Serpentine Precursor Heat Exchanger for High Vaporization Rates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heat exchangers used in vapor generation for semiconductor processes face challenges in achieving high vaporization rates without causing thermal decomposition of precursor chemicals, leading to undesirable by-products, and increasing the physical size results in decreased responsiveness to changing vapor demands.
Innovation Solution
A heat-exchanger device with serpentine-flow channels and embedded heaters, designed to vaporize liquid droplets efficiently while minimizing dead volumes, using a combination of carrier and chase gases to enhance heat transfer and reduce exposure to high temperatures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the heating temperature is increased to achieve high vaporization rates, then the vapor generation speed is improved, but thermal decomposition of precursor chemicals occurs forming undesirable by-products
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchanger is divided into multiple serpentine flow channels that segment the vaporization process into multiple parallel paths. This segmentation allows for distributed heating across the thermal mass, enabling high overall vaporization rates while maintaining lower local temperatures in each channel, thereby preventing thermal decomposition of precursor chemicals.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from conventional linear or simple parallel flow channels to a three-dimensional serpentine arrangement embedded within a thermal mass. This dimensional change allows the flow path to efficiently utilize the thermal mass volume, providing high heat transfer surface area while maintaining compact footprint and enabling rapid vaporization at controlled temperatures.
2Productivity
If the area of heat transfer surfaces is increased to improve vaporization efficiency, then heat transfer capability is improved, but the physical size of the heat exchanger increases reducing responsiveness to changing vapor demands
Solution Approach 1:
The serpentine flow channels are nested within the thermal mass, with the flow path winding through the interior volume of the thermal block. This nesting arrangement allows the heat transfer surface area to be embedded within the compact thermal mass structure, achieving high vaporization efficiency without increasing the external dimensions of the heat exchanger, thus maintaining rapid responsiveness to vapor demand changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The serpentine configuration utilizes three-dimensional space within the thermal mass to create an extended flow path. By winding the channel through the volume rather than extending it linearly, the design achieves large heat transfer surface area within a compact footprint, improving vaporization efficiency while maintaining small physical size and fast response time.
3Productivity
If traditional heat exchanger designs are used to increase vaporization rates, then heat transfer area is increased, but the response speed of the apparatus decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The vaporization process is segmented into multiple serpentine flow channels that process carrier gas and liquid precursor in parallel paths. This segmentation allows for distributed vaporization across the thermal mass, enabling high total vaporization rates while each channel maintains short residence time and rapid response to changes in carrier gas flow, thus preserving fast response speed despite increased productivity.
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 enables compact vaporization of precursor chemicals with reduced thermal decomposition, maintaining responsiveness to vapor demands and ensuring efficient vapor production.
Implementation Method 1
At least one heater embedded into the thermal mass in thermal contact with the first number of flow channels. The at least one heater is to heat the carrier gas and vaporize the liquid droplets to form a vapor.
Implementation Method 2
The at least one heater is to heat the carrier gas and vaporize the liquid droplets to form a vapor.
Implementation Method 3
a first number of flow channels formed within the thermal mass in a serpentine arrangement... Adjacent ones of the straight portions are substantially parallel to one another and provide fluidic flow paths in substantially opposite directions
Data Source
AI summary
In various embodiments, the disclosed subject-matter is a heat-exchanger device that includes a thermal mass and a number of flow channels formed within the thermal mass in a serpentine arrangement. The flow channels have straight portions with bends between fluidically coupling adjacent ones of the straight portions. Adjacent ones of the straight portions are substantially parallel to one another and provide fluidic flow paths in substantially opposite directions. A carrier-gas inlet port is coupled to an inlet of the flow channels to receive a carrier gas having liquid droplets contained therein. At least one heater is embedded into the thermal mass in thermal contact with the flow channels. The heater heats the carrier gas and vaporizes the liquid droplets to form a vapor. A fluid-outlet port is coupled to an outlet of the flow channels on an end opposite to the inlet. Other systems and methods are disclosed.