Liquid material gasification device and operation setting method thereof

Abstract

The invention provides a liquid material gasification device and an operation setting method thereof. And a control unit that operates in a gas generation mode such that the liquid material is supplied from the supply flow path (R1) to the container (1) through the first opening / closing valve (V1) set to a predetermined first opening degree, and operates in a purge mode such that purge gas is introduced from the supply flow path (R1) to the container (1) through the first opening / closing valve (V1) set to a second opening degree larger than the first opening degree.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a liquid material vaporizing device for heating and vaporizing a liquid material and an action setting method thereof. Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, a liquid material vaporizing apparatus has been developed that generates a gas used in a semiconductor manufacturing process or the like by vaporizing a liquid material.

[0003] like Figure 2 As shown, such a liquid material vaporization device comprises: a container 11; a supply flow channel R11, which supplies liquid material to the container 11; a heater (not shown in the figure because it is attached to the container 11) for heating the liquid material in the container 11; a gas outlet flow channel R12, which discharges the vaporized gas of the liquid material generated by heating in the container 11; and a flow controller 12, which controls the flow rate FB of the vaporized gas flowing in the gas outlet flow channel R12 to a specified value. These various devices are housed or maintained in a frame 13 of a unified size, although it cannot be said to be standardized.

[0004] Furthermore, in the operation in the mode of generating the vaporized gas and supplying it to the external equipment (gas generation mode), the on-off valve V12 arranged in the gas outlet flow channel R12 is opened, and the vaporized gas generated by heating by the heater is introduced into the target equipment such as the semiconductor process chamber through the gas outlet flow channel R12 while the flow rate is controlled by the flow controller 12.

[0005] A sensor 14 for detecting the liquid amount (liquid level) of the liquid material is provided in the container 11. In the gas generation mode, if the liquid amount in the container 11 is lower than a specified value due to the derivation of the gasified gas, the on-off valve V11 for supplying the liquid material provided in the supply flow path R11 is opened to supply the liquid material to the container 11. In addition, when the liquid amount in the container 11 exceeds the specified value due to the supply of the liquid material, the on-off valve V11 is closed to stop the supply of the liquid material. In this way, in the gas generation mode, while a certain flow of gasified gas is derivated through the flow controller 12, the storage amount of the liquid material in the container 11 is controlled to be constant.

[0006] exist Figure 3 2 is a time series graph showing the relationship between the extraction flow rate of the vaporized gas in the gas generation mode and the supply timing of the liquid material to the container 11 by the on-off valve V11.

[0007] As can be seen from the graph, the flow rate of the vaporized gas slightly fluctuates at the timing of supplying the liquid material. One of the main reasons for this is that the pressure and temperature in the container 11 change due to the supply of the liquid material.

[0008] However, in the past, in order to suppress the changes in temperature and pressure in the container, which is one of the main reasons for the changes in the outlet flow rate of the vaporized gas, the on-off valve V11 used for supplying liquid material was a valve whose opening degree in the open state was less than a certain level, so as not to allow a large amount of liquid material to flow into the container 11 at one time.

[0009] On the other hand, in the case of purifying the liquid material and vaporized gas from the container 11 in order to dismantle the liquid material vaporization device, etc. (in the case of purification mode), the purified gas is introduced into the container 11 from the supply flow channel R11 and discharged through the gas outlet flow channel R12 and the flow controller 12. Conventionally, the bypass flow passage R14 is provided in the supply flow passage R11, and the on-off valve V14 for exhausting the purge gas provided in the bypass flow passage R14 is also opened, and the purge gas is discharged not only through the on-off valve V11 for supplying the liquid material, but also through the on-off valve V14. Thus, a large flow of purge gas flows, and reliable and short-time purification can be performed.

[0010] In the same figure, reference numeral V13 denotes an on-off valve provided in the gas outlet passage R13 , reference numeral 15 denotes a preheater for preheating the liquid material immediately before supplying it to the container 11 , and reference numeral 16 denotes a pressure sensor for measuring the pressure in the container 11 .

[0011] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2022-135920 Summary of the invention Problems to be solved by the invention

[0012] However, if the capacity of the container is increased, there is an advantage that, for example, a float sensor with high operational reliability can be used for detecting the storage amount of the liquid material in the container.

[0013] However, as described above, since the size of the frame is determined to a certain extent, it is difficult to simply increase the container capacity in the previous structure. For example, if a simple method such as omitting part of the components other than the container is considered, the fluctuation range of the gasification gas outlet flow rate may increase.

