Liquid precursor containers, liquid precursor systems and semiconductor processing systems having liquid precursor containers, and methods of depositing material layers using liquid precursors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing semiconductor processing systems face challenges with silicon-containing gaseous precursors, which limit throughput and require high deposition temperatures, and dopant-containing gaseous precursors, which are hazardous and add complexity and cost, while liquid precursors require costly conversion to a gaseous state for use in gas phase reactors.
Innovation Solution
A liquid precursor container system that includes an inner and outer container with a baffle member, a circulation pump, and a thermoelectric cooler, allowing for the vaporization of liquid precursors within the inner container and their controlled delivery to a gas phase reactor, reducing the need for hazardous gas handling and enabling efficient deposition at lower temperatures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If gaseous precursors are used for material layer deposition, then deposition can be performed, but throughput is limited and deposition temperatures must be relatively high
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the physical state parameter of the precursor from gas to liquid, enabling deposition at lower temperatures and improving throughput. The liquid precursor is delivered directly to the substrate without requiring high-temperature vaporization, fundamentally altering the process parameters.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention utilizes the phase transition properties of liquid precursors, delivering them in liquid form directly to the substrate where they decompose and deposit material. This eliminates the need for gas-phase vaporization and condensation cycles, improving process efficiency and throughput.
2Reliability
If dopant-containing gaseous precursors are used, then doped material layers can be deposited, but the precursors are hazardous to human health and add cost and complexity to the system
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the delivery state from gaseous to liquid, allowing dopant-containing precursors to be handled in a less hazardous liquid form. This reduces safety risks to operators and simplifies system design by eliminating specialized gas handling infrastructure while maintaining deposition functionality.
3Productivity
If liquid precursors are used, then higher throughput and lower deposition temperatures are enabled, but the liquid precursor must be converted to gaseous state requiring remote vaporization and environmental control features
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the vaporization step from the precursor delivery system and eliminates it entirely by delivering the precursor in liquid form directly to the substrate. This removes the need for remote vaporization chambers, environmental control features, and high-precision vapor concentration sensors, significantly simplifying the system while maintaining high throughput and low-temperature deposition capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention fundamentally changes the delivery parameter from gas-phase to liquid-phase precursor delivery, allowing direct application to the substrate without intermediate vaporization steps. This parameter change eliminates the associated complexity of vaporization control systems while preserving the benefits of lower deposition temperatures and higher throughput.
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
This system enhances semiconductor processing efficiency by allowing high-throughput deposition at lower temperatures with safer, less complex handling of dopant-containing liquid precursors, reducing costs and complexity by eliminating the need for hazardous gas phase reactors and specialized safety features.
Implementation Method 1
a circulation pump arranged within the pumping chamber and configured to circulate an immersion fluid impounded within the outer container about the inner container
Implementation Method 2
a thermoelectric cooler connected to the outer base portion of the outer container
Implementation Method 3
allowing for the vaporization of liquid precursors within the inner container
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid precursor container is provided. The liquid precursor container includes an inner container, an outer container, and a baffle member. The inner container has an inner base portion, an inner intermediate portion extending upwards from the inner base portion, and an inner lid portion coupled to the inner base portion by the inner intermediate portion. The outer container has an outer base portion spaced apart from the inner base portion of the inner container and an outer intermediate portion extending upwards from the outer base portion and about the inner intermediate portion of the inner container. The baffle member is arranged between the inner intermediate portion of the inner container and the outer intermediate portion of the outer container, extends upwards from the outer base portion of the outer container, and terminates between the inner lid portion and the inner base portion of the inner container.