Vaporizer and liquid material vaporizer

Abstract

To improve the vaporization performance of liquid materials to achieve vaporization of liquid materials at high flow rates.SOLUTION: A vaporizer includes a vaporization chamber for heating and vaporizing a liquid material, and a heat exchange element disposed in the vaporization chamber. The vaporization chamber has a groove on its inner surface.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vaporizer and a liquid material vaporizing device. [Background technology]

[0002] In a DLI (Direct Liquid Injection) vaporizer, a gas-liquid mixture of liquid material and carrier gas is sprayed into the vaporization chamber through a nozzle to vaporize the liquid material. The vaporization chamber is heated by a heater to completely vaporize the liquid material within the vaporization chamber.

[0003] A heat exchange element such as a static mixer may be inserted into the vaporization chamber in order to increase the contact area with the liquid material to be vaporized, thereby increasing the heat exchange efficiency of the liquid material and improving the vaporization performance of the liquid material.

[0004] Incidentally, a static mixer made of resin and used simply for mixing purposes is disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2010-247348 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] In recent years, due to the increase in the area of ​​film formation in semiconductor manufacturing processes, there is a demand for vaporizing liquid materials at a large flow rate and supplying them to semiconductor manufacturing equipment. In order to vaporize liquid materials at a large flow rate, it is required to further improve the heat exchange efficiency of the liquid material in the vaporization chamber and further improve the vaporization performance. In this respect, there is room for improvement in conventional vaporizers.

[0007] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and its object is to provide a vaporizer that improves the vaporization performance of liquid material and can achieve vaporization of liquid material at a large flow rate, and a liquid material vaporization device equipped with such a vaporizer. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] An vaporizer according to one aspect of the present invention includes a vaporization chamber that heats and vaporizes a liquid material, and a heat exchange element disposed in the vaporization chamber, the vaporization chamber having a groove on an inner surface.

[0009] An vaporizer according to another aspect of the present invention comprises an evaporation chamber that heats and vaporizes a liquid material, and a heat exchange element disposed within the evaporation chamber, the heat exchange element being composed of a static mixer having a plurality of fins connected in the direction of the central axis, the fins having an opening.

[0010] A liquid material vaporizing device according to still another aspect of the present invention includes the above vaporizer, and a liquid material supply section that supplies liquid material to the vaporizer. Effect of the Invention

[0011] According to the present invention, the vaporization performance of the liquid material can be improved, and the liquid material can be vaporized at a large flow rate. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a liquid material vaporizing device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a part of a static mixer as a heat exchange element provided in a vaporizer of the liquid material vaporizer. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the static mixer. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a view of the static mixer as viewed from the axial direction. [Diagram 5]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the carburetor in which the static mixer is disposed, as viewed from the outlet side. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a view of the carburetor as viewed from the central axis direction. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a part of another static mixer as the heat exchange element. [Figure 8] FIG. 4 is a view of the other static mixer as viewed from the axial direction. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0014] 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a liquid material vaporizer 1 of this embodiment. The liquid material vaporizer 1 is installed in, for example, a semiconductor manufacturing device (not shown). The liquid material vaporizer 1 includes a liquid material supply unit 2 and a vaporizer 3. The liquid material supply unit 2 and the vaporizer 3 are connected via a connection unit 4, but may also be directly connected without using the connection unit 4.

[0015] The liquid material supply unit 2 supplies the liquid material LQ to the vaporizer 3. Such a liquid material supply unit 2 is composed of, for example, a flow control valve (flow rate adjustment valve). Particularly in this embodiment, the liquid material supply unit 2 supplies a gas-liquid mixture MG, which is a mixture of the liquid material LQ and a carrier gas CG, to the vaporizer 3. The liquid material LQ is a liquid material of a desired gas used in the semiconductor manufacturing process. As the carrier gas CG, for example, an inert gas such as nitrogen or argon can be used.

