KR-102963755-B1 - Ampoule for semiconductor manufacturing precursor

KR102963755B1KR 102963755 B1KR102963755 B1KR 102963755B1KR-102963755-B1

Abstract

Ampoules for semiconductor manufacturing precursors and methods of use are described. The ampoules comprise a vessel having an inlet port and an outlet port. The ampoules comprise an inlet plenum located between the inlet port and the cavity, and an outlet plenum located between the outlet port and the cavity. A flow path through which a carrier gas flows in contact with the precursor is defined by a plurality of tubular walls and inlet openings of the ampoules.

Inventors

화이트, 칼
버기즈, 모히스
마쿼트, 데이비드
로메로, 조세 알렉산드로

Assignees

어플라이드 머티어리얼스, 인코포레이티드

Dates

Publication Date: 20260511
Application Date: 20211203
Priority Date: 20201208

Claims (20)

As an ampoule for semiconductor manufacturing precursors, A container defining a cavity and a longitudinal distance configured to hold the above-mentioned precursor; An inlet port having a passage extending to a portion of the depth of the lid of the container, and an outlet port having a passage extending to a portion of the depth of the lid of the container — both the inlet port and the outlet port are in fluid communication with the cavity —; An inlet plenum located between the inlet port and the cavity; An exit plenum located between the exit port and the cavity; A plurality of elongate walls comprising concentric tubes arranged to define flow channels having lengths — each of the elongate walls comprising an entry opening —; and A flow path defined by the above flow channels and the above entry openings Includes, A carrier gas flows in contact with the precursor through the above flow path, and To provide a varying conductance of the carrier gas along the longitudinal distance of the vessel, each of the entry openings extends along the length of the elongated walls such that the opening size increases from the lid-end edge of the elongated walls to the bottom wall edge, Ampoule for semiconductor manufacturing precursor.
In Article 1, The plurality of elongated walls and the entry openings define a labyrinth such that the flow path is winding, Ampoule for semiconductor manufacturing precursor.
In Article 1, The above entry openings are offset such that no single entry opening overlaps with any other entry opening. Ampoule for semiconductor manufacturing precursor.
In Article 1, The above ampoule includes a single inlet and a single outlet, Ampoule for semiconductor manufacturing precursor.
In Article 1, A distribution element located between both the inlet plenum and the outlet plenum and the cavity, Ampoule for semiconductor manufacturing precursor.
In Article 1, Each of the above entry openings is wedge-shaped, Ampoule for semiconductor manufacturing precursor.
In Article 1, The above plurality of slender walls are effective in conducting heat from an external heat source, Ampoule for semiconductor manufacturing precursor.
In Article 1, The above fluid channels are nested, The above flow channels include a plurality of meandering passages and an outlet passage, wherein, in relation to the meandering passages, the flow through a first entry opening converts the carrier gas into a first part and a second part that flow in a first direction and a second direction, respectively, through a first section and a second section of the meandering passages. Ampoule for semiconductor manufacturing precursor.
As an ampoule for dispensing a vapor mixture of a carrier gas and a low vapor pressure precursor used in semiconductor manufacturing, A container having a bottom wall, side walls defining longitudinal distances, and a cover ― said container defines a cavity configured to hold said precursor, said height (H) of said cavity extending from the lower surface of said cover to the uppermost surface of said bottom wall ―; A single inlet port having a passage extending to a portion of the depth of the cover, and a single outlet port having a passage extending to a portion of the depth of the cover — both the inlet port and the outlet port are in fluid communication with the cavity —; An inlet plenum located between the inlet port and the cavity; An exit plenum located between the exit port and the cavity; A plurality of elongated tubular, concentric walls having length arranged to define flow channels — each of the elongated tubular, concentric walls includes an entry opening, said entry openings are offset such that no single entry opening overlaps with any other entry opening —; and A meandering flow path defined by the above flow channels and the above entry openings Includes, The carrier gas flows in contact with the precursor through the above-mentioned winding flow path, and To provide a varying conductance of the carrier gas along the longitudinal distance of the vessel, each of the entry openings proceeds along the length of the plurality of elongated tubular concentric walls such that the opening size increases from the cover-end edge of the elongated tubular concentric walls to the bottom wall edge, Ampoule for dispensing a vapor mixture of a carrier gas and a low vapor pressure precursor used in semiconductor manufacturing.
In Article 9, A distribution element comprising a portion located between both the inlet plenum and the outlet plenum and the cavity, and extending over at least a certain distance of the inner diameter defined by the side walls, Ampoule for dispensing a vapor mixture of a carrier gas and a low vapor pressure precursor used in semiconductor manufacturing.
In Article 9, Each of the above entry openings is wedge-shaped, Ampoule for dispensing a vapor mixture of a carrier gas and a low vapor pressure precursor used in semiconductor manufacturing.
In Article 9, The lowermost wall includes a plurality of grooves that correspond to the plurality of elongated tubular concentric walls. Ampoule for dispensing a vapor mixture of a carrier gas and a low vapor pressure precursor used in semiconductor manufacturing.
In Article 9, The length of the above flow path is effective for saturating the carrier gas by the above precursor, Ampoule for dispensing a vapor mixture of a carrier gas and a low vapor pressure precursor used in semiconductor manufacturing.
In Article 9, The above plurality of slender tubular concentric walls are effective in conducting heat from an external heat source, Ampoule for dispensing a vapor mixture of a carrier gas and a low vapor pressure precursor used in semiconductor manufacturing.
In Article 9, The above fluid channels are nested, and The above flow channels include a plurality of meandering passages and an outlet passage, wherein, in relation to the meandering passages, the flow through a first entry opening converts the carrier gas into a first part and a second part that flow in a first direction and a second direction, respectively, through a first section and a second section of the meandering passages. Ampoule for dispensing a vapor mixture of a carrier gas and a low vapor pressure precursor used in semiconductor manufacturing.
A method for providing a flow of a precursor from an ampoule having a low vapor pressure precursor inside, A step of flowing a carrier gas through an inlet port having a passage extending to a portion of the depth of the cover of the ampoule and an inlet plenum of the ampoule; A step of directing the flow of the carrier gas within the ampoule to contact the precursor through a flow path ― said flow path is defined by a plurality of elongated concentric walls having a length and defining a longitudinal distance and entry openings of each of said elongated concentric walls, and said flow path through which the carrier gas flows while contacting the precursor ―; and A step of flowing the carrier gas and precursor out of the ampoule through an outlet port having a passage extending to a portion of the depth of the outlet plenum and the cover of the ampoule. Includes, To provide a varying conductance of the carrier gas along the longitudinal distance of the plurality of elongated concentric walls, each of the entry openings proceeds along the length of the plurality of elongated concentric walls such that the opening size increases from the cover-end edge of the elongated concentric walls to the bottom wall edge, A method for providing flow of a precursor.
In Article 16, The length of the above flow path is effective for saturating the carrier gas by the above precursor, A method for providing flow of a precursor.
In Article 16, It further includes the step of independently heating the lid and the bottom wall of the above ampoule, and The above plurality of slender concentric walls are effective in conducting heat from an external heat source, A method for providing flow of a precursor.
In Article 16, The above flow path includes nested passages, wherein the flow through the first entry opening converts the carrier gas into a first part and a second part that flow in a first direction and a second direction, respectively, through the first section and the second section of the passage. A method for providing flow of a precursor.
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Description

