Source chemical container assembly

• US 20030075925A1
• Filed: 06/28/2002
• Published: 04/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ASM International NV
• Original Assignee: ASM International NV
• Inventors: Zweygbergk, Jan von, Lindfors, Sven, Kukkonen, Marko J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,889,864 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 285/367
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4409 characterised by sealing means
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4481 by evaporation using carrier gas in contact with the source material C23C16/4486 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 23/10 with a pivoting or swinging pin

Abstract

The invention relates to a source chemical container assembly, comprising a metal container functioning as a vacuum chamber and provided with a removable closure, which removable closure seals against the metal container with a metal seal. In order to facilitate easy recharging of the container assembly, compressive force is applied to the metal seal through a tension chain. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the metal seal and the tension chain are provided along a circumference of said metal container. The assembly can comprise an inner container in which the source chemical is contained.

Claims

1. A source chemical container assembly for source chemicals to be delivered to a reaction chamber for vapor deposition processes, comprising:

a metal container, having walls defining a vacuum chamber, the container including a first part and a second part;

the first part being removable to define an opening in the walls of the container, through which opening new material can be loaded into the container or used material can be removed from the container;

the first part and second part each provided with a flange designed to form a metal seal when the flanges are pressed against each other with a metal gasket in between them, at least one of said flanges having a conical surface; and

a tension chain comprising link parts provided with thrust pieces, the thrust pieces engaging the two flanges and pressing the flanges against one another when the tension chain is tensioned.

2. The source chemical container assembly of claim 1, wherein the metal seal and the tension chain are each provided along a circumference of said metal container.

3. The source chemical container assembly of claim 1, wherein the metal container has an upper wall, a lower wall and a sidewall, the sidewall being substantially rotationally symmetrical and an intersection plane perpendicular to an axis of rotational symmetry cutting the sidewall into the first and second parts, the first and second parts being sealed against each other by the metal seal.

4. The source chemical container assembly of claim 1, further comprising an inner container holding source chemical, the inner container removably loaded into the metal container through the opening.

5. The source chemical container assembly of claim 4, wherein the first part is configured with an inner recess sized to receive a bottom surface of the inner container.

6. The source chemical container assembly of claim 1, wherein the opening is formed proximate a bottom end of the container and a gas inlet and a gas outlet are formed proximate a top end of the container.

7. The source chemical container assembly of claim 1, wherein the metal gasket comprises a material selected from the group consisting of nickel, nickel alloy, nickel-coated metal, precious metal coating another metal, and annealed transition metal.

8. A method of recharging a vacuum tight metal container for source chemicals to be used in vapor deposition, comprising:

placing the vacuum tight metal container in a glove box;

placing replacement source chemicals in the glove box;

establishing an inert ambient in the glove box;

opening a closure of the vacuum tight metal container by releasing and removing a tension chain from flanges that form, together with a metal sealing gasket, a metal seal between said closure and the wall of said metal container;

removing spent source chemicals from the metal container;

placing the replacement source chemicals in the metal container; and

closing the closure by tightening the tension chain.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein removing the spent source chemicals comprises removing an inner container from the metal container.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein placing the replacement source chemical in the glove box comprises placing a replacement inner container holding the replacement source chemicals into the glove box.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein placing the replacement source chemicals in the metal container comprises placing the replacement inner container into the metal container.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising replacing a used metal sealing gasket between the flanges of the metal container and the removable closure with a fresh metal sealing gasket prior to closing the closure.

13. A container assembly for liquid or solid source chemicals for vapor processing, comprising:

an outer container including an upper part and a lower part, the upper and lower part each comprising flanges configured to seal against one another with a metal gasket therebetween, wherein at least one of the flanges has a sloped outer surface;

an inner container housed within the outer container, the inner container configured to hold the solid or liquid source chemical; and

a tension chain arranged to transfer lateral tightening force to a longitudinal sealing force by way of thrust parts interacting with the sloped outer surface of the flanges.

14. The container assembly of claim 13, further comprising a heat source for vaporizing the solid or liquid source chemical.

15. The container assembly of claim 13, wherein the metal gasket is harder and less ductile than aluminum or copper.