Streamlined Carburetor Core

Abstract

A vaporizer core is disclosed that includes a housing and a chamber that includes a thermally conductive porous lattice structure. Furthermore, the housing and the chamber that includes the porous lattice structure are formed as a single, integral structure. Three-dimensional (3D) printing can be used to form the housing and the chamber that includes the porous lattice structure as a single, integral structure. For certain embodiments, a concentric fin design, a crossed fin design, or a conical fin design is used to form the porous lattice structure for the vaporization chamber. For further embodiments, techniques are implemented to address potential issues with 3D printing of the vaporizer core. One exemplary technique is encapsulating the vaporizer core within a shell, such as a two-piece shell, to address potential issues with leakage. The disclosed embodiments of the vaporizer core offer manufacturing, material, and design improvements over prior solutions.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] Related Applications This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 936,938, filed November 18, 2019, and entitled "STREAMLINED VAPORIZER CORES," and to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 963,896, filed January 21, 2020, and entitled "STREAMLINED VAPORIZER CORES," both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

[0002] The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for the manufacture of microelectronic workpieces. [Background technology]

[0003] Device formation in microelectronic workpieces typically involves a series of fabrication techniques for the formation, patterning, and removal of many layers of material on a substrate. Vaporizers are used in certain processing equipment for the manufacture of microelectronic workpieces. Vaporizers accept a solution as an input, evaporate the solution inside the vaporizer core, and release the evaporated liquid. The evaporated liquid can be used inside the processing chamber to perform various processes on the microelectronic workpieces being processed inside the processing equipment. Prior solutions for vaporizers and vaporizer cores are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 9,523,151 and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2018-0066363, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0004] FIG. 1 (Prior Art) is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a prior solution for a vaporizer 100 using a nozzle assembly 125 as described in US Patent Publication No. 2018-0066363. The nozzle assembly 125 is contained within a metal flange 110 that is coupled to a larger metal flange 122 with bolts 126. The metal flange 122 is in turn coupled to a top metal flange 154 for a vaporizer core 155 with bolts 128. A mounting bracket 124 is also coupled to the metal flange 122 with bolts 128. The liquid to be evaporated enters the nozzle assembly 125 through the gland 102. The carrier gas channel 120 receives carrier gas from a gas source line 152, and premixed liquid from a premix chamber inside the nozzle assembly 125 is introduced into a vaporization chamber 156 for the vaporizer core 155. The vaporization chamber 156 can include additional materials such as aluminum foam to further enhance vaporization, and a heater can be applied to further enhance vaporization and inhibit condensation. A bottom metal flange 158 for the vaporizer core 155 is coupled to an outlet metal flange 160 with bolts 162 to provide a metal seal at the bottom of the vaporizer core 155. The resulting evaporated gases, including evaporated solution and carrier gas, exit the vaporization chamber 156 through gas outlet channel 164. The evaporated gases are then provided through gas line 166 to other processing tools, for example, where the evaporated gases can be used to deposit one or more layers on a substrate inside a deposition chamber for a substrate processing system.

[0005] It should be noted that the orientation, length, and other configuration of the gas outlet channel 164 and associated gas lines 166 can be adjusted as desired. For example, rather than extending laterally as shown, the gas outlet channel 164 may be oriented such that it extends vertically toward the deposition chamber located below the vaporizer core 155. Additionally, the gas outlets 164 and gas lines 166 can extend to one or more additional processing tools located at various distances from the vaporizer. These distances are preferably short, but the distances can include distances up to 15 feet or more, depending on the chemistry and process involved. It should also be noted that, although not shown, heaters can be positioned around each component inside the vaporizer, including the vaporizer core 155, to promote vaporization and inhibit or prevent condensation. Additionally, heaters can also be positioned around the gas outlets 164 and gas lines 166 to inhibit or prevent condensation. Additionally, the housing for the vaporization chamber 156 can be aluminum to promote heat transfer to the aluminum foam inside the vaporization chamber 156. Additionally, top metal flange 154 and bottom metal flange 158 can be implemented using bimetallic metal flanges available from Atlas Technologies that include stainless steel sealing faces that are explosion welded to an aluminum body. The aluminum body for these bimetallic metal flanges would then allow for better heat transfer to the aluminum housing for vaporization chamber 156 in such embodiments. Other variations are also possible.

