Liquid vaporizer

Abstract

To disclose a semiconductor processing device.SOLUTION: A semiconductor device comprises a reactor and a vaporizer configured to provide reactant vapor to the reactor. The semiconductor device may include a process control chamber between the vaporizer and the reactor. The semiconductor device may include a control system configured to adjust pressure in the process control chamber based at least in part on feedback of measured pressure in the process control chamber.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The field relates to liquid vaporizers, such as, for example, liquid vaporizers for semiconductor processing equipment. [Background technology]

[0002] During semiconductor processing, various reactant vapors are supplied to a reaction chamber. In some applications, the reactant vapors are stored in gaseous form in a reactant source vessel. In such applications, the reactant vapors are often gaseous at ambient pressure and temperature. However, in some cases, source chemical vapors are used that are liquid or solid at ambient pressure and temperature. These materials can be heated to produce sufficient vapor for a reaction process such as deposition. Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) for the semiconductor industry may require a continuous flow of reactant vapor, while atomic layer deposition (ALD) may require a continuous flow or pulsed delivery, depending on the configuration. In both cases, it can be important to know precisely the amount of reactant supplied per unit time or per pulse, in part to control the dose and its effect on the process.

[0003] Some solid and liquid materials have very low vapor pressures at room temperature and must be heated and / or maintained at very low pressures to generate sufficient reactant vapor. Once vaporized, it is important to maintain the vapor reactant in vapor form throughout the processing system to prevent undesired condensation in the reaction chamber and in valves, filters, conduits, and other components associated with delivering the vapor reactant to the reaction chamber. While vapor-phase reactants from such solid or liquid materials can be useful in other types of chemical reactions in the semiconductor industry (e.g., etching, doping, etc.) and various other industries, they are of particular concern for metal and semiconductor precursors used in CVD or ALD, for example. However, there remains a continuing need for improvements in reactant vapor formation and delivery to reactors. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In one embodiment, a semiconductor processing apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus may include a reactor and a vaporizer configured to provide a reactant vapor to the reactor. The apparatus may include a process control chamber between the vaporizer and the reactor. The apparatus may include a control system configured to regulate pressure in the process control chamber based at least in part on feedback of a measured pressure in the process control chamber.

[0005] In another embodiment, an apparatus for forming a vaporized reactant is disclosed. The apparatus can include a vaporizer configured to vaporize a reactant source into a reactant vapor, the vaporizer being disposed within a first thermal zone at a first temperature. The apparatus can include a process control chamber downstream of the vaporizer, the process control chamber being disposed within a second thermal zone at a second temperature higher than the first temperature. The apparatus can include a control system configured to maintain a first pressure in the vaporizer at or below a dew point pressure of the reactant vapor at the first temperature. The control system can be configured to adjust the pressure in the process control chamber based at least in part on feedback of a measured pressure in the process control chamber.

[0006] In another embodiment, a method for forming a vaporized reactant is disclosed. The method can include providing a reactant source to a vaporizer, the vaporizer being disposed within a first thermal zone at a first temperature. The method can include vaporizing the reactant source to form a reactant vapor. The method can include maintaining a pressure in the vaporizer at or below a total vapor pressure of the reactant vapor at the first temperature. The method can include transferring the reactant vapor to a process control chamber, the process control chamber being disposed within a second thermal zone at a second temperature higher than the first temperature. The method can include regulating the pressure in the process control chamber based at least in part on feedback of the measured pressure in the process control chamber.

[0007] In another embodiment, an apparatus for forming a vaporized reactant is disclosed. The apparatus can include a vaporizer configured to form a reactant vapor from a liquid reactant. The apparatus can include a process control chamber downstream of the vaporizer. The apparatus can include a control system configured to regulate pressure in the process control chamber based at least in part on feedback of measured pressure in the process control chamber. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will now be described with reference to drawings of several embodiments that are intended to illustrate, not limit, the invention.

