An integrated laboratory-reactor MOCVD safety system.

Safety considerations in MCOVD center on the highly toxic and flammable compounds used for film growth. Although procedures for the safe handling, storage and disposal of these compounds are well established, implementation of a more general fail- safe system has received far less attention - due mainly to the research environment of most MOCVD facilities. This paper describes a comprehensive safety interlock system which provides multiple-zone status monitoring and alarm signals for critical reactor and laboratory subsystems. Computer control enables additional safety to be programmed through interactive software design that eliminates most operator-based errors and provides for safe and reliable reactor operation. Since its installation during the past year, the safety interlock system has operated successfully through several power failures and has demonstrated its effectiveness for ensuring a dependable fail-safe environment.