Modular tray ampoule

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11104993-B2
Application number	US-201816044861-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 25, 2018
Priority date	Jul 28, 2017
Publication date	Aug 31, 2021
Grant date	Aug 31, 2021

Abstract

The invention is directed to a configurable vaporizer or ampoule assembly that uses a configurable vessel body, assembled from one or more support tray modules with their own individual heating assemblies or heater members, bounded by a base member and a lid member to form the whole ampoule. This eliminates the need for the prior art ampoule body that normally holds the support trays and was used to heat each of the support trays from the exterior surface using heating jackets or the like.

First claim

We claim:

1. A tray module assembly for use in a vapor delivery vessel assembly for vaporizing and delivering vaporized source material, the tray module assembly comprising:
a support tray bounded by an upwardly extending tray sidewall, the tray sidewall having an interior sidewall surface and an exterior sidewall surface,
a heating assembly disposed in between the interior sidewall surface and the exterior sidewall surface of the support tray sidewall, the heating assembly including a connecting member protruding from the exterior sidewall surface of the support tray, and
a portion of a module locking mechanism disposed in between the interior sidewall surface and the exterior sidewall surface of the support tray sidewall.

2. The tray module assembly of claim 1 , wherein the heating assembly includes a heater member intermittently disposed about the entire periphery of the tray module.

3. The tray module assembly of claim 1 , wherein the heating assembly includes a heater member continuously disposed about the entire periphery of the tray module.

4. The tray module assembly of claim 1 , wherein the heating assembly is comprised of a resistive heating element and system.

5. The tray module assembly of claim 1 , wherein the heating assembly includes a conduit for circulating heated water or steam through the connecting member.

6. The tray module assembly of claim 1 , wherein the support tray sidewall includes a groove or channel on an upper end of the support tray sidewall adapted to receive an O-ring member therein, the O-ring and channel combination adapted to mate and form an airtight seal with a concentrically disposed adjacent support tray.

7. The tray module assembly of claim 1 , wherein a bottom surface of the support tray includes a downwardly extending ring member adapted to facilitating mating of the support tray module that is placed on an open end of a second support tray.

8. The tray module assembly of claim 1 , wherein the sidewall of the support tray further comprises an alignment and tray module locking mechanism disposed about the periphery of the heating assembly and inset from the exterior sidewall surface.

9. The tray module assembly of claim 1 , wherein the sidewall of the support tray is configured to extend below the support tray to receive a base member and the sidewall of the support tray is configured to extend above the support tray to receive a lid member in an airtight mating configuration that forms a vapor delivery vessel assembly.

10. A vapor delivery vessel assembly for vaporizing and delivering vaporized source material, the vessel delivery assembly comprising:
a modular vessel body having an interior volume defined by a base member, a lid member and a plurality of tray modules interposed therebetween in a stacked configuration, the base member and the lid member adapted to secure the plurality of tray modules in the stacked configuration;
a gas inlet and a gas outlet arranged in fluid communication with the interior volume of the modular vessel body, the gas inlet being adapted to supply a first gas to the interior volume of the vessel; and
a module locking mechanism for holding the plurality of tray modules, the lid member, and the base member together,
wherein each tray module has a sidewall with an interior sidewall surface and an exterior sidewall surface, the stacked plurality of tray modules defining an interior diameter of the modular vessel body and defining an exterior vessel body surface bounded by the base member and the lid member; and
wherein at least one of the tray modules includes a heating assembly and a portion of the module locking mechanism disposed between the interior sidewall surface and the exterior sidewall surface of the tray module, the heat assembly including a connecting member extending external to the exterior of the vessel body surface.

11. The vapor delivery vessel of claim 10 , wherein the base member includes a base sidewall located at a periphery of the base member and defining a concave portion inset therefrom, the base sidewall adapted to support at least one tray module thereon in a concentric configuration.

12. The vapor delivery vessel of claim 11 , wherein the base sidewall includes a groove or channel on an upper end of the base sidewall adapted to receive an O-ring member therein, the O-ring and channel combination adapted to mate and form an air tight seal with the adjacent at least one tray module.

13. The vapor delivery vessel of claim 10 , wherein the lid member includes a lid sidewall extending downwards and located at a periphery of the lid member and defining a concave portion inset from the lid sidewall, the lid member adapted to be supported by at least one tray module at the lid sidewall in a concentric configuration.

14. The vapor delivery vessel of claim 10 , wherein the tray module includes a tray module sidewall located at a periphery of the tray module and defining a support surface thereon inset from the tray module sidewall, the tray module sidewall adapted to support at second tray module thereon in a concentric configuration.

15. The vapor delivery vessel of claim 14 , wherein the at least one tray module sidewall includes a groove or channel on an upper end of the tray module sidewall adapted to receive an O-ring member therein, the O-ring and channel combination adapted to mate and form an air tight seal with the adjacent at least one tray module.

16. The vapor delivery vessel of claim 10 , wherein the heating assembly includes a heater member disposed substantially about the entire periphery of the tray module.

17. The vapor delivery vessel of claim 16 , wherein the heater member is comprised of a resistive heating element and system.

18. The vapor delivery vessel of claim 10 , wherein the heating assembly includes a conduit for circulating heated water or steam through the connecting member.

19. The vapor delivery vessel of claim 10 , wherein the tray module sidewall includes a conduit formed in between the interior sidewall surface and the exterior sidewall surface of the support tray sidewall.

20. A vapor delivery vessel assembly for vaporizing and delivering vaporized source material, the vessel delivery assembly comprising:
a modular vessel body having an interior volume defined by a base member, a lid member and a plurality of tray modules interposed therebetween in a stacked configuration, the base member and the lid member adapted to secure the plurality of tray modules in the stacked configuration; and
a gas inlet and a gas outlet arranged in fluid communication with the interior volume of the modular vessel body, the gas inlet being adapted to supply a first gas to the interior volume of the vessel;
wherein each tray module has a sidewall with an interior sidewall surface and an exterior sidewall surface, the stacked plurality of tray modules defining an interior diameter of the modular vessel body and defining an exterior vessel body surface bounded by the base member and the lid member and
wherein the vapor delivery vessel does not include a separate outer ampoule body configured to support the tray modules or a heating device surrounding the exterior of the vapor delivery vessel.

Assignees

• Entegris Inc

Inventors

• Hodges Jordan
• Thomas Jacob

Classifications

• C23C16/18

  from metallo-organic compounds · CPC title

• C23C16/4483 Primary

  using a porous body · CPC title

• C23C16/08

  from metal halides · CPC title

• C23C16/45544

  characterized by the apparatus · CPC title