Device for generating vapor from solid or liquid starting material for CVD or PVD apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9942946-B2
Application number	US-201514788626-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 30, 2015
Priority date	Jul 1, 2014
Publication date	Apr 10, 2018
Grant date	Apr 10, 2018

Abstract

In a device for generating a vapor for a CVD or PVD apparatus, at least two thermal transfer bodies are arranged successively in the direction of flow of a carrier gas. The device also includes an inlet pipe for feeding an aerosol to one of the thermal transfer bodies for vaporization of the aerosol by bringing the aerosol particles into contact with thermal transfer surfaces of the thermal transfer body. At least one of the thermal transfer bodies has an opening for an inlet pipe that has a first flow channel for feeding the aerosol in and a second flow channel for feeding a carrier gas in. Gas passage openings are provided through which the carrier gas flows out of the second flow channel into the first flow channel. The second flow channel is sealed in the area of the mouth of the inlet pipe.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device for generating a vapor for a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or physical vapor deposition (PVD) apparatus, the device comprising:
at least two thermal transfer bodies ( 1 , 2 , 3 ) arranged successively in a housing ( 12 ) in a direction of flow of a carrier gas and having thermal transfer surfaces, the thermal transfer bodies ( 1 , 2 , 3 ) including an upstream thermal transfer body ( 1 , 2 ) and a downstream thermal transfer body ( 2 , 3 ), such that the carrier gas that flows out of the upstream thermal transfer body ( 1 , 2 ) flows into the downstream thermal transfer body ( 2 , 3 ); and
an inlet pipe ( 4 , 5 ) for feeding an aerosol to one of the thermal transfer bodies ( 2 , 3 ) for vaporization of the aerosol by bringing particles of the aerosol into contact with the thermal transfer surfaces, wherein at least one of the thermal transfer bodies ( 1 , 2 , 3 ) has an opening ( 6 , 7 , 8 ) in which the inlet pipe ( 4 , 5 ) is located,
wherein the thermal transfer bodies ( 1 , 2 , 3 ) are heated to different thermal transfer temperatures, a thermal transfer body ( 1 ) located first in the direction of flow being a preheating body for the carrier gas, which is fed through a carrier gas feed line ( 11 ) located upstream from the upstream thermal transfer body ( 1 , 2 ) into the housing ( 12 ), in which housing ( 12 ) the thermal transfer bodies ( 1 , 2 , 3 ) are arranged successively in the direction of flow such that the carrier gas flows through all of the thermal transfer bodies ( 1 , 2 , 3 ), and either the inlet pipe ( 4 , 5 ) is guided through the opening ( 6 , 7 , 8 ) of at least one of the thermal transfer bodies ( 1 , 2 , 3 ) and leads into a spacing gap ( 9 , 10 ) between the upstream and the downstream thermal transfer bodies ( 1 , 2 ; 2 , 3 ) or a mouth ( 4 ′, 5 ′) of the inlet pipe ( 4 , 5 ) is arranged in at least one of the thermal transfer bodies ( 2 , 3 ).

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the opening ( 6 , 7 ) is associated with the upstream thermal transfer body ( 1 , 2 ) and the mouth ( 4 ′, 5 ′) of the inlet pipe ( 4 , 5 ) is arranged in the direction of flow before the downstream thermal transfer body ( 2 , 3 ) or in the downstream thermal transfer body ( 2 , 3 ).

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the thermal transfer bodies ( 1 , 2 , 3 ) are made of an open-pored solid foam having a porosity of 100 to 500 pores per inch, a proportion of all open areas on a surface of the solid foam being greater than 90%.

4. The device of claim 3 , wherein the thermal transfer bodies ( 1 , 2 , 3 ) are electrically conductive and have electrical contacts ( 20 , 21 ) for conducting an electrical current for heating each of the thermal transfer bodies ( 1 , 2 , 3 ) to their respective thermal transfer temperatures.

5. The device of claim 4 , wherein the thermal transfer bodies ( 1 , 2 , 3 ) are heated such that the thermal transfer temperature of the downstream thermal transfer body ( 2 , 3 ) is greater than the thermal transfer temperature of the upstream thermal transfer body ( 1 , 2 ).

