Precursor vessel, vapor deposition system, and vapor deposition process

Abstract

A precursor container for a vapor deposition process is disclosed herein. The container includes a shell having an inlet, an outlet, and defining an internal volume. A tubing is disposed within the internal volume and extends from the inlet to the outlet. The tubing has sidewalls defining internal through-flow paths. The sidewalls have inner surfaces facing the flow paths, which have a plurality of recesses of depth and width in the inner surface. Solid precursor material can be loaded into the recesses. Systems including the precursor container and vapor deposition processes are further disclosed herein.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This application is generally related to semiconductor processing equipment, and specifically to containers, systems and methods for chemical vapor transfer. [Previous Technology]

[0002] Typical precursor delivery systems used in vapor deposition processes include solid or liquid source containers (precursor containers) containing the precursor. In the case of solid precursors, the precursor container contains the solid material to be vaporized. In the case of liquid precursors, the precursor container contains the liquid material to be vaporized. Once vaporized, a carrier gas sweeps the precursor vapor along with it through the container outlet, ultimately to the substrate in the reaction chamber, or the precursor is vaporized under low pressure or vacuum. Process control can be challenging, especially for solid precursors. In many cases, achieving sufficient vaporization of the solid precursor to reach the desired precursor material concentration requires heating the solid precursor to substantially high temperatures. However, maintaining high temperatures for extended periods can cause agglomeration of the solid precursor, reducing the surface area available for vaporization. Furthermore, high temperatures can cause thermal degradation of the precursor material. Furthermore, in known bubblers used for vapor deposition, precursor materials or vapors may remain in locations not exposed to any gas flow. These effects can further lead to vaporization process inefficiencies and alter precursor dosage behavior, thereby changing the properties of the deposited material.

[0003] Therefore, there is an urgent need in the art to improve the vaporization performance and efficiency of precursor materials used in vapor deposition processes. [Summary of the Invention]

[0004] In the first embodiment, a precursor container for a vapor deposition process is disclosed. The container includes a shell having an inlet, an outlet, and defining an internal volume. A tubing is disposed within the internal volume and extends from the inlet to the outlet. The tubing has sidewalls defining internal through-flow paths. The sidewalls include an inner surface facing the flow paths, in which the flow paths have a plurality of recesses having depth and width.

[0005] In a second embodiment, a precursor container for a vapor deposition process is disclosed. The container includes a shell having an inlet, an outlet, and defining an internal volume. A tubing is disposed within the internal volume and extends from the inlet to the outlet. The tubing has sidewalls defining internal through-flow paths. The sidewalls include an inner surface facing the flow paths, the flow paths having a plurality of recesses having depth and width in the inner surface. Precursor material is disposed within the plurality of recesses. In some embodiments, the precursor material is a solid. In some embodiments, the precursor material is a liquid.

[0006] In the third embodiment, a vapor deposition system is also disclosed. The assembly includes a carrier gas source; a reaction chamber for holding a substrate within it; and a precursor container comprising: a shell having an inlet fluidly communicating with the carrier gas source, an outlet fluidly communicating with the reaction chamber, and defining an internal volume; and a tube disposed within the internal volume and extending from the inlet to the outlet. The tube includes a sidewall defining a flow path through which a carrier gas from the carrier gas source flows and includes a quantity of precursor material. The sidewall includes an inner surface facing the flow path, in which the flow path has a plurality of recesses of depth and width, wherein the precursor material is placed within the recesses. After maintaining the precursor material at its vaporization temperature, the carrier gas transports the vaporized precursor material to the reaction chamber for deposition onto the substrate.

[0007] In the fourth embodiment, a method for vaporizing precursor material for a vapor deposition process is disclosed. The process includes: guiding a carrier gas to a precursor container, the precursor container including an inlet, an outlet and defining an internal volume, wherein the container further includes a tube disposed within the internal volume and extending from the inlet to the outlet, the tube including a sidewall defining a flow path through which a carrier gas flows and includes a quantity of precursor material, the sidewall including an inner surface facing the flow path, the flow path having a plurality of recesses having depth and width in the inner surface, wherein the precursor material is placed in the recesses; vaporizing the precursor material in the tube; and guiding the vaporized precursor material to a reaction chamber via the carrier gas to deposit the material onto a substrate.

[0008] The precursor container, vapor deposition system, and method disclosed herein can vaporize the precursor material more rapidly at lower temperatures compared to prior art containers, systems, and methods. Specifically, the disclosed tubing and the loading of precursor material within the recesses of the tubing create localized regions, deposits, or pockets (hereinafter referred to as "deposits") of the precursor material within the tubing. These deposits subsequently provide an increased surface area of ​​the precursor material, enabling faster and more efficient vaporization of the precursor material for the deposition process. In some embodiments, the tubing also has an overall shape with multiple bends, such as a serpentine shape, which allows the precursor material within the tubing to deposit at the bends, thereby further increasing the distribution of the precursor material and the available surface area.

[0009] In some embodiments, to further enhance the vaporization of the precursor material, the internal volume of the container may further include a heat transfer fluid to facilitate heat transfer with the tubing and improve vaporization efficiency. An internal or external heat source (to the container) can provide the heat transfer fluid to reach the desired temperature. Furthermore, in some embodiments, one or more temperature regulating elements are included within the container, such as within the container wall or cavity. In some embodiments, the tubing at least partially or completely surrounds or encloses one or more temperature regulating elements. The temperature regulating elements can further improve the uniformity and efficiency of precursor material vaporization.

[0010] In some embodiments, due to the improvements described herein, the vaporization temperature of many precursor materials (e.g., HfCl4) can be significantly reduced, for example, by 40–50°C or above. The reduced vaporization temperature in the containers, systems, and methods disclosed herein also helps prevent thermal degradation and / or improper coalescence of solid precursor materials within the tubing. Improper coalescence tends to further reduce the usable surface area of ​​the precursor material. Due to the above features, the amount of precursor material required to achieve the desired concentration for the relevant deposition process can also be significantly reduced.

Implementation Method

[0012] The following description of embodiments of the precursor container, vapor deposition system, and method is illustrative and for purposes of explanation only. The following description is not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure or claim. Furthermore, the detailed description of multiple embodiments having the described features is not intended to exclude other embodiments having additional features or other embodiments including different combinations of the described features. For example, various embodiments are presented as exemplary embodiments and may be enumerated in the appendices. Unless otherwise noted, exemplary embodiments or components thereof may be combined or applied separately.

