Method, system and apparatus for remote solids refill

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to example methods, systems, and apparatus for coupling, via a first chemical transfer line, a transfer container disposed at a first location on a substrate processing platform to a remote refill container disposed at a second location remote from the substrate processing platform; storing the chemical substance in a first phase in a remote refill container; changing the chemical substance in the remote refill container to a second phase; transferring the chemical substance in the second phase to a transfer vessel through a first chemical substance transfer line; heating the first chemical delivery line to a first temperature equal to or higher than the phase transition temperature of the chemical; and coupling the delivery container to the collector via a second chemical delivery line.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to semiconductor processing equipment and, more particularly, to methods, systems, and apparatus for refilling chemical precursor delivery containers. Background Art

[0002] Semiconductor manufacturing processes such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and atomic layer deposition (ALD) involve depositing thin films on semiconductor wafers (also referred to herein as "substrates"). During processing, the wafer is exposed to one or more precursors in a reaction chamber to deposit a thin layer of material. The precursor sources are typically stored in a delivery container on the processing tool and transported from the delivery container to the reaction chamber. In order to reduce the need for maintenance and replacement of delivery containers, delivery containers are becoming increasingly larger. However, even large delivery containers will eventually become empty and need to be replaced, which requires downtime and may affect quality or safety. Such systems have been generally accepted for their intended purposes. However, there is still a need for improved methods, systems, and apparatus to reduce the need for maintenance and replacement of delivery containers. The present disclosure provides a solution to this need. Summary of the invention

[0003] This Summary may introduce some concepts in a simplified form that are further described below. This Summary is not intended to necessarily identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0004] The present invention relates to an example method, comprising: coupling a delivery container disposed at a first position on a substrate processing platform to a remote refill container disposed at a second position away from the substrate processing platform via a first chemical delivery pipeline; storing a chemical in a first phase in the remote refill container; changing the chemical in the remote refill container to a second phase; transmitting the chemical in the second phase to the delivery container via the first chemical delivery pipeline; heating the first chemical delivery pipeline to a first temperature equal to or higher than a phase change temperature of the chemical; and coupling the delivery container to a collector via a second chemical delivery pipeline. In various examples, the first phase can be a solid and the second phase can be a liquid. Changing the phase of the chemical can also include melting the chemical by applying heat to the chemical or applying pressure to the chemical, or a combination thereof. In one example, the first phase can be a solid and the second phase can be a gas. Changing the phase of the chemical can also include sublimating the chemical by applying heat to the chemical or reducing the pressure applied to the chemical, or a combination thereof. The remote refill container can be disposed in a sub-factory.

[0005] In various examples, transferring the chemical in the second phase can also include coupling the remote refill container and the delivery container through a third chemical delivery line to provide a closed loop circuit with the first chemical delivery line between the delivery container and the remote refill container, providing a supply of inert gas via an inert gas supply container, the inert gas supply container coupled to the third chemical delivery line via a gas valve to fill the closed loop circuit with the inert gas; and closing the gas valve after filling.

[0006] According to various examples of the present disclosure, the method may include maintaining pressure in a remote refill container between a compressor pump coupled to a third chemical delivery line and a flow restrictor coupled to a first chemical delivery line upstream of the delivery container. The method may include pumping an inert gas to the remote refill container with the compressor pump to deliver the chemical in the second phase to the delivery container.

[0007] The method may include expanding the inert gas and the chemical in the second phase into the interior volume of the delivery container and solidifying the chemical in the delivery container in response to the pressure drop generated in the delivery container. In another aspect, the method may include sublimating the chemical in the delivery container, transferring the sublimated chemical from the delivery container to a collector via a second chemical delivery line, heating the second chemical delivery line to a second temperature sufficient to maintain the chemical in a gaseous state, coupling the collector to a reaction chamber, and transferring the chemical from the collector to the reaction chamber.

[0008] According to various examples of the present disclosure, the method may include maintaining a temperature gradient between a first internal volume of a delivery container and a second internal volume of a remote refill container, and returning the chemical to a first phase within the first internal volume. In one example, the method may include maintaining the temperature gradient by actively cooling the delivery container via a plurality of cold components disposed within the first internal volume. The method may include transferring the chemical in the second phase and pumping the chemical through the first chemical delivery line via a pump coupled to the first chemical delivery line.

[0009] The present disclosure also relates to an example substrate processing system, comprising: a delivery container having a first internal volume, which is disposed at a first position on a substrate processing platform; a remote refill container fluidly connected to the delivery container via a first chemical delivery pipeline, the remote refill container including a second internal volume larger than the first internal volume and disposed at a second position away from the substrate processing platform; a collector, which is coupled between the delivery container and a reaction chamber via a second chemical delivery pipeline; and a first heating device proximate to the remote refill container, which is operable to heat a chemical disposed in the remote refill container sufficient to change the chemical from a first phase to a second phase.

[0010] An example substrate processing system can include a first chemical delivery line coupled to a second heating device operable to maintain the first chemical delivery line at a delivery temperature above a phase change temperature of the chemical.

[0011] An example substrate processing system may include a first chemical delivery line coupled to a mechanical pump configured to direct the chemical in a second phase from a remote refill container to a delivery container through the first chemical delivery line.

[0012] An example substrate processing system may include a delivery container coupled to a third heating device or a cooling device, or a combination thereof, wherein the first chemical delivery line is coupled to the delivery container via an inlet valve.

[0013] An example substrate processing system can include a cooling apparatus including a plurality of cold components disposed at a bottom of a transport container, wherein a temperature of the cold components can be selected to return the chemical species from the second phase to the first phase.

[0014] In various examples, a substrate processing system may include: at least one sensor disposed in or near a first chemical delivery line, a second chemical delivery line, a pump, a delivery container, or a remote refill container, or a combination thereof, to monitor a temperature, a pressure, or a pump cycle time, or a combination thereof, of a chemical and generate sensor data based on the monitoring; and at least one controller communicatively coupled to the at least one sensor and communicatively coupled to the first heating device, the second heating device, the third heating device, the cooling device, or the pump, or a combination thereof, the at least one controller being configured to receive the sensor data and adjust the first heating device, the second heating device, the third heating device, the pump, or the cooling device, or a combination thereof, based on the sensor data.

[0015] In one aspect, wherein the first phase of the chemical can be a solid and the second phase of the chemical can be a gas, the substrate processing system can include: a third chemical delivery line coupled between a remote refill container and a delivery container; a compressor pump coupled to the third chemical delivery line upstream of an inert gas source, the inert gas source coupled to the third chemical delivery line, wherein the compressor pump is operable to direct at least an inert gas from the inert gas source to the remote refill container; and a restrictor coupled to the first chemical delivery line upstream of the delivery container to maintain the inert gas and the gaseous chemical at a first pressure between the compressor pump and the restrictor, the first pressure being higher than a second pressure within the delivery container, and wherein the restrictor is operable to open to expand the inert gas and the gaseous chemical into the delivery container, thereby solidifying the chemical within the delivery container. The substrate processing system may also include: at least one sensor disposed in or near the first chemical delivery line, the third chemical delivery line, the compressor pump, the flow restrictor, the inert gas source, the delivery container or the remote refill container, or a combination thereof, to monitor the temperature or pressure of the chemical or a combination thereof, and to generate sensor data based on the monitoring; and at least one controller communicatively coupled to the at least one sensor and communicatively coupled to the first heating device, the second heating device, the third heating device, the compressor pump, the flow restrictor, or one or more valves coupled to any one of the delivery container, the remote refill container, or the inert gas source, or a combination thereof, wherein the at least one controller is configured to receive the sensor data and adjust the first heating device, the second heating device, the third heating device, the compressor pump, the flow restrictor, or one or more valves coupled to any one of the delivery container, the remote refill container, or the inert gas source, or a combination thereof based on the sensor data. In one aspect, the first phase can be a solid and the second phase can be a gas or a liquid, or a combination thereof. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention disclosed herein are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of specific embodiments, which are intended to illustrate rather than to limit the present invention.

[0017] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example substrate processing system;

[0018] Figure 2 It shows Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an example refill subassembly of a substrate handling system depicted in;

[0019] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example substrate processing system;

[0020] Figure 4 It shows Figure 3 A schematic diagram of an example refill subassembly of a substrate handling system depicted in;

[0021] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example substrate processing system;

[0022] Figure 6 It is shown Figure 5 A schematic diagram of an example refill subassembly of a substrate handling system depicted in;

[0023] Figure 7 is a flow chart illustrating an example of a solid source refill process;

[0024] Figure 8 It is shown Figure 3 to Figure 4 A flow chart of an example of a solid source refilling process depicted in;

[0025] Fig. 9 It is shown Figure 5 to Figure 6 A flow chart of an example of a solid source refill process depicted in; and

[0026] Fig.10 It is possible to describe Figure 8 and / or Fig. 9 Flowchart of an example substrate processing process performed after solid source refill is depicted in FIG.

[0027] It should be understood that the elements in the drawings are shown for simplicity and clarity and are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the relative sizes of some elements in the drawings may be enlarged relative to other elements to help improve the understanding of the illustrated embodiments of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] Although certain embodiments and examples are disclosed below, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the present invention extends beyond the specifically disclosed embodiments and / or uses of the present invention and their obvious modifications and equivalents. Therefore, it is intended that the scope of the disclosed invention should not be limited by the specifically disclosed embodiments described below.

[0029] As used herein, the term "substrate" may refer to any one or more underlying materials, including any one or more underlying materials that may be modified or on which a device, circuit, or film may be formed. A "substrate" may be continuous or non-continuous; rigid or flexible; solid or porous; and combinations thereof. A substrate may be in any form, such as a powder, a plate, or a workpiece. A plate-like substrate may include wafers of various shapes and sizes. A substrate may be made of semiconductor materials, including, for example, silicon, silicon germanium, silicon oxide, gallium arsenide, gallium nitride, and silicon carbide.