[0014] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a liquid material vaporization device that can increase the capacity of a container and enjoy the advantages thereof while maintaining the existing performance. Means for solving problems

[0015] That is, the liquid material vaporizing device of the present invention is the following device.

[0016] [1] A liquid material gasification device, characterized in that: The liquid material vaporizing device comprises a container, a supply channel for supplying the liquid material to the container, and a first opening and closing valve provided on the supply channel. The operation is performed in a gas generation mode so that the liquid material is supplied from the supply flow path to the container through the first opening and closing valve set to a predetermined first opening degree, In the purge mode, the purge gas is operated so as to be introduced from the supply flow path into the container through the first on-off valve set to a second opening degree larger than the first opening degree.

[0017] According to such a device, the first on-off valve has both the functions of the conventional on-off valve for supplying the liquid material and the on-off valve for discharging the purge gas, so the number of components can be reduced and the capacity of the container can be increased accordingly.

[0018] As a result, for example, a float sensor or the like can be used as the liquid level sensor, and the reliability of detecting the liquid level in the container can be improved.

[0019] Furthermore, the container capacity is increased, and more liquid material can be stored inside. Therefore, even if the same amount of liquid material is supplied to the container as before (in other words, even if the outlet flow rate of the vaporized gas is the same as before), the pressure and temperature changes in the container caused by this are small. Therefore, it is possible to configure without using a preheater for preheating the liquid material, which can also synergistically increase the container capacity.

[0020] In addition, in the gas generation mode, the opening degree (first opening degree) of the first on-off valve can be set smaller so that only liquid material below a certain flow rate flows into the container, thereby suppressing changes in pressure and temperature in the container. As a result, changes in the outlet flow rate of the vaporized gas can be ensured as before.

[0021] On the other hand, in the purge mode, the opening degree (second opening degree) of the first on-off valve can be set large to flow a large amount of purge gas, so that in this mode as well, the reliability and shortening of the purge can be ensured as in the conventional art.

[0022] [2] In the liquid material vaporization device described in [1], The liquid material gasification device further includes a float sensor, which detects the storage amount of the liquid material in the container. In the gas generation mode, the opening and closing of the first on-off valve is controlled based on the detection signal of the float sensor.

[0023] Such a device can improve the reliability of detecting the storage amount of the liquid material in the container.

[0024] [3] In the liquid material vaporization device described in [1] or [2], The first opening degree is configured to be able to be changed and set.

[0025] According to such a device, the opening degree (first opening degree) of the first on-off valve in the gas generation mode can be set to an optimal opening degree according to the type of liquid material and the extraction flow rate of the vaporized gas.

[0026] [4] A method for setting an operation of a liquid material vaporization device, characterized in that: The liquid material vaporizing device comprises a container, a supply channel for supplying the liquid material to the container, and a first opening and closing valve provided on the supply channel. In the gas generation mode, the liquid material vaporization device is operated to set the first opening and closing valve to a predetermined first opening degree, and the liquid material is supplied from the supply flow path to the container through the first opening and closing valve, and is vaporized in the container. In the purge mode, the liquid material vaporizing device is operated to set the first opening valve to a second opening degree that is larger than the first opening degree, and the purge gas is introduced into the container through the first opening valve.

[0027] If this method is used, the same effect as that of [1] can be achieved.

[0028] [5] In the method for setting the operation of the liquid material vaporization device described in [4], The first opening degree is changed at least according to the type of liquid material.

[0029] According to such a method, the opening degree (first opening degree) of the first on-off valve in the gas generation mode can be set to an optimal opening degree according to the type of liquid material. Effects of the Invention

[0030] According to the present invention, the capacity of the container can be increased and its advantages can be enjoyed, and the existing performance can be ensured. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram schematically showing the structure of a liquid material vaporization device according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram schematically showing the structure of a conventional liquid material vaporization device. Figure 3 This is a graph showing changes in the extraction flow rate of the vaporized gas at the timing of supplying the liquid material to the container. Description of reference numerals: 100: liquid material gasification device; 1: container; R1: supply flow channel; R2: gas outlet flow channel; R3: purge gas inlet flow channel; V1: first opening and closing valve. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] Hereinafter, a liquid material vaporization device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0033] like Figure 1 As shown, the liquid material vaporization device 100 of the present embodiment comprises: a container 1; a supply flow channel R1, which supplies liquid material to the container 1; a heater (not shown in the figure because it is attached to the container 1) for heating the liquid material in the container 1; a sensor mechanism 4, which is arranged in the container 1 and detects the liquid amount (liquid level) of the liquid material; a gas outlet flow channel R2, which outlets the vaporized gas of the liquid material generated by heating in the container 1; a flow controller 2, which controls the flow rate FB of the vaporized gas flowing in the gas outlet flow channel R2 to a specified value; and a frame 3, which accommodates and retains these components.