[0013] In this disclosure, any two numbers of a variable may constitute the working range of the variable, and any indicated range may include or exclude endpoints. Furthermore, any numerical value of the indicated variable (whether or not it is expressed as "about") may refer to an exact value or an approximate value and include equivalent values, and may refer to an average, median, representative value, multi-value, etc. Moreover, in this disclosure, the terms "comprising," "consisting of," and "having" independently mean "generally or broadly encompassing" or "including." In some embodiments of this disclosure, any defined meaning does not necessarily exclude the usual and conventional meaning.

[0014] The titles provided herein are for convenience only and do not necessarily affect the scope or meaning of the claimed invention. This document describes components, systems, and related methods for conveying vaporized precursor materials for deposition processes.

[0015] A precursor container (precursor container) includes a housing having an inlet and an outlet, and defining an internal volume within the housing. The fluid inlet and fluid outlet are configured to respectively deliver fluids such as purge gas, vaporizing material, or a carrier gas containing vaporizing material into and out of the precursor container. In some embodiments, the fluid inlet and / or fluid outlet are located on a lid, which is fixedly or movably fixed to the housing and forms part of the housing. In some embodiments, the inlet and / or outlet extend into the internal volume of the container. In other embodiments, the inlet and / or outlet do not extend into the internal volume and may be entirely located within a lid or top of the container.

[0016] As further discussed herein, a precursor container with a tube is disclosed, the tube being disposed within an internal volume and extending from an inlet to an outlet. The tube includes sidewalls that define a flow path through which a carrier gas flows. In particular, the tube includes sidewalls that include an inner surface facing the flow path, the flow path having a plurality of recesses in the inner surface, and the tube having an integral shape with a plurality of bends. In some embodiments, the tube may include a quantity of precursor material therein. When present, the precursor material is advantageously placed within the recesses to increase the available surface area of ​​the precursor material within the tube. Accordingly, the precursor can be effectively heated and vaporized, and the precursor vapor can be scavenged by a carrier gas to a vapor deposition process for depositing material onto a substrate.

[0017] The size of the precursor container, the precursor material, and other properties can be selected to make the container compatible with the vapor deposition process. If the precursor material is solid at standard temperature and pressure or under deposition conditions, it can be considered a solid component. Conversely, if the material is liquid at standard temperature and pressure or under deposition conditions, it can be considered a liquid (non-solid) component.

[0018] It should also be understood that the precursor material needs to be stable enough to be stored and used for extended periods, such as weeks or even months. Furthermore, the vaporization rate of the precursor material should ideally remain constant under predetermined conditions. The precursor material also needs to allow precursor molecules to vaporize so that they can be transported to the deposition chamber for vapor deposition. Therefore, the temperature and pressure range for precursor material vaporization should be suitable for the vapor deposition process.

[0019] The terms "precursor" and "reactant" are used interchangeably in this disclosure and can refer to molecules (including compounds or molecules of a single element) that participate in a chemical reaction to produce another compound. Precursors or reactants typically contain at least a portion of the compound or element produced by the chemical reaction in question. The resulting compound or element may be deposited on a substrate. However, precursors or reactants may be elements or compounds that are not largely incorporated into the resulting compound or element.

[0020] According to this disclosure, due to the large usable surface area of ​​the fitting, in some embodiments, the precursor material can be maintained at ambient temperature, for example, from about 15°C to about 35°C. In some embodiments, the precursor material can be cooled below ambient temperature, for example, from about 0°C to about 15°C, such as about 5°C or about 10°C. This can be beneficial in improving the stability of some precursor materials. Precursor containers according to this disclosure are particularly suitable for low vapor pressure precursor materials. The term "low vapor pressure precursor material" should be understood as a relative term. A precursor material can be considered a low vapor pressure precursor material if the vapor pressure would limit the efficiency or practical applicability of the given process. The vapor pressure required for functional vapor deposition processes depends on the process and process application discussed.

[0021] According to this disclosure, the vapor deposition process can be a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process. In other embodiments, the vapor deposition process can be an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process. Additionally, according to this disclosure, the vapor deposition process can be a cyclic vapor deposition process. As used herein, the term "cyclic deposition" can refer to the continuous introduction of precursors (reactants) into a reaction chamber to deposit a layer on a substrate, and includes processing techniques such as atomic layer deposition and cyclic chemical vapor deposition. Vapor deposition can be used, for example, in the manufacture of semiconductor devices in the electronics industry. Thin films can be deposited onto a substrate using vapor deposition. As used herein, the term "substrate" can refer to any underlying material that can be used to form or on which structures, devices, circuits, or layers can be formed.

[0022] Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) processes typically involve a gas-phase reaction between two or more precursors or reactants. The precursors or reactants may be provided to the reaction chamber or substrate simultaneously, or in a partially or completely separate pulsed manner. The substrate and / or reaction space may be heated to facilitate the reaction between the gaseous reactants. In some embodiments, reactants are provided until a film of desired thickness is deposited. Therefore, CVD processes can be cyclic or non-cyclic. In some embodiments, a cyclic CVD process can be used multiple times to deposit a film of desired thickness. In a cyclic CVD process, these reactants may be provided to the reaction chamber in a pulsed manner, wherein these pulses may be non-overlapping or partially or completely overlapping.

[0023] Atomic layer deposition (ALD) processes are based on controlled (typically self-limiting) surface reactions of precursors and / or chemical reactants. Gas-phase reactions can be avoided by alternately and sequentially supplying precursors into the reaction chamber. Gas-phase reactants are separated from each other in the reaction chamber, for example, by removing excess reactants and / or reactant byproducts from the reaction chamber between reactant pulses. This can be achieved through a purging step and / or by inert gas pulses or purging. In some embodiments, the substrate is contacted with a purging gas (e.g., an inert gas). For example, the substrate may be contacted with a purging gas between reactant pulses to remove excess reactants and reaction byproducts. In some embodiments, the reactions are self-limiting and achieve monolayer-by-layer growth. These may be referred to as "true atomic layer deposition" reactions. In some embodiments, the first precursor may be adsorbed onto the substrate surface in a self-limiting manner. The second precursor or reactant and optional other reactants or precursors will react sequentially with the adsorbed first precursor to form a monolayer of metal or metal compound on the substrate.

