Apparatus for dispensing a vapor phase reactant to a reaction chamber and related methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019093221-A1
Application number	US-201816130798-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 13, 2018
Priority date	Sep 22, 2017
Publication date	Mar 28, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

An apparatus for dispensing a vapor phase reactant to a reaction chamber is disclosed. The apparatus may include: a first chamber configured for holding a source chemical with a first fill level; and a second chamber configured for holding the source chemical with a second fill level and in fluid communication with the first chamber via a fluid channel below the first and second fill levels. The apparatus may also include: a second chamber inlet opening in fluid communication with a pressurizing gas feed provided with a flow controller configured for controlling a flow of a pressurizing gas in the second chamber to control the first fill level in the first chamber. Methods for dispensing a vapor phase reactant are also provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An apparatus for dispensing a vapor phase reactant to a reaction chamber, the apparatus comprising:
a first chamber configured for holding a source chemical with a first fill level; a second chamber configured for holding the source chemical with a second fill level and in fluid communication with the first chamber via a fluid channel below the first and second fill levels; a first chamber inlet opening in fluid communication with a carrier gas feed line configured for flowing a carrier gas into the first chamber to cause a vapor of the source chemical to become entrained in the carrier gas to produce the vapor phase reactant; a first chamber outlet opening in fluid communication with a gas outlet line and configured for dispensing the vapor phase reactant from the first chamber; and a second chamber inlet opening in fluid communication with a pressurizing gas feed line provided with a flow controller configured for controlling a flow of a pressurizing gas in the second chamber to control the first fill level in the first chamber.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the carrier gas feed line is configured for flowing a carrier into the first chamber above the first fill level.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a second chamber outlet opening in fluid communication with a gas outlet line configured to release at least a portion of the pressuring gas from the second chamber.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a control unit operably connected to the flow controller of the pressurizing gas feed line to control the flow of the pressurizing gas.

5 . The apparatus of claim 4 , further comprising a liquid level sensor operably connected with the control unit for measuring the first fill level in the first chamber and the control unit is programmed to control the flow of the pressurizing gas into the second chamber via the flow controller on the basis of the measured first fill level to regulate the first fill level to a substantially constant level.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an additional liquid level sensor disposed within the second chamber and contacting the source chemical.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an additional second chamber inlet opening in fluid communication with a vapor feed line configured for flowing additional source chemical into the second chamber.

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first chamber comprises an inner cylinder and the second chamber comprises an outer partially hollow cylinder disposed concentric with and surrounding the inner cylinder.

9 . The apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising a heating apparatus disposed between the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder.

10 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a heating apparatus disposed around the first chamber.

11 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a heating apparatus disposed around the second chamber.

12 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a total volume of source chemical held within the first chamber and the second chamber is greater than 4 liters.

13 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the temperature gradient across a total volume of the source chemical is less than 1° C.

14 . A method for dispensing a vapor phase reactant to a reaction chamber, the method comprising:
providing a first chamber for holding a source chemical with a first fill level; providing a second chamber configured for holding the source chemical with a second fill level in fluid communication with the first chamber via a fluid channel below the first and second fill level; flowing a carrier gas into the first chamber through a first chamber inlet opening, wherein flowing the carrier gas into the first chamber causes a vapor of the source chemical to become entrained in the carrier gas to produce the vapor phase reactant; dispensing the vapor phase reactant from the first chamber via a first chamber outlet opening in fluid communication with an outlet gas line; and controlling the flow of a pressurizing gas into the second chamber via a second chamber inlet opening to regulate the first fill level to a substantially constant level.

15 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising releasing at least a portion of the pressurizing gas from the second chamber via a second chamber outlet opening.

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein controlling the flow of a pressurizing gas into the second chamber further comprises controlling the pressure over the source chemical in the second chamber utilizing a pressure control unit.

17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein regulating the first fill level at a substantially constant level further comprises monitoring the first fill level in the first chamber utilizing a liquid level sensor.

18 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising monitoring the second fill level in the second chamber utilizing an additional liquid level sensor.

19 . The method of claim 14 , wherein maintaining the first fill level at a substantially constant level further comprises supplying additional source chemical to either the first chamber or the second chamber.

20 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the first chamber comprises an inner cylinder and the second chamber comprises an outer partially hollow cylinder disposed concentric with and surrounding the inner cylinder, wherein a channel is disposed between the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder.

21 . The method of claim 20 , further comprising providing a heating apparatus within the channel disposed between the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder.

22 . The method of claim 20 , further comprising providing a heating apparatus around the outer surface of the outer cylinder.

23 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising heating the source chemical to a temperature of greater than approximately 80° C. with a temperature gradient of less than 1° C.

24 . A method for dispensing a vapor phase reactant to a reaction chamber, the method comprising:
providing a first chamber and second chamber, wherein the first chamber and the second chamber are in fluid communication with one another; filling the first chamber with a source chemical up to a first fill level; filling the second chamber with the source chemical up to a second fill level; consuming a portion of the source chemical held within the first chamber; and increasing the pressure over the second fill level of the source chemical held within the second chamber to substantially preserve the first fill level in the first chamber.

Assignees

• Asm Ip Holding Bv

Inventors

• Jdira Lucian
• Terhorst Herbert
• Tsuji Naoto
• Susa Yoshio

Classifications

• H10P72/0402 Primary

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

• H10P72/04 Primary

  Apparatus for manufacture or treatment · CPC title

• C23C16/4481 Primary

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

• C23C16/45561

  Gas plumbing upstream of the reaction chamber · CPC title

• C23C16/45557

  Pulsed pressure or control pressure · CPC title