[0016] The liquid material LQ and the carrier gas CG are mixed in the gas-liquid mixing section 2a. The gas-liquid mixing section 2a is configured to have, for example, a valve seat member and a valve body member. The valve body member is driven by the actuator 2b to come into contact with or separate from the valve seat member. The supply of the liquid material LQ flowing through the gap between the valve seat member and the valve body member is turned on and off by the approach and separation of the valve body member from the valve seat member. This makes it possible to switch on and off the mixing of the liquid material LQ with the carrier gas CG. The actuator 2b is configured, for example, as a piezo stack in which multiple piezo elements are layered, but may also be configured as a solenoid or the like.

[0017] The vaporizer 3 has a nozzle 11 and a vaporizing section 12. The vaporizing section 12 is a cylindrical structure extending in the direction of a central axis CA, and has therein a vaporizing chamber 13. A heater 14 for heating the vaporizing chamber 13 is embedded in a cylindrical side wall section 12a constituting the side wall of the vaporizing chamber 13.

[0018] Nozzle 11 is disposed on one end side of vaporizer 12 in the direction of central axis CA, and sprays gas-liquid mixture MG supplied from liquid material supply unit 2 into vaporizer chamber 13. Liquid material LQ contained in the sprayed gas-liquid mixture MG is heated and vaporized in vaporizer chamber 13. In this manner, vaporizer 3 includes vaporizer chamber 13 that heats and vaporizes liquid material LQ. The gas vaporized in vaporizer chamber 13 is discharged from the other end side (outlet side) of vaporizer chamber 13 in the direction of central axis CA toward a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus (not shown).

[0019] The vaporizer 3 includes a heat exchange element 15. The heat exchange element 15 is inserted into the vaporization chamber 13, for example, from the outlet side, and is disposed in contact with the inner surface of the vaporization chamber 13 at a predetermined position. For example, before the nozzle 11 is fixed to the inlet of the vaporization unit 12 by welding or the like, the heat exchange element 15 may be inserted into the vaporization chamber 13 from the inlet side, and then the nozzle 11 may be welded to the inlet of the vaporization unit 12. Therefore, the insertion direction of the heat exchange element 15 when installing the heat exchange element 15 in the vaporization chamber 13 is not particularly limited. The heat exchange element 15 is formed of, for example, a metal material having thermal conductivity. Examples of the metal material include SUS (stainless steel), copper, aluminum, and titanium.

[0020] The heat exchange element 15 is, for example, composed of a static mixer 15a. FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 are a perspective view and a plan view, respectively, showing a part of the static mixer 15a. FIG. 4 is a view of the static mixer 15a as viewed from the direction of the axis AX. The axis AX of the static mixer 15a coincides with the central axis CA of the vaporizer 12 when the static mixer 15a is disposed in the vaporizer chamber 13. Therefore, in the vaporizer 3, the "axis AX" of the static mixer 15a can be appropriately read as the "central axis CA."

[0021] The static mixer 15a as the heat exchange element 15 is configured by connecting a plurality of fins 150 in the axial direction AX, that is, in the central axis CA direction. The number of fins 150 is not particularly limited as long as it is a plurality. The plurality of fins 150 includes a first fin 151 and a second fin 152. The first fin 151 is configured by twisting a flat plate counterclockwise when viewed from one side in the central axis CA direction. That is, the first fin 151 is configured by twisting a flat plate in one circumferential direction centered on the central axis CA when viewed from the central axis CA direction. The second fin 152 is configured by twisting a flat plate clockwise when viewed from one side in the central axis CA direction. That is, the second fin 152 is configured by twisting a flat plate in the opposite direction to the one circumferential direction when viewed from the central axis CA direction. The first fin 151 and the second fin 152 are alternately positioned in the central axis CA direction and connected by welding or the like.

[0022] The method for forming the static mixer 15a is not limited to the above method. For example, the static mixer 15a may be formed by a 3D printer that uses a metal material to form a shape, or the static mixer 15a may be formed by cutting a cylindrical or rectangular columnar body.

