Systems and methods for controlling precursor delivery

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12334364-B2
Application number	US-202318123447-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 20, 2023
Priority date	Mar 21, 2022
Publication date	Jun 17, 2025
Grant date	Jun 17, 2025

Abstract

Systems and methods for controlling precursor delivery. The systems and methods may comprise a precursor delivery vessel in fluid communication with a gas flow line. The precursor delivery vessel may comprise at least one tray containing a vaporizable precursor. An amount of thermal energy may be supplied to the at least one tray in an amount sufficient to vaporize the vaporizable precursor. The vaporized precursor may be dispensed from the precursor delivery vessel to the gas flow line. The amount of thermal energy supplied to the at least one tray may be adjusted sufficient to maintain a pressure of the vaporized precursor, in the gas flow line, within a pressure range.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
obtaining a precursor delivery vessel containing a vaporizable precursor on at least one tray,
wherein the at least one tray comprises a material having a thermal conductivity of greater than 15 W m −1 K −1 ;

supplying an amount of thermal energy to the at least one tray sufficient to vaporize the vaporizable precursor;
dispensing the vaporized precursor from the precursor delivery vessel to a gas flow line; and
adjusting the amount of thermal energy supplied to the at least one tray sufficient to maintain a pressure of the vaporized precursor, in the gas flow line, within a pressure range.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the vaporizable precursor comprises at least one of a metal oxyhalide, a metal halide, or any combination thereof.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the vaporizable precursor comprises at least one of MoO 2 Cl 2 , MoOCl 4 , WO 2 Cl 2 , WOCl 4 , or any combination thereof.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one tray comprises at least one of a ceramic material, a polymeric material, a metallic material, or any combination thereof.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one tray comprises a material having a thermal conductivity of 25 W m −1 K −1 to 470 W m −1 K −1 .

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pressure range comprises a pressure in a range of 100 Torr to 750 Torr.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pressure range comprises a pressure tolerance in a range of ±1 Torr to ±5 Torr.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the vaporized precursor is generated at a temperature in a range of 100° C. to 250° C.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein a flow rate of the vaporized precursor in the gas flow line is in a range of 50 sccm to 600 sccm.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the vaporized precursor, when having a pressure within the pressure range, exhibits a non-linear response to changes in temperature.

Assignees

• Entegris Inc

Inventors

• Watson Michael
• Calhoun Christopher
• Ocampo Cristian
• Battle Scott L
• Cardozo Benjamin
• Garrett Benjamin R

Classifications

• H10P72/0402 Primary

  Apparatus for fluid treatment (H10P72/0441, H10P72/0448 take precedence) · CPC title

• C23C16/448

  characterised by the method used for generating reactive gas streams, e.g. by evaporation or sublimation of precursor materials · CPC title

• C23C16/45561

  Gas plumbing upstream of the reaction chamber · CPC title

• C23C16/08

  from metal halides · CPC title

• C23C16/52

  Controlling or regulating the coating process {(C23C16/45557, C23C16/279 take precedence)} · CPC title