3D Foam Filter Vessel for Consistent Precursor Vapor Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
The vaporization of solid precursor materials in CVD and ALD processes faces challenges such as deposit buildup, condensation, and inconsistent vapor flow due to small filter surface areas, leading to poor quality films and equipment downtime.
Innovation Solution
A vessel with a large 3-dimensional filter as a particle barrier is used to prevent particles from entering the vapor stream, ensuring consistent vapor flow and reducing pressure drops across the filter, thereby improving the efficiency of precursor vaporization and delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a small filter is used to prevent particle contamination, then particle filtration is achieved, but pressure drop increases and filter clogging occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from traditional 2D flat filters to 3D monolithic foam filters. This dimensional change provides significantly increased surface area and pore volume within the same footprint, enabling effective particle filtration while maintaining lower pressure drops and reducing clogging frequency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs porous monolithic foam filters with controlled pore structures. These porous materials provide extensive internal surface area for particle capture while maintaining open pathways for vapor flow, thereby achieving reliable filtration without excessive pressure drop or rapid clogging.
2Reliability
If a small filter is used to prevent particle contamination, then particle filtration is achieved, but filter clogging occurs leading to equipment downtime
Solution Approach 1:
By using 3D monolithic foam filters instead of 2D flat filters, the patent increases the available filtration capacity and surface area. This prevents rapid clogging and extends the operational life of the filter, thereby reducing equipment downtime for maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the filter by using monolithic foam structures with optimized pore size distributions and increased thickness. These parameter changes enhance the filter's capacity to trap particles without creating flow restrictions that would lead to frequent clogging and downtime.
3Stress or pressure
If a large 3-dimensional filter is used, then pressure drop is reduced and clogging is minimized, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses monolithic foam filters that, while structurally complex at the micro-scale, function as single integrated components. This monolithic structure eliminates the need for complex assemblies of multiple filter elements, thereby reducing overall device complexity while achieving low pressure drop and resistance to clogging.
4Loss of time
If a large 3-dimensional filter is used, then filter clogging is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The monolithic foam filter structure provides extensive pore networks that trap particles distributed throughout the filter volume rather than concentrating them at a single surface. This 3D distribution of filtration capacity significantly delays clogging and extends operational time, while the single-piece construction keeps device complexity manageable.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The use of a vessel with a 3-dimensional filter ensures a consistent and reproducible precursor vapor stream, reducing equipment downtime and improving the quality of deposited films by preventing particle entrainment and maintaining low pressure drops.
Implementation Method 1
at least one particle barrier that defines at least part of at least one particle restricted space within the interior volume, wherein the at least one particle barrier comprises at least one 3-dimensional filter
Implementation Method 2
the precursor material is typically heated in a separate chamber such as an oven to a temperature sufficient to form a gas, which is then transported
Implementation Method 3
In some instances, the solid precursor material is heated to its gaseous phase without forming an intermediate liquid phase
Data Source
AI summary
A vessel for conveying a precursor-containing fluid stream from a precursor material contained within the vessel, the vessel comprising: an interior volume defined by a top, one or more sidewalls, and a base; and at least one fluid outlet for vaporized precursor, and at least one particle barrier that defines at least one particle restricted space within the interior volume, wherein said particle barrier comprises at least one 3-dimensional filter. A method for using the apparatus is also disclosed.