[0023] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the vaporizer 3 in which the static mixer 15a is disposed in the vaporizer chamber 13, as viewed from the outlet side. FIG. 6 is a view of the vaporizer 3 as viewed from the central axis CA direction. The vaporizer chamber 13 has a groove 130 on its inner surface. The groove 130 is located on the inner surface of the vaporizer chamber 13 along the central axis CA direction along which the vaporizer chamber 13 extends. As shown in FIG. 6, the grooves 130 are located on the inner surface of the vaporizer chamber 13, spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction as viewed from the central axis CA direction. The number of grooves 130 is not particularly limited, and it is sufficient that at least one groove 130 is formed on the inner surface of the vaporizer chamber 13.

[0024] As in the present embodiment, the grooves 130 are formed on the inner surface of the vaporization chamber 13, so that the surface area of ​​the inner surface of the vaporization chamber 13 is increased compared to a configuration without the grooves 130. The contact area of ​​the liquid material LQ contained in the gas-liquid mixture MG introduced into the vaporization chamber 13 with the inner surface of the vaporization chamber 13 is increased. This can improve the heat exchange efficiency of the liquid material LQ in the vaporization chamber 13, and can improve the vaporization performance of the liquid material LQ. In addition, in the vaporization chamber 13, the liquid material LQ comes into contact with both the heat exchange element 15 and the grooves 130 on the inner surface of the vaporization chamber 13, and thus a complex turbulent flow of the fluid is generated in the vaporization chamber 13. The above fluid includes the liquid material LQ before vaporization, the gas after vaporization of the liquid material LQ, and the carrier gas CG. The generation of the above turbulent flow can further improve the heat exchange efficiency of the liquid material LQ contained in the above fluid, and can further improve the vaporization performance of the liquid material LQ. Therefore, even if a large flow rate of the liquid material LQ is introduced into the vaporization chamber 13, the liquid material LQ can be vaporized and discharged to the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus at that large flow rate. In other words, the vaporization performance of the liquid material LQ is improved, and the vaporization of the liquid material LQ at a large flow rate, which has been demanded in recent years, can be realized.

[0025] In particular, in the liquid material vaporization apparatus 1, in a configuration in which the liquid material supply unit 2 supplies the gas-liquid mixture MG to the vaporizer 3, and the liquid material LQ contained in the gas-liquid mixture MG is vaporized in the vaporizer 3, vaporization of the liquid material LQ at a large flow rate can be achieved.

[0026] From the above, it can be said that the grooves 130 formed on the inner surface of the vaporization chamber 13 are structures that increase the surface area of ​​the inner surface of the vaporization chamber 13, generate complex turbulent flows in the vaporization chamber 13 by the gas-liquid mixture MG (liquid material LQ) entering the grooves 130, and improve the heat exchange efficiency. Also, from Fig. 6, it can be said that the grooves 130 are structures that are located radially outward of the static mixers 15a when viewed from the direction of the central axis CA.

[0027] In addition, in the vaporizer 3, the grooves 130 are positioned along the central axis CA direction within the vaporization chamber 13, so that the vaporization performance can be improved by increasing the contact area and by generating complex turbulence over the entire direction of the central axis CA of the vaporization chamber 13. This ensures that a large flow rate of liquid material can be vaporized. Also, if the grooves 130 are configured to be aligned along the central axis CA direction, it is easy to process and form the grooves 130 on the inner surface of the vaporization chamber 13.

[0028] In addition, on the inner surface of vaporization chamber 13, groove 130 may be formed in a spiral shape or in a direction around central axis CA (circumferential direction). In this case, for example, vaporization section 12 can be manufactured by dividing a structure (vaporization unit 12) having vaporization chamber 13 into two parts along a plane including central axis CA to form grooves 130 of desired shapes in each part, and then bonding the divided structures together. Also, groove 130 may be interrupted midway.