[0030] The continuous substrate may extend beyond the boundaries of the processing chamber in which the deposition process occurs. In some processes, the continuous substrate may be moved through the processing chamber so that the process continues until the end of the substrate is reached. The continuous substrate may be provided by a continuous substrate feeding system to allow the continuous substrate to be manufactured and output in any suitable form.

[0031] Non-limiting examples of continuous substrates may include sheets, nonwoven films, rolls, foils, meshes, flexible materials, bundles of continuous filaments or fibers (eg, ceramic fibers or polymer fibers). A continuous substrate may also include a carrier or sheet on which a non-continuous substrate is mounted.

[0032] The illustrations presented herein are not intended to be actual views of any particular material, structure, or device but are merely idealized representations used to describe embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0033] The specific embodiments shown and described are illustrations of the present invention and its best mode and are not intended to limit the scope of these aspects and implementations in any way. In fact, for the sake of brevity, the traditional manufacturing, connection, preparation and other functional aspects of the system may not be described in detail. In addition, the connecting lines shown in the various figures are intended to represent exemplary functional relationships and / or physical connections between various elements. Many alternative or additional functional relationships or physical connections may exist in actual systems, and / or may not exist in some embodiments.

[0034] The chemical reactant or solid source delivery system may include a delivery container and a heater (e.g., a radiant heat lamp, a resistive heater, etc.). The container includes a source precursor (also referred to as a "chemical substance" or "chemical precursor"), and may be solid (e.g., in powder form) or liquid. The heater heats the container to promote evaporation and / or sublimation of the reactants in the container. The container may have an inlet and an outlet for a carrier gas to flow through the container. The carrier gas may be inert, such as nitrogen, argon, or helium. Typically, the carrier gas transports the reactant vapor (e.g., evaporated or sublimated chemical reactant) with it through the container outlet and ultimately reaches the substrate reaction chamber. The container typically includes an isolation valve for isolating the contents of the container from the fluid outside the container. One isolation valve may be disposed upstream of the container inlet, and another isolation valve may be disposed downstream of the container outlet. The delivery container of some embodiments includes a sublimator (consisting of or substantially consisting of it). Similarly, wherever a "delivery container" is mentioned, a sublimator (e.g., a "solid source chemical substance sublimator") is also explicitly considered.

[0035] Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is a known process in the semiconductor industry for forming a thin film of material on a substrate such as a silicon wafer. In CVD, reactant vapors (including "precursor gases") of different reactant chemical substances are transported to one or more substrates in a reaction chamber. In many cases, the reaction chamber only includes a single substrate supported on a substrate holder (e.g., a pedestal), and the substrate and substrate holder are maintained at a desired processing temperature. In a typical CVD process, the reactant vapors that react with each other react with each other to form a thin film on the substrate, and the growth rate is related to the temperature and the amount of the reactant gas.

[0036] In some applications, the reactant gas is stored in a reactant delivery container. In this application, the reactant is usually gaseous at standard pressure and about 1 atmospheric pressure and room temperature. Examples of this gas include nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen and ammonia. However, in some cases, the vapor (e.g., hafnium chloride, hafnium oxide, zirconium dioxide, etc.) of a source chemical substance ("precursor") that is liquid or solid at standard pressure and temperature is used. For some solid substances (referred to herein as "solid source precursors", "solid chemical reactants" or "solid reactants"), the vapor pressure at room temperature is very low, so that they are usually heated and / or maintained at very low pressures to produce a sufficient amount of reactant vapor for the reaction process. Once vaporized (e.g., sublimated or evaporated), the gas phase reactant is maintained at or above the vaporization temperature by the treatment system to prevent undesirable condensation from occurring in valves, filters, conduits and other components related to the gas phase reactant being transported between various positions (e.g., transported to the reaction chamber from a transport vessel). The gas phase reactant from this natural solid or liquid substance can be used for chemical reactions in various other industries.

[0037] Atomic layer deposition (ALD) is another known process for forming a thin film on a substrate. In many applications, ALD uses solid and / or liquid source chemicals as described herein. ALD is a vapor deposition in which a thin film is accumulated by a self-saturated reaction that is performed in cycles. The thickness of the film is determined by the number of cycles performed. In the ALD process, gaseous reactants are alternately and / or repeatedly supplied to a substrate or wafer to form a thin film of material on the wafer. A reactant is adsorbed on the wafer in a self-limiting process. Different, subsequent pulses of reactants react with the adsorbed material to form a monolayer of the desired material. Decomposition can occur through mutual reactions between adsorbed substances and with appropriately selected reagents, such as in ligand exchange or gettering reactions. In some ALD reactions, only one molecular monolayer is formed per cycle. Thicker films are produced by repeated growth cycles until the target thickness is reached. In some ALD reactions, the reactants that react with each other are kept separate in the gas phase, and removal processes are inserted between substrates exposed to different reactants.

[0038] Remote refilling container and / or delivery container can be provided with gas pipeline extending from inlet and outlet, isolation valve on pipeline and fittings on valve, and fittings are configured to be connected to gas flow pipeline of remaining substrate processing platform. It is desirable to provide multiple additional heaters for heating various valves and gas flow pipelines between reactant delivery container and reaction chamber to prevent reactant liquid or vapor from solidifying or condensing and being deposited on these parts. Therefore, gas and / or liquid delivery components between remote refilling container, delivery container and reaction chamber can be maintained at a temperature higher than the evaporation / condensation / sublimation temperature of reactant.

[0039] As described herein, a plurality of remote refill containers may be included for filling a transport container with a source precursor. Traditionally, a transport container is removed from a substrate processing platform and refilled, which may result in downtime and loss of wafer production. A remote refill container may reduce the need to replace or refill a sublimator. In contrast, a remote refill container may be used to automatically and / or continuously supply chemicals, such as source precursors, to a transport container. A remote refill container system may include one or more remote refill containers. In addition, a remote refill container according to an embodiment of the present invention may be disposed at a location away from the substrate processing platform, such as in a sub-factory or other remote location. Therefore, the volume of the remote refill container is not limited by the size of the container disposed on the substrate processing platform.

[0040] In some examples, the remote refill container can be located at a location spaced apart from the substrate processing platform (or "tool"). For example, the remote refill container can be located in another room of the substrate processing platform, through the clean room of the substrate processing platform, adjacent to the substrate processing platform, or in a sub-factory. For the purposes of this disclosure, a "sub-factory" is an area below the substrate processing platform. In some examples, it can be built into the floor of the clean room, in a building floor lower than the level at which the substrate processing platform is located, or can include the lower portion of the substrate processing platform.

[0041] Removing one or more remote refill containers from a substrate processing platform system for refilling, the remote refill containers reduce labor, downtime, and safety deviations associated with replacing transport containers.Additional features are described herein with reference to various configurations.

[0042] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram showing an example substrate processing system 100, which includes a delivery container 102 disposed on a substrate processing platform 110. The substrate processing platform 110 includes one or more reaction chambers 138 and 140, which include respective reaction chambers 122 and 124. The reaction chambers 138 and 140 include respective pedestals 142 and 144 to hold respective substrates 146 and 148 during processing. The substrate processing platform 110 includes gas distribution systems 150 and 152 to distribute one or more reactants to the respective surfaces of the substrates 146 and 148. The substrate processing platform 110 may include a vacuum source (not shown) for controlling the vacuum pressure in the one or more reaction chambers 122 and 124. The reactant source may supply gas-phase reactants generated from the solid precursor source delivery container 102 to the gas-phase reaction chambers 138 and / or 140. A carrier gas source 120 may also be fluidly coupled to reaction chambers 122 and 124 via chemical delivery line 154 and valves 158 and 160 .

[0043] The solid source delivery container 102 may contain a precursor or source chemical (eg, chemical 114 ) that may be a solid under standard conditions (ie, room temperature and atmospheric pressure).

[0044] In one example, the transport container 102 can be coupled to a remote refill container 104. The remote refill container 104 can be located laterally remote from, above, or below the transport container 102 and / or the substrate processing platform 110. For example, the remote processing container 104 can be disposed in a sub-factory located below the substrate processing platform 110. The remote refill container 104 can include a batch refill container and can be coupled to the transport container 102 via a chemical delivery line 106.

[0045] The chemical delivery line 106 may extend between an outlet valve 116 of the remote refill container 104 and an inlet valve 118 of the delivery container 102. The inlet valve 118 may be disposed on the bottom 196 of the delivery container 102. The outlet valve 116 may be disposed in a lower portion near or on the bottom 112 of the remote refill container 104. The valves 116 and 118 may be configured to control the flow of the chemical 114 from the remote refill container 104 to the delivery container 102.

[0046] The remote refill container 104 may have a greater chemical capacity within the housing 108 than the delivery container 102 because it may not be constrained by size limitations within the substrate processing platform 110. For example, the remote refill container 104 may have a capacity at least 1.5 times, 2 times, 3 times, 4 times, 5 times, 10 times, or 20 times greater than the delivery container 102. Other capacities are possible, and claimed subject matter is not limited in this regard.