[0006] It should be noted that the overall operation and implementation of the vaporizer of FIG. 1 (prior art) is described within U.S. Pat. No. 9,523,151 and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2018-0066363. For example, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 9,523,151, an open-cell aluminum foam can be used within the vaporization chamber 156. The foam can be vacuum brazed to a heated aluminum housing for the vaporization chamber 156, thereby providing excellent heat transfer between the aluminum foam and the aluminum walls of the vaporization chamber 156. Aluminum brazing can also be used in place of more volatile brazing materials that may contaminate the chemistry of the overall process. In effect, the open-cell aluminum foam significantly reduces the distance from the heated walls of the vaporization chamber 156 to the vaporizing droplets passing through the vaporization chamber 156.

[0007] During operation, as the droplets evaporate inside the vaporization chamber 156, their temperature may drop considerably. For certain embodiments, additional energy is provided via a heater to maintain the evaporation process and rate. Because the vaporization environment is a vacuum, heat transfer through the gas to the heated walls is limited. For this reason, prior vaporizers with open vaporization chambers generally operate at temperatures much higher than optimal to create a temperature gradient high enough to overcome the thermal resistance of the rarefied gas inside the open vaporization chamber. For such open chamber systems, droplets that are unable to fully evaporate and move intact through the chamber may adhere to the surface of the walls, which in its overheated state may not only induce flash evaporation but also potential chemical decomposition. This chemical decomposition may generate deposits, particles, and other undesirable by-products inside the system. However, if lower temperatures are employed in such open chamber systems, unvaporized droplets may accumulate, and these trapped chemicals may potentially affect the stability of the supply lines to the process chamber and / or chemically decompose, thereby adversely affecting the system. However, the utilization of heated aluminum foam inside the vaporization chamber 156 as described in U.S. Pat. No. 9,523,151 reduces the thermal resistance between the droplets and the heated walls by reducing the distance between them. This reduction in thermal resistance allows the use of much lower operating temperatures for the vaporizer, facilitating vaporization without direct wall contact.

[0008] Further improvements to carburetors and carburetor cores remain desirable in addition to the advantages of the carburetor embodiments described in U.S. Pat. No. 9,523,151 and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2018-0066363. Summary of the Invention [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] Disclosed herein are embodiments that provide manufacturing, material, and design improvements over prior solutions for vaporizers and vaporizer cores. For one embodiment, the vaporizer core includes a housing and a chamber. The chamber includes a thermally conductive porous lattice structure, and the housing and the chamber including the porous lattice structure are formed as a single, integral structure. Furthermore, three-dimensional (3D) printing can be used to form the vaporizer core into a single, integral structure. For further embodiments, concentric fin designs, crossed fin designs, and / or conical fin designs are used to form the porous lattice structure for the vaporization chamber. For further embodiments, techniques to solve the problem by 3D printing the vaporizer core are implemented. One exemplary technique is the encapsulation of the vaporizer core inside a shell, such as a two-piece shell. Different or additional features, variations, and embodiments can also be implemented, and related systems and methods can be utilized as well.

[0010] In one embodiment, a vaporizer core is disclosed that includes a housing and a chamber within the housing, the chamber including a thermally conductive porous lattice structure, and further, the housing and the chamber including the porous lattice structure are formed as a single, integral structure.

[0011] In an additional embodiment, the housing and the chamber including the porous lattice structure are formed by three-dimensional (3D) printing. In a further embodiment, the vaporizer core also includes a shell that is thermally conductive, and the housing and the chamber including the porous lattice structure are enclosed within the shell. In a further embodiment, the shell includes a top and a bottom that are welded together along a central seam. In yet another embodiment, the shell is fused to the housing at multiple locations.

[0012] In additional embodiments, one or more of sintered metal, nanowires, metal fibers, or fibers made from thermally conductive materials are used to form the housing, the chamber, or both the housing and the chamber. In yet additional embodiments, the housing and the chamber including the porous lattice structure are stainless steel.

[0013] In an additional embodiment, the chamber includes a first stage for a vaporizer core, the vaporizer core further includes a second stage coupled to the first stage within the housing. In a further embodiment, the chamber including the housing and the porous lattice structure are formed by three-dimensional (3D) printing, and the second stage is not formed by 3D printing.

