Reactant vaporizer and related systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10876205-B2
Application number	US-201615283120-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2016
Priority date	Sep 30, 2016
Publication date	Dec 29, 2020
Grant date	Dec 29, 2020

Abstract

Herein disclosed are systems and methods related to solid source chemical vaporizer vessels and multiple chamber deposition modules. In some embodiments, a solid source chemical vaporizer includes a housing base and a housing lid. Some embodiments also include a first and second tray configured to be housed within the housing base, wherein each tray defines a first serpentine path adapted to hold solid source chemical and allow gas flow thereover. In some embodiments, a multiple chamber deposition module includes first and second vapor phase reaction chambers and a solid source chemical vaporizer vessel to supply each of the first and second vapor phase reaction chambers.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A solid source chemical vaporizer, comprising:
a housing base;
a first tray configured to be housed within the housing base, the first tray defining a first serpentine path adapted to hold solid source chemical and allow gas flow thereover, the first serpentine path comprising a plurality of antiparallel segments within a first plane;
a second tray configured to be housed within the housing base vertically adjacent the first tray, the second tray defining a second serpentine path adapted to hold solid source chemical and allow gas flow thereover, the second serpentine path comprising a plurality of antiparallel segments within a second plane, wherein the first serpentine path and the second serpentine path are configured to be switchably arranged between series and parallel arrangements; and
a housing lid comprising:
a first inlet valve mounted on the lid and in fluid communication with the first serpentine path;
a first outlet valve mounted on the lid and in fluid communication with the first serpentine path;
a second inlet valve mounted on the lid and in fluid communication with the second serpentine path; and
a second outlet valve mounted on the lid and in fluid communication with the second serpentine path.

2. The solid source chemical vaporizer of claim 1 , wherein the first serpentine path and the second serpentine path are fluidly connected in series.

3. The solid source chemical vaporizer of claim 1 , wherein the first serpentine path and the second serpentine path are fluidly connected in parallel.

4. The solid source chemical vaporizer of claim 1 , wherein the first serpentine path and the second serpentine path are not in fluid communication with each other within the solid source chemical vaporizer.

5. The solid source chemical vaporizer of claim 1 , wherein the first and second serpentine paths each comprise a recess formed in a solid metal block.

6. The solid source chemical vaporizer of claim 5 , wherein the recess of the first serpentine path defines a height:width aspect ratio in a range of about 1.5-5.

7. The solid source chemical vaporizer of claim 1 , wherein the housing lid further comprises a vent valve mounted on the lid and in fluid communication with each of the first and second serpentine paths.

8. The solid source chemical vaporizer of claim 1 , wherein the first serpentine path has a length in a range of about 2000 mm 8000 mm.

9. The solid source chemical vaporizer of claim 1 , wherein a combined height of the first tray and the second tray is between about 50 mm-100 mm.

10. A solid source chemical vaporizer, comprising:
a housing base;
a first tray configured to be housed within the housing base, the first tray defining a first path adapted to hold solid source chemical and allow gas flow thereover;
a second tray configured to be housed within the housing base vertically adjacent the first tray, the second tray defining a second path adapted to hold solid source chemical and allow gas flow thereover, wherein the first path and the second path are configured to be switchably arranged between series and parallel arrangements;
a housing lid;
a first inlet valve mounted on the housing lid and in fluid communication with the first path;
a first outlet valve mounted on the housing lid and in fluid communication with the first path;
a second inlet valve mounted on the housing lid and in fluid communication with the second path; and
a second outlet valve mounted on the housing lid and in fluid communication with the second path.

11. The solid source chemical vaporizer of claim 10 , wherein the housing lid further comprises a vent valve mounted on the lid and in fluid communication with each of the first and second paths.

12. The solid source chemical vaporizer of claim 10 , wherein the solid source chemical vaporizer defines a length:width aspect ratio in a range of about 1-3.5.

13. The solid source chemical vaporizer of claim 10 , wherein the solid source chemical vaporizer defines a ratio of a volume (in mm 3 ) enclosed by the solid source chemical vaporizer to a total path length (in mm) of the first and second paths in a range of about 400-1200.

14. A multiple chamber deposition module, the multiple chamber deposition module comprising:
a first vapor phase reaction chamber for depositing a first material on a first substrate;
a second vapor phase reaction chamber for depositing a second material on a second substrate; and
a solid source chemical vaporizer connected to supply each of the first and second vapor phase reaction chambers with the respective first and second materials disposed within respective first and second paths, wherein the first path and the second path are configured to be switchably arranged between series and parallel arrangements, the solid source chemical vaporizer comprising:
a housing base;
a housing lid;
a first inlet valve mounted on the housing lid and in fluid communication with the first vapor phase reaction chamber;
a first outlet valve mounted on the housing lid and in fluid communication with the first vapor phase reaction chamber;
a second inlet valve mounted on the housing lid and in fluid communication with the second vapor phase reaction chamber; and
a second outlet valve mounted on the housing lid and in fluid communication with the second vapor phase reaction chamber.

15. The multiple chamber deposition module of claim 14 , wherein the solid source chemical vaporizer comprises:
a first tray defining a first serpentine path, the first serpentine path adapted to hold solid source chemical and allow gas flow thereover; and
a second tray defining a second serpentine path, the second serpentine path adapted to hold solid source chemical and allow gas flow thereover,
wherein the first and second trays are in a stacked configuration.

16. The multiple chamber deposition module of claim 15 , wherein the solid source chemical vaporizer further comprises:
a vent valve mounted and in fluid communication with each of the first and second serpentine paths.

17. The multiple chamber deposition module of claim 16 , wherein the multiple chamber deposition module further comprises:
a connection point, wherein the first outlet valve and the second outlet valve are in fluid communication at the connection point;
a separation point configurable such that a carrier gas that passes through the separation point can selectively pass into the first vapor phase reaction chamber and/or the second vapor phase reaction chamber; and
a first gas panel valve fluidly interposed between the connection point and the separation point.

18. The multiple chamber deposition module of claim 17 , further comprising a first filter on the housing lid or in a wall of the housing base, the first filter adapted to prevent solid particulate matter from flowing therethrough.

19. The multiple chamber deposition module of claim 17 , further comprising a heater plate vertically adjacent the solid source chemical vaporizer.

Assignees

• Asm Ip Holding Bv

Inventors

• Verghese Mohith
• Shero Eric James
• White Carl Louis
• Fondurulia Kyle

Classifications

• C23C16/4481 Primary

  by evaporation using carrier gas in contact with the source material (C23C16/4486 takes precedence) · CPC title