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic system diagram of a semiconductor processing apparatus according to various embodiments. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic system diagram of the semiconductor processing apparatus of FIG. 1 including a liquid reactant source. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic system diagram of a semiconductor processing apparatus including a liquid reactant source and an inert gas source according to another embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a semiconductor processing method, according to various embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Embodiments disclosed herein relate to improved liquid vaporizers (e.g., direct liquid injection vaporizers) for vaporizing reactant liquids for use in semiconductor processing equipment. The embodiments disclosed herein can be used in conjunction with any suitable type of semiconductor processing equipment, including atomic layer deposition (ALD) equipment, chemical vapor deposition (CVD) equipment, metal organic CVD (MOCVD) equipment, physical vapor deposition (PVD) equipment, etc.

[0011] For example, ALD is a method for growing highly uniform thin films on a substrate. In a time-resolved ALD reactor, the substrate is placed in an impurity-free reaction space, and at least two different precursors (reactant vapors) are alternately and repeatedly injected into the reaction space in the gas phase. The reactant vapor can therefore include a vapor containing one or more precursors and one or more solvents. Film growth is based on alternating surface reactions occurring on the substrate's surface to form solid layers of atoms or molecules because the reactant and substrate temperatures are selected so that molecules of the alternately injected gas-phase precursors react with the surface layer only on the substrate. The reactants are injected at a dose high enough to virtually saturate the surface during each injection cycle. Therefore, the process is independent of the starting material concentration and is highly self-regulating, thereby achieving extremely high film uniformity and thickness accuracy of single atomic or molecular layers. Similar results can be obtained in a space-resolved ALD reactor, where the substrate is moved through zones alternately exposed to different reactants. Reactants can contribute to the growing film (precursor) and / or serve other functions such as removing ligands from adsorbed species of the precursor to facilitate reaction or adsorption of subsequent reactants.

[0012] ALD methods can be used to grow both elemental and compound thin films. ALD can involve two or more reactants alternately repeated in cycles, and different cycles can have different numbers of reactants. Pure ALD reactions tend to produce less than a monolayer per cycle, but variations of ALD can deposit more than a monolayer per cycle.

[0013] Growing films using the ALD method can be a slow process due to its step-by-step (layer-by-layer) nature. At least two gas pulses are alternated to form one layer of the desired material, with the pulses kept separated from each other to prevent uncontrolled film growth and contamination of the ALD reactor. After each pulse, gaseous reaction products of the thin film growth process as well as excess reactants in the gas phase are removed from the reaction space or from the zone containing the substrate. In time-segmented examples, this can be achieved by pumping down the reaction space, purging the reaction space with a flow of inert gas between successive pulses, or both. Purging employs a column of inert gas in a conduit between reactant pulses. Purging is widely used at production scales due to its efficiency and ability to form an effective diffusion barrier between successive pulses. Typically, an inert purge gas is also used as a carrier gas during reactant pulses to dilute the reactant vapor before being delivered into the reaction space.

[0014] For a successful ALD process, sufficient substrate exposure and good purging of the reaction space are desirable. That is, the pulse should be strong enough to actually saturate the substrate (on the flat portion of the saturation asymptotic curve), and the purge should be efficient enough to actually remove all precursor residues and undesired reaction products from the reactor. Purge times can be relatively long compared to precursor exposure times.

[0015] As described above, a liquid precursor (or precursor-solvent mixture) can be evaporated in a vaporizer, such as a liquid injection vaporizer, to form a reactant vapor that is delivered to a reactor or reaction chamber. However, in some apparatus, pressure and temperature can vary in the portion of the system between the vaporizer and the reaction chamber. Fluctuations in temperature and / or pressure in the process control chamber (or other such variations along the path between the vaporizer and the reaction chamber) can cause the vaporized reactant to condense into liquid droplets. Condensation of the reactant vapor upstream of the reaction chamber can result in the presence of liquid droplets within the reaction chamber, which can cause defects in the processed substrate (e.g., processed wafers) and reduce process yield.

[0016] Furthermore, in various semiconductor processing equipment, vaporizers purge reactant gases by supplying inert gas to the vaporizer between cycles. In some equipment, the vaporizer may have a large volume, and the time to purge such a large volume can significantly reduce throughput. In some processing equipment, large pressure fluctuations resulting from improper flow control per pulse can create excess particles in the reaction chamber. Furthermore, it can be difficult to place a filter upstream of the reactor, which can lead to droplet migration into the reaction chamber and substrate.