[0014] In additional embodiments, the chamber includes a plurality of fins. In further embodiments, the chamber includes at least one of a concentric fin design, a crossed fin design, or a conical fin design to form a porous lattice structure. In yet another embodiment, the plurality of fins are solid fins.

[0015] In a further embodiment, the chamber includes a porous metal structure to form a porous lattice structure, hi a further embodiment, the porous metal structure includes a metal foam or a metal fiber mesh.

[0016] In an additional embodiment, the chamber includes an expanding cone shape that receives the atomized liquid and an expanding cone shape that expels the vaporized liquid.In yet an additional embodiment, the surfaces of the housing and the chamber are polished.

[0017] In one embodiment, a vaporizer is disclosed that includes a nozzle assembly coupled to receive a liquid and a carrier gas, a vaporizer core, and a gas outlet channel. The vaporizer core includes a housing coupled to the nozzle assembly to receive the liquid and the carrier gas, and a chamber within the housing. The chamber includes a thermally conductive porous lattice structure, and the housing and the chamber including the porous lattice structure are formed as a single, integral structure. The gas outlet channel is coupled to receive evaporated gas including the evaporated liquid and the carrier gas from the vaporizer core.

[0018] In an additional embodiment, the housing and the chamber including the porous lattice structure are formed by three-dimensional (3D) printing. In a further embodiment, the vaporizer core further includes a shell that is thermally conductive, and the housing and the chamber including the porous lattice structure are enclosed within the shell.

[0019] In an additional embodiment, the chamber includes a plurality of fins including at least one of a concentric fin design, a crossed fin design, or a conical fin design to form a porous lattice structure.

[0020] Different or additional features, variations and embodiments may be implemented and the related systems and methods may be utilized as well.

[0021] A more detailed understanding of the present invention and its advantages can be obtained by reference to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals indicate like features, and in which it should be noted, however, that the accompanying drawings depict only exemplary embodiments of the disclosed concepts and therefore should not be considered as limiting the scope of application, as the disclosed concepts may be applied to other equally effective embodiments. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] (PRIOR ART) A cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment for a prior carburetor and carburetor core solution. [Figure 2A] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional perspective view of an exemplary embodiment for a carburetor core having a housing and a chamber, where the chamber includes a plurality of fins and concentric layers to form a porous lattice structure. [Figure 2B] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional perspective view of an exemplary embodiment for a carburetor core having a housing and a chamber, where the chamber includes a plurality of fins and cross-like layers to form a porous lattice structure. [Figure 2C]FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional perspective view of an exemplary embodiment for a carburetor core having a housing and a chamber, where the chamber includes a plurality of cones to form a porous lattice structure. [Figure 3A] FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view of the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 2A for a concentric fin design. [Figure 3B] FIG. 2C is a cross-sectional view of the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 2B for a crossed fin design. [Figure 3C] FIG. 2D is a cross-sectional view of the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 2C for a conical fin design. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary embodiment in which the vaporizer housing and chamber including the porous lattice structure are enclosed within a two-piece shell. [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary embodiment for a miniaturized vaporizer using an improved vaporizer core according to one or more of the embodiments described herein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0023] The disclosed embodiments provide improved vaporizers and vaporizer cores that can be used in processing equipment for the manufacture of microelectronic workpieces. Various advantages and implementations can be realized while utilizing the processing techniques described herein.

[0024] As described herein, the vaporizer core is formed as a single integral structure including a housing and a chamber inside the housing, where the chamber includes a porous lattice structure that is thermally conductive. In contrast, prior solutions, such as those described above with respect to FIG. 1 (Prior Art), used metal foams, such as aluminum foams, as separate components that are pressed into a separately formed vaporizer housing. Thus, in part, the disclosed embodiments provide manufacturing, material, and design improvements over prior vaporizers described in U.S. Pat. No. 9,523,151 and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2018-0066363, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0025] As described herein, the porous lattice structure for the vaporization chamber described herein can be implemented using a variety of techniques. For example, the porous lattice structure can be a metal foam, a metal fiber mesh, or other porous metal structure that is integrally formed with the vaporizer housing to form a single, integral structure. For one embodiment, the porous metal structure is formed by three-dimensional (3D) printing. In addition to 3D printing, the porous metal structure for the vaporization chamber can also be formed using sintered metal, nanowires, metal fibers, or fibers made from thermally conductive materials. Furthermore, metals such as aluminum, stainless steel (e.g., 304 stainless steel, 316 stainless steel, or other stainless steel alloys), or other metals or thermally conductive materials can be used. These novel integral structures provide a thermally conductive porous lattice structure that provides similar advantages for the vaporizer core as provided by the separate metal foam in prior solutions, while reducing manufacturing costs and complexity. Other advantages can also be realized.