[0024] The materials, dimensions, structural details and other features of the precursor container disclosed are generally modified to suit the vapor deposition process. Because vapor deposition processes are susceptible to contamination and other process condition variations, the properties of the precursor container can be selected to provide reproducible results as much as possible, and to provide a sufficiently inert environment formed of materials that do not cause undue alteration to the vapor composition of the process gases.

[0025] As used herein, "vaporizing precursor material" or similar terms mean that liquid or solid precursor material can be vaporized by means of evaporation or sublimation and transported outside the precursor container to the reaction chamber of the vapor deposition assembly. As used herein, "evaporation conditions" or similar terms mean the conditions under which the precursor material is to be vaporized. For example, vaporization conditions may include a predetermined temperature and / or pressure range. Outside of vaporization conditions, such as during the storage or transport of precursor containers as disclosed herein, vaporization may or may not occur. Under other non-vaporization conditions, precursor vaporization may be slower than under vaporization conditions.

[0026] The precursor container according to this disclosure includes a shell that defines an internal volume to house tubing. The shell is generally substantially rigid. As used herein, "rigid" generally means self-supporting. Therefore, the container according to this disclosure can be made of any material suitable for vapor deposition processes. The container material should be sufficiently inert to prevent the release of unwanted substances into the vapor deposition process. The container material should also be able to withstand the target vaporization conditions, such as the target temperature and pressure used for vaporization. In some embodiments, the container may be reusable. Therefore, the container material should be able to withstand industrial cleaning processes.

[0027] In some embodiments, metals may be used as container materials, such as stainless steel or aluminum. In some embodiments, metal alloys may be used as container materials, such as brass. Furthermore, vapor-deposited compatible plastics or polymers known in the art may be suitable as container materials. In some embodiments, the container material comprises a metal. In some embodiments, the container material is substantially composed of a metal. In some embodiments, the container material comprises an alloy of two or more metals. In some embodiments, the shell of the container further comprises a coating. Thus, the container material may be coated with another material, such as a material that improves heat transfer to the tubing within the container. The coating may also improve the properties of the precursor container because the surface properties of the container can be optimized by the coating, while the container material can be selected based on its structural properties.

[0028] As further discussed and shown below, the container may include one or more internal or external (relative to the container) temperature regulating elements. In some embodiments, the temperature regulating element is a heating element for providing the desired heat to vaporize the precursor material within the container tubing. Without limitation, the one or more heating elements may include radiant heating lamps, resistance heaters, etc. In some embodiments, the temperature regulating element is a cooling element. In some embodiments, the one or more temperature regulating elements may regulate the temperature of the precursor container to about -20°C to about 500°C, for example to about -10°C, 0°C, 10°C, 20°C, 50°C, 70°C, 100°C, 200°C, 250°C, 300°C, 350°C, or 400°C. For example, one or more temperature regulating elements can heat the precursor container to about 50°C to about 500°C, about 100°C to about 500°C, about 200°C to about 500°C, or about 300°C to about 500°C. In other embodiments, one or more temperature regulating elements can heat the precursor container to about 50°C to about 450°C, about 50°C to about 400°C, about 50°C to about 300°C, or about 50°C to about 250°C. In some embodiments, cooling elements can cool the precursor container to about -30°C to about 15°C, about -30°C to about 5°C, about -30°C to about 0°C, about 0°C to about 15°C, or about -5°C to about 10°C.

[0029] The precursor container may have an inlet and an outlet for a carrier gas (e.g., N2) to flow through the tubing and the precursor container. The carrier gas is typically an inert gas. The carrier gas purges the precursor vapor (e.g., the precursor after sublimation or evaporation) along with it through the container outlet and finally to the substrate in the reaction chamber. The precursor container typically includes an isolation valve for fluid isolation between the contents of the container and the outside of the container. One isolation valve may be provided upstream of the container inlet, and another isolation valve may be provided downstream of the container outlet. In some embodiments, the precursor container comprises, is substantially composed of, or is composed of a sublimator. In some embodiments, the precursor container comprises, is substantially composed of, or is composed of an evaporator.

[0030] Depending on the application, the precursor material can be heated and / or maintained at a pressure sufficient to produce a sufficient amount of precursor vapor for the vapor deposition process. The precursor container can be supplied by gas lines extending from the inlet and outlet, isolation valves on the lines, and fitting connectors on the valves, which are configured to connect to the gas flow lines of the remaining vapor deposition components. It is often desirable to provide additional heaters to heat the various valves and gas flow lines between the precursor container and the reaction chamber to prevent precursor vapor from condensing and depositing on such components. Therefore, the gas delivery components between the precursor container and the reaction chamber are sometimes referred to as the "hot zone," where the temperature is maintained above the vaporization / condensation / sublimation temperature of the precursor.

[0031] In one embodiment, a vapor deposition system is disclosed, comprising a precursor container with tubular fittings as described herein, a carrier gas source, a reaction chamber for performing a vapor deposition process, and a precursor delivery system comprising a precursor container connected to the reaction chamber for supplying precursors to the reaction chamber.

[0032] In another embodiment, a vapor deposition system is disclosed, comprising a precursor container with tubing as described herein and a precursor delivery system comprising a precursor container connected to a reaction chamber according to the present disclosure for supplying precursor vapor to the reaction chamber. In one embodiment, the precursor delivery system includes one or more injectors for introducing vaporized precursor from the precursor container into the reaction chamber.

[0033] In one embodiment, the reaction chamber is constructed and configured to hold the substrate, and the precursor injection system is constructed and configured to provide a vaporized precursor to the reaction chamber. A vapor deposition system including a precursor container and a precursor injection system provides vaporized precursor to the reaction chamber to deposit material onto the substrate.

[0034] In some embodiments, the vapor deposition system disclosed herein may further include a control processor and software configured to operate the reaction chamber for an atomic layer deposition process. In some embodiments, the vapor deposition assembly may further include a control processor and software configured to operate the reaction chamber for a chemical vapor deposition process.

[0035] In one embodiment, a method for depositing precursor material for a vapor deposition process is disclosed. The method includes guiding a carrier gas into the precursor container with a tube, as described herein, under vaporization conditions sufficient to vaporize the precursor material within a tube and to provide a desired amount of vaporized precursor material for delivery to a reaction chamber for deposition onto a substrate. The temperature can be any suitable temperature described above, for example, from 50°C to 500°C. Subsequently, the precursor can be deposited onto the substrate using any suitable process.