[0047] In one example, the remote refill container 104 may contain a refill chemical 114, which includes a precursor or source chemical that may be solid under standard conditions (i.e., room temperature and atmospheric pressure). The remote refill container 104 may transfer the chemical 114 therein to the delivery container 102 via the chemical delivery line 106. The remote refill container 104 may be equipped to melt and / or liquefy the chemical 114 before it passes through the chemical delivery line 106. In one example, the remote refill container 104 may heat the chemical 114 to a temperature above the melting point to prevent solidification in the chemical line 106, thereby facilitating flow through the line and preventing blockage. The remote refill container 104 may have one or more heating devices 174 and / or 176 (e.g., heaters and / or valve ports) adapted to heat the chemical 114 to at least the melting point temperature. The heating device 174 and / or 176 may be located near the outside of the remote refill container 102 or disposed thereon. The heating devices 174 and / or 176 can be in thermal communication with the cap 182 and / or the housing 108. For example, the heating device 174 can be positioned near or coupled to the bottom 112 of the remote refill container 104, and the heating device 176 can be positioned near or coupled to the sidewall 192 of the housing 108. The cap 182 and the housing 108 can be made of a thermally conductive material (e.g., stainless steel) and can be configured to transfer heat from the heating devices 174 and / or 176 to the cap 182 and / or the interior volume 185 of the remote refill container 104. The heating devices 174 and / or 176 can heat the chemical 114 to a temperature sufficient to liquefy it and prevent solidification on the cap 182 and the sidewall 192 during the refill operation. The heating devices 174 and / or 176 can heat the chemical 114 to a temperature above the melting point to further prevent solidification in the chemical delivery line 106 during transfer to the delivery container 102. This can facilitate the transfer of chemicals 114 to the delivery container 102 through the chemical delivery line 106 with minimal clogging. In one example, the chemical delivery line 106 outlet valve 116 can be disposed at the lower portion of the remote refill container 104 or the bottom 112 of the container 104. The heating device 174 and / or 176 can include any of a variety of heating devices known to those skilled in the art (e.g., a heater, a heating jacket, a heating block, and / or a radial heater), and the claimed subject matter is not limited thereto.

[0048] The remote refill container 104 can be configured to operate at an operating temperature. For example, the operating temperature can be determined based on the desired melting / liquefaction rate of the chemical precursors / reactants. In some examples, the operating temperature is in the range of about 10° C. to about 500° C. Other temperature ranges are also possible, and the claimed subject matter is not limited thereto.

[0049] In one example, the transport container 102 can be thermally coupled to one or more heating devices 172, 180, and / or 186 disposed outside the housing 178. The heating device 186 can be disposed on the bottom 196 of the transport container 102. The heating devices 180 and 172 can be disposed on the side walls of the housing 178. Such heating devices are used to control or regulate the temperature of the chemicals 114 during refilling operations, material handling operations, and storage of the chemicals 114.

[0050] In one example, when the chemical 114 enters the delivery container 102 through the valve 118, it can be maintained at a temperature above the melting point and / or above the temperature to which it is heated by the remote refill container 104 to prevent solidification during the refill operation. The heating devices 172, 180, and / or 186 can be adapted to continuously apply sufficient heat to maintain the chemical 114 at least at the bottom 196 of the delivery container 102 in a liquid phase until the refill is complete. The housing 178 and / or the cover 130 can be configured to transfer heat from the heating devices 172, 180, and 186 to the interior volume 184 to heat the chemical 114. The heating devices 172, 180, and 186 can include any of a variety of heating devices known to those skilled in the art (e.g., heaters, heating jackets, heating blocks, and / or radial heaters), and the claimed subject matter is not limited thereto.

[0051] Delivery container 104 can be configured to operate at an operating temperature based on the desired maintenance of chemical precursor / reactant liquid chemical 114. In some examples, the operating temperature is in a range of about 10° C. to about 500° C. Other temperature ranges are possible, and claimed subject matter is not limited thereto.

[0052] Once the refilling operation is completed, the chemical 114 can form a solid at the bottom of the transport container 102 and can be stored there until the material processing operation. The chemical 114 can be cooled to a solidification temperature by a cooling device 188 coupled to the transport container 102 to maintain the temperature of the base of the transport container 102 sufficient to maintain the chemical 114 in a solid phase for storage. The cooling device 188 may include any of a variety of cooling devices, including but not limited to a cooling plate, a cooling coil, a variable pitch cooling coil, a cooling jacket, a cooling fan, a Peltier cooler, or an integrated coolant channel for circulating a coolant, etc. or any combination thereof. Alternatively, the chemical 114 can be stored in a different form, such as a liquid. The heating device 172, 180 and / or 186 can maintain the chemical 114 in a liquid state at a temperature below the evaporation and / or sublimation point to store the chemical 114 prior to the material processing operation.

[0053] In one example, during a material processing operation, the heating devices 172, 180, and / or 186 can be configured to heat the chemical 114 to a temperature sufficient to change the phase (from a liquid or solid) of the chemical 114, such as by evaporating and / or sublimating the chemical 114. Such a phase change can be achieved by changing the pressure applied to the chemical 114 alone or in addition to changing the temperature. Once evaporated or sublimated, the chemical 114 can be transported to the collector 101 via the chemical delivery line 105. From the collector 101, the chemical 114 can continue through the chemical delivery line 128 via the valve 107 to the reaction chamber 122 and / or 124 for substrate processing.

[0054] The collector 101 can reduce particle problems because the refill pipeline (e.g., chemical delivery line 106) does not directly lead to the reaction chamber 122 and / or 124 and can have a higher tolerance to solid residues. In one example, the collector 101 can include a chamber or container designed to control particle formation in a precursor gas such as chemical 114. The collector 101 can be located downstream of the delivery container 102 and upstream of the reaction chamber 122 and / or 124. The collector 101 chamber can regulate the flow of the chemical 114 gas and can maintain consistent pressure and flow throughout the substrate processing process. Therefore, due to the controlled temperature and / or flow, the collector 101 can reduce particles in the chemical 114 because changes in temperature, pressure or flow can cause particle formation or other process instability. In other examples, the collector 101 can use other mechanical and thermal means to reduce particles to prevent, capture and / or remove particles formed in the chemical 114. The collector 101 helps to ensure high quality and consistency of substrate processing.

[0055] The carrier gas source 120 may be coupled to the delivery vessel 102 via a chemical delivery line 136 and may contain a carrier gas 198. When introduced into the delivery vessel 102, the carrier gas 198 facilitates transport of the evaporated and / or sublimated chemical 114 reactants to the collector 101 via the outlet valve 126 through the chemical delivery line 105 and further to the substrate reaction chambers 122 and / or 124. The chemical delivery line 128 may include valves 132 and 134 for controlling fluid communication of the chemical 114 and / or the carrier gas 198 from the collector 101 to the respective reaction chambers 122 and 124.

[0056] During material processing, delivery vessel 102 can be configured to operate at an operating temperature based on the desired sublimation rate of chemical precursors / reactants of chemical substance 114. In some examples, the operating temperature is in the range of about 10° C. to 500° C. Other temperature ranges are possible, and claimed subject matter is not limited thereto.

[0057] Once the chemical 114 is depleted, the delivery container 102 may be refilled from the remote refill container 104, repeating the process until the remote refill container 104 is depleted. In some examples, it may not be necessary to completely deplete the chemical 114 of the delivery container 102 before refilling from the remote refill container 104.

[0058] In the illustrated example, the controller 156 includes a device interface 162, a processor 164, a user interface 166, and a memory 168. The device interface 162 connects the processor 164 to a wired or wireless link 170. The processor 164 can be operably connected to the user interface 166 (e.g., to receive user input and / or provide user output therethrough), and can be arranged to communicate with the memory 168. The memory 168 includes a non-transitory machine-readable medium having recorded thereon a plurality of program modules 190, which contain instructions that, when read by the processor 164, cause the processor 164 to perform certain operations. These operations include a material layer deposition method and a method for refilling the delivery container 102 (e.g., Figure 7 , Figure 8 and Fig.10 104, 106, 108, 109, 200, 210, 220, 230, 240, 250, 260, 270, 280, 290, 300, 310, 320, 340, 360, 370, 380, 400, 460, 480, 490, 500, 600, 610, 620, 640, 500, 660, 700, 710, 720, 730, 740, 760, 770, 780, 790, 800, 810, 810, 820, 830, 840, 860, 870, 880, 890, 900, 910, 920, 930, 940, 960, 970, 980, 990, 1000, 1010, 1020, 1030, 1040, 1050, 1060, 1070, 1080, 1090, 1100, 1110, 1120, 1130, 1140, 1150, 1160, 1170, 1180, 1190, 1200, 1210, 1220, 1240, 1250, 1300, 1310, 1320, 1330, 1340, 1350, 1360, 1370, 1380, 1390,

[0059] Figure 2 It shows Figure 1 Schematic diagram of an example refill subassembly 200 of a substrate processing system 100 depicted in . The refill subassembly 200 includes a delivery container 102, which is coupled to a remote refill container 104 via a chemical delivery line 106. The remote refill container 104 can be configured to maintain a temperature sufficient to store the chemical 114 (e.g., a precursor) in a solid state before the chemical 114 is liquefied, sublimated, or evaporated. During storage, prior to a refill operation, the bottom 112 of the remote refill container 104 can be at a relatively low temperature. The cooling device 194 can be adapted to cool the bottom 112 and can include any of a variety of cooling devices, including but not limited to a cooling plate, a cooling coil, a variable pitch cooling coil, a cooling jacket, a cooling fan, a Peltier cooler, or an integrated coolant channel for circulating a coolant, the like, or any combination thereof.