[0017] FIG. 1 is a schematic system diagram of a semiconductor processing apparatus 1 according to various embodiments. FIG. 2 is a schematic system diagram of the semiconductor processing apparatus of FIG. 1 including a liquid reactant source 3 that supplies liquid reactant to a liquid vaporizer 10. The liquid vaporizer 10 can supply vaporized reactant to a process control chamber 20, which is configured to ensure that the reactant remains in vapor form for delivery to a reactant assembly, or reactor 21. The liquid reactant can include a liquid precursor or a mixture of a liquid precursor (e.g., a zirconium organometallic, or ZrMO such as a zirconium aminoalkoxide, e.g., Zr(dmae)▼4▽, Zr(dmae)▼2▽(OtBu)▼2▽, and Zr(dmae)▼2▽(OiPr)▼2▽, where dmae is dimethylaminoethoxide [OCH▼2▽CH▼2▽N(CH▼3▽)▼2▽]) and a solvent (e.g., octane). A liquid reactant source 3 can supply liquid reactant to vaporizer 10 along liquid inlet line 7. A liquid mass flow controller (liquid MFC) 2 can be provided to control or meter the flow of liquid reactant along liquid inlet line 7. A first valve 11 can regulate the flow (e.g., pressure and / or flow rate) of liquid reactant to vaporizer 10. First valve 11 can comprise any suitable type of valve. For example, in various embodiments, first valve 11 can comprise an adjustable valve having multiple flow conductance settings for regulating the flow rate through liquid inlet line 7.

[0018] An atomizer or injector 5 can be provided along liquid injection line 7 to atomize the liquid reactant into a high-velocity spray for delivery to vaporizer 10. As described herein, the pressure and temperature of vaporizer 10 can be controlled to vaporize the injected liquid reactant into a reactant vapor. The reactant vapor can be supplied to filter 4 along first reactant vapor supply line 8. The filter can be configured to capture and vaporize liquid droplets present due to incomplete vaporization or condensation.

[0019] In various embodiments, as disclosed herein, reactant vapor, which may be a mixture of reactant and vaporized solvent, can be supplied along first supply line 8 without the use of a separate inert carrier gas supply. Eliminating a separate inert gas source and conveying reactant vapor through first supply line 8 can beneficially reduce the cost and complexity associated with apparatus 1. Furthermore, as discussed above, the volume of vaporizer 10 may be large, and as a result, repeated purging of vaporizer 10 reduces throughput. In the illustrated embodiment, solvent vapor supplied with the liquid reactant can function to carry the reactant and form part of the reactant vapor from vaporizer 10, thereby eliminating the need for a separate carrier gas supply to vaporizer 10.

[0020] Process control chamber 20 may be disposed between vaporizer 10 and reactor 21. Process control chamber 20 may meter or control the amount of reactant vapor delivered to reactor 21 along second reactant vapor supply line 9. Thus, process control chamber 20 may be configured to control the pulse width and timing of pulse delivery to reactor 21.

[0021] Second valve 12 can be located upstream of process control chamber 20. In the illustrated embodiment, second valve 12 can be located between filter 4 and process control chamber 20. In other embodiments, second valve 12 can be located between filter 4 and vaporizer 10. Second valve 12 can comprise an adjustable valve that controls the flow conductance of the vaporized reactant. Third valve 13 can be located downstream of process control chamber 20, for example, between process control chamber 20 and reactor 21. Third valve 13 can, in some embodiments, comprise an adjustable valve for controlling the flow conductance. In other embodiments, other types of valves may be suitable.

[0022] The second reactant vapor supply line 9 can supply reactant vapor to the inlet manifold 18 of the reactor 21. The inlet manifold 18 can supply reactant vapor to the reaction chamber 30 of the reactor 21. A distribution device 35, such as a showerhead as shown, or a horizontal injection device in other embodiments, can include a plenum 32 in fluid communication with a plurality of openings 19. The reactant vapor can pass through the openings 19 and be supplied into the reaction chamber 30. The substrate support 22 can be configured or sized and shaped to support a substrate 36, such as a wafer, within the reaction chamber 30. The dispersed reactant vapor can contact the substrate and react to form a layer (e.g., a monolayer) on the substrate. The distribution device 35 can distribute the reactant vapor to form a uniform layer on the substrate.

