Vaporizer and semiconductor processing system

• US 20070079760A1
• Filed: 10/05/2006
• Published: 04/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Soken-Industries, Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Soken-Industries, Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: Okabe, Tsuneyuki, Okura, Shigeyuki, Ujiie, Kazuo
• Granted Patent: US 8,382,903 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 118/715
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4486 by producing an aerosol and subsequent evaporation of the droplets or particles

Abstract

A vaporizer for generating a process gas from a liquid material includes a container defining a process space of the vaporizer, and an injector having a spray port configured to spray the liquid material in an atomized state downward in the container. A lower block is disposed below the spray port inside the container such that a run-up space for the atomized liquid material is defined between the spray port and the lower block, and an annular space continuous to the run-up space is defined between an inner surface of the container and the lower block. First and second heaters are respectively provided to the container and the lower block, and configured to heat the atomized liquid material flowing through the annular space to generate the process gas. A gas delivery passage is connected to the container to output the process gas from the annular space.

Claims

1. A vaporizer for generating a process gas from a liquid material, the vaporizer comprising:

a container defining a process space of the vaporizer;

an injector having a spray port configured to spray the liquid material in an atomized state downward in the container;

a lower block disposed below the spray port inside the container such that a run-up space for the atomized liquid material is defined between the spray port and the lower block, and an annular space continuous to the run-up space is defined between an inner surface of the container and the lower block;

first and second heaters respectively provided to the container and the lower block, and configured to heat the atomized liquid material flowing through the annular space to generate the process gas; and

a gas delivery passage connected to the container to output the process gas from the annular space.

2. The vaporizer according to claim 1, wherein the gas delivery passage is configured to laterally output the process gas from the annular space.

3. The vaporizer according to claim 2, further comprising an exhaust passage connected to the container below the gas delivery passage and configured to exhaust drainage liquid.

4. The vaporizer according to claim 3, wherein the exhaust passage is provided with a valve, which is closed to set the exhaust passage as a mist receiver.

5. The vaporizer according to claim 4, wherein the annular space is arranged such that a first width on a side connected to the gas delivery passage is smaller than a second width on a side opposite thereto.

6. The vaporizer according to claim 2, wherein the second width/the first width is set to be a ratio of 3 to 1.

7. The vaporizer according to claim 6, wherein the lower block has a circular or polygonal shape in a cross section, and a center of the lower block is offset from a center of the spray port toward the gas delivery passage.

8. The vaporizer according to claim 1, wherein the injector has a double tube structure formed of inner and outer tubes and configured to supply the liquid material from the inner tube and to supply an atomizing gas from the outer tube.

9. The vaporizer according to claim 1, further comprising a purge gas supply passage connected to the container to supply a purge gas into the process space.

10. The vaporizer according to claim 1, further comprising a cleaning solution supply passage connected to the container to supply a cleaning solution into the process space.

11. A semiconductor processing system comprising:

a process chamber configured to accommodate a target substrate;

a support member configured to support the target substrate inside the process chamber;

a heater configured to heat the target substrate inside the process chamber;

an exhaust system configured to exhaust gas inside the process chamber; and

a gas supply system configured to supply a process gas into the process chamber, and including a vaporizer for generating the process gas from a liquid material,

wherein the vaporizer comprises

a container defining a process space of the vaporizer,

an injector having a spray port configured to spray the liquid material in an atomized state downward in the container,

a lower block disposed below the spray port inside the container such that a run-up space for the atomized liquid material is defined between the spray port and the lower block, and an annular space continuous to the run-up space is defined between an inner surface of the container and the lower block,

first and second heaters respectively provided to the container and the lower block, and configured to heat the atomized liquid material flowing through the annular space to generate the process gas, and

a gas delivery passage connected to the container to output the process gas from the annular space.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the gas delivery passage is configured to laterally output the process gas from the annular space.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the vaporizer further comprises an exhaust passage connected to the container below the gas delivery passage and configured to exhaust drainage liquid.

14. The system according to claim 12, wherein the annular space is arranged such that a first width on a side connected to the gas delivery passage is smaller than a second width on a side opposite thereto.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the lower block has a circular or polygonal shape in a cross section, and a center of the lower block is offset from a center of the spray port toward the gas delivery passage.

16. The system according to claim 11, wherein the gas supply system further comprises

a storage vessel that stores the liquid material and is connected to the vaporizer through a liquid material supply passage, and

a gas supply unit configured to supply a pressurized gas to the storage vessel, so as to send the liquid material by pressure from the storage vessel to the vaporizer through the liquid material supply passage.

17. The system according to claim 11, wherein the gas supply system is configured to supply a plurality of different process gases into the process chamber, and comprises a plurality of vaporizers to generate the different process gases from a plurality of different liquid materials.

18. The system according to claim 11, wherein the gas supply system is configured to supply, as the process gas, a gas for forming a thin film on the target substrate by CVD.