[0060] In one example, the heating device 208 and / or 210 can be coupled to the chemical delivery line 106 to maintain a "transfer temperature", which can be a liquefaction temperature to prevent solidification during the transfer process. Such a transfer temperature can be equal to or above a phase change (e.g., liquefaction) temperature. The heating device 208 and / or 210 can be wrapped, coiled, encapsulated, or otherwise disposed about the chemical delivery line 106. The heating device 208 and / or 210 can include a heater jacket or other heating device known to those skilled in the art, and the claimed subject matter is not limited thereto. The chemical delivery line 106 can be arranged to have few angles or corners to prevent solidification of the chemical 114. Valves, connection points, and / or other interruptions in the chemical delivery line 106 can be minimized to the extent that they can offset the chemical delivery line 106 due to the remote refill container 104 being disposed away from (i.e., spaced apart from) the substrate processing platform 110 (see Figure 1 ) resulting in a higher risk of solidification.

[0061] In one example, the refilling process can be manually controlled and / or the refilling operation can be controlled by the controller 156 (see Figure 1 ) for partial or full automation through automatic feedback control. For example, sensor 222 may be disposed near or within the interior volume 184 of the delivery container 102, sensor 212 may be disposed within or near the chemical delivery line 106, and sensor 214 may be disposed near or within the interior volume 185 of the remote refill container 104. Sensors 212, 214, and / or 222 may monitor various physical phenomena, such as acoustics, vibrations, chemicals, moisture, flow, light, pressure, force, density, temperature, and / or presence, or the like, or any combination thereof. Sensors 212, 214, and / or 222 may, for example, monitor the temperature of the chemical 114 in the delivery container 102, the chemical delivery line 106, or the remote refill container 104, or a combination thereof. Sensors 212, 214, and / or 222 may generate sensor data based on the monitoring and send the sensor data to controller 156 via communication link 170 (see Figure 1 ) to adjust a monitored parameter (e.g., temperature). For example, based on the sensor data, the controller 156 may adjust one or more of the heating devices 172, 174, 176, 180, 186, 208, and / or 210 and / or the cooling devices 188 and 194, etc., or a combination thereof, to keep the chemical substance 114 within a preset temperature threshold.

[0062] In some examples, carrier gas source 216 may be coupled to remote refill container 104 via chemical delivery line 232 and may supply carrier gas 220 to remote refill container 104 .

[0063] In one example, one or more spare remote refill containers 226 may be co-located with the remote refill container 104 to reduce downtime required to replace the remote refill container 102 when the remote refill container 102 is depleted. When the remote refill container 104 needs to be replaced, the spare remote refill container 226 may be quickly coupled to the delivery container 102 via the valve 116 to the chemical delivery line 106 (or via a different chemical delivery line) to avoid downtime waiting for the remote refill container 104 to be removed and replaced. Alternatively, the spare remote refill container 226 may be coupled to the remote refill container 104 to refill the container 226 at other suitable idle times, such as between refill operations or during upstream events that require the substrate processing platform 110 to be shut down. Valves 218 and 224 may control the flow of carrier gas 220. The carrier gas 220 may increase the pressure within the remote refill container 104 to help transfer the liquefied chemical 114.

[0064] Figure 3 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example substrate processing system 300, which includes a transport container 302 disposed on a substrate processing platform 310. The substrate processing platform 310 includes one or more reaction chambers 338 and 340, and the reaction chambers 338 and 340 include respective reaction chambers 322 and 324. The reaction chambers 338 and 340 include respective pedestals 342 and 344 to hold respective substrates 346 and 348 during processing. The substrate processing platform 310 includes gas distribution systems 350 and 352 to distribute one or more reactants to the respective surfaces of the substrates 346 and 348. The substrate processing platform 310 may include a vacuum source (not shown) for controlling the vacuum pressure in the one or more reaction chambers 322 and 324. A reactant source such as a collector 301 may supply a gas phase reactant (e.g., chemical substance 314) received from the transport container 302 to a gas phase reaction chamber. The reaction chambers 338 and / or 340 may be gas phase reaction chambers. In one example, the solid source delivery container 302 can sublime a gas phase chemical 314 from a solid precursor. The chemical 314 can include chemical reactants, such as source chemicals or precursors, including but not limited to HfCl4, ZrCl4, AlCl3, TaF5, MoF5, SiI4, MoCl5, MoO2Cl2, WCl5, etc. or combinations thereof. The chemical 314 can be a solid under standard conditions (i.e., room temperature and atmospheric pressure).

[0065] The carrier gas source 320 can be coupled to the transport container 302 via a chemical delivery line 336 and can contain a carrier gas. The carrier gas source 320 can be fluidly coupled to the reaction chambers 322 and 324 via a chemical delivery line 354 and valves 358 and 360. When introduced into the transport container 302, the carrier gas helps to transport the evaporated and / or sublimated chemical 314 through the chemical delivery line 305 via valve 326 to the collector 301. In the collector 301, the temperature, pressure and / or flow rate can be precisely controlled to reduce particle formation in the chemical 314. The chemical 314 is then transported to the substrate reaction chamber 322 and / or 324 via the outlet valve 307 and the chemical delivery line 328. The chemical delivery line 328 can include valves 332 and 334 for controlling the fluid communication of the chemical 314 and / or the carrier gas from the transport container 302 to the corresponding reaction chambers 322 and 324.

[0066] In one example, the delivery container 302 can be coupled to the remote refill container 304 via a chemical delivery line 306. The delivery container 302 can receive the chemical 314 in a gas phase from the remote refill container 304 via the chemical delivery line 306. The chemical delivery line 306 can be coupled to the delivery container 302 at a lower portion 392 of the delivery container 302. In other examples, the chemical delivery line can be disposed in the top portion 390, such as in the lid 330.

[0067] The remote refill container 304 may be located laterally remote from, above, or below the transport container 302 and / or the substrate processing platform 310, such as in a sub-factory below the substrate processing platform 310. The remote refill container 304 may contain a refill chemical 314, which includes a precursor or source chemical that may be a solid under standard conditions (i.e., room temperature and atmospheric pressure). The remote refill container 304 may be a batch refill container that may have a larger chemical capacity within the housing 308 than the transport container 302 because it may not be constrained by the size restrictions associated with the substrate processing platform 310. For example, the remote refill container 304 may have at least 1.5 times, 2 times, 3 times, 4 times, 5 times, 10 times, or 20 times the capacity of the transport container 302. Other capacities are also possible, and the claimed subject matter is not limited thereto.

[0068] In one example, the chemical delivery line 306 can extend between an outlet valve 316 of the remote refill container 304 and an inlet valve 318 of the delivery container 302. The outlet valve 316 and the inlet valve 318 can control fluid communication of the chemical 314 from the remote refill container 304 to the delivery container 302. The remote refill container 304 can be configured to store the chemical 314 between refill operations. The cooling device 388 can be coupled to the bottom of the remote refill container 304. The cooling device 388 can cool the bottom surface portion 396 so as to keep the chemical 314 in a solid form before sublimation. The cooling device 388 can include a cooling plate, a cooling coil, a variable pitch cooling coil, a cooling jacket, a cooling fan, a Peltier cooler, or an integrated coolant channel for circulating a coolant, or the like, or any combination thereof.

[0069] In one example, the remote refill container 304 can be configured to vaporize (e.g., sublimate, evaporate) the chemical 314, and can subsequently transfer the evaporated or sublimated chemical 314 to the delivery container 302 via the chemical delivery line 306. In one example, the remote refill container 304 can be adjacent to a heating device 374 disposed outside of and in thermal communication with the lid 382 and / or housing 308. The housing 308 can be made of a thermally conductive material (e.g., stainless steel) and can be configured to transfer heat from the heating device 374 to the interior volume 312 of the lid 382 and / or housing 308. The heating device 374 can be configured to heat the chemical 314 to a temperature sufficient to change the phase of the chemical 314, such as to evaporate and / or sublimate the chemical 314, so as to transfer the chemical 314 to the delivery container 302 via the chemical delivery line 306. The heating device 374 can include any of a variety of heating devices known to those skilled in the art, such as a heater, a heating jacket, a heating block, and / or a radial heater, etc. or a combination thereof, and the claimed subject matter is not limited thereto.

[0070] In one example, the remote refill container 304 can be configured to operate at a selected temperature. For example, the operating temperature can be determined based on the expected sublimation rate of the chemical precursor / reactant. In some examples, the operating temperature is in the range of about 10°C to about 500°C. Of course, the selected operating temperature can depend on the chemical to be evaporated or sublimated. Other temperature ranges are also possible, and the claimed subject matter is not limited thereto.

[0071] In one example, the chemical delivery line 306 is coupled to a pump 309. The pump 309 may be a mechanical pump, such as a high-flow sublimation / mechanical hybrid pump, or any of a variety of pumps known to those skilled in the art that are operable to pump liquid or gaseous substances under high temperature and / or high pressure conditions. After the chemical 314 in the remote refill container 302 sublimates, the pump 309 may direct the chemical 314 from the remote refill container 304 to the delivery container 302. During processing, the cooling device 386 and / or one or more cooling protrusions 311 may maintain a lower temperature in the interior volume 380 of the delivery container 302 than in the interior volume 312 of the remote refill container 304, thereby creating a temperature gradient between the two containers. The gradient helps to efficiently transfer the chemical 314 from the remote refill container 304 to the delivery container 302 with the help of the pump 309. The cooling protrusion 311 may include any of a variety of active or passive cooling devices, such as a cooling device including one or more protruding members, which may be finger-like protrusions, fins, etc., or a combination thereof. The cooling protrusions 311 may be configured to be actively or passively cooled by any of a variety of mechanisms, such as by passive heat exchange, phase change cooling, liquid cooling, thermoelectric cooling, heat pipe cooling, or the like, or a combination thereof.