6. A device for generating a vapor for a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or physical vapor deposition (PVD) apparatus, the device comprising:
at least two thermal transfer bodies ( 1 , 2 , 3 ) having thermal transfer surfaces, each of the thermal transfer bodies ( 1 , 2 , 3 ) heated to a thermal transfer temperature, the thermal transfer bodies ( 1 , 2 , 3 ) including an upstream thermal transfer body ( 1 , 2 ) and a downstream thermal transfer body ( 2 , 3 ), such that carrier gas that flows out of the upstream thermal transfer body ( 1 , 2 ) flows into the downstream thermal transfer body ( 2 , 3 );
a carrier gas feed line ( 11 ) located upstream of the upstream thermal transfer body ( 1 , 2 ) for feeding the carrier gas into a housing ( 12 ) containing the thermal transfer bodies ( 1 , 2 , 3 ); and
an inlet pipe ( 4 ) for feeding an aerosol to one of the thermal transfer bodies for vaporization of the aerosol by bringing particles of the aerosol in contact with the thermal transfer surfaces, wherein the carrier gas feed line ( 11 ) and the inlet pipe ( 4 ) are distinct channels,
wherein the inlet pipe has means ( 29 , 30 ; 27 ) for allowing the aerosol flowing in a direction of (S) through the inlet pipe ( 4 ) to emerge from a mouth ( 4 ′) of the inlet pipe ( 4 ) in an expanded form.

7. The device of claim 6 , wherein the inlet pipe ( 4 ) has a first flow channel ( 23 ) for feeding the aerosol into the housing ( 12 ) and a second flow channel ( 24 ) for additionally feeding the carrier gas into the housing ( 12 ), wherein gas passage openings ( 29 , 30 ) are provided through which the carrier gas flows out of the second flow channel ( 24 ) into the first flow channel ( 23 ) and wherein the second flow channel ( 24 ) is sealed in an area of the mouth ( 4 ′) of the inlet pipe.

8. The device of claim 7 , wherein first ones of the gas passage openings ( 29 ) lead into the first flow channel ( 23 ) at such an angle to the direction of flow (S) of the aerosol that the carrier gas flowing through the first gas passage openings ( 29 ) generates turbulence in the first flow channel ( 23 ), and the second flow channel ( 24 ) encloses the first flow channel ( 23 ).

9. The device of claim 8 , wherein second ones of the gas passage openings ( 30 ) are arranged in the first flow channel ( 23 ) at such an angle to the direction of flow (S) of the aerosol that the carrier gas flowing through the second gas passage openings ( 30 ) generates a vortex in the area of the mouth ( 4 ′) about an axis aligned in the direction of flow (S).

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein a pipe ( 33 ) forming the first flow channel ( 23 ) has a rotationally symmetrical widening ( 27 ) in the area of the mouth ( 4 ′).

11. The device of claim 10 , wherein a section of the inlet pipe ( 4 , 5 ) located in an opening ( 6 , 7 , 8 ) of at least one of the thermal transfer bodies ( 1 , 2 , 3 ) is enclosed by an insulating sleeve ( 28 ).

12. The device of claim 11 , further comprising means for cooling a wall of the first flow channel ( 23 ) through which the aerosol flows.

13. The device of claim 12 , wherein the means for cooling includes the first flow channel ( 23 ) through which a coolant is conducted.

14. A device for generating a vapor for a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or physical vapor deposition (PVD) apparatus, the device comprising:
at least two thermal transfer bodies ( 1 , 2 , 3 ) that are each heated to a thermal transfer temperature, the thermal transfer bodies ( 1 , 2 , 3 ) including an upstream thermal transfer body ( 1 , 2 ) and a downstream thermal transfer body ( 2 , 3 ), such that carrier gas that flows out of the upstream thermal transfer body ( 1 , 2 ) flows into the downstream thermal transfer body ( 2 , 3 );
an inlet pipe ( 4 , 5 ) for introducing an aerosol to at least one of the thermal transfer bodies, wherein at least one of the thermal transfer bodies ( 1 , 2 , 3 ) has an opening ( 6 , 7 , 8 ) in which the inlet pipe ( 4 , 5 ) is located;
a carrier gas feed line ( 11 ) located upstream from the upstream thermal transfer body ( 1 , 2 ) for feeding in the carrier gas to a housing ( 12 ) containing the thermal transfer bodies ( 1 , 2 , 3 ); and
a return flow check valve ( 18 , 19 ) arranged downstream of the carrier gas feed line ( 11 ) and upstream of the thermal transfer bodies ( 1 , 2 , 3 ), wherein the return flow check valve ( 18 , 19 ) is formed by two adjacent plates extending over an entire flow cross section of the housing ( 12 ), the re

Assignees

• Aixtron Se

Inventors

• Long Michael
• Poqué Andreas
• Cremer Claudia
• Beccard Birgit Irmgard
• Trimborn Karl-Heinz

Classifications

• C23C14/246

  Replenishment of source material · CPC title

• C23C14/26

  by resistance or inductive heating of the source · CPC title

• C23C16/45565

  Shower nozzles · CPC title

• C23C16/4483

  using a porous body · CPC title

• C23C14/12 Primary

  Organic material · CPC title