Ampoule for semiconductor manufacturing precursor [0001] The present disclosure generally relates to ampoules for semiconductor manufacturing precursors and methods for using semiconductor manufacturing precursors. In particular, the present disclosure relates to ampoules and methods for providing a tortuous flow path for low vapor pressure precursors. [0002] The semiconductor industry is using increasingly diverse chemistry for chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and atomic layer deposition (ALD) processes, which are introduced in liquid or solid form. The precursor is typically inside a closed vessel or ampoule having a single inlet and a single outlet. [0003] Precursors with low vapor pressure often use a carrier gas to transport vapor from an ampoule to a process reactor. For these types of processes, typically two types of ampoules are used: a bubbler, where the incoming carrier gas enters a tube submerged in the precursor; and a cross-flow ampoule, where the carrier gas sweeps the headspace of the ampoule. Often, only a very short flow path exists for the carrier gas. The short flow path from the inlet to the outlet of the vessel does not allow for an adequate residence time within the vessel for the carrier gas to be fully saturated with the vaporized or sublimated precursor. Some conventional ampoule designs do not distribute the carrier gas evenly over the entire surface of the precursor. Some conventional ampoule designs fail to provide adequate heating of the precursor throughout the vessel. Many other solid source ampoules do not provide means to prevent precursor dust from moving downstream, where precursor dust interferes with control valve performance or causes on-wafer particle problems. [0004] In the industry, there is a need for ampoules, particularly cross-flow ampoules, that have a suitable flow path to saturate or nearly saturate a carrier gas with a precursor and provide a consistent delivery of the precursor, as well as methods for manufacturing and using them. [0005] One or more embodiments relate to an ampoule for semiconductor manufacturing precursors. The ampoule comprises a container that defines a cavity configured to hold a precursor. Both an inlet port and an outlet port are in fluid communication with the cavity. The ampoule comprises: an inlet plenum located between the inlet port and the cavity, and an outlet plenum located between the outlet port and the cavity. A plurality of elongate walls contain the precursor, and the walls are arranged to define flow channels. Each of the elongate walls includes an entry opening. A flow path through which a carrier gas flows in contact with the precursor is defined by the flow channels and the entry openings. [0006] Further embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an ampoule for dispensing a vapor mixture of a carrier gas and a low vapor pressure precursor used in semiconductor manufacturing. The ampoule comprises a vessel having a bottom wall, side walls, and a lid, the vessel defines a cavity configured to hold the precursor, such that the height (H) of the cavity extends from the lower surface of the lid to the upper surface of the bottom wall. Both a single inlet port and a single outlet port are in fluid communication with the cavity. The ampoule comprises: an inlet plenum located between the inlet port and the cavity, and an outlet plenum located between the outlet port and the cavity. A plurality of elongated tubular walls containing the precursor are provided, arranged to define flow channels, each of the elongated walls having an inlet opening, the inlet openings being offset such that one inlet opening does not overlap with another inlet opening. A meandering flow path defined by flow channels and entry openings is provided, in which a carrier gas flows in contact with a precursor. [0007] Further embodiments of the present disclosure relate to methods for providing a flow of a precursor. The method comprises: a step of flowing a carrier gas through an inlet port and an inlet plenum of an ampoule having a low vapor pressure precursor inside. The flow of the carrier gas in contact with the precursor within the ampoule is directed through a flow path defined by a plurality of elongated walls and inlet openings of each of the elongated walls, through which the carrier gas flows in contact with the precursor. The carrier gas and the precursor flow out of the ampoule through an outlet plenum and an outlet port. [0008] In a way that the features of the present invention listed above can be understood in detail, a more specific description of the present invention, which has been briefly summarized above, may be made with reference to embodiments, some of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. However, it should be noted that the accompanying drawings are merely illustrative of typical embodiments of the present invention and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention, as the present inven