Vaporization Chamber for Reactive Process Gas Delivery
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for delivering high purity, volatile, and reactive process gases in micro-electronics and other critical processes face challenges such as limited concentration capabilities, safety concerns, and inefficiencies, particularly with traditional vapor phase delivery systems that struggle to maintain high concentrations over time and operate at elevated temperatures.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves a system where a liquid source, containing process gases like hydrazine or hydrogen peroxide, is heated within a housing to control vaporization, allowing precise adjustment of gas concentrations and temperatures, enabling consistent and safe delivery of high purity gas streams up to 50,000 ppm or higher, using a carrier gas and a selectively permeable membrane to separate the liquid source from the vapor phase.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If traditional bubblers are used to deliver volatile and reactive chemistries, then the delivery method is simple, but the device cannot be heated above about 40° C. which limits the ability to provide higher concentrations of reactive chemistries
Solution Approach 1:
A Teflon-coated heater is introduced as an intermediary component that enables heating of volatile and reactive chemistries without direct contact between the heating element and the chemical. The Teflon coating acts as a protective barrier that prevents unwanted reactions while allowing thermal energy transfer, thus enabling temperature control above 40°C for concentrated reactive chemistry delivery
2Quantity of substance
If concentrators are used to trap and concentrate volatile and reactive chemicals, then higher concentrations can be achieved, but the complexity and inefficiency of the device increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heater and concentration functions are merged into a single integrated device. The Teflon-coated heater serves dual purposes: it provides thermal energy to concentrate the reactive chemistry while simultaneously preventing unwanted reactions. This eliminates the need for separate concentrator components, reducing device complexity while achieving high concentrations
3Quantity of substance
If traditional vapor phase delivery methods are used, then the delivery process is simple, but they are incompatible or ineffective with volatile and reactive chemistries requiring higher concentrations
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the key parameter of temperature control by introducing a Teflon-coated heating system that can safely operate at higher temperatures with volatile and reactive chemistries. This parameter change enables the delivery of higher concentrations of process gases like hydrogen peroxide and hydrazine that were previously incompatible with traditional delivery methods
4Measurement precision
If liquid delivery of process chemicals is used, then the delivery system is simpler, but it is not accurate or clean enough for applications requiring low mass flow
Solution Approach 1:
The invention utilizes phase transition from liquid to vapor phase to achieve precise delivery control. By heating the liquid process chemical in a controlled manner using the Teflon-coated heater, the system enables accurate vapor phase delivery with precise control over mass flow, purity, and concentration, overcoming the limitations of liquid delivery systems
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 allows for the consistent and safe delivery of high concentrations of process gases over a wide range of temperatures and concentrations, improving process efficiency and safety by maintaining stable gas delivery and reducing the complexity and safety risks associated with traditional methods.
Implementation Method 1
a liquid source, containing process gases like hydrazine or hydrogen peroxide, is heated within a housing to control vaporization
Implementation Method 2
heated within a housing to control vaporization
Implementation Method 3
using a carrier gas and a selectively permeable membrane to separate the liquid source from the vapor phase
Data Source
AI summary
A method and chemical delivery system and device are provided. One method useful in the present invention includes contacting a non-aqueous hydrazine solution with a carrier gas and/or vacuum and delivering a gas stream comprising hydrazine to a critical process or application. One chemical delivery system and device useful in the present invention includes a non-aqueous hydrazine solution having a vapor phase that is in contact with a process carrier gas and/or vacuum. One device useful in the present invention includes a chamber for containing a liquid comprising at least one volatile process chemical, such as a non-aqueous hydrazine solution, a hydrogen peroxide solution, or another suitable process chemical, in fluid communication with a permeable or semi-permeable membrane from which the volatile process chemical can be drawn using a carrier gas and/or vacuum. Another method useful in the present invention involves drawing a process chemical from a device as a disclosed herein using a process carrier gas or vacuum and delivering the process chemical to a critical process or application. The system further includes a carrier gas and/or vacuum in fluid contact with the vapor phase and an apparatus for delivering a gas stream comprising at least one component of the solution comprising at least one process chemical to a critical process or application.