[0026] 2A-2C and 3A-3C provide exemplary embodiments for a porous lattice structure that can be used in a vaporization chamber that is integrally formed inside the vaporizer housing. The vaporizer housing and vaporization chamber, including the porous lattice structure, are thermally conductive. For these exemplary embodiments, the atomized liquid enters the vaporization chamber at the top, and the vaporized liquid, as well as the carrier gas, if used, exits the vaporization chamber at the bottom. An expanding cone shape is used to receive the atomized liquid at the top of the vaporization chamber, and a smaller expanding cone shape is used to eject the vaporized liquid at the bottom of the vaporization chamber. It should be noted that other shapes and lattice structures can also be implemented while still utilizing the embodiments described herein.

[0027] 2A is a cross-sectional perspective view of an exemplary embodiment 200 for a vaporizer core having a housing 202 and a chamber 212, where the chamber 212 includes multiple layers of fins 208 and concentric circles 210 to form a porous lattice structure. This concentric fin design does not have a direct path for liquid or gas to flow through the vaporization chamber. For one embodiment, six fins 208 are used, and the fins 208 are solid fins. Note that additional or fewer fins may be used, and other variations may be implemented as well.

[0028] During operation, atomized liquid enters the top of the vaporization chamber 212 as shown by arrow 204 and vaporized liquid exits the bottom of the vaporization chamber 212 as shown by arrow 206. An expanding cone shape is used to receive the atomized liquid at the top of the vaporization chamber and a smaller expanding cone shape is used to expel the vaporized liquid at the bottom of the vaporization chamber. It should be noted that other shapes and lattice structures can also be implemented while still utilizing the embodiments described herein.

[0029] 2B is a cross-sectional perspective view of an exemplary embodiment 220 for a vaporizer core having a housing 222 and a chamber 232, where the chamber 232 includes a plurality of fins 238 and cross-layers 230 to form a porous lattice structure. This cross-fin design also does not have a direct path for liquid or gas to flow through the vaporization chamber. For one embodiment, six fins 228 are used, and the fins are solid fins. Note that additional or fewer fins may be used, and other variations may be implemented as well.

[0030] During operation, atomized liquid enters the top of the vaporization chamber 232 as shown by arrow 224 and vaporized liquid exits the bottom of the vaporization chamber 232 as shown by arrow 226. An expanding cone shape is used to receive the atomized liquid at the top of the vaporization chamber and a smaller expanding cone shape is used to expel the vaporized liquid at the bottom of the vaporization chamber. It should be noted that other shapes and lattice structures can also be implemented while still utilizing the embodiments described herein.

[0031] 2C is a cross-sectional perspective view of an exemplary embodiment 240 for a vaporizer core having a housing 242 and a chamber 252, where the chamber includes multiple cones 250 to form a porous lattice structure. This conical fin design includes multiple fins 248 and does not include a direct path for liquid or gas to flow through the vaporization chamber. For one embodiment, six fins 248 are used and the fins are solid fins. Note that additional or fewer fins may be used and other variations may be implemented as well.

[0032] During operation, atomized liquid enters the top of the vaporization chamber 252 as shown by arrow 244 and vaporized liquid exits the bottom of the vaporization chamber 252 as shown by arrow 246. An expanding cone shape is used to receive the atomized liquid at the top of the vaporization chamber and a smaller expanding cone shape is used to expel the vaporized liquid at the bottom of the vaporization chamber. It should be noted that other shapes and lattice structures can also be implemented while still utilizing the embodiments described herein.

[0033] FIG. 3A is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment 200 shown in FIG. 2A for the concentric fin design. This view in FIG. 3A shows the horizontal and vertical lattice structure formed by the concentric circles 210 inside the vaporization chamber 212. As described above, the vaporizer core for the embodiment 200 includes a housing 202 and a chamber 212, where the chamber 212 includes a layer of multiple fins 208 and interconnecting concentric circles 210 to form a porous lattice structure. During operation, atomized liquid enters the top of the vaporization chamber 212 as shown by arrow 204, and vaporized liquid exits the bottom of the vaporization chamber 212 as shown by arrow 206. As further shown above, other shapes and lattice structures can also be implemented while still utilizing the embodiments described herein.