[0036] In view of the foregoing, the containers, systems, and processes described herein can be used to provide one or more precursors or reactants to deposit materials onto a substrate as needed. It should be understood that there are many processes that directly or indirectly utilize vaporized materials to form material deposits on a substrate. In some embodiments, the resulting vaporized precursor is directly deposited onto the substrate to form a deposit with the same composition as the precursor material. In other embodiments, a first precursor may be introduced into a reaction chamber from the tubing (or another source) disclosed herein and deposited onto the substrate, and at least a second precursor may be introduced into the reaction chamber from the tubing (or another source) disclosed herein to react with the first precursor deposited on the substrate surface to provide a deposit with the desired composition on the substrate. In still other embodiments, the tubing disclosed herein can be used to provide at least one of two or more precursors, which reacts with another in a reaction chamber, and the resulting material is then deposited onto the substrate.

[0037] Detailed description of the diagram.

[0038] This disclosure is further explained by way of the exemplary embodiments illustrated in the following figures. The figures presented herein are not intended to represent actual views of any particular material, structure, or device, but are merely schematic diagrams to illustrate embodiments of this disclosure. It is to be understood that the elements in the figures are drawn for simplicity and clarity and are not necessarily depicted to scale. For example, the dimensions of some elements in the figures may be enlarged relative to other elements to aid in understanding the embodiments illustrated in this disclosure. The embodiments described in the figures may contain additional elements and details, which may be omitted for clarity.

[0039] Figure 1 illustrates a precursor container 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The container 10 includes a housing 12 having an inlet 14 and an outlet 16. The housing 12 may be made of any suitable material, such as stainless steel, aluminum, copper, nickel, silver, alloys including the same and other components, graphite, boron nitride, ceramic materials, or combinations or mixtures of these materials. In some embodiments, the material of the housing 12 may be a thermally conductive material. The material of the precursor container 10 may also be a coated or coated material. The housing 12 defines an internal volume 24 of the precursor container 10 and isolates the internal volume 24 from the surrounding atmosphere. The internal volume 24 is adapted to hold a tube 26 within it, as will be further explained below. In some embodiments, the housing 12 includes identifiable sidewalls 18, a top 20, and a base or bottom plate 22; however, it should be understood that the shape of the container 10 is not limited thereto. In some embodiments, the top 20 includes a removable, movable lid.

[0040] In some embodiments, the housing 12 has a substantially circular cylindrical shape, and thus also a circular base plate 22. However, the precursor container 10 may have any other suitable shape. In some embodiments, the precursor container 10 has a substantially rectangular prism shape. The shape of the precursor container 10 may deviate from the above geometry for availability, ease of manufacture, and / or handling. For example, any edges and / or corners may be rounded, or some sides may be at least partially sloped. In some embodiments, the base plate 22 and the sidewalls 18 may be indistinguishable from each other. For example, the base plate 22 may be curved. The housing 12 may be constructed using a single part, such as machined. However, the housing 12 may be formed by attaching two or more parts together in an airtight manner. For example, the base plate 22 and the sidewalls 18 may be attached to each other and separable.

[0041] The dimensions and proportions of the precursor container 10 may also be varied depending on the design selection and the application and planned scale of the vapor deposition process. In some embodiments, the height of the precursor container 10 is greater than its width. In some embodiments, the height of the precursor container 10 is equal to its width. In some embodiments, the height of the precursor container 10 is less than its width. In some embodiments, the precursor container 10 may have a height-to-width ratio in the range of about 0.5 to 4, for example, 1 to 2 or 1 to 3. In some embodiments, the height of the precursor container 10 is an external measurement of the precursor container 10 from the top 20 to the bottom plate 22 or the portion of the housing 12 furthest from the top 20. The width of the precursor container 10 is the longest measurement perpendicular to the height and extending across the precursor container 10.

[0042] Referring again to Figure 1, the pipe fitting 26 extends from the inlet 14 to the outlet 16. Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional view of a portion of the pipe fitting 26 cut along line AA in Figure 1. As shown, the pipe fitting 26 has a sidewall 28 that defines a flow path 30 within the pipe fitting 26. Specifically, the sidewall 28 includes an inner surface 34 facing the flow path 30, in which the flow path has a plurality of recesses 36 of depth and width. As shown in Figure 3, when the precursor material 32 is properly loaded into the pipe fitting 26, the precursor material 32 can be placed within the depth of each recess 36 of the pipe fitting 26. The recesses 36 have any suitable depth and width, effectively creating a larger surface area for the precursor material 32 by providing the precursor material 32 in a large amount of deposits or localized areas 37 within the pipe fitting. The fine surface texture (e.g., roughness) of the recesses can be selected to improve the adhesion of the precursor material to the recess surface. Additionally, in some embodiments, the coating can be used to improve the adhesion of the precursor material to the pipe surface. Furthermore, the recessed design can take into account the surface tension of the liquid precursor material.

[0043] In one embodiment, the recess 36 has a depth of at least about 0.5 millimeters (mm). In one embodiment, the recess has a depth of at least about 1 millimeter. In one embodiment, the recess 36 has a depth of at least about 2 millimeters. In one embodiment, the recess has a depth of at least about 5 millimeters. In one embodiment, the recess 36 has a depth of at least about 10 millimeters. In one embodiment, the recess has a depth of less than about 50 millimeters. In one embodiment, the recess 36 has a depth of less than about 20 millimeters. In one embodiment, the recess 36 has a depth of less than about 10 millimeters. In one embodiment, the recess 36 has a depth of about 0.5 millimeters to about 50 millimeters, about 1 millimeter to about 20 millimeters, or about 1 millimeter to about 5 millimeters.

[0044] In one embodiment, the recess 36 has a width of at least about 1 mm. In one embodiment, the recess 36 has a width of at least about 2 mm. In one embodiment, the recess 36 has a width of at least about 5 mm. In one embodiment, the recess 36 has a width of at least about 10 mm. In one embodiment, the recess 36 has a width of at least about 15 mm. Additionally, the recess 36 can be conceived to have any suitable shape, such as a triangle, rectangle, circle, or other shape. The depth-to-width ratio of the recess 36 can vary considerably. The shape, depth, width, and depth-to-width ratio of the recess 36 can be selected based on the precursor used and the desired vaporization parameters (e.g., vaporization temperature and pressure).