[0072] In one example, the transport container 302 can be close to and / or thermally coupled to one or more heating devices 376 disposed outside the housing 378 and / or the cover 330. Such heating devices are used to control or regulate the temperature of the chemical 314 during refilling operations, material processing operations, and storage of the chemical 314. The heating device 376 may include any of a variety of heating devices known to those skilled in the art, such as a heater, a heating jacket, a heating block, and / or a radial heater, etc. or a combination thereof, and the subject matter claimed for protection is not limited thereto. Similarly, the transport container 302 can be close to and / or thermally coupled to one or more cooling devices 386 disposed inside and / or outside the housing 378. Such cooling devices 386 may include any of a variety of cooling devices, such as a cooling member (e.g., see cold fingers), a cooling plate, a cooling coil, a variable pitch cooling coil, a cooling jacket, a cooling fan, a Peltier cooler, or an integrated coolant channel for circulating a coolant, etc. or a combination thereof, and the subject matter claimed for protection is not limited thereto.

[0073] The temperature of the bottom 392 of the transport container 302 can be cooled by the cooling device 386 and / or the cooling protrusions 311 to a lower temperature than the input chemical delivery line 306 of the transport container 302, the sidewall of the housing 378, or the cover 330. The chemical 314 may solidify in the area contacting or near the cooling device 386 and / or the cooling protrusions 311 near the bottom 392 of the transport container 302. During the refilling process, the chemical 314 will form a solid within the transport container 302. The cooling device 386 and / or the cooling protrusions 311 can maintain the temperature in the bottom 392 of the transport container 302 sufficient to keep the chemical 314 in a solid state before the material processing operation.

[0074] In one example, during a material processing operation, the heating device 376 can be configured to heat the chemical 314 to a temperature sufficient to change the phase of the chemical 314, such as to evaporate and / or sublimate the chemical 314. Once evaporated or sublimated, the chemical 314 can be transported via the chemical delivery line 305 to the collector 301 and the reaction chambers 322 and / or 324 for substrate processing.

[0075] During material processing, the delivery container 302 can be configured to operate at a selected temperature based on the expected sublimation rate of the chemical 314 precursor / reactant. In some examples, the operating temperature is in the range of about 10°C to about 500°C. Other temperature ranges are also possible, and the claimed subject matter is not limited thereto. Once the chemical 314 is exhausted, the delivery container 302 can be refilled from the remote refill container 304. It is not necessary to completely exhaust the chemical 314 in the delivery container 302 before refilling from the remote refill container 304.

[0076] In the example shown, the controller 356 includes a device interface 362, a processor 364, a user interface 366, and a memory 368. The device interface 362 connects the processor 364 to a wired or wireless link 370. The processor 364 can be operably connected to the user interface 366 (e.g., to receive user input and / or provide user output therethrough), and can be arranged to communicate with the memory 368. The memory 368 includes a non-transitory machine-readable medium having recorded thereon a plurality of program modules 372, which contain instructions that, when read by the processor 364, cause the processor 364 to perform certain operations. These operations include a material layer deposition method and a method for refilling the delivery container 302 (e.g., Figure 7 , Figure 8 and Fig.10 The operation of the controller 356 is shown in FIG. 1 , which will be described below. In view of the present disclosure, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the controller 356 may have a different arrangement in other examples and still be within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0077] Figure 4 It shows Figure 3 Schematic diagram of an example refill subassembly 400 of a substrate processing system 300 is shown. The refill subassembly 400 includes a transport container 302 coupled to a remote refill container 304 via a chemical delivery line 306. The remote refill container 304 can be configured to maintain a temperature sufficient to store the chemical 314 (e.g., a precursor) in a solid state before the chemical 314 (e.g., a precursor) sublimates or evaporates. The base 424 of the remote refill container 304 can be at a relatively low temperature (e.g., to keep the precursor as a solid). A carrier gas source 416 can be coupled to the remote refill container 304 via a chemical delivery line 422 and can supply a carrier gas 420 to the remote refill container 304. A valve 418 can control the flow of the carrier gas 420. The carrier gas 420 can help transfer the sublimated chemical 314 from the remote refill container 304 to the transport container 302.

[0078] In one example, heaters 406 and 408 may be coupled to the chemical delivery line 306 to maintain a "transfer temperature," which may be an evaporation temperature to prevent condensation during the transfer process. Such an evaporation temperature may be equal to or greater than a phase change temperature (e.g., a sublimation temperature) of the chemical 314. The heaters 406 and 408 may include heater jackets or other heating devices known to those skilled in the art, and the claimed subject matter is not limited thereto. The heaters 406 and 408 may be wrapped, coiled, surrounded, or otherwise disposed about the chemical delivery line 306. The heaters 406 and 408 may be disposed about and / or may surround the pump 309. The chemical delivery line 306 may have few angles or corners to prevent condensation. Valves, connection points, and / or other interruptions in the chemical delivery line 306 may be minimized to the extent that they may offset any condensation in the chemical delivery line 106 due to the remote refill container 304 being disposed away from (i.e., spaced apart from) the substrate processing platform 310 (see FIG. 1 ). Figure 3 ) resulting in a higher risk of condensation.

[0079] In one example, one or more spare remote refill containers 490 may be co-located with remote refill container 304 to reduce downtime required to replace remote refill container 304 when remote refill container 304 is depleted. When remote refill container 304 needs to be replaced, spare remote refill container 490 may be quickly coupled to delivery container 302 via chemical delivery line 306 (or via a different chemical delivery line) to avoid downtime waiting for remote refill container 304 to be removed and replaced. Alternatively, spare remote refill container 490 may be coupled to remote refill container 304 to refill container 304 at other suitable idle times, such as between refill operations or between upstream events on substrate processing platform 310 that require downtime.

[0080] In one example, the refilling process may be manually controlled and / or the refilling operation may be partially or fully automated using various sensors for automatic feedback control via controller 356. For example, sensor 410 may be disposed near or within interior volume 380 of delivery container 302, sensor 412 may be disposed within or near chemical delivery line 306, sensor 424 may be disposed near or within interior volume 426 of pump 309, and sensor 414 may be disposed near or within interior volume 428 of remote refill container 304. Sensors 410, 412, 414, and / or 424 may monitor various physical phenomena, such as acoustics, vibrations, chemicals, moisture, flow, light, pressure, force, density, temperature, and / or presence, etc., or any combination thereof. Sensors 410, 412, 414, and / or 424 may, for example, monitor a temperature gradient between the remote refill container 304 and the delivery container 302 and / or monitor the temperature of the chemical 314 disposed in at least one of the chemical delivery line 306, the pump 309, the delivery container 302, or the remote refill container 304, or a combination thereof. Sensors 410, 412, 414, and / or 424 may alternatively or additionally monitor the temperature and / or pressure of the chemical delivery line 306, the pump 309, the delivery container 302, and / or the remote refill container 304, or a combination thereof. Sensors 410, 412, 414, and / or 424 may generate sensor data based on the monitoring and send the sensor data to controller 356 (see Figure 3 ) to adjust the monitored device to change the monitored parameter (e.g., temperature, pressure, and / or pump cycle time). For example, controller 356 may adjust one or more of heating devices 374, 376, 406, and / or 408, cooling protrusions 311, cooling devices 386 and 388, or pump 309, or a combination thereof based on sensor data.

[0081] In some examples, the electronics and / or computer elements used to control one or more of reaction chamber 322, reaction chamber 324, delivery container 302, pump 309, and / or remote refill container 304 may be found elsewhere in the system. For example, a central controller may control both equipment in one or more chambers themselves, as well as control valves connected to various containers and any associated heating or cooling devices. One or more valves may be used to control the flow of gases throughout substrate processing system 300.

[0082] Figure 5 5 is a schematic diagram showing an example substrate processing system 500, which includes a transport container 502 disposed on a substrate processing platform 510. The substrate processing platform 510 includes one or more reaction chambers 538 and 540, and the reaction chambers 538 and 540 include respective reaction chambers 522 and 524. The reaction chambers 538 and 540 include respective pedestals 542 and 544 to hold respective substrates 546 and 548 during processing. The substrate processing platform 510 includes gas distribution systems 550 and 552 to distribute one or more reactants to the respective surfaces of the substrates 546 and 548. The substrate processing platform 510 may include a vacuum source (not shown) for controlling the vacuum pressure in the one or more reaction chambers 522 and 524. A reactant source such as a collector 501 may supply a gas phase reactant (e.g., chemical substance 514) received from the transport container 502 to a gas phase reaction chamber. The reaction chambers 538 and / or 540 may be gas phase reaction chambers. In one example, the solid source delivery container 502 can sublime a gas phase chemical 514 from a solid precursor. The chemical 514 can include chemical reactants, such as source chemicals or precursors, including but not limited to HfCl4, ZrCl4, AlCl3, TaF5, MoF5, SiI4, MoCl5, MoO2Cl2, WCl5, etc. or combinations thereof. The chemical 514 can be a solid under standard conditions (i.e., room temperature and atmospheric pressure).

[0083] At least one carrier gas source 520 can be coupled to the transport container 502 via a chemical delivery line 536 and can contain a carrier gas. The carrier gas source 520 can be fluidly connected to the reaction chambers 522 and 524 via a chemical delivery line 554 and valves 558 and 560. When introduced into the transport container 502, the carrier gas helps to transport the evaporated and / or sublimated chemical 514 to the collector 501 via the chemical delivery line 505 via valve 526. In the collector 501, the temperature, pressure and / or flow rate can be precisely controlled to reduce particle formation in the chemical 514. The chemical 514 is then transported to the substrate reaction chamber 522 and / or 524 via the outlet valve 507 and the chemical delivery line 528. The chemical delivery line 528 may include valves 532 and 534 for controlling the fluid communication of the chemical 514 and / or the carrier gas from the transport container 502 to the respective reaction chambers 522 and 524. The collector 501 may also be coupled to a gas source 520 via a chemical delivery line 517 .