[0034] FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment 220 shown in FIG. 2B for the cross-fin design. This view in FIG. 3B shows the cross-lattice structure formed by the cross-layers inside the vaporization chamber 232. As described above, the vaporizer core for the embodiment 220 includes a housing 222 and a chamber 232, where the chamber includes a plurality of fins 228 and cross-layers 230 to form a porous lattice structure. During operation, atomized liquid enters the top of the vaporization chamber 232 as shown by arrow 224, and vaporized liquid exits the bottom of the vaporization chamber 232 as shown by arrow 226. As further shown above, other shapes and lattice structures can also be implemented while still utilizing the embodiments described herein.

[0035] FIG. 3C is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment 240 shown in FIG. 2C for the conical fin design. This view in FIG. 3C shows the channel-like lattice structure formed by nested cones inside the vaporization chamber 252. As described above, the vaporizer core for embodiment 240 includes a housing 242 and a chamber 252, where the chamber 252 includes a plurality of fins 248 and a plurality of cones 250 to form a porous lattice structure. In operation, atomized liquid enters the top of the vaporization chamber 252 as shown by arrow 244, and vaporized liquid exits the bottom of the vaporization chamber 252 as shown by arrow 246. As further shown above, other shapes and lattice structures can also be implemented while still utilizing the embodiments described herein.

[0036] As mentioned above, the vaporizer cores of FIGS. 2A-2C and 3A-3C can be formed as a 3D printed lattice structure for the vaporization chamber integral with the vaporizer housing using one or more 3D printers and / or 3D printing techniques. The vaporizer cores are preferably formed in a single step 3D printing process to form the vaporization chamber with a porous lattice structure inside the vaporizer housing as a single integral structure. 3D printing of the vaporizer core allows for rapid changes to be made to the pore size, part density, pattern, and / or other features for the vaporizer core inside the lattice structure. It should also be noted that multiple 3D printing steps can be used to form a single integral structure. Other variations can also be implemented while still utilizing the structures and techniques described herein.

[0037] In addition to 3D printing, the thermally conductive porous lattice structure can be formed as a sintered metal mesh using sintering techniques and / or as a collection of metal fibers using pressing techniques. Other techniques can also be used. For one embodiment, the vaporization chamber includes multiple stages, and each stage can be different. For one further example, a first stage is formed as a 3D printed porous lattice structure (e.g., a metal porous lattice structure) and a second stage is formed as a sintered metal mesh.

[0038] For one embodiment, the housing and chamber for the vaporizer core are formed entirely of stainless steel. Stainless steel allows for compression of metal gaskets that provide a high temperature vacuum seal on both ends of the vaporizer core. Although stainless steel has a much lower thermal conductivity than aluminum, metallic radial fins inside the vaporization chamber provide a direct conductive path to cool the chamber. Additionally, the outer diameter of the vaporizer core can be reduced to further reduce thermal resistance.

[0039] It should be noted that if stainless steel metal seals are used in high temperature environments, the flanges adjacent to these seals need to be made of stainless steel so that the materials match. One previous design utilized aluminum foam inside the carburetor core, necessitating a transition from stainless steel flanges to an aluminum core. One option for this transition is a bimetallic flange with a stainless steel seal side that is explosion bonded / welded to an aluminum second side. To improve the bond between the steel and aluminum surfaces, thin layers of other metals, some of which contain copper, are often used in such bimetallic flanges. However, when exposed to the flow path, the resulting seam can allow copper to be introduced into the process environment, which is a highly undesirable outcome for some process steps.

[0040] To avoid this outcome, another option is to provide the seal using an aluminum flange and an aluminum O-ring. While this all-aluminum solution could be implemented in production, it adds significant additional cost.

[0041] One additional solution is to have a stainless steel flange that is connected to the stainless steel tube. The aluminum foam is then pressed and brazed to the inside of a smaller aluminum tube, and then thermally press-fitted to the inside of the stainless steel tube. This is an effective approach, but it also adds additional cost. Furthermore, undesirable thermal resistance is created by the press-fit between the stainless steel and aluminum tubes that are present in a vacuum environment. The actual mechanical contact between such surfaces may be less than 10%, and the gas trapped between the surfaces provides the majority of the heat transfer. However, in a vacuum environment, the heat transfer provided by this interstitial gas is greatly reduced.