[0023] Exhaust line 23 may be in fluid communication with reaction chamber 30. Vacuum pump 24 may apply suction to exhaust line 23 to evacuate vapors and excess material from reaction chamber 30. Reactor 21 may comprise any suitable type of semiconductor reactor, such as an atomic layer deposition (ALD) system, a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) system, or the like.

[0024] 1 and 2, first pressure transducer 14 can monitor the pressure within vaporizer 10 via first transducer line 15. Second pressure transducer 16 can monitor the pressure within process control chamber 20 via second transducer line 17. First feedback circuit 25 can electrically connect first pressure transducer 14 with first valve 11. Second feedback circuit 26 can electrically connect second transducer 16 with second valve 12. Control system 34 can control the operation of various components of apparatus 1. Control system 34 can include processing electronics configured to control the operation of one or more of first valve 11, second valve 12, first pressure transducer 14, second transducer 16, third valve 13, reactor 21 (various components therein), and vacuum pump 24.

[0025] 2 as a unitary structure, it should be understood that control system 34 may include multiple controllers or subsystems having processors, memory devices, and other electronic components that control the operation of various components of apparatus 1. The term control system (or controller) includes any combination of individual controller devices and processing electronics that may be integrated with or connected to other devices (valves, sensors, etc.). Thus, in some embodiments, control system 34 may include a centralized controller that controls the operation of multiple (or all) system components. In some embodiments, control system 34 may include multiple distributed controllers that control the operation of one or more system components.

[0026] As discussed above, insufficient vaporization or condensation can result in distortions in film growth within reaction chamber 30, which can reduce yield. Additionally, some processing equipment can deliver reactant vapor from a vaporizer to a reactor without an intervening process control chamber or valve arrangement, which can lead to delivery of liquid to reaction chamber 30. Beneficially, the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 2 can include feedback control of measured pressures within vaporizer 10 and process control chamber 20.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 1 , the apparatus 1 can include a first thermal zone 27 maintained at a first temperature and a second thermal zone 28 maintained at a second temperature. In various embodiments, the second temperature of the second thermal zone 28 can be higher than the first temperature of the first thermal zone 27. In various embodiments, for example, the second temperature can be higher than the first temperature by a temperature difference ranging from 5°C to 50°C, from 5°C to 35°C, or from 10°C to 25°C. The first thermal zone 27 can include an vaporizer 10. The second thermal zone 28 can include a filter 4, a second valve 12, a process control chamber 20, and a third valve 9, along with supply lines connecting components within the second thermal zone 28. If the thermal zones 27, 28 are separated, a heater jacket can be provided in the portion of the supply line 8 between the zones to maintain the line at or above the temperature of the first thermal zone 27.

[0028] Placing the filter 4 within the heated second thermal zone 28 can beneficially improve capture and evaporation of droplets that may be delivered through the filter 4. The high-temperature filter 4 can eliminate the use of a separate droplet size control mechanism (e.g., high-flow inert gas injection) or flash non-contact injection. Furthermore, placing the vaporizer 10 and process control chamber 20 in heated zones at different temperatures allows the apparatus 1 to fine-tune reactor process parameters. For example, the first and second valves 11, 12 can be adjusted by the control system 34 to increase or decrease the flow rates of solvent and precursor to the reactor to obtain desired processing reactor parameters.

[0029] For example, a first pressure setpoint for the vaporizer 10 can be calculated based at least in part on the particular reactant-solvent mixture, the temperature of the first thermal zone 27, the volume of the vaporizer 10, the flow rate through the vaporizer 10, and the dew point pressure of the reactant (e.g., as used herein, the approximate maximum pressure at which the reactant remains in vapor form) at the temperature of the vaporizer 10. The calculated first pressure setpoint can set an upper limit for the pressure in the vaporizer 10 and can be input to the control system 34. The first pressure transducer 14 can monitor the pressure in the vaporizer 10 and can return the measured pressure to the first valve 11 along the first feedback circuit 25 and / or the control system 34. The feedback circuit 25 and / or the control system 34 can maintain the pressure in the vaporizer 10 at or below the first pressure setpoint using any suitable closed-loop control technique. For example, the control system 34 can calculate the difference between the measured pressure and the first pressure setpoint. Based on the calculated difference, the control system 34 can send a control signal to the first valve 11 to adjust the flow conductance setting of the valve 11 and adjust the pressure in the vaporizer 10 to maintain the pressure at or below the reactant dew point pressure at the first temperature.