[0029] 6, the grooves 130 are positioned at a plurality of locations in the circumferential direction, spaced apart from one another on the inner surface of the vaporization chamber 13. This makes it possible to reliably increase the contact area of ​​the liquid material with the inner surface of the vaporization chamber 13, and to reliably generate a complex turbulent flow of the fluid containing the liquid material.

[0030] Moreover, the heat exchange element 15 is composed of a static mixer 15a in which a plurality of fins 150 are connected. Each fin 150 can agitate the liquid material LQ in the vaporization chamber 13. This generates a more complex turbulent flow in the vaporization chamber 13, making it possible to improve the heat exchange efficiency of the liquid material LQ and, in turn, the vaporization performance.

[0031] Static mixer 15a has first fins 151 and second fins 152 that are alternately connected in the direction of central axis CA. In this configuration, in vaporization chamber 13, first fin 151 or second fin 152 repeatedly divides the flow path of liquid material LQ (division of the flow path to the front side and back side of fin 150) and merges each divided flow path. This reliably generates a more complex turbulent flow in vaporization chamber 13, and improves vaporization performance.

[0032] Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing a part of another static mixer 15b. Fig. 8 is a view of the static mixer 15b as seen from the axial direction AX. As the heat exchange element 15 arranged in the vaporization chamber 13 of the vaporizer 3 shown in Fig. 1, the static mixer 15b may be used instead of the static mixer 15a.

[0033] 7 and 8, the static mixer 15b has the same configuration as the static mixer 15a shown in FIG. 2 and the like, except that at least one opening 15P is formed in each of the first fin 151 and the second fin 152. The opening 15P is formed as a hole that opens in the direction of the axis AX. Such a static mixer 15b can be manufactured by advancing a cutting tool (e.g., a drill) along the direction of the axis AX in each fin 150 of the static mixer 15a shown in FIG. 2 and the like to form a through hole that becomes the opening 15P.

[0034] Note that opening 15P may be formed as a notch with a part of the periphery open, instead of being formed as a hole with a closed periphery. Also, opening 15P may be formed only in either first fin 151 or second fin 152. For example, static mixer 15b may be configured by connecting first fin 151 having opening 15P and second fin 152 not having opening 15P in the axial direction AX by welding or the like. Also, opening 15P may be a hole penetrating fin 150 in the thickness direction (direction perpendicular to the front or back surface of fin 150).

[0035] In this way, at least one of the multiple fins 150 constituting the static mixer 15b has an opening 15P. By disposing such a static mixer 15b in the vaporization chamber 13, in addition to a flow path that is divided into two by the fins 150 (on the front side and the back side) and flows along the fins 150, a flow path that passes through the opening 15P of the fins 150 can be generated in the vaporization chamber 13 as a flow path for the liquid material LQ. Since the multiple fins 150 repeatedly divide these flow paths and merge the divided flow paths, a complex turbulent flow of the fluid can be more reliably generated in the vaporization chamber 13. As a result, the effect of this embodiment, which aims to improve the vaporization performance, can be further enhanced.

[0036] The vaporizer 3 in which the static mixer 15b shown in Fig. 7 and Fig. 8 is disposed in the vaporization chamber 13 can be expressed as follows. That is, the vaporizer 3 includes the vaporization chamber 13 that heats and vaporizes the liquid material LQ, and the heat exchange element 15 disposed in the vaporization chamber 13. The heat exchange element 15 is composed of the static mixer 15b in which a plurality of fins 150 are connected in the direction of the central axis CA. At least one of the plurality of fins 150 of the static mixer 15b has an opening 15P. It can be said that this configuration can more reliably generate a complex turbulent flow of the fluid in the vaporization chamber 13, thereby further enhancing the effect of this embodiment in improving the vaporization performance.

[0037] Incidentally, even when the static mixer 15b is used as the heat exchange element 15, it is desirable that the grooves 130 are formed on the inner surface of the vaporization chamber 13, but the grooves 130 do not have to be formed. In other words, when the static mixer 15b is used as the heat exchange element 15, even if the grooves 130 are not formed on the inner surface of the vaporization chamber 13, it is possible to improve the vaporization performance of the liquid material LQ in the vaporization chamber 13 and realize vaporization of the liquid material LQ at a large flow rate.