[0034] The container 1 is a hollow container formed of SUS or the like and has, for example, a rectangular parallelepiped shape.

[0035] The supply channel R1 is formed by drilling a tube or a block, one end of which is connected to the bottom surface of the container 1 and the other end is connected to a first port P1 provided in the frame 3. The first port P1 is connected to a liquid material source (not shown) via a tube or a tube.

[0036] The supply flow passage R1 is provided with a single first on-off valve V1 that can uniquely control the flow of the fluid flowing in the supply flow passage R1. The first on-off valve V1 is a pneumatic valve type that can be opened and closed remotely, but is not limited thereto.

[0037] The sensor mechanism 4 is provided with two float sensors 41 and 42. The float sensors 41 and 42 are provided with a floating body that is kept to be able to move up and down within a predetermined height range, and detect whether the floating body is in a floating state by the buoyancy of the liquid material in the container 1. Here, the float sensor 41 on one side functions as a low liquid level sensor for detecting whether the liquid material in the container 1 is lower than a preset lower limit value, and the float sensor 42 on the other side whose up and down movement range of the float body is set at a higher position functions as a high liquid level sensor for detecting whether the liquid material in the container 1 is higher than a preset upper limit value. That is, here, the two float sensors 41 and 42 can detect three states of whether the liquid material in the container 1 is less than the lower limit value, between the lower limit value and the upper limit value, or exceeds the upper limit value.

[0038] The gas outlet flow channel R2 is formed by drilling a hole in a tube or a block, one end of which is connected to the upper surface of the container, and the other end of which is connected to a second port P2 provided in the frame 3. The second port P2 is connected to a target device such as a semiconductor process chamber (not shown) via a tube, a tube, etc.

[0039] Furthermore, a second on-off valve V2 is provided in the gas outlet flow path R2. As the second on-off valve V2, a pneumatic valve type valve capable of opening and closing by remote operation is used here, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0040] The flow controller 2 is provided between the second on-off valve V2 and the second port P2 on the gas outlet flow path R2, and controls the mass flow rate of the fluid flowing in the gas outlet flow path R2. The flow controller 2 includes a flow control valve (not shown) and a flow sensor such as a thermal type, and performs FB control on the opening of the flow control valve so that the measured flow rate measured by the flow sensor approaches a preset set flow rate.

[0041] In addition, the liquid material gasification device is also provided with a purge gas introduction channel R3 for introducing a purge gas into the flow controller 2. The purge gas introduction channel R3 is formed by punching a hole in a tube or a block. One end of the purge gas introduction channel R3 is connected to the middle of the gas outlet channel R2, more specifically, between the second on-off valve V2 and the flow controller 2, and the other end of the purge gas introduction channel R3 is connected to the third port P3 provided in the frame 3. The third port P3 is connected to a purge gas source (not shown) via a tube, a tube, etc.

[0042] Furthermore, a third opening and closing valve V3 is provided in the purge gas introduction flow path R3. As the third opening and closing valve V3, a pneumatic valve type valve capable of opening and closing by remote operation is used here, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The purge gas introduction passage R3 can be used only to purge the flow controller 2. At this time, the second opening and closing valve V2 is closed, the third opening and closing valve V3 is opened, and the purge gas introduced from the purge gas introduction passage R3 passes through the flow controller 2 and is discharged from the second port P2.

[0043] In the same figure, reference numeral 6 denotes a pressure sensor for measuring the pressure in the container 1 .

[0044] Thus, the first on-off valve V1 in this embodiment can switch between the closed state and the open state, and can switch the opening degree in the open state to two opening degrees, the first opening degree and the second opening degree larger than the first opening degree. In addition, the switching between the closed state and the open state can be remotely switched based on an electrical signal, and the first opening degree and the second opening degree can be switched by manually operating an operating part such as a knob provided on the valve body of the first on-off valve V1. In addition, an on-off valve that can remotely switch between the first opening degree and the second opening degree can also be used.

[0045] Next, the operation of the liquid material vaporizing device 100 having the above configuration will be described.

[0046] As described in the background art section, the liquid material vaporization device 100 can operate in at least two modes: a gas generation mode and a purification mode.

[0047] In the gas generation mode, the second on-off valve V2 provided in the gas outlet flow passage R2 is opened according to a command signal from a control device (not shown), and the gasified gas generated by heating the heater in the container 1 is introduced into the target device such as a semiconductor process chamber through the gas outlet flow passage R2 and the second port P2 while the flow rate is controlled to be constant by the flow controller 2. At this time, the third on-off valve V3 is closed.

