Multi-Chamber Solid Precursor Delivery Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional solid precursor delivery systems in the semiconductor industry face challenges with carrier gas saturation instability, leading to fluctuations in precursor concentrations during deposition processes, particularly with increasing volume demands and complex device fabrication requirements.
Innovation Solution
A multi-chamber solid precursor delivery assembly with porous dividers and sintered frits creates pressure differentials to control and stabilize carrier gas flow, ensuring consistent saturation of vaporized precursor material, utilizing a container with divided chambers to manage precursor material distribution and carrier gas flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single-chamber delivery system is used, then the device complexity is low, but the carrier gas saturation stability deteriorates leading to precursor concentration fluctuations
Solution Approach 1:
The delivery system is divided into multiple chambers (typically three chambers: first precursor chamber, second precursor chamber, and third chamber) separated by porous dividers. This segmentation allows each chamber to independently saturate the carrier gas with precursor vapor, preventing concentration fluctuations and improving saturation stability while maintaining manageable system complexity.
2Productivity
If the delivery system volume is increased to meet production demands, then the productivity increases, but the carrier gas saturation stability deteriorates due to increased channeling and non-uniform surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the delivery system into multiple smaller chambers, each chamber maintains a controlled surface area to volume ratio that prevents channeling and ensures uniform precursor vaporization. The porous dividers between chambers further regulate gas flow, allowing the system to scale up productivity while maintaining saturation stability in each individual chamber.
Solution Approach 2:
Each chamber is designed with specific local characteristics including controlled precursor material distribution and optimized surface areas. The porous dividers create localized flow regulation zones that ensure uniform carrier gas saturation in each chamber, preventing the channeling problems that occur in large single-chamber systems.
3Reliability
If porous dividers are added to create multi-chamber structure, then the carrier gas saturation stability improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Porous dividers made of sintered metal or ceramic materials are used to separate chambers. These porous structures provide controlled gas flow paths with specific pore sizes and distributions that regulate carrier gas saturation while maintaining structural integrity. The porous material design balances the need for gas permeability with mechanical strength, managing device complexity through material selection rather than complex mechanical structures.
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 solution provides a stable and consistent delivery of saturated carrier gas with vaporized precursor material, enhancing deposition process stability and efficiency by maintaining uniform precursor concentration and efficient precursor depletion across the chambers.
Implementation Method 1
creates pressure differentials to control and stabilize carrier gas flow
Implementation Method 2
at least one of the sintered frits is configured for retaining precursor material thereon within the first precursor chamber
Implementation Method 3
ensuring consistent saturation of vaporized precursor material
Data Source
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AI summary
A solid precursor delivery assembly generally includes a container having at least two chambers defined within the container and configured to hold precursor material within each of the respective at least two chambers. The assembly includes at least two porous distributor plates fixedly coupled to the container and defining at least part of the at least two chambers configured to hold precursor material. An inlet is coupled to the container for delivering carrier gas into the container; and an outlet coupled to the container for removing vapor product from the container comprising vaporized precursor material and carrier gas. Wherein at least one of the at least two porous distributor plates includes pore openings with pore sizes that resist flow of carrier gas therethrough.