Apparatus and method for self-regulating fluid chemical delivery

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016004259-A1
Application number	US-201414476215-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 3, 2014
Priority date	Jul 3, 2014
Publication date	Jan 7, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for chemical delivery are provided herein. In some embodiments, a first reservoir holds a first volume of fluid, receives a carrier gas, and outputs the carrier gas together with vapor derived from the first volume of fluid. A second reservoir holds a second volume of fluid and is capable of delivering a part of the second volume of fluid to the first reservoir. A self-regulating tube extends from the first reservoir to a region above the second volume of fluid in the second reservoir.

First claim

1 . A chemical delivery apparatus, comprising:
a body having a first reservoir that defines a first volume, the first reservoir including a carrier gas inlet and a carrier gas outlet; a second reservoir disposed in the body above the first reservoir and defining a second volume, the second reservoir having a fill tube fluidly coupling the second reservoir to the first reservoir; and a self-regulating tube extending from the second reservoir to the first reservoir.

2 . The chemical delivery apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a fluid level sensor that detects a level of a fluid contained in at least one of the first volume or the second volume.

3 . The chemical delivery apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a bulk refill inlet tube connected to the second volume, and a fluid input valve that controls opening of the bulk refill inlet tube based on a detected level of a fluid contained in at least one of the first volume or the second volume.

4 . The chemical delivery apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a temperature sensor that detects a temperature of a fluid contained in at least one of the first volume or the second volume.

5 . The chemical delivery apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second reservoir is a closed volume reservoir.

6 . The chemical delivery apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first reservoir and the second reservoir are separable from each other.

7 . The chemical delivery apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an anti-static friction (anti-stiction) coating is disposed on at least one of an inner wall or a bottom of at least one of the first reservoir or the second reservoir.

8 . The chemical delivery apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a first heater disposed along sidewalls of the first reservoir, and a second heater disposed along sidewalls of the second reservoir.

9 . The chemical delivery apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the first heater is further disposed along a bottom of the first reservoir.

10 . The chemical delivery apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising a third heater and disposed along a bottom of the first reservoir.

11 . The chemical delivery apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising a further heater separate from the first and second heaters and disposed between a bottom of the second reservoir and a top of the first reservoir.

12 . The chemical delivery apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the carrier gas inlet is disposed proximate to a top of the first volume or proximate to a bottom of the first volume.

13 . The chemical delivery apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first reservoir includes baffles that control a path of cross-flow of the carrier gas.

14 . The chemical delivery apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the carrier gas inlet includes a nozzle that controls a path of cross-flow of the carrier gas.

15 . The chemical delivery apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a thermal barrier disposed between the first reservoir and the second reservoir.

16 . A chemical delivery apparatus, comprising:
a body having a first reservoir that defines a first volume, the first reservoir including a carrier gas inlet and a carrier gas outlet; a second reservoir disposed in the body above the first reservoir and defining a second volume, the second reservoir having a fill tube fluidly coupling the second reservoir to the first reservoir; and a first heater disposed at least along sidewalls of the first reservoir that heats a fluid contained in the first volume based on a first detected temperature of a first fluid contained in the first volume, and a second heater disposed along sidewalls of the second reservoir that heats a fluid contained in the second volume based on a second detected temperature of a second fluid contained in the second volume.

17 . The chemical delivery apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the first heater is further disposed along a bottom of the first reservoir.

18 . The chemical delivery apparatus of claim 16 , further comprising a third heater disposed along the bottom of the first reservoir.

19 . The chemical delivery apparatus of claim 16 , further comprising a third heater disposed between a bottom of the second reservoir and a top of the first reservoir.

20 . A chemical delivery apparatus, comprising:
a body having a first reservoir that defines a first volume, the first reservoir including a carrier gas inlet and a carrier gas outlet; and a second reservoir disposed in the body above the first reservoir and defining a second volume, the second reservoir having a fill tube fluidly coupling the second reservoir to the first reservoir; wherein at least one of (a) the first reservoir includes baffles that control a path of cross-flow of the carrier gas or (b) the carrier gas inlet includes a nozzle that controls a path of cross-flow of the carrier gas.

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Salinas Martin Jeff
• Dong Youqun
• Thompson David
• Chang Mei

Classifications

• F17C2270/0518

  Semiconductors · CPC title

• B01J4/02

  for feeding measured {, i.e. prescribed} quantities of reagents · CPC title

• F17C2205/0323

  Valves · CPC title

• G05D9/02 Primary

  without auxiliary power · CPC title

• C23C16/4481

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