Precursor material delivery system for atomic layer deposition
First Claim
1. A precursor delivery system for delivering pulses of vaporized precursor material to a reaction space in a thin film deposition system, comprising:
- a precursor container for holding a supply of precursor material;
a flow path from the precursor container to the reaction space;
a pulse control device interposed between the precursor container and the reaction space, the pulse control device adapted to selectively release pulses of the precursor material toward the reaction space via the flow path; and
a high conductivity particle filter interposed in the flow path between the precursor container and the reaction space, the high conductivity particle filter including at least one inertial trap adjacent the flow path for filtering particles from the precursor material without significantly restricting flow of the pulses through the flow path.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A precursor delivery system includes a flow path from a precursor container to a reaction space of a thin film deposition system, such as an atomic layer deposition (ALD) reactor. A staging volume is preferably established between the precursor container and the reaction space for receiving at least one dose of the precursor material from the precursor container, from which a series of pulses is released toward the reaction space. The precursor material is typically vaporized after loading it in the precursor container by heating or reducing the pressure inside the precursor container. A vacuum line is preferably coupled to the precursor container and bypasses the reaction space for reducing pressure inside the precursor container without drawing particles into the reaction space. A high conductivity particle filter having inertial traps may be included, preferably between the precursor container and a staging volume, for filtering particles from the precursor material.
465 Citations
42 Claims
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1. A precursor delivery system for delivering pulses of vaporized precursor material to a reaction space in a thin film deposition system, comprising:
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a precursor container for holding a supply of precursor material;
a flow path from the precursor container to the reaction space;
a pulse control device interposed between the precursor container and the reaction space, the pulse control device adapted to selectively release pulses of the precursor material toward the reaction space via the flow path; and
a high conductivity particle filter interposed in the flow path between the precursor container and the reaction space, the high conductivity particle filter including at least one inertial trap adjacent the flow path for filtering particles from the precursor material without significantly restricting flow of the pulses through the flow path. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method of delivering pulses of a precursor vapor to a reaction space in a thin film deposition system, comprising:
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providing a supply of precursor material;
establishing a flow path from the supply of precursor material to the reaction space;
vaporizing at least a portion of the precursor material to form a precursor vapor;
selectively releasing pulses of the precursor vapor through the flow path and toward the reaction space; and
filtering the precursor vapor, including directing the precursor vapor through a filter passage having multiple turns, at least one of the turns being positioned in proximity to an inertial trap in communication with the filter passage so that inertia of particles carried into the filter passage by the precursor vapor causes the particles to travel into the trap as the precursor vapor flows through said turn. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A precursor delivery system for delivering pulses of a precursor material to a reaction space in an atomic layer deposition system, comprising:
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a precursor container for holding a supply of precursor material;
a flow path extending from the precursor container and adapted to be coupled to the reaction space; and
a staging volume interposed in the flow path downstream from the precursor container and upstream from the reaction space for receiving at least one dose of the precursor material from the precursor container, the staging volume selectively isolatable from the precursor container, and the staging volume selectively isolatable from the reaction space for releasing a series of pulses of the precursor material from the staging volume toward the reaction space. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40)
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41. A precursor material delivery system for delivering pulses of precursor vapor to a reaction space of a thin film deposition system, comprising:
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a precursor container for holding precursor vapor;
one or more blocks of thermally conductive material forming an elongate thermally conductive body extending from the precursor container to the reaction space, the body having formed therein a flow path extending from the precursor container to the reaction space for carrying precursor vapor;
a pulse control device operably coupled to the flow path for releasing pulses of precursor vapor through the flow path and toward the reaction space; and
at least one heat source thermally associated with at least some of the blocks for maintaining a positive temperature gradient along the flow path to thereby prevent the precursor vapor from condensing in the flow path as the precursor vapor travels from the precursor container toward the reaction space. - View Dependent Claims (42)
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Specification