[0084] In one example, the transport container 502 may be coupled to the remote refill container 504 via a chemical delivery line 506. The transport container 502 may receive the chemical 514 in the gas phase from the remote refill container 504 via the chemical delivery line 506. The remote refill container 504 may be located laterally remote from, above, or below the transport container 502 and / or the substrate processing platform 510, such as in a sub-factory below the substrate processing platform 510. The remote refill container 504 may contain the refill chemical 514, which includes a precursor or source chemical, which may be a solid under standard conditions (i.e., room temperature and atmospheric pressure). The remote refill container 504 may be a bulk refill container, which may have a larger chemical capacity within the housing 508 than the transport container 502, because it may not be constrained by the size limitations associated with the substrate processing platform 510. For example, the remote refill container 504 may have at least 1.5 times, 2 times, 3 times, 4 times, 5 times, 10 times, or 20 times the capacity of the transport container 502. Other capacities are possible, and claimed subject matter is not limited in this regard.

[0085] The remote refill container 504 can be configured to store the chemical 514 between refill operations. A cooling device 588 can be coupled to the bottom of the remote refill container 504. The cooling device 588 can cool the bottom surface portion 596 to maintain the chemical 514 in solid form before sublimation. The cooling device 588 can include a cooling plate, a cooling coil, a variable pitch cooling coil, a cooling jacket, a cooling fan, a Peltier cooler, or an integrated coolant channel for circulating a coolant, etc., or any combination thereof.

[0086] In one example, the remote refill container 504 may be equipped to vaporize (e.g., sublimate, evaporate) the chemical 514, and may then transfer the evaporated or sublimated chemical 514 to the delivery container 502. The transfer of the chemical 514 may be performed by an inert carrier gas flow in a closed loop of the fluid flowing in a compression and expansion cycle.

[0087] In one example, the first chemical delivery line 506 can extend between the outlet valve 516 of the remote refill container 504 and the inlet valve 518 of the delivery container 502. The outlet valve 516 and the inlet valve 518 can control the fluid communication of the chemical 514 from the remote refill container 504 to the delivery container 502. The third chemical delivery line 530 can also be coupled between the remote refill container 504 and the delivery container 502, thereby providing a closed loop circuit with the first chemical delivery line 506 between the delivery container and the remote refill container. The compressor pump 509 can be coupled to the third chemical delivery line 530. In one example, an inert gas 582 (e.g., Ar) can be introduced into the system for priming the closed loop circuit. Once introduced, the inert gas supply can be closed so that the inert gas starts to flow in the closed loop between the remote refill container 504 and the delivery container 502 with the help of the compressor pump 509. The initial input of the inert gas 582 can be used only for priming purposes. In one example, the inert gas 582 can be supplied by the collector 501 via the gas source 520. The restrictor 511 can be coupled to the first chemical delivery line 506 upstream of the delivery container 502 to maintain the inert gas 582 and the gaseous chemical 514 at a first pressure between the compressor pump 509 and the restrictor 511, the first pressure being higher than a second pressure within the delivery container 502. The restrictor 511 is operable to open to expand the inert gas 582 and the gaseous chemical 514 into the delivery container 502, thereby solidifying the chemical 514 within the delivery container 502.

[0088] Now go to Figure 6 , which shows Figure 5An example refill subassembly of a substrate processing system is shown, wherein an inert gas source 620 is directly coupled to a third chemical delivery line 530 via a chemical delivery line 622, rather than introducing an inert gas 582 into the closed loop circuit 503 via a collector 501. In this example, a compressor pump 509 can be coupled to the third chemical delivery line 530 upstream of the inert gas source 620. The compressor pump 509 can direct an inert gas 616 from the gas source 620 to the remote refill container 504. The inert gas 616 can be introduced into the system and used to prime the closed loop circuit. Once the inert gas 616 is introduced into the closed loop circuit 503, the inert gas supply valves 618 and / or 624 can be closed to begin the flow of the inert gas 616 in the closed loop circuit 503 between the remote refill container 504 and the delivery container 502 with the aid of the compressor pump 509. The initial input of the inert gas 616 can be used for priming purposes only. The chemical 514 may also be present in the third chemical line 530 after the initial priming.

[0089] In one example, the restrictor 511 is coupled to the first chemical delivery line 506 upstream of the delivery container 502 to maintain the inert gas 616 and the gaseous chemical 514 at a first pressure P1 between the compressor pump 509 and the restrictor 511. The first pressure P1 is higher than a second pressure P2 within the delivery container 502. The restrictor 511 is operable to open to expand the inert gas 616 and the gaseous chemical 514 into the delivery container 502, thereby solidifying the chemical 514 in the delivery container 502.

[0090] In one example, to end the refrigeration-type cycle in the closed loop circuit 503, the outlet 632 of the delivery container 502 can be closed while keeping the inlet valve 518 open. As the compressor pump 509 operates, the pressure P2 in the delivery container 502 may increase so that it is higher than the pressure P1 in the remote refill container 504. Subsequently, the inlet valve 518 and all valves of the remote refill container 504 (e.g., valves 634 and 516) can be closed to shut off the compressor pump 509.

[0091] Back to Figure 5, the remote refill container 504 can be proximate to a heating device 574 disposed outside of the housing 508 and in thermal communication with the housing 508. The housing 508 can be made of a thermally conductive material (e.g., stainless steel) and can be configured to transfer heat from the heating device 574 to the interior volume 512 of the housing 508. The heating device 574 can be configured to heat the chemical 514 to a temperature sufficient to change the phase of the chemical 514, such as to evaporate and / or sublimate the chemical 514, so as to transfer the chemical 514 to the delivery container 502. The heating device 574 can include any of a variety of heating devices known to those skilled in the art, such as a heater, a heating jacket, a heating block, and / or a radial heater, etc. or a combination thereof, and the claimed subject matter is not limited thereto.

[0092] In one example, the remote refill container 504 can be configured to operate at a selected temperature. For example, the operating temperature can be determined based on the expected sublimation rate of the chemical precursor / reactant. In some examples, the operating temperature is in the range of about 10°C to about 500°C. Of course, the selected operating temperature can depend on the chemical to be evaporated or sublimated. Other temperature ranges are also possible, and the claimed subject matter is not limited thereto.

[0093] In one example, the chemical delivery line 506 is coupled to the delivery container 502. During processing, the first temperature T1 within the internal volume 512 of the remote refill container 504 can be greater than the second temperature T2 within the internal volume 580 of the delivery container 502, thereby generating a temperature gradient between the two containers. This gradient facilitates the efficient transfer of the chemical 514 from the remote refill container 504 to the delivery container 502 and the vapor capture of the chemical 514 within the delivery container 502. In addition, in order to maintain such a temperature gradient, the delivery container 502 can be close to and / or thermally coupled to one or more cooling devices 586 disposed inside and / or outside the housing 578. Such cooling devices 586 can include any of a variety of cooling devices, such as a cooling member (see, for example, Figure 3 The invention may include cooling protrusions 311 in the cooling device, a cooling plate, a cooling coil, a variable pitch cooling coil, a cooling jacket, a cooling fan, a Peltier cooler or an integrated coolant channel for circulating a coolant, etc., or a combination thereof, and the claimed subject matter is not limited thereto.

[0094] In one example, the delivery container 502 can be close to and / or thermally coupled to one or more heating devices 576 disposed outside the housing 578. Such heating devices are used to control or regulate the temperature of the chemical 514 during refilling operations, material processing operations, and storage of the chemical 514. The heating device 576 can include any of a variety of heating devices known to those skilled in the art, such as a heater, a heating jacket, a heating block, and / or a radial heater, etc. or a combination thereof, and the claimed subject matter is not limited thereto.

[0095] In one example, during a refilling operation, the restrictor 511 can be opened, allowing the inert gas and chemical 514 to expand into the transport container, which will cause the pressure in the transport container 502 to drop. This reduction in pressure causes the chemical 514 vapor molecules to slow down and cool, so as to capture the vapor molecules within the transport container 502. In addition, the temperature of the internal volume 580 can be cooled by the cooling device 586 to a lower temperature than the incoming chemical 514, thereby further promoting the solidification of the chemical 514 when entering the transport container 502. During the refilling period, the chemical 514 will form a solid. The transport container 502 can maintain a temperature in the bottom 592 of the transport container 502 sufficient to maintain the chemical 514 in a solid phase prior to the material processing operation.

[0096] In one example, during a material processing operation, the heating device 576 can be configured to heat the chemical 514 to a temperature sufficient to change the phase of the chemical 514, such as to evaporate and / or sublimate the chemical 514. Once evaporated or sublimated, the chemical 514 can be transported via the chemical delivery line 528 to the collector 501 and the reaction chambers 522 and / or 524 for substrate processing.

[0097] During material processing, the delivery container 502 can be configured to operate at a selected temperature based on the expected sublimation rate of the chemical 514 precursor / reactant. In some examples, the operating temperature is in the range of about 10°C to about 500°C. Other temperature ranges are also possible, and the claimed subject matter is not limited thereto. Once the chemical 514 is exhausted, the delivery container 502 can be refilled from the remote refill container 504. It is not necessary to completely exhaust the chemical 514 in the delivery container 502 before refilling from the remote refill container 504.