[0030] As an example of determining the pressure setting for valve 11 (or valve 12), the specific gravity of the reactant and solvent mixture can be calculated. In a first example, for a mixture utilizing 50% zirconium organometallic (ZrMO) (e.g., zirconium aminoalkoxide) as the reactant and 50% octane as the solvent, the specific gravity can be approximately 0.961. In this example, the flow rate of the mixture can be approximately 0.00133 g-liquid / msec. For a set temperature of 150°C in first thermal zone 27, the corresponding vapor pressure of ZrMO can be approximately 45 Torr. The corresponding total vapor pressure of a vaporizer 10 with a volume of 0.5 L is approximately 159 Torr, which can be the first pressure setting for first valve 11. Pressure settings will, of course, vary depending on the composition of the mixture and process parameters. As a second example with process parameters similar to the first example, a mixture of 20% ZrMO reactant and 80% octane solvent has a total vapor pressure of approximately 500 Torr.

[0031] Similarly, a second pressure setpoint for the process control chamber 20 can be calculated based, at least in part, on the reactant-solvent mixture, the temperature of the second thermal zone 28, the volume of the process control chamber 20, the flow rate through the process control chamber 20, and the known dew point pressure of the reactants at the temperature of the process control chamber 20. The calculated second pressure setpoint can set an upper limit for the pressure within the process control chamber 20 and can be input into the control system 34. The second pressure transducer 16 can monitor the pressure within the process control chamber 20 and return the measured pressure to the second valve 12 along the second feedback circuit 26 and / or the control system 34. The second feedback circuit 26 and / or the control system 34 can maintain the pressure within the process control chamber 20 at or below the second pressure setpoint using any suitable closed-loop control technique. For example, the control system 34 can calculate the difference between the measured pressure and the second pressure setpoint. Based on the calculated difference, the control system 34 can send a control signal to the second valve 12 to adjust the flow conductance setting of the valve 12 and adjust the pressure in the process control chamber 20 to maintain the pressure at or below the reactant dew point pressure at the second temperature.

[0032] Thus, valves 11, 12, pressure transducers 14, 16, and feedback circuits 25, 26 can precisely control the pressure in vaporizer 10 and process control chamber 20, respectively, to prevent condensation and inadequate vaporization. Furthermore, two feedback circuits 25, 26 are provided for two thermal zones 27, 28 maintained at different temperatures, allowing apparatus 1 to fine-tune reactor process parameters and reactant flow rates. For example, in some embodiments, control system 34 can be configured to reduce the pressure of the reactant vapor upstream of process control chamber 20. The second temperature of second thermal zone 28 can be higher than the first temperature of first thermal zone 27 so that the reactant vapor does not condense at lower pressures, while reducing the pressure can help regulate the dose of reactant gas to the reactor and stabilize the reaction process. In other embodiments, control system 34 can be configured to increase or otherwise adjust the pressure upstream of process control chamber 20 to adjust reaction process parameters.

[0033] FIG. 3 is a schematic system diagram of the semiconductor processing apparatus of FIG. 1, including a liquid reactant source 3 and an inert gas source 29. Unless otherwise noted, components in FIG. 3 may be generally similar to like-numbered components in FIGS. 1 and 2. Unlike the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 2, in which only a reactant source 3 is present, in FIG. 3, the apparatus 1 can supply an inert carrier gas along an inert gas line 33 to an injector 5 of a vaporizer 10. As shown, a gas mass flow controller (MFC) 6 can meter the supply of gas along the inert gas line 33. A fourth valve 31 can be provided along the inert gas line 33 to regulate the flow of the inert gas to the vaporizer 10. In some embodiments, the fourth valve 31 can comprise an adjustable valve having multiple flow conductance settings. In other embodiments, the fourth valve 31 can comprise a binary on / off valve, in which the valve 31 allows or blocks the flow of inert gas along the inert gas line 33. In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the inert gas can assist in supplying the reactant vapor to the reactor 21. For example, the inert gas can help atomize the reactant liquid in the injector 5, which improves the efficiency of vaporization.