[0042] For the disclosed embodiments, stainless steel material is preferably used throughout the carburetor core. Although stainless steel has a much lower thermal conductivity than aluminum, design features can compensate for this reduction. For example, one or more of the following can be used: (1) a smaller diameter core that reduces the conduction distance; (2) relatively thick, straight fins, including solid fins that conduct heat directly to the center of the core (as opposed to foam, which provides a narrow path); (3) a thicker printed lattice structure that reduces the conduction path length; and / or (4) other design features or combinations of features.

[0043] When 3D printing is used to form the metal lattice structure for the vaporizer core described herein, the resulting vaporizer core can also be processed to further improve the vaporizer. For example, the 3D printed vaporizer core can be polished before being assembled inside the vaporizer. This polishing can be performed, for example, using electrolytic polishing or chemical polishing. Additionally, the inner surface can also be polished by extrusion polishing, where a polishing paste is extruded through the inside of the vaporization chamber. The outer surface can also be polished by machining, turning, or hand polishing the outer surface of the vaporizer housing. Other variations and techniques can also be implemented.

[0044] For a further exemplary embodiment, additional techniques are applied to the 3D printed vaporizer core to solve potential problems. For example, the vaporizer core can be encapsulated in stainless steel or other thermally conductive material after 3D printing to better seal the resulting structure. This encapsulation has been found to provide an improved seal to stop vacuum or other leaks for 3D printed metals, some of which may have porosity or defects that can cause leaks in a vacuum environment. For example, if 3D printing of stainless steel is used for the vaporizer core along with welding to stainless steel fittings, the welding can expose porosity inside the 3D printed structure and cause leaks at the welds. Encapsulating the vaporizer core in a shell solves these problems and provides a leak-free solution. The shell can be stainless steel or other metallic material. Additionally, other thermally conductive materials or coatings can be used for the shell, and a multi-piece shell can be used.

[0045] FIG. 4 is a diagram of an exemplary embodiment 400 in which the vaporizer housing 404 and chamber 412 are enclosed within a two-piece shell 402A / 402B. For the exemplary embodiment shown, the vaporizer chamber 412 is a conical fin design, but other designs can be used as described herein. The shell is a two-piece shell with a top 402A welded to a bottom 402B along a central seam 406. For example, the two shell pieces 402A / 402B can be stainless steel pieces welded together. For one embodiment, an orbital weld is used along the middle seam 406. Additionally, one or more welds can be used at other locations to fuse the stainless steel shell to the 3D printed housing to ensure good thermal contact. For one implementation, four such locations are used where the shell is fused to the vaporizer core, but it will be appreciated that additional or different numbers of locations can be used. Other variations can be implemented while still utilizing the techniques described herein.

[0046] FIG. 5 is a diagram of an exemplary embodiment 500 for a miniaturized vaporizer using an improved vaporizer core 510 according to one or more of the embodiments described herein. This vaporizer operates in a similar manner as described with respect to the vaporizer 100 of FIG. 1 (prior art), except that an improved vaporizer core 510 is used here. For this exemplary embodiment, a carrier gas channel 504 receives gas from a source line 502 and provides it to a nozzle assembly 505. The nozzle assembly 505 also receives a solution to be evaporated, as represented by arrow 507. The vaporizer core 510 is coupled to the nozzle assembly 505 with a flange 506. The solution is evaporated within the vaporizer core 510 and discharged to a process chamber or other processing equipment, as shown by arrow 508. For example, the evaporated liquid as well as the carrier gas can be discharged through a gas outlet channel 512 and a discharge gas line 514. Variations can be implemented while still utilizing the techniques described herein.

[0047] It should be noted that throughout this specification, reference to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, material, or characteristic described with respect to that embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention, but may not be present in all embodiments. Thus, the phrases "in one embodiment" or "in an embodiment" appearing in various places throughout this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment of the invention. Furthermore, particular features, structures, materials, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In other embodiments, various additional layers and / or structures may be included and / or described features may be omitted.

