Process Gas Generation via Power-Controlled Vaporization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for delivering low volatility process gases, such as hydrogen peroxide, from source liquids in microelectronics and critical processes face challenges with precise control due to high variability in carrier gas flow, temperature, and pressure, leading to inconsistent and hazardous concentrations, especially when using multi-component solutions.
Innovation Solution
Control the power input into the source liquid to regulate vaporization, allowing for a direct and linear relationship between power and vapor generation, independent of carrier gas flow and temperature, enabling stable and precise delivery of process gases.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If bubblers are used for direct liquid to carrier gas mass transfer, then process gas delivery is achieved, but excessive micro-droplet formation and particle generation occur leading to poor delivery precision
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a vaporization chamber as an intermediary device between the source liquid and carrier gas. The source liquid is vaporized in the chamber, and the vapor then mixes with the carrier gas. This intermediary vaporization process eliminates direct liquid-gas contact that causes droplet formation, thereby improving delivery precision while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes phase transition by vaporizing the source liquid in a controlled chamber before mixing with carrier gas. This phase change from liquid to vapor prevents micro-droplet formation and particle generation, resolving the contradiction between ease of delivery and delivery precision.
2Productivity
If vaporizers are used for high temperature vaporization, then gas phase process chemical is obtained, but liquid molecule decomposition occurs altering stability and concentration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the vaporization temperature parameter to be the minimum required for effective vaporization rather than using high temperatures. This parameter change maintains productivity by ensuring sufficient vapor generation while preserving molecule stability and preventing decomposition.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback control to monitor and adjust vaporization conditions, ensuring that temperature remains within the optimal range that prevents decomposition while maintaining adequate vapor generation rates for productivity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multi-component solutions are used as source liquid, then diverse process chemicals are available, but composition variability increases making precise control difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the multi-component solution into individual components, vaporizing each separately in the vaporization chamber. This segmentation allows precise control of each component's vaporization and mixing ratios, maintaining chemical diversity while achieving precise concentration control that would be impossible with direct multi-component vaporization.
4Measurement precision
If tight control of temperature, pressure, and flow rate is implemented, then delivery accuracy improves, but system complexity and calibration difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The vaporization chamber system is designed to be inherently more stable and less sensitive to variations in temperature, pressure, and flow rate. The vaporization process itself provides natural regulation, reducing the need for complex active control systems and simplifying calibration while maintaining high delivery accuracy.
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 approach simplifies calibration, improves productivity and safety by using surrogate chemicals like water, and maintains stable steady-state concentrations of low volatility components, reducing the risk of hazardous conditions and improving process control.
Implementation Method 1
Controlling the power input into the source liquid to regulate vaporization
Data Source
AI summary
Methods for the gas-phase delivery of gases, such as process gases, from the gas phase of a multicomponent source liquid are provided. The methods are generally directed to the generation of process gases having mass flow rates which are proportional to the input power delivered to the multicomponent source liquid containers. The methods may be used to deliver process gases to critical process applications.