Raw Material Gas Supply Pressure Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing film forming technologies face challenges in maintaining a stable vaporization flow rate of raw materials used in CVD and ALD methods due to variations in raw material availability and carrier gas residence time, leading to poor responsiveness and potential dust generation when adjusting carrier gas flow rates.
Innovation Solution
A raw material gas supply device that includes a container for the raw material, a carrier gas supply unit, a raw material gas supply path, a flow rate measurement unit, and a pressure control unit, which measures and adjusts the internal pressure of the container to maintain a predetermined vaporization flow rate, thereby stabilizing the supply of vaporized raw materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the flow rate of carrier gas is adjusted to maintain constant vaporization flow rate, then the vaporization flow rate can be stabilized, but dusts are generated as the flow rate increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the control parameter from carrier gas flow rate to raw material container internal pressure. By controlling the internal pressure of the raw material container, the vaporization flow rate is stabilized without increasing the carrier gas flow rate, thereby preventing dust generation while achieving flow rate stability.
2Reliability
If the heating temperature of raw material container is controlled to maintain constant vaporization flow rate, then the vaporization flow rate can be stabilized, but the responsiveness is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the control parameter from heating temperature to internal pressure of the raw material container. Pressure control provides faster responsiveness compared to thermal control, as pressure changes can be achieved more quickly than temperature changes, while still effectively stabilizing the vaporization flow rate.
3Reliability
If the internal pressure of bubbler is increased to prevent raw material gas from flowing backward, then backward flow is prevented, but the relationship between internal pressure and vaporization flow rate becomes outdated
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces a feedback control mechanism where the internal pressure of the raw material container is dynamically adjusted based on the measured vaporization flow rate. The control unit compares the measured flow rate with a target value and adjusts the pressure accordingly, creating an adaptive system that maintains optimal pressure-flow rate relationship rather than using a fixed outdated relationship.
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 solution enables stable and responsive supply of vaporized raw materials, preventing dust generation and maintaining a consistent flow rate by adjusting internal pressure in response to measured flow rate deviations, thus enhancing the film forming process.
Implementation Method 1
a raw material container configured to accommodate a liquid or solid raw material; a carrier gas supply unit configured to supply a carrier gas to a gas phase zone defined inside the raw material container; a raw material gas supply path configured to supply a raw material gas containing a vaporized raw material
Implementation Method 2
a pressure control unit configured to control an internal pressure of the raw material container; a control unit configured to compare the measured flow rate of the vaporized raw material with a predetermined target value, and to control the pressure control unit to increase the internal pressure of the raw material container when the measured flow rate of the vaporized raw material is higher than the predetermined target value
Data Source
AI summary
A raw material gas supply method for use in a film forming apparatus which forms a film on a substrate, includes supplying a carrier gas to a gas phase zone defined inside a raw material container accommodating a liquid or solid raw material, vaporizing the raw material, supplying a raw material gas containing the vaporized raw material from the raw material container to the film forming apparatus via a raw material gas supply path, measuring a flow rate of the vaporized raw material flowing through the raw material gas supply path, comparing the flow rate of the vaporized raw material obtained by the flow rate measurement unit with a predetermined target value, and controlling an internal pressure of the raw material container to be increased when the flow rate is higher than the predetermined target value, and to be decreased when the is lower than the predetermined target value.