[0045] In one embodiment, the depth-to-width ratio of the recess 36 is approximately 1:3 to approximately 4:1, approximately 1:3 to approximately 3:1, approximately 1:3 to approximately 2:1, or approximately 1:3 to approximately 1:1. In another embodiment, the depth-to-width ratio of the recess 36 is approximately 1:2 to approximately 4:1, approximately 1:2 to approximately 3:1, approximately 1:2 to approximately 2:1, or approximately 1:2 to approximately 1:1. Since the width of a given recess 36 may vary depending on the location of the recess 36 in the fitting, the depth-to-width ratio of the recess 36 may vary along the length of the fitting 26. In one embodiment, the depth-to-width ratio referred to above means the ratio of the recesses 36 in the substantially straight portion of the fitting 26. It should be understood that the above parameters (width, depth, and depth-to-width ratio) may be applied to all or selected recesses 36 as needed.

[0046] In one embodiment, the recess 36 may extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longest dimension (length) of the pipe fitting 26. Therefore, the recess 36 may extend along the periphery of the pipe fitting sidewall 28. In some embodiments, the recess 36 may form a groove. In one embodiment, the recess 36 defines an annular groove. The annular recesses may be arranged side-by-side along the longest dimension of the pipe fitting 26.

[0047] In one embodiment, any given recess 36 extends helically along the longest dimension of the fitting 26. There may be one helically extending recess, or there may be two, three, or more helically extending recesses. Two, three, or more helically extending recesses 36 may be substantially parallel to each other. In one embodiment, the recess 36 may be a dimple, a hole, or other substantially symmetrical recess. The recesses 36 may also be substantially evenly distributed along the length of the fitting. Alternatively, the recesses 36 may be more densely distributed in certain areas of the fitting 26 than in other areas. For example, there may be more recesses, such as dimples or grooves, at the inlet 14 closer to the container 10 than at the outlet 16. The location of the recesses 36 may be selected to improve the vaporization of the precursor material and / or reduce the transport of non-vaporized precursor material to the outlet 16.

[0048] It should be understood that since fitting 26 may include bends, the width of recess 36 may vary depending on its position in fitting 26.

[0049] In some embodiments, the recess 36 may be provided on opposite sidewalls 28 as shown in Figures 2 and 3. In other embodiments, the recess 36 may be provided on only one sidewall 28 or in a non-opposite relationship. Once vaporized at a suitable vaporization temperature, the vaporized precursor material 32 can be easily scavenged by a suitable carrier gas.

[0050] The exemplary precursor materials 32 disclosed herein that can be loaded into the precursor container 10 include metal halides, organometallic precursors, etc. No restrictions are imposed; precursor materials may include dimethyl hydrazine, trimethyl aluminum (TMA), hafnium chloride (HfCl4), zirconium chloride (ZrCl4), nickel chloride (NiCl2), cobalt chloride (CoCl2), xenon difluoride (XeF2), xenon tetrafluoride (XeF4), xenon hexafluoride (XeF6), indium trichloride, aluminum trichloride, titanium iodide, tungsten carbonyl, Ba(DPM)2, and bis di pivaloyl methanato. strontium (Sr(DPM)2), TiO(DPM)2, tetradi-di-pivaloyl-methanato zirconium (Zr(DPM)4), decaborane, boron, magnesium, gallium, indium, antimony, copper, phosphorus, arsenic, lithium, sodium tetrafluoroborate, precursors of alkyl-amidinate ligands, organometallic precursors, zirconium tertiary butoxide, Zr(t-OBu)4), tetrakis(diethylamino)zirconium, Zr(Net2)4, tetrakis(diethylamino)hafnium, Hf(Net2)4, tetrakis(dimethylamino)titanium,TDMAT, tributyliminotris (deithylamino)tantalum (TBTDET), pentakis (demethylamino)tantalum (PDMAT), pentakis (ethylmethylamino)tantalum (PEMAT), tetrakis dimethylaminozirconium (Zr(NMe2)4), hafnium tertiary butoxide (Hf(tOBu)4), and one or more combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the precursor material is a solid. In some embodiments, the precursor material is a liquid. This disclosure is not limited to any particular theory; liquid precursor materials may remain within the recesses on the sidewalls. Suitable recess shapes may be selected based on the properties of the solid or liquid precursor material.

[0051] In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 1, the fitting 26 further includes an overall shape (appearance) having a plurality of bends 35. In some embodiments, when installed in container 10, the fitting 26 includes a configuration with bends 35. In any case, when the fitting 26 includes bends 35, as shown in Figure 4 (cut along line BB of Figure 1), precursor material 32 (when provided) may be placed within the recess 36 and inside the fitting 26 (flow path 30) at the bends 35 of the fitting 26.

[0052] The fitting 26 may have any shape suitable for the overall form, providing a plurality of turns 35. In one embodiment, the fitting has an overall shape including a meandering shape 40 as shown in Figure 5, wherein the fitting travels in a first direction and then reverses at least once. Alternatively, the fitting 26 may have any other shape suitable for the overall form, providing one or more turns 35 in the fitting 26.

[0053] In some embodiments, the overall shape of the fitting 26 may be helical, or the fitting 26 may include a helical portion. For example, the fitting 26 may be formed as a helical coil. In some embodiments, the helical portion may be located at the straight sections (linear extensions) at both ends of the fitting. In some embodiments, only one end of the fitting 26 includes a straight section. In some embodiments, none of the ends of the fitting 26 includes a straight section. In some embodiments, a temperature regulating element may also be disposed within the space defined by the helical coil. In one embodiment, the radius of curvature of the curved helical portion is substantially constant.

[0054] In some embodiments, the pipe 26 extends a longer distance before the start of a plurality of turns (i.e., at the turn entrance side) than after the plurality of turns (i.e., at the turn exit side). However, in some embodiments, the pipe 26 extends a shorter distance at the turn entrance side than at the turn exit side. In some embodiments, the pipe 26 extends approximately the same distance on both sides of the turn. In some embodiments, the pipe 26 extends a longer distance before the portion with the precursor (i.e., at the entrance side containing the precursor region) than after the region containing the precursor (i.e., at the exit side containing the precursor region). However, in some embodiments, the pipe 26 extends a shorter distance at the entrance side containing the precursor region than at the exit side containing the precursor region. In some embodiments, the pipe 26 extends approximately the same distance on both sides of the region containing the precursor.

[0055] Fitting 26 may be formed of any material and construction that provides the features described herein. In some embodiments, fitting 26 is supplied or cut from commercially available pipe. In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 6A, fitting 26 may include ribs 40 and a plurality of ribs 42 on the outer surface 44 of fitting 26. In such embodiments, the ribs 42 help to define recesses 36 on the inner surface 34 of fitting 26 (see Figures 2 through 4). The ribs 40 used herein may be commercially available, such as those available from Swagelok Company. In other embodiments, the sidewalls 28 of fitting 26 may have a corrugated construction 43, as shown in Figure 6B, having a more curved surface between adjacent ribs 42.