[0098] In the example shown, the controller 556 includes a device interface 562, a processor 564, a user interface 566, and a memory 568. The device interface 562 connects the processor 564 to a wired or wireless link 570. The processor 564 can be operably connected to the user interface 566 (e.g., to receive user input and / or provide user output therethrough), and can be arranged to communicate with the memory 568. The memory 568 includes a non-transitory machine-readable medium having recorded thereon a plurality of program modules 572, which contain instructions that, when read by the processor 564, cause the processor 564 to perform certain operations. These operations include material layer deposition methods and methods for refilling the delivery container 502 (e.g., Figure 7 , Fig. 9 and Fig.10 The operation of the method shown in FIG. 5 is as follows. In view of the present disclosure, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the controller 556 may have a different arrangement in other examples and still be within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0099] Back to Figure 6 In one example, one or more spare remote refill containers 690 may be co-located with remote refill container 504 to reduce downtime required to replace remote refill container 504 when remote refill container 504 is depleted. When remote refill container 504 needs to be replaced, spare remote refill container 690 may be quickly coupled to delivery container 502 via chemical delivery lines 506 and 530 to avoid downtime waiting for remote refill container 504 to be removed and replaced. Alternatively, spare remote refill container 690 may be coupled to remote refill container 504 at other suitable idle times, such as between refill operations or between upstream events requiring downtime on substrate processing platform 510.

[0100] In one example, the refilling process can be manually controlled and / or the refilling operation can be controlled by the controller 556 (see Figure 5) can be partially or fully automated by automatic feedback control. For example, sensor 610 can be disposed near or in interior volume 580 of delivery container 502, sensor 612 can be disposed in or near chemical delivery line 506, sensor 614 can be disposed in or near chemical delivery line 530, sensor 626 can be disposed near or in interior 628 of pump 509, and sensor 630 can be disposed near or in interior volume 512 of remote refill container 504. Sensors 610, 612, 614, 626, and / or 630 can monitor a variety of physical phenomena, such as acoustics, vibrations, chemicals, moisture, flow, light, pressure, force, density, temperature, and / or presence, etc., or any combination thereof. The sensors 610, 612, 614, 626, and / or 630 may, for example, monitor a temperature gradient between the remote refill container 504 and the delivery container 502 and / or monitor a temperature of a chemical 514 disposed in at least one of the chemical delivery line 506, the chemical delivery line 530, the pump 509, the delivery container 502, or the remote refill container 504, or a combination thereof. The sensors 610, 612, 614, 626, and / or 630 may alternatively or additionally monitor a temperature and / or pressure of the chemical delivery line 506, the chemical delivery line 530, the pump 509, the delivery container 502, and / or the remote refill container 504, or a combination thereof. The sensors 610, 612, 614, 626, and / or 630 may generate sensor data based on the monitoring and send the sensor data to the controller 556 (see Figure 5 ) to adjust various devices to change the monitored parameters (e.g., temperature, pressure, and / or pump cycle time). For example, controller 556 may adjust one or more of delivery container 502, remote refill container 502, heating devices 574, 576, 634, cooling devices 586 and 588, one or more valves (e.g., valve 516, valve 518, valve 526, valve 618, valve 624), flow restrictor 511, or pump 509, or a combination thereof based on the sensor data.

[0101] In some examples, the electronics and / or computer elements used to control one or more of the delivery container 502, the remote refill container 502, the heating devices 574, 576, 634, the cooling devices 586 and 588, one or more valves (e.g., valve 516, valve 518, valve 526, valve 618, valve 624), the flow restrictor 511, or the pump 509 may be found elsewhere in the system. For example, a central controller may control equipment in one or more chambers themselves, as well as control valves connected to various containers and any associated heating or cooling devices. In addition, one or more valves may be used to control the flow of gases throughout the substrate processing system 500.

[0102] Figure 7is a flow chart depicting an embodiment of a solid source refill process 700. Reference will be made to Figure 1 Process 700 is described. Process 700 can begin at block 702, where a transport container (e.g., transport container 102, 302, or 502) can be coupled to a remote refill container (e.g., remote refill container 104, 304, or 504). The transport container can be disposed at a first location on a substrate processing platform (e.g., substrate processing platform 110, 310, or 510), and the remote refill container can be disposed at a second location remote from the substrate processing platform. In an example, the first location can be separated from the second location by a distance of about 1 foot to about 20 feet, 20 feet to about 100 feet, 100 feet to about 200 feet, or 200 feet to about 500 feet. Other distances are possible, and the claimed subject matter is not limited thereto.

[0103] The transport container may be coupled to a remote refill container via a chemical transport line (e.g., chemical transport line 106, 306, 506, and / or 530). Process 700 may move to box 704, where the chemical (e.g., chemical 114, 314, or 514) may be stored in a remote refill container in a first phase. In one example, the first phase may be a solid phase. In another example, the first phase may be a liquid or a gas. In box 706, the phase of the chemical may be changed to a second phase by the action of one or more components of the remote refill container (e.g., heating device 176, 194, 374, or 574, cooling device 174, 388, or 588, or valve 116, 316, 516, and / or 634). Such an action may include heating and / or pressurizing one or more chemical substances. In one example, the first phase and the second phase are different. Process 700 may move to box 708, where the chemical substance may be transferred to the transport container in a second phase to refill the transport container with the chemical substance. Chemicals can be transferred from the remote refill container to the delivery container by opening one or more valves (e.g., valves 116, 118, 316, 318, 516, and / or 518) on the chemical delivery line, wherein the opened chemical delivery line connects the remote refill container to the delivery container fluid. After refilling is completed, the chemicals can be transferred from the delivery container to a collector (e.g., collector 101, 301, 501) to a reaction chamber (e.g., 138, 140, 338, 340, 538, and / or 540) in fluid communication with the delivery container to process a substrate (e.g., 146, 148, 346, 348, 546, and / or 548).

[0104] Figure 8 is a flow chart depicting an example solid source refill process 800. Figure 3-4 Process 800 is described. Process 800 may begin at block 802, where a transport container 302 (see Figure 4) may be coupled to a remote refill container 304 via a chemical delivery line 306. The delivery container 302 may be disposed at a first location on the substrate processing platform 310, and the remote refill container 304 may be disposed at a second location remote from the substrate processing platform 310. Process 800 may continue at block 804, where a solid chemical 314 (e.g., a precursor) may be stored in a remote refill container as a solid in a first phase.

[0105] At block 806, the chemical 314 may be converted to a second phase in the remote refill container 304. For example, the chemical 314 may sublime or evaporate to form a gaseous form of the chemical 314 by exposing the chemical 314 to heat and / or pressure to convert the solid to the second phase, i.e., a gas. In one example, the heat and / or pressure may be above the boiling point or sublimation point of the chemical 314.

[0106] At block 808, the gaseous chemical 314 may be transferred to the delivery container 302 via the heated chemical delivery line 306 to maintain the temperature of the chemical 314 above a phase transition temperature, wherein the phase transition temperature is a boiling point or a sublimation point of the chemical 314. At block 810, the pump 309 may be operated to pump the chemical 314 through the chemical delivery line 306 to facilitate the transfer of the chemical 314 in a gas phase to the delivery container 302. At block 812, a temperature gradient may be established between the interior volume 380 of the delivery container 302 and the interior volume 312 of the remote refill container 304. The temperature within the interior volume 312 may be higher than the temperature of the interior volume 380. In an example, maintaining the temperature gradient may include actively cooling the delivery container 302 using a cooling device, such as a plurality of cooling protrusions 311 disposed within the first interior volume 184. This active cooling within the transport container 302 can reduce the temperature within the interior volume 380 to below the solidification or phase transition point and can help the chemical 314 return to the first phase (e.g., solid) after entering the interior volume 380 of the transport container 302. At box 814, the process 800 can continuously return to box 806 until the transport container 302 is refilled. Boxes 806-812 can be performed simultaneously during the refilling process. After refilling the transport container 304 with the chemical 314 is completed, the process 800 moves to box 814. At box 816, the chemical 314 can solidify in the transport container 302. The chemical 314 can be stored in the transport container 302 until used in the material processing operation.

[0107] Fig. 9 is a flow chart depicting an example solid source refill process 900. Figure 5-6 Process 900 is described. Process 900 may begin at block 902, where a transport container 502 (see Figure 6) may be coupled to a remote refill container 504 via a first chemical delivery line 506. The delivery container 502 may be disposed at a first location on the substrate processing platform 510, and the remote refill container 504 may be disposed at a second location away from the substrate processing platform 510. At block 904, the delivery container 502 may be coupled to the collector 501 via a second chemical delivery line 505. At block 906, the remote refill container 504 may be coupled to the delivery container 502 via a third chemical delivery line 530 to provide a closed loop circuit 503 with the first chemical delivery line 506 between the delivery container 502 and the remote refill container 504.

[0108] In one example, the process 900 can move to block 908, where a supply of an inert gas 616 can be provided to the closed loop circuit 503. The inert gas 616 can enter the system from the collector 501 or via an inert gas source 620, which is coupled to the third chemical delivery line 530 via a fourth chemical delivery line 622. One or more gas valves 618 and / or 624 can control the flow of the inert gas 616 to prime the closed loop circuit 503.

[0109] Process 900 may continue at block 910, where chemical 514 (e.g., precursor) may be stored in a remote refill container as a solid in a first phase. At block 912, chemical 514 may be converted to a second phase in remote refill container 504. For example, chemical 514 may be sublimated or evaporated to form chemical 514 in gaseous form by exposing chemical 514 to heat and / or pressure to convert the solid to a second phase, i.e., a gas. In one example, the heat and / or pressure may be above a boiling point or sublimation point of chemical 514.

