Compact ampoule thermal management system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9279604-B2
Application number	US-201313902310-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 24, 2013
Priority date	Jun 5, 2012
Publication date	Mar 8, 2016
Grant date	Mar 8, 2016

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for thermal management of a precursor for use in substrate processing are provided herein. In some embodiments, an apparatus for thermal management of a precursor for use in substrate processing may include a body having an opening sized to receive a storage container having a liquid or solid precursor disposed therein, the body fabricated from thermally conductive material; one or more thermoelectric devices coupled to the body proximate the opening; a heat sink coupled to the one or more thermoelectric devices; and a fan disposed proximate to a back side of the heat sink to provide a flow of air to the heat sink.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus for thermal management of a precursor for use in substrate processing, comprising:
a body having an opening sized to receive a storage container having a liquid or solid precursor disposed therein, the body fabricated from thermally conductive material, wherein the body comprises two separable parts, and wherein the opening is at least partially formed in each of the two separable parts;
one or more thermoelectric devices coupled to the body proximate the opening;
a heat sink coupled to the one or more thermoelectric devices; and
a fan disposed proximate to a back side of the heat sink to provide a flow of air to the heat sink.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the body is made of aluminum, copper or brass.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a thermally insulative material disposed on one or more outer surfaces of the body.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a thermally conductive plate coupled to each part of the body on at least one of a first side of the body or a second side of the body, opposite the first side.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , further comprising:
a thermally insulative material disposed on an outer surface of the thermally conductive plate.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more thermoelectric devices comprises at least two thermoelectric devices, wherein at least one thermoelectric device is disposed on opposing sides of the body proximate the opening.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more thermoelectric devices comprise at least two thermoelectric devices stacked atop one another to provide a thermal gradient across the body.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the heat sink comprises a plurality of heat sinks, at least one each coupled to the body on opposing sides of the body and wherein the fan comprises a plurality of fans, at least one fan disposed proximate to a back side of each of the plurality of heat sinks.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a thermally insulative material disposed between the heat sink and the body such that the heat sink is substantially only thermally coupled to the one or more thermoelectric devices.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more thermoelectric devices are at least partially set into the body.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the body further comprises one or more recesses formed in the body configured to route electrical cables for operation of the one or more thermoelectric devices.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a thermocouple coupled to the body to measure a temperature of the storage container.

13. An apparatus for thermal management of a precursor for use in substrate processing, comprising:
a body having an opening sized to receive a storage container having a liquid or solid precursor disposed therein, the body fabricated from thermally conductive material, wherein the storage container comprises one or more ports configured to be coupled to conduits for providing the liquid or solid precursor to the storage container;
one or more thermoelectric devices coupled to the body proximate the opening;
a heat sink coupled to the one or more thermoelectric devices; and
a fan disposed proximate to a back side of the heat sink to provide a flow of air to the heat sink.

14. An apparatus for thermal management of a precursor for use in substrate processing, comprising:
a body fabricated from a thermally conductive material, the body comprising two separable parts and an opening sized to receive a storage container at least partially formed in each of the two separable parts, wherein the storage container is configured to contain a liquid or solid precursor;
one or more thermoelectric devices coupled to the body proximate the opening;
a heat sink coupled to the one or more thermoelectric devices;
a fan disposed proximate to a back side of the heat sink to provide a flow of air to the heat sink; and
a thermally conductive plate coupled to each of the two separable parts of the body on a first side of the body and a second side of the body, opposite the first side.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , further comprising:
a thermally insulative material disposed on one or more outer surfaces of the body.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 , further comprising:
a thermally insulative material disposed on an outer surface of the thermally conductive plate.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 , further comprising:
a thermally insulative material disposed between the heat sink and the body such that the heat sink is substantially only thermally coupled to the one or more thermoelectric devices.

18. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the heat sink comprises a plurality of heat sinks, at least one each coupled to the body on opposing sides of the body and wherein the fan comprises a plurality of fans, at least one fan disposed proximate to a back side of each of the plurality of heat sinks.

19. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the one or more thermoelectric devices comprise at least two thermoelectric devices stacked atop one another to provide a thermal gradient across the body.

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Carlson David K
• Sanchez Errol Antonio C
• Choi Kenric
• Josephson Marcel E
• Demars Dennis
• Cuvalci Emre
• Samir Mehmet Tugrul

Classifications

• C23C16/4482

  by bubbling of carrier gas through liquid source material · CPC title

• C23C16/448 Primary

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

• F25B21/02 Primary

  using Peltier effect; using Nernst-Ettinghausen effect · CPC title

• H10P95/00

  Generic processes or apparatus for manufacture or treatments not covered by the other groups of this subclass · CPC title

• H10P72/0431

  Apparatus for thermal treatment · CPC title