body and a guide path located along the longitudinal axis of the body, wherein the body of the lid assembly and the body of the track assembly are coupled together to form a gap therebetween that is configured to receive a substrate; anda heating assembly containing a plurality of heating lamps disposed along the track assembly and operable to heat the substrate as the substrate moves along the guide path.

2. The reactor of claim 1, further comprising a track assembly support, wherein the track assembly is disposed in the track assembly support.

3. The reactor of claim 1, wherein the body of the track assembly contains a gas cavity within and extending along the longitudinal axis of the body, and a plurality of ports extending from the gas cavity to an upper surface of the guide path and configured to supply a gas cushion along the guide path.

4. The reactor of claim 3, wherein the body of the track assembly comprises quartz.

5. The reactor of claim 1, wherein the body of the lid assembly includes a plurality of ports configured to provide fluid communication to the guide path.

6. The reactor of claim 1, wherein the heating assembly is operable to maintain a temperature differential across the substrate, wherein the temperature differential is less than 10 degrees Celsius.

7. The reactor of claim 1, wherein the chemical vapor deposition reactor is an atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition reactor.

8. A chemical vapor deposition system, comprising:a entrance isolator operable to prevent contaminants from entering the system at an entrance of the system;an exit isolator operable to prevent contaminants from entering the system at an exit of the system;a intermediate isolator disposed between the entrance and exit isolators;a first deposition zone disposed adjacent the entrance isolator; anda second deposition zone disposed adjacent the exit isolator, wherein the intermediate isolator is disposed between the deposition zones and is operable to prevent mixing of gases between the first deposition zone and the second deposition zone.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein a gas is injected into the entrance isolator at a first flow rate to prevent back diffusion of gases from the first deposition zone.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein a gas is injected into the intermediate isolator at a first flow rate to prevent back mixing of gases between the first deposition zone and the second deposition zone.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein a gas is injected into the exit isolator at a first flow rate to prevent contaminants from entering the system at the exit of the system.

12. The system of claim 8, further comprising an exhaust disposed adjacent each isolator and operable to exhaust gases injected by the isolators.

13. The system of claim 8, further comprising an exhaust disposed adjacent each deposition zone and operable to exhaust gases injected into the deposition zones.

14. A chemical vapor deposition system, comprising:a housing;a track surrounded by the housing, wherein the track contains a guide path adapted to guide a substrate through the chemical vapor deposition system; anda substrate carrier for moving the substrate along the guide path, wherein the track is operable to levitate the substrate carrier along the guide path.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the track comprises a plurality of openings operable to supply a gas cushion to the guide path.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the gas cushion is applied to a bottom surface of the substrate carrier to lift the substrate carrier from a floor of the track.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the track comprises a conduit disposed along the guide path and operable to substantially center the substrate carrier along the guide path of the track.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein a gas cushion is supplied through the conduit to a bottom surface of the substrate carrier to substantially lift the substrate carrier from a floor of the track.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the track is tilted to allow the substrate to move from a first end of the guide path to a second end of the guide path.

20. The system of claim 14, further comprising a heating assembly containing a plurality of heating lamps disposed along the track and operable to heat the substrate as the substrate moves along the guide path.

21. A method for forming a multi-layered material during a chemical vapor deposition process, comprising:forming a gallium arsenide buffer layer on a gallium arsenide substrate;forming an aluminum arsenide sacrificial layer on the gallium arsenide buffer layer;forming an aluminum gallium arsenide passivation layer on the aluminum arsenide sacrificial layer; andforming a gallium arsenide active layer on the aluminum gallium arsenide passivation layer.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising forming a phosphorous gallium arsenide layer on the gallium arsenide active layer.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising removing the aluminum arsenide sacrificial layer to separate the gallium arsenide active layer from the substrate.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the aluminum arsenide sacrificial layer is exposed to an etching solution while the gallium arsenide active layer is separated from the substrate during an epitaxial lift off process.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising forming additional multi-layered materials on the substrate during a subsequent chemical vapor deposition process.

26. A method for forming multiple epitaxial layers on a substrate using a chemical vapor deposition system, comprising:introducing the substrate into a channel at an entrance of the system, while preventing contaminants from entering the system at the entrance;depositing a first epitaxial layer on the substrate, while the substrate moves along the channel of the system;depositing a second epitaxial layer on the substrate, while the substrate moves along the channel of the system;preventing mixing of gases between the first deposition step and the second deposition step; andretrieving the substrate from the channel at an exit of the system, while preventing contaminants from entering the system at the exit.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising heating the substrate prior to depositing the first epitaxial layer.

28. The method of claim 26, further comprising maintaining the temperature of the substrate as the first and second epitaxial layers are deposited on the substrate.

29. The method of claim 26, further comprising cooling the substrate after depositing the second epitaxial layer.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein the substrate substantially floats along the channel of the system.

31. The method of claim 26, further comprising heating the substrate to a temperature within a range from about 300 degree Celsius to about 800 degrees Celsius during the depositing of the epitaxial layers.

32. The method of claim 26, wherein a center temperature to an edge temperature of the substrate is within 10 degrees Celsius of each other.