[0110] At block 914, the pressure in the remote refill container 504 can be maintained between the compressor pump 509 coupled to the third chemical delivery line 530 and the flow restrictor 511 coupled to the first chemical delivery line 506 upstream of the delivery container 502. At block 916, the inert gas 616 can be pumped to the remote refill container 504 via the compressor pump 509 to transport the chemical 514 in the gas phase to the delivery container 502. At block 918, the inert gas 616 and the chemical 514 in the second phase can be expanded into the interior volume 580 of the delivery container 502. When expanding into the delivery container 502, the mixture of the inert gas 616 and the gaseous chemical 514 can cause a pressure drop within the interior volume 580. The reduction in pressure will cause the vapor molecules to slow down and cool, helping to trap the chemical 514 molecules within the delivery container 502. This expansion and cooling can solidify the chemical 514 within the delivery container 502 in response to the pressure drop generated within the delivery container 502.

[0111] At block 920, a temperature gradient may be established between the interior volume 580 of the transport container 502 and the interior volume 512 of the remote refill container 504. The temperature within the interior volume 512 may be higher than the temperature of the interior volume 580. In one example, maintaining the temperature gradient may include actively cooling the transport container 502 using the cooling device 586. Such active cooling within the transport container 502 may reduce the temperature within the interior volume 580 to below the freezing or phase transition point of the chemical 514 and may help the chemical 514 within the interior volume 580 of the transport container 502 return to a solid phase.

[0112] At block 922, process 800 may continuously return to block 912 until delivery container 302 is refilled. Blocks 912-922 may be performed simultaneously during the refilling process. After refilling delivery container 504 with chemical 514 is complete, process 900 moves to block 924. At block 924, chemical 514 may solidify in delivery container 502. Chemical 514 may be stored in delivery container 502 until used, for example, Fig.10 504. At the end of the transfer, the inert material captured in the receiver vessel 504 can be drained before any process resumption.

[0113] Fig.10 is a flow chart depicting a substrate processing process 1000, which may be performed during the solid source refill process 800 (see Figure 8 ) and / or process 900 (see Fig. 9 ). Process 1000 begins at block 1002, where a chemical (eg, chemical 314 and / or chemical 514) may be sublimated within a transport container (eg, transport container 302 and / or transport container 502).

[0114] In one example, at block 1004, the sublimated chemical (e.g., chemical 314 and / or chemical 514) can be transferred from a delivery container (e.g., 302 and / or 502) to a collector (e.g., collector 301 and / or collector 501) via a second chemical delivery line (e.g., second chemical delivery line 305 and / or second chemical delivery line 505). At block 1006, the second chemical delivery line (e.g., second chemical delivery line 305 and / or second chemical delivery line 505) can be heated to a temperature sufficient to maintain the chemical (e.g., chemical 314 and / or chemical 514) in a gaseous state. At block 1008, the collector (e.g., collector 301 and / or collector 501) can be coupled to one or more reaction chambers (e.g., reaction chamber 338, reaction chamber 340, reaction chamber 538, and / or reaction chamber 540). In box 1010, chemicals (e.g., chemical 314 and / or chemical 514) can be transferred from a collector (e.g., collector 301 and / or collector 501) to one or more reaction chambers (e.g., reaction chamber 338, reaction chamber 340, reaction chamber 538 and / or reaction chamber 540) to perform processing operations on corresponding substrates (e.g., substrate 346, substrate 348, substrate 546 and / or substrate 548) using the chemicals (e.g., chemical 314 and / or chemical 514).

[0115] It should be understood that the configuration and / or method described herein are exemplary in nature, and these specific embodiments or examples should not be considered restrictive, because many variations are possible. The specific routine or method described herein can represent one or more of any number of processing strategies. Therefore, the various actions shown can be performed in the order shown, in other orders, or omitted in some cases.

[0116] The headings provided herein, if any, are for convenience only and do not necessarily affect the scope or meaning of the apparatus and methods disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A method comprising: coupling a delivery container disposed at a first location on the substrate processing platform to a remote refill container disposed at a second location remote from the substrate processing platform via a first chemical delivery line; storing the chemical in a first phase in a remote refill container; changing the chemical in the remote refill container to a second phase; transferring the chemical in the second phase to a delivery container via a first chemical delivery line; heating a first chemical delivery line to a first temperature equal to or greater than a phase change temperature of the chemical; as well as The delivery container is coupled to the collector via a second chemical delivery line.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The first phase is a solid and the second phase is a liquid, and wherein changing the phase of the chemical further comprises melting the chemical by applying heat to the chemical or applying pressure to the chemical or a combination thereof.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The first phase is a solid and the second phase is a gas, and wherein changing the phase of the chemical further comprises sublimating the chemical by applying heat to the chemical or reducing pressure applied to the chemical, or a combination thereof.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising locating the remote refill container in a sub-plant.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The transport of chemical species in the second phase also includes: coupling the remote refill container and the delivery container via a third chemical delivery line to provide a closed loop circuit with the first chemical delivery line between the delivery container and the remote refill container; providing a supply of inert gas via an inert gas supply container coupled to the third chemical delivery line via a gas valve to prime the closed loop circuit with the inert gas; and Close the gas valve after priming.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising: Pressure is maintained in a remote refill container between a compressor pump coupled to the third chemical delivery line and a flow restrictor coupled to the first chemical delivery line upstream of the delivery container.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising: An inert gas is pumped into the remote refill container with the compressor pump to deliver the chemical in the second phase to the delivery container.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising: In response to the pressure drop generated within the delivery container, the inert gas and the chemical in the second phase are expanded into the interior volume of the delivery container and the chemical in the delivery container is solidified.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: sublimating the chemical substance in the delivery container; transferring the sublimated chemical from the delivery container to the collector via the second chemical delivery line; heating the second chemical delivery line to a second temperature sufficient to maintain the chemical in a gaseous state; coupling the collector to the reaction chamber; as well as Transfer chemicals from the collector to the reaction chamber.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: maintaining a temperature gradient between a first interior volume of the delivery container and a second interior volume of the remote refill container; as well as The chemical species are returned to the first phase within the first internal volume.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein: Maintaining the temperature gradient further includes actively cooling the transport container via a plurality of cold components disposed within the first interior volume.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein: Transmitting the chemical in the second phase further includes pumping the chemical through the first chemical delivery line via a pump coupled to the first chemical delivery line.

13. A substrate processing system comprising: a transport container having a first interior volume disposed at a first position on the substrate processing platform; a remote refill container in fluid communication with the delivery container via the first chemical delivery line, the remote refill container comprising a second interior volume greater than the first interior volume and disposed at a second location remote from the substrate processing platform; a collector coupled between the delivery container and the reaction chamber via a second chemical substance delivery line; as well as A first heating device proximate the remote refill container is operable to heat a chemical disposed in the remote refill container sufficient to change the chemical from a first phase to a second phase.

14. The substrate processing system according to claim 13, wherein: The first chemical delivery line is coupled to a second heating device operable to maintain the first chemical delivery line at a delivery temperature above a phase change temperature of the chemical.

15. The substrate processing system according to claim 13, wherein: The first chemical delivery line is coupled to a mechanical pump configured to direct the chemical in the second phase from the remote refill container to the delivery container through the first chemical delivery line.

16. The substrate processing system according to claim 14, wherein: The delivery container is coupled to a third heating device or a cooling device or a combination thereof, wherein the first chemical delivery line is coupled to the delivery container via an inlet valve.

17. The substrate processing system according to claim 16, wherein: The cooling device comprises a plurality of cold components disposed at the bottom of the transport container, wherein the temperature of the cold components is selected to return the chemical substance from the second phase to the first phase.

18. The substrate processing system according to claim 16, further comprising: at least one sensor disposed in or near the first chemical delivery line, the second chemical delivery line, the pump, the delivery container, or the remote refill container, or a combination thereof, to monitor temperature, pressure, or pump cycle time, or a combination thereof, of the chemical and generate sensor data based on the monitoring; as well as At least one controller is communicatively coupled to at least one sensor and is communicatively coupled to the first heating device, the second heating device, the third heating device, the cooling device or the pump, or a combination thereof, and the at least one controller is configured to receive sensor data and adjust the first heating device, the second heating device, the third heating device, the pump or the cooling device, or a combination thereof based on the sensor data.

19. The substrate processing system according to claim 16, wherein: The first phase of the chemical substance is solid, the second phase of the chemical substance is gas, and further comprises: a third chemical delivery line coupled between the remote refill container and the delivery container; a compressor pump coupled to the third chemical delivery line upstream of an inert gas source coupled to the third chemical delivery line, wherein the compressor pump is operable to direct at least the inert gas from the inert gas source to the remote refill container; and A restrictor is coupled to the first chemical delivery line upstream of the delivery container to maintain the inert gas and the gaseous chemical at a first pressure between the compressor pump and the restrictor, the first pressure being higher than a second pressure within the delivery container, and wherein the restrictor is operable to open to expand the inert gas and the gaseous chemical into the delivery container, thereby solidifying the chemical within the delivery container.

20. The substrate processing system of claim 19, further comprising: at least one sensor disposed in or near the first chemical delivery line, the third chemical delivery line, the compressor pump, the flow restrictor, the inert gas source, the delivery container, or the remote refill container, or a combination thereof, to monitor a temperature or pressure, or a combination thereof, of the chemical and generate sensor data based on the monitoring; as well as at least one controller communicatively coupled to at least one sensor and communicatively coupled to the first heating device, the second heating device, the third heating device, a compressor pump, a flow restrictor, or one or more valves coupled to any of a delivery container, a remote refill container, or an inert gas source, or a combination thereof, Wherein, at least one controller is configured to receive sensor data and adjust a first heating device, a second heating device, a third heating device, a compressor pump, a flow restrictor, or one or more valves coupled to any one of a delivery container, a remote refill container, or an inert gas source, or a combination thereof based on the sensor data.

21. The substrate processing system according to claim 13, wherein: The first phase is solid and the second phase is gas or liquid or a combination thereof.

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