[0048] On the other hand, if the amount of liquid in the container 1 becomes lower than the lower limit value due to the discharge of the gasified gas, the control device receives the detection signal and sends an opening signal to the first opening and closing valve V1 provided in the supply flow path R1 to open the supply flow path R1. Thus, the liquid material is supplied to the container 1. Furthermore, if the amount of liquid in the container 1 becomes higher than the upper limit value due to the supply of the liquid material, the control device receives the detection signal and sends a closing signal to the first opening and closing valve V1 to close the supply flow path R1. Thus, the supply of the liquid material to the container 1 is stopped.

[0049] By manually operating the operation unit in advance, the opening degree of the first on-off valve V1 in the open state in the gas generation mode is set to the first opening degree.

[0050] In the purge mode, the internal control valve of the flow controller 2, the first on-off valve V1, and the second on-off valve V2 are all in the open state according to the command signal from the control device. Then, the purge gas introduced from the first port P1 is introduced into the container 1 through the supply passage R1 and the first opening and closing valve V1 , and is discharged from the second port P2 through the gas outlet passage R2 , the second opening and closing valve V2 , and the flow controller 2 .

[0051] By manually operating the operation unit in advance, the opening degree of the first on-off valve V1 in the open state in the purge mode is set to the second opening degree.

[0052] According to the above configuration, the first on-off valve V1 has both the functions of a conventional on-off valve for supplying liquid material and an on-off valve for discharging purge gas, thereby reducing the number of components and increasing the capacity of the container 1 accordingly without changing the size of the frame 3 .

[0053] As a result, as in this embodiment, the float sensor can be used, and the reliability of detecting the liquid level in the container can be improved.

[0054] Furthermore, since the container capacity is large and more liquid material can be stored inside, even if the same amount of liquid material as before is supplied to the container 1 (in other words, even if the outlet flow rate of the vaporized gas is the same as before), the pressure and temperature changes in the container 1 caused by this are small. Therefore, it is possible to configure without using a preheater for preheating the liquid material, which also synergistically enables the container capacity to be increased.

[0055] In addition, in the gas generation mode, the opening degree (first opening degree) of the open state of the first on-off valve V1 is small. When liquid material is supplied to the container 1, only liquid material below a certain flow rate flows into the container 1. Therefore, the changes in pressure and temperature in the container 1 can be suppressed, and the changes in the outlet flow rate of the vaporized gas can be suppressed as before.

[0056] On the other hand, in the purge mode, the opening degree (second opening degree) of the first on-off valve V1 is large, so a large amount of purge gas can flow, and the reliability and shortening of the purge time can also be ensured.

[0057] In addition, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments.

[0058] For example, the first opening degree and the second opening degree may be changed according to the type of liquid material, the amount of vaporized gas to be discharged, and the like.

[0059] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, a preheater is not provided, but a preheater may be provided, or a heater for heating the first on-off valve and / or the supply flow path may be provided instead of the preheater.

[0060] In addition, the present invention can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A liquid material gasification device, characterized in that: The liquid material vaporizing device comprises a container, a supply channel for supplying the liquid material to the container, and a first opening and closing valve provided on the supply channel. The operation is performed in a gas generation mode so that the liquid material is supplied from the supply flow path to the container through the first opening and closing valve set to a predetermined first opening degree, In the purge mode, the purge gas is operated so as to be introduced from the supply flow path into the container through the first opening and closing valve set to a second opening degree larger than the first opening degree.

2. The liquid material gasification device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The liquid material gasification device further includes a float sensor, which detects the storage amount of the liquid material in the container. In the gas generation mode, the opening and closing of the first on-off valve is controlled based on the detection signal of the float sensor.

3. The liquid material gasification device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The first opening degree is configured to be able to be changed and set.

4. A method for setting an action of a liquid material gasification device, characterized in that: The liquid material vaporizing device comprises a container, a supply channel for supplying the liquid material to the container, and a first opening and closing valve provided on the supply channel. In the gas generation mode, the liquid material vaporization device is operated to set the first opening and closing valve to a predetermined first opening degree, and the liquid material is supplied from the supply flow path to the container through the first opening and closing valve, and is vaporized in the container. In the purge mode, the liquid material vaporizing device is operated to set the first opening valve to a second opening degree that is larger than the first opening degree, and the purge gas is introduced into the container through the first opening valve.

5. The method for setting the operation of the liquid material vaporization device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The first opening degree is changed at least according to the type of liquid material.

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