[0038] In this embodiment, the liquid material vaporizer 1 has been described as being of an internal mixing type in which the liquid material LQ and the carrier gas CG are mixed inside the liquid material supply unit 2, but the liquid material vaporizer 1 may be of an external mixing type in which the liquid material LQ and the carrier gas CG are mixed outside the liquid material supply unit 2. In the external mixing type, for example, the liquid material supply unit 2 introduces the liquid material LQ into the vaporization chamber 13 via the nozzle 11, and introduces the carrier gas CG into the vaporization chamber 13 via a separate route. Even in such an external mixing type, by applying the configuration of the vaporizer 3 of this embodiment, it is still possible to improve the vaporization performance of the liquid material LQ and realize vaporization of the liquid material LQ at a large flow rate.

[0039] In the configuration of FIG. 1, the heat exchange element 15 may be formed of a filler instead of the static mixer 15a. The filler includes a metallic granular material and filters arranged on the upstream and downstream sides of the flow path with respect to the granular material. In this case, in order to ensure that the liquid material LQ contained in the gas-liquid mixture MG introduced into the vaporization chamber 13 comes into contact with the groove 130 on the inner surface of the vaporization chamber 13, the width of the groove 130 on the inner surface of the vaporization chamber 13 is made smaller than the diameter of the granular material. Since the filler can achieve a heat exchange efficiency equivalent to that of the static mixer 15a, even if the filler is used instead of the static mixer 15a, the vaporization performance of the liquid material LQ can be improved and the liquid material LQ can be vaporized at a large flow rate.

[0040] Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the scope of the present invention is not limited to this, and the invention can be expanded or modified without departing from the spirit of the invention. [Industrial Applicability]

[0041] The present invention can be used, for example, in a vaporizer provided at the upstream stage of a semiconductor manufacturing device. [Explanation of symbols]

[0042] 1 Liquid material vaporizer 2 Liquid material supply section 3. Carburetor 13 Vaporization chamber 15 Heat exchange element 15P opening 15a Static Mixer 15b Static Mixer 130 Groove 150 Fins 151 1st Fin 152 2nd Fin CA center axis LQ Liquid Material

Claims

1. a vaporization chamber for heating and vaporizing the liquid material; a heat exchange element disposed within the vaporization chamber; The vaporizer, wherein the vaporization chamber has a groove on its inner surface.

2. The vaporizer according to claim 1 , wherein the groove is located on the inner surface of the vaporization chamber along a central axis direction along which the vaporization chamber extends.

3. The vaporizer according to claim 2 , wherein the grooves are positioned on the inner surface of the vaporization chamber and spaced apart from one another in the circumferential direction as viewed from the central axis direction.

4. 4. The vaporizer according to claim 2, wherein the heat exchange element is formed of a static mixer having a plurality of fins connected in the direction of the central axis.

5. The plurality of fins are a first fin twisted in one circumferential direction as viewed from the central axis direction; a second fin twisted in a direction opposite to the circumferential direction as viewed from the central axis direction, The carburetor according to claim 4 , wherein the first fins and the second fins are alternately connected in the central axis direction.

6. The carburetor of claim 4 , wherein at least one of the plurality of fins has an opening.

7. a vaporization chamber for heating and vaporizing the liquid material; a heat exchange element disposed within the vaporization chamber; The heat exchange element is composed of a static mixer in which a plurality of fins are connected in the central axis direction, At least one of the plurality of fins has an opening.

8. A vaporizer according to claim 1, 2, 3, or 7; a liquid material supply unit that supplies a liquid material to the vaporizer.

9. 9. The liquid material vaporizing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the liquid material supplying section supplies a gas-liquid mixture obtained by mixing the liquid material with a carrier gas to the vaporizer.

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