[0034] FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a semiconductor processing method 40 according to various embodiments. The method 40 may begin at block 41, where a liquid reactant is provided to a vaporizer. The vaporizer may be positioned within a first thermal zone at a first temperature. By rotating block 42, the reactant may be vaporized in the vaporizer to form a reactant vapor. In the illustrated direct liquid injection embodiment, vaporization may include atomization as well as heating. For example, atomization may be via a non-contact injector that atomizes while mixing with a high-velocity inert gas stream, while vaporization of the atomized or aerosolized reactant may be assisted by one or more heaters (e.g., radiant heaters) that apply thermal energy to the vaporizer to increase its temperature.

[0035] In block 43, the pressure in the vaporizer can be maintained at or below the dew point pressure of the reactant vapor (including any solvent) at a first temperature. As described herein, in various embodiments, a first valve can be disposed upstream of the vaporizer. A first pressure transducer can be in fluid communication with the vaporizer. A first feedback control circuit can electrically connect the first pressure transducer and the first valve. The first feedback control circuit can ensure that the pressure is below a pressure setpoint to prevent condensation and incomplete vaporization.

[0036] By rotating block 44, the reactant vapor can be transported to a process control chamber downstream of the vaporizer. The process control chamber can be located in a second thermal zone at a second temperature higher than the first temperature. The process control chamber can meter the delivery (or pulse) of reactant vapor to a reactor, which can be located downstream of the process control chamber.

[0037] In block 45, the pressure in the process control chamber may be adjusted based at least in part on feedback of the measured pressure in the process control chamber. To maintain the reactant vapor in a vapor state, the pressure in the process control chamber may be maintained at or below the maximum pressure of the reactant vapor (including any solvent) at the second temperature. As described herein, in various embodiments, a second valve may be disposed upstream of the process control chamber. A second pressure transducer may be in fluid communication with the process control chamber. A second feedback control circuit may electrically connect the second pressure transducer and the second valve. The second feedback control circuit may ensure that the pressure is below a pressure setpoint to prevent condensation and incomplete vaporization. Additionally, in some embodiments, the pressure setpoint upstream of the process control chamber may be stepped down from the vaporizer to adjust process parameters of the reactor process.

[0038] While described in detail above by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity and understanding, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that certain changes and modifications can be practiced. Therefore, the description and examples should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention to the specific embodiments and examples described herein, but rather are intended to encompass all modifications and alternatives that fall within the true scope and spirit of the disclosed embodiments. Moreover, not all of the features, aspects, and advantages described herein are necessarily required to practice the present embodiments.

Claims

1. A semiconductor processing device, a reactor; and a vaporizer configured to provide a reactant vapor to the reactor; a process control chamber between the vaporizer and the reactor; a control system configured to adjust the pressure in the process control chamber based at least in part on feedback of the measured pressure in the process control chamber.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to maintain a pressure in the vaporizer at or below a dew point pressure of the reactant vapor.

3. 3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a first pressure transducer in fluid communication with the vaporizer, the control system comprising processing electronics configured to maintain the pressure in the vaporizer based at least in part on feedback from one or more pressure measurements obtained by the first pressure transducer.

4. 4. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a first valve upstream of the vaporizer and in electrical communication with the first pressure transducer, the first valve configured to regulate the pressure within the vaporizer.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the reactant vapor comprises a vaporized solvent.

6. 10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a second pressure transducer in fluid communication with the process control chamber, wherein the control system comprises processing electronics configured to regulate the pressure in the process control chamber and maintain the pressure in the process control chamber at or below a dew point pressure of the reactant vapor.

7. 7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the control system is configured to regulate pressure within the process control chamber based at least in part on feedback from one or more pressure measurements obtained by the second pressure transducer.

8. 8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a second valve upstream of the process control chamber, the second valve configured to regulate the pressure in the process control chamber.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a filter upstream of the second valve.

10. 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vaporizer is disposed in a first thermal zone at a first temperature and the process control chamber is disposed in a second thermal zone at a second temperature, the second temperature being greater than the first temperature.