[0056] The precursor material 32 can be loaded into the tube 26 by any suitable method. In one embodiment, the precursor material 32 is loaded into the tube 26 while the longest dimension of the tube 26 is in a contracted or non-extended state. Subsequently, the longest dimension of the tube 26 is extended or mechanically extended so that the precursor material 32 settles into the recess 36 of the inner surface 34 of the tube 26. Alternatively or additionally, the precursor material can be inserted into the tube 26 at a speed that allows the precursor material 32 to settle into the recess 26. The precursor material 32 can be blown into the tube 26, for example. For such filling methods, the tube 26 can be in an extended or contracted state. In some embodiments, the precursor material 32 can be loaded into the tube 26 by pouring liquid or solid precursor material 32 into the tube 26 and turning the tube 26 in different directions to disperse the precursor material throughout the tube 26. Alternatively, the precursor material can be vapor-deposited onto the surface of the tube 26. The fitting 26 may have any shape including bends, wherein it will be placed into the precursor container 10. Once the precursor material 32 is loaded into the fitting 26, the end of the fitting 26 may be closed by a suitable fitting connector or plug. The settling of the precursor material into the fitting 26 may be assisted or improved by moving or heating the fitting 26. The fitting 26 may then be stored, shipped, and / or immediately installed in the precursor container 10 to vaporize the precursor material 32 within it. In some embodiments, the fitting 26 may already be in place in the precursor container 10 during filling. In some embodiments, the fitting 26 may be attached to the lid of the precursor container 10 during filling.

[0057] The fitting 26 may comprise any suitable length, diameter, width, and other dimensions suitable for providing sufficient vaporization precursor material for the intended deposition process. In one embodiment, the fitting 26 has a longest dimension of at least 10 cm, at least 20 cm, at least 50 cm, at least 100 cm, or at least 150 cm. In one embodiment, the fitting 26 has a longest dimension of about 10 cm to about 200 cm, about 20 cm to about 200 cm, about 40 cm to about 200 cm, about 50 cm to about 200 cm, or about 70 cm to about 200 cm. In one embodiment, the fitting 26 has a longest dimension of about 10 cm to about 20 cm, about 10 cm to about 40 cm, about 10 cm to about 50 cm, from about 10 cm to about 70 cm, or about 10 cm to about 100 cm. Typically, the longest dimension is in the direction of the flow path 28.

[0058] In one embodiment, the fitting has an inner diameter (i.e., the diameter of the flow path) of about 5 mm to about 50 mm, about 5 mm to about 40 mm, about 5 mm to about 30 mm, about 5 mm to about 20 mm, about 5 mm to about 10 mm, about 10 mm to about 50 mm, about 15 mm to about 50 mm, about 20 mm to about 50 mm, about 30 mm to about 40 mm, or about 10 mm to about 30 mm. In embodiments where the fitting 26 has a non-circular cross-section, the inner diameter can be considered as the minimum width of the flow path.

[0059] In one embodiment, the pipe fitting 26 has an outer diameter of about 7 mm to about 65 mm, about 7 mm to about 55 mm, about 7 mm to about 45 mm, about 7 mm to about 25 mm, about 7 mm to about 15 mm, about 15 mm to about 65 mm, about 15 mm to about 50 mm, about 20 mm to about 50 mm, about 30 mm to about 40 mm, or about 10 mm to about 30 mm. In embodiments where the pipe fitting 26 has a non-circular cross-section, the outer diameter can be considered as the minimum width of the flow path 30.

[0060] In one embodiment, the thickness of the sidewall 28 of the pipe 26 is substantially constant. In some embodiments, the thickness of the sidewall 28 is about 0.5 mm to 2 mm.

[0061] Referring now to Figure 7, in some embodiments, the internal volume 24 of container 10 may further include a heat transfer fluid 46. In some embodiments, the heat transfer fluid 46 surrounds at least a portion of the tube 26. After the heat transfer fluid 46 is heated to a predetermined temperature, the heat transfer fluid 46 at least causes the precursor material 32 in the tube 26 to vaporize by transferring heat from the heat transfer fluid 46 to the tube 26. The heat transfer fluid 46 preferably has a high boiling point so that it itself will not boil or vaporize under the conditions of vaporization of the precursor material 32. Therefore, in some embodiments, the heat transfer fluid 46 has a boiling point of at least 200°C, 250°C, 300°C, 350°C, or even at least 400°C. In some embodiments, the heat transfer fluid 46 comprises a polymer or hydrocarbon material. The heat transfer fluid 46 may be selected according to the intended vaporization temperature for each application. In a particular embodiment, the heat transfer fluid 46 comprises a fluid commodity such as "Fomblin," which is available from Solvay USA, Inc.

[0062] According to another embodiment, to improve efficiency (e.g., to allow for reduced vaporization time and temperature), the precursor container 10 may further include a plurality of heaters or temperature regulating elements 48 (hereinafter referred to as "temperature regulating elements 48") located within the container 10 as shown in Figures 8 and 9. These temperature regulating elements 48 may be used additionally or alternatively to replace any heaters or temperature regulating elements outside the container 10. By positioning one or more temperature regulating elements 48 within the container 10, one or more temperature regulating elements 48 can effectively provide heat energy directly or indirectly (when using a heat transfer fluid) to the fitting 26, causing the precursor material 32 contained therein to vaporize.

[0063] In the embodiment shown in Figure 8, container 10 includes a tube 26 as disclosed herein within an internal volume 24, and a temperature regulating element 48 extending from the bottom plate 22 of the housing 12 of container 10 and within a space 52 defined by the shape of the tube 26. Accordingly, at least a portion of the temperature regulating element 48 is surrounded or enclosed by the tube 26 and is capable of providing heat to the tube 26 to vaporize the precursor material 32 (when loaded into the tube 26). Various heater configurations are well known in the art, and a suitable temperature regulating element 48 may be selected depending on the vapor deposition system used. In other embodiments, container 10 may also include a temperature regulating element 48 disposed externally to container 10 (e.g., sidewall 18, top 20, and / or bottom plate 22). Figure 9 shows container 10 including a temperature regulating element 48 as in the sidewall 18 of container 10.