[0048] As used herein, a "microelectronic workpiece" refers generally to an object that is processed according to the present invention. A microelectronic workpiece may include any material portion or structure of a device, particularly a semiconductor or other electronic device, and may be a base substrate structure, such as a semiconductor substrate or layer on or overlying a base substrate structure, such as a thin film. Thus, it is not intended to limit the workpiece to any particular base structure, lower layer, or upper layer, patterned or unpatterned, but rather is intended to include any such layer or base structure and any combination of layers and / or base structures. Although the following description may refer to a particular type of substrate, this description is for illustrative purposes only and not for limiting purposes.

[0049] Systems and methods for processing microelectronic workpieces have been described in various embodiments. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the various embodiments can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other alternative and / or additional methods, materials, or components. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations have not been shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the various embodiments of the invention. Similarly, for purposes of explanation, specific numbers, materials, and configurations are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, the invention can be practiced without the specific details. Additionally, it is understood that the various embodiments shown in the figures are illustrative representations and are not necessarily drawn to scale.

[0050] Further modifications and alternative embodiments of the described systems and methods will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of this specification. It will therefore be appreciated that the described systems and methods are not limited by these illustrative configurations. It should be understood that the forms of the systems and methods shown and described herein should be taken as illustrative embodiments. Various changes may be made to the implementation. Thus, although the present invention is described herein with reference to specific embodiments, various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the present specification and the accompanying drawings should be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense, and such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention. Furthermore, any benefits, advantages, or solutions to problems described herein with respect to specific embodiments are not intended to be construed as critical, required, or essential features or elements of any or all claims.

Claims

1. A carburetor core comprising: Housing and a chamber within the housing, the chamber comprising a thermally conductive porous lattice structure; the housing and the chamber containing the porous lattice structure are formed as a single piece, integral structure; Carburetor core.

2. The carburetor core of claim 1 , further comprising a shell that is thermally conductive, said chamber including said housing and said porous lattice structure being enclosed within said shell.

3. The carburetor core of claim 2 , wherein the shell comprises a top and a bottom that are welded together along a central seam.

4. The carburetor core of claim 3 , wherein the shell is fused to the housing at a plurality of locations.

5. 10. The vaporizer core of claim 1, wherein one or more of sintered metal, nanowires, metal fibers, or fibers made from thermally conductive materials are used to form the housing, the chamber, or both the housing and the chamber.

6. The carburetor core of claim 1 , wherein the housing and the chamber including the porous lattice structure are stainless steel.

7. The carburetor core of claim 1 , wherein the chamber comprises a first stage for the carburetor core and further comprises a second stage coupled to the first stage within the housing.

8. The carburetor core of claim 1 , wherein the chamber comprises a plurality of fins.

9. The carburetor core of claim 8 , wherein the chamber comprises at least one of a concentric fin design, a crossed fin design, or a conical fin design to form the porous lattice structure.

10. The carburetor core of claim 8 , wherein said plurality of fins are solid fins.

11. The carburetor core of claim 1 , wherein the chamber comprises a porous metal structure to form the porous lattice structure.

12. The carburetor core of claim 11 , wherein the porous metal structure comprises a metal foam or a metal fiber mesh.

13. 10. The vaporizer core of claim 1, wherein the chamber comprises an expanding cone shape for receiving atomized liquid and an expanding cone shape for expelling vaporized liquid.

14. The carburetor core of claim 1 , wherein the surfaces of the housing and the chamber are polished.

15. 1. A vaporizer comprising: a nozzle assembly coupled to receive the liquid and the carrier gas; A carburetor core comprising: a housing coupled to the nozzle assembly to receive the liquid and the carrier gas; a chamber within the housing, the chamber comprising a thermally conductive porous lattice structure; a carburetor core, the housing and the chamber including the porous lattice structure being formed as a single piece, integral structure; a gas outlet channel coupled to receive evaporated gas from the vaporizer core, the vaporizer core including evaporated liquid and the carrier gas. Carburetor.

16. 16. The vaporizer of claim 15, wherein the vaporizer core further comprises a shell that is thermally conductive, and the chamber including the housing and the porous lattice structure are enclosed within the shell.

17. 16. The vaporizer of claim 15, wherein the chamber comprises a plurality of fins including at least one of a concentric fin design, a crossed fin design, or a conical fin design to form the porous lattice structure.

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