Method and apparatus for precursor delivery utilizing the melting point depression of solid deposition precursors in the presence of supercritical fluids

• US 6,884,737 B1
• Filed: 08/30/2002
• Issued: 04/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Novellus Systems Incorporated (Lam Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Novellus Systems Incorporated (Lam Research Corporation)
• Inventors: Blackburn, Jason M., Dalton, Jeremie
• Primary Examiner(s): Niebling, John F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LUK, OLIVIA T
• Application Number:
  US10/232,491
• Time in Patent Office: 970 Days
• Field of Search: 438/758, 438/393, 438/239
• US Class Current: 438/758
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 1/025 using gas close to its critical state
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 2401/90 at least one component of the composition being in supercritical state or close to supercritical state
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/18 from metallo-organic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/448 characterised by the method used for generating reactive gas streams, e.g. by evaporation or sublimation of precursor materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/28556 by chemical means, e.g. CVD, LPCVD, PECVD, laser CVD H01L21/28518 - H01L21/28537 and H01L21/28568 take precedence

Abstract

A method for providing a precursor to a supercritical processing chamber is provided. The precursor in solid form is provided in an ampoule external to the supercritical processing chamber. A fluid is provided to the ampoule, where at least a portion of the gas enters the solid precursor causing a melting point of the precursor to be depressed and thereby causing the solid precursor to melt. The melted precursor is delivered to the supercritical process chamber.

Claims

1. A method for providing a precursor to a super critical processing chamber, comprising:

providing the precursor in solid form in a vessel external to the supercritical processing chamber;

providing a fluid to the vessel, wherein at least a portion of the fluid enters the solid precursor causing a melting point depression of the precursor;

melting the solid precursor to turn the solid precursor into a melted liquid precursor; and

delivering the melted liquid precursor to the supercritical processing chamber.

2. The method, as recited in claim 1, further comprising heating the solid precursor to a temperature above the depressed melting point.

3. The method, as recited in claim 2, wherein the fluid is a supercritical fluid.

4. The method, as recited in claim 3, wherein the supercritical fluid is selected from the group including carbon dioxide, ammonia, water, ethanol, ethane, propane, butane, pentane, dimethyl ether, hexafluoroethane, and mixtures thereof.

5. The method, as recited in claim 3, wherein the delivering the melted liquid precursor, comprises the step of pumping the melted liquid precursor from the vessel.

6. The method, as recited in claim 3, wherein the pumping the melted liquid precursor comprises increasing the pressure in the vessel.

7. The method, as recited in claim 1, wherein the precursor comprises at least one of CODPtMe₂, Cu(II)tetramethylhepatanedionate, Cu(II)trimethyloctanedionate, Cu(II)hexafluoroacetylacetonate, Co(II)acetylacetonate, POSS compounds, cobaltocene, ruthenocene, Cu(I)hexafluoroacetylacetonate(cyclooctadiene), Cu(I)hexafluoroacetylacetonate(2-butyne), Co(III)tetramethyleheptanedionate.

8. The method, as recited in claim 7, wherein the fluid is a supercritical fluid selected from the group including carbon dioxide, ammonia, water, ethanol, ethane, propane, butane, pentane, dimethyl ether, hexafluoroethane, and mixtures thereof.

9. The method, as recited in claim 1, further comprising converting the fluid to a supercritical fluid before delivering the melted precursor to the supercritical processing chamber.

10. The method, as recited in claim 1, further comprising measuring the amount of melted liquid precursor delivered to the supercritical processing chamber.

11. The method, as recited in claim 1, wherein the delivering the melted liquid precursor has a higher concentration of liquid precursor than concentration of fluid.