11. 10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a third valve between the process control chamber and the reactor, the third valve configured to regulate the flow of the reactant vapor to the reactor.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the vaporizer is not connected to an inert gas supply line.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a liquid reactant source that delivers a liquid reactant to the vaporizer.

14. 14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising an atomizer upstream of the vaporizer.

15. 15. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a liquid mass flow controller (MFC) that meteres the flow of the liquid reactant to the vaporizer.

16. 1. An apparatus for forming a vaporized reactant, comprising: a vaporizer configured to vaporize a reactant source into a reactant vapor, the vaporizer being disposed within the first thermal zone at a first temperature; a process control chamber downstream of the vaporizer, the process control chamber being positioned within a second thermal zone at a second temperature greater than the first temperature; 1. A control system comprising: maintaining a first pressure in the vaporizer at or below a dew point pressure of the reactant vapor at the first temperature; a control system configured to adjust the pressure in the process control chamber based at least in part on feedback of the measured pressure in the process control chamber.

17. 17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a reactor downstream of the process control chamber.

18. 17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the reactant source comprises a liquid reactant source that delivers a liquid reactant to the process control chamber.

19. 17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the control system is configured to maintain the pressure in the process control chamber at or below a dew point pressure of the reactant vapor at the second temperature.

20. 17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a first valve upstream of the vaporizer, a first pressure transducer in fluid communication with the vaporizer, and a first feedback circuit in electrical communication with the first pressure transducer and the first valve.

21. 17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a second valve upstream of the process control chamber, a second pressure transducer in fluid communication with the process control chamber, and a second feedback circuit in electrical communication with the second pressure transducer and the second valve.

22. 17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a filter upstream of the process control chamber, the filter being disposed within the second thermal zone.

23. 17. The device of claim 16, further comprising an atomizer upstream of the vaporizer.

24. 24. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising a liquid mass flow controller (MFC) that meteres the flow of liquid reactant to the vaporizer.

25. 1. A method of forming a vaporized reactant, comprising: providing a reactant source to a vaporizer, the vaporizer being positioned within a first thermal zone at a first temperature; vaporizing the reactant source to form a reactant vapor; maintaining a pressure within the vaporizer at or below the total vapor pressure of the reactant vapor at the first temperature; transferring the reactant vapor to a process control chamber, the process control chamber being disposed within a second thermal zone at a second temperature greater than the first temperature; and adjusting the pressure in the process control chamber based at least in part on feedback of the measured pressure in the process control chamber.

26. 26. The method of claim 25, further comprising maintaining the pressure in the process control chamber at or below a dew point pressure of the reactant vapor at the second temperature.

27. 26. The method of claim 25, further comprising pulsing the reactant vapor from the process control chamber to a semiconductor processing chamber.

28. 1. An apparatus for forming a vaporized reactant, comprising: a vaporizer configured to form a reactant vapor from the liquid reactant; a process control chamber downstream of the vaporizer; a control system configured to adjust the pressure in the process control chamber based at least in part on feedback of the measured pressure in the process control chamber.

29. 30. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the control system is configured to maintain a pressure in the vaporizer at or below a dew point pressure of the reactant vapor.

30. 30. The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising a first pressure transducer in fluid communication with the vaporizer, the control system comprising processing electronics configured to maintain the pressure in the vaporizer based at least in part on feedback from one or more pressure measurements obtained by the first pressure transducer.

31. 31. The apparatus of claim 30, further comprising a first valve upstream of the vaporizer and in electrical communication with the first pressure transducer, the first valve configured to regulate the pressure within the vaporizer.

32. 30. The apparatus of claim 28, further comprising a second pressure transducer in fluid communication with the process control chamber, wherein the control system comprises processing electronics configured to regulate the pressure in the process control chamber and maintain the pressure in the process control chamber at or below a dew point pressure of the reactant vapor.

33. 33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the control system is configured to regulate pressure in the process control chamber based at least in part on feedback from one or more pressure measurements obtained by the second pressure transducer.

34. 34. The apparatus of claim 33, further comprising a second valve upstream of the process control chamber, the second valve configured to regulate the pressure in the process control chamber.

Images