[0064] According to another embodiment, as shown in Figure 10, a system 50 including the container 10 disclosed herein is disclosed. The vapor deposition system 50 can be used to perform vapor deposition processes, such as chemical vapor deposition, atomic layer deposition, or hybrid processes thereof. In the illustrated embodiment, the system 50 includes a source 52 of carrier gas 54 fluidly communicating with an inlet 14 of the container 10. Furthermore, the system 50 includes a reaction chamber 56 fluidly communicating with a container outlet 16 to receive vaporized precursor material 58 (along with the carrier gas 54) from a fitting 26 of the container 10. In some embodiments, the inlet 14 may include an inlet valve 15 configured to selectively introduce the carrier gas 54 into the fitting 26 within the precursor container 10 when the inlet valve 15 is open. Furthermore, the outlet 16 may include an outlet valve 17 configured to selectively release the carrier gas 54 containing the vaporized precursor material into the reaction chamber 56 when the outlet valve 17 is open. When connected to reaction chamber 56, it is conceivable to provide additional gas lines extending from inlet 14 and outlet 16 of container 10, isolation valves on the lines, and fitting connectors on the valves, the fitting connectors being configured to connect to the gas flow lines as needed. Although one container 10 is shown in system 50, it is conceivable to provide more than one container 10 in fluid communication with reaction chamber 56.

[0065] In operation, in some embodiments, the precursor container 10 and the tube 26 are heated to a temperature that effectively vaporizes, if not all, but at least part, of the precursor material 32 within the tube 26. In some embodiments, the tube 26 is filled with the precursor material 32, then covered and inserted into the container 10 with a suitable fitting connector, and then appropriately overlapped with the inlet 14 and outlet 16 of the container 10. In some embodiments, the tube 26 is pre-filled with the precursor material 32, and one end of the tube is connected to the inlet 16 and the other end is connected to the container outlet 18 before being inserted into the container 10. Once the precursor material 32 has vaporized to an appropriate degree, a carrier gas 54 is allowed to flow through the flow path 30 to purge the vaporized precursor material 58 and to convey the vaporized precursor material 58 to the reaction chamber 56. A substrate 60 is located within the reaction chamber 56 for the deposition of materials directly or indirectly generated from the vaporized precursor material 58. As described above, system 50 and precursor container 10 can be configured to operate at vaporization temperatures from 30°C to 500°C, depending on the precursor material and application.

[0066] In some embodiments, fitting 26 and / or any flow path (e.g., pipe, conduit, etc.) to and from fitting 26 may include one or more filters (not shown) to prevent particulate matter from being directed to reaction chamber 56. In still other embodiments, as shown in Figure 10, fitting 26 includes a proximal end 62 extending from inlet 14 and a distal end 64 leading to outlet 16. In this embodiment, distal end 64 includes at least a linear extension 66. Accordingly, at least some particulate matter (precursor material 32) that is not fully vaporized and scavenged by carrier gas 54 may settle without being transported to reaction chamber 56 by carrier gas 54. In some embodiments, container 10 includes a top (Figure 1) and a bottom 22, with the linear extension 66 extending vertically between the top 20 and the bottom 22. The linear extension 66 may have any suitable length to reduce or eliminate particulate matter transported to reaction chamber 54.

[0067] The system and precursor container 10 may include additional features, which are omitted in the drawings for clarity. For example, the precursor container 10 may include any additional structures that can effectively vaporize the precursor material 32. For this purpose, various precursor retention structures or carrier gas guiding configurations may be present in the internal volume 24 of the precursor container 10. In some embodiments, any component of the precursor container 10 or system 50 may further include structures to prevent precursor particles from being intercepted by the carrier gas flow from the tubing 26 to the reaction chamber 56. For example, various filters or other interception structures may be used for the tubing or associated gas lines. In addition, the inlet 14 and outlet 16 and the gas lines extending therefrom may include heaters for heating the various valves and gas lines between the precursor container 10 and the reaction chamber to prevent precursor vapor condensation and deposition on any components.

[0068] Figure 11A illustrates another embodiment of the precursor container 10 according to this disclosure. In this embodiment, the tube 26 is helically formed, with the helical portion of the tube 26 extending substantially parallel to the bottom plate 22 of the precursor container 10. The tube 26 includes straight portions at both ends. The straight portions have substantially the same length. The structure of the tube 26, the inlet 14, the outlet 16, the housing 12, and other structures of the precursor container 10 may be constructed as described above. Although in the embodiment of Figure 11A the tube 26 forms a substantially flat helix, in some embodiments the helix may deviate from a substantially flat shape. For example, the helix may form an approximately funnel shape, such that the interior of the funnel is positioned further from the bottom plate 22 of the precursor container 10 than the exterior of the helix. In some embodiments, the interior of the helix may be the inlet end 14 of the tube 26. In such embodiments, the straight portion of the tube 26 extending toward the outlet 16 may be longer than the straight portion of the tube 26 extending from the inlet 14. This configuration helps reduce the amount of precursors transported by carrier gas to outlet 16.

[0069] Figure 11B is a top view of the pipe 26 of the embodiment in Figure 11A. The inlet end 14 and the outlet end 16 are indicated in the figure. The spiral shape may have a suitable number of turns to achieve the desired precursor surface area. In Figure 11B, the pipe contains about 3.5 turns, but this number can vary considerably, for example, from about 2 to about 20 or even higher.

[0070] Throughout this specification, the reference to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" means that the specific features, structures, or characteristics described in that embodiment are included in at least one embodiment disclosed herein. Therefore, the appearance of the phrase "in one embodiment" or "in an embodiment" throughout this specification does not necessarily refer to all the same embodiment.

[0071] As used herein, multiple items, structural elements, components, and / or materials may appear in a common list for convenience. However, these lists should be interpreted as each component in the list being individually identified as a separate and distinct component. Therefore, an individual component in such a list should not be construed as a de facto equivalent of any other component in the same list simply because it appears in a common group, without the contrary indication. Furthermore, various embodiments and examples of this disclosure may be mentioned herein together with alternatives used for its various components. It should be understood that such embodiments, examples, and alternatives should not be construed as de facto equivalents of each other, but should be considered as separate and independent representations of this disclosure.

[0072] Furthermore, the features, structures, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the following description, numerous specific details (such as examples of length, width, shape, etc.) are provided to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of this disclosure. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that this disclosure may be implemented without one or more of these specific details or using other methods, components, materials, etc. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring the nature of this disclosure.

[0073] Although the foregoing examples illustrate the principles of this disclosure in one or more specific applications, those skilled in the art will understand that many modifications, uses, and implementation details can be made without departing from the principles and concepts of this disclosure, without innovation. Therefore, this disclosure is not intended to be limited thereto, but rather to the scope defined in the appended claims. [Simplified Explanation of the Diagram]

[0011] The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the present disclosure and form part of this specification. These drawings illustrate illustrative embodiments and, together with the description, assist in explaining the principles of the present disclosure. In the drawings: Figure 1 illustrates an embodiment of a precursor container containing a tubing according to a configuration of the present disclosure. Figure 2 illustrates a portion of the tubing cut along line AA of Figure 1 according to a configuration of the present disclosure. Figure 3 illustrates a portion of the tubing in Figure 2 containing precursor material within a recess, according to a configuration of the present disclosure. Figure 4 illustrates a portion of the tubing cut along line BB of Figure 1 according to a configuration of the present disclosure. Figure 5 illustrates a tubing having a generally meandering shape according to a configuration of the present disclosure. Figure 6A illustrates a tubing having outer ribs according to a configuration of the present disclosure. Figure 6B illustrates a tubing having a generally corrugated shape according to a configuration of the present disclosure. Figure 7 illustrates a precursor container containing a heat transfer fluid according to the present disclosure. Figure 8 illustrates a precursor container with a temperature regulating element disposed within an internal volume according to the present disclosure. Figure 9 illustrates a precursor container with a temperature regulating element disposed within the outer wall of the container according to the present disclosure. Figure 10 illustrates a vapor deposition system according to the present disclosure. Figure 11 illustrates an embodiment of a precursor container containing a helical tubing.

Claims

1. A precursor container for a vapor deposition process, comprising: A shell having an inlet, an outlet, and defining an internal volume; And a pipe fitting disposed within the internal volume and extending from the inlet to the outlet, the pipe fitting including a plurality of sidewalls defining a flow path extending through it; wherein the sidewalls include an inner surface facing the flow path, the flow path having a plurality of recesses having a depth and a width in the inner surface, wherein the recesses include at least four recesses evenly distributed along a length of the pipe fitting, and wherein the recesses further include a plurality of additional recesses that are more densely distributed than the at least four recesses evenly distributed along the length of the pipe fitting.

2. The precursor container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pipe further comprises an integral shape having a plurality of bends, and wherein the additional recesses are more densely distributed at the bends.

3. As in claim 2, the precursor container, wherein the shape having such turns includes a meandering shape.

4. The precursor container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the internal volume further includes a heat transfer fluid therein for heat exchange with at least a portion of the pipe fitting.

5. The precursor container as claimed in claim 4, wherein the heat transfer fluid comprises a polymer or a hydrocarbon material.

6. The precursor container as claimed in claim 1 further includes a temperature regulating element disposed within a space defined by the fitting, such that at least a portion of the temperature regulating element is surrounded by the fitting.

7. The precursor container as claimed in claim 1 further includes a temperature regulating element disposed inside a wall of the container.

8. The precursor container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tube includes a proximal end extending from the inlet and a distal end leading to the outlet, and wherein the distal end of the tube includes a linear extension.

9. A precursor container as requested in claim 1, wherein the precursor container is configured to operate at a vaporization temperature ranging from -20°C to 500°C.

10. The precursor container, as claimed in any of claims 1 to 9, further includes a precursor material.

11. A precursor container as requested in item 10, wherein the precursor material is a solid.

12. A vapor deposition system, comprising: One-year gas source; A reaction chamber for holding a substrate inside; And a precursor container, comprising: a shell having an inlet fluidly connected to the carrier gas source and an outlet fluidly connected to the reaction chamber, and defining an internal volume; And a pipe fitting disposed within the internal volume and extending from the inlet to the outlet, the pipe fitting including a plurality of sidewalls defining a flow path through which a carrier gas from the carrier gas source flows and includes a certain amount of precursor material, wherein the sidewalls include an inner surface facing the flow path, the flow path having a plurality of recesses having a width and a depth in the inner surface, wherein the recesses include at least four recesses evenly distributed along a length of the pipe fitting, wherein the recesses further include a plurality of additional recesses that are more densely distributed than the at least four recesses evenly distributed along the length of the pipe fitting, and wherein the precursor material is disposed within the recesses.

13. The vapor deposition system of claim 12, wherein the fitting further comprises an integral shape having a plurality of bends, wherein the precursor material is contained in the additional recesses, and wherein the additional recesses are located at the bends.

14. The vapor deposition system of claim 13, wherein the precursor material is placed at the bends of the fitting within the flow path.

15. The vapor deposition system of claim 12, wherein the internal volume further includes a heat transfer fluid for heat exchange with at least a portion of the tubing.

16. The vapor deposition system of claim 15, wherein the heat transfer fluid comprises a polymer or a hydrocarbon material.

17. The vapor deposition system of claim 12 further includes a temperature regulating element disposed within a space defined by the tube, such that at least a portion of the temperature regulating element is surrounded by the tube.

18. The vapor deposition system of claim 12 further includes a temperature regulating element disposed inside a wall of the container.

19. A vapor deposition system as claimed in any of claims 12 to 18, wherein the fitting includes a proximal end extending from the inlet and a distal end leading to the outlet, and wherein the distal end of the fitting includes a linear extension.

20. A vapor deposition process, comprising: A carrier gas is directed into a precursor container, the precursor container including an inlet and an outlet, and defining an internal volume, wherein the container further includes a tube disposed within the internal volume and extending from the inlet to the outlet, the tube including a plurality of sidewalls defining a flow path through which the carrier gas flows and including a quantity of precursor material therein, wherein the sidewalls include an inner surface facing the flow path, the flow path having a plurality of recesses having a width and a depth in the inner surface, wherein the recesses include at least four recesses evenly distributed along a length of the tube, wherein the recesses further include a plurality of additional recesses more densely distributed than the at least four recesses evenly distributed along the length of the tube, and wherein the precursor material is placed within the recesses; the precursor material within the tube is vaporized; and the vaporized precursor material is directed via the carrier gas to a reaction chamber for deposition onto a substrate.

21. The vapor deposition process of claim 20, wherein the tube further comprises an integral shape having a plurality of bends.

22. The vapor deposition process of claim 21, wherein the precursor material is placed at the bends of the fitting within the flow path.

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