Vaporizer and semiconductor processing system

• US 8,382,903 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2006
• Issued: 02/26/2013
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): MACARTHUR, SYLVIA
• Application Number:
  US11/543,086
• Publication Number:
  US 20070079760A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,336 Days
• Field of Search: 116/726, 118/726
• US Class Current: 118/726
• 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 on a bottom of the container 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 the lower block and an inner surface of the container around the lower block, said lower block comprising an upper solid surface extending substantially across the container and configured to expand the atomized liquid material toward the annular space;

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,

wherein the gas delivery passage is configured to laterally output the process gas from the annular space,

wherein the lower block is a column having a circular or polygonal shape in a cross section and configured to cause the atomized liquid material flowing downward from the injector through the run-up space to be guided around the outermost surface of the lower block into the annular space, and

wherein the annular space has a shape eccentric relative to a center of the lower block such that a first width on a first side connected to the gas delivery passage is smaller than a second width on a second side opposite the first side to set a ratio of the second width relative to the first width to fall within a range of 3 to 1.5.

2. The vaporizer according to claim 1, further comprising an exhaust passage connected to the container below the gas delivery passage and configured to exhaust drainage liquid.

3. The vaporizer according to claim 2, wherein the exhaust passage is provided with a valve, which is closed to set the exhaust passage as a mist receiver.

4. The vaporizer according to claim 3, wherein the exhaust passage is opened to the bottom of the container on the second side.

5. The vaporizer according to claim 1, wherein the ratio of the second width relative to the first width is set to fall within a range of 2 to 1.5.

6. The vaporizer according to claim 1, wherein a center of 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 to set the ratio of the second width relative to the first width.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. The vaporizer according to claim 1, wherein a center of the lower block aligns with a center of the spray port while a sidewall of the container is curved from a position corresponding to a top of the lower block to set the ratio of the second width relative to the first width.

11. The vaporizer according to claim 1, wherein the second heater comprises a resistive heating body included in the lower block.

12. 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 on a bottom of the container 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 the lower block and an inner surface of the container around the lower block, said lower block comprising an upper solid surface extending substantially across the container and configured to expand the atomized liquid material toward the annular space,

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 and configured to receive a sucking force made by the exhaust system,

wherein the gas delivery passage is configured to laterally output the process gas from the annular space,

wherein the lower block is a column having a circular or polygonal shape in a cross section and configured to cause the atomized liquid material flowing downward from the injector through the run-up space to be guided around the outermost surface of the lower block into the annular space, and

wherein the annular space has a shape eccentric relative to a center of the lower block such that a first width on a first side connected to the gas delivery passage is smaller than a second width on a second side opposite the first side to set a ratio of the second width relative to the first width to fall within a range of 3 to 1.5.

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 a center of 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 to set the ratio of the second width relative to the first width.

15. The system according to claim 12, 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.

16. The system according to claim 12, 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.

17. The system according to claim 12, 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.

18. The system according to claim 12, wherein a center of the lower block aligns with a center of the spray port while a sidewall of the container is curved from a position corresponding to a top of the lower block to set the ratio of the second width relative to the first width.

19. The system according to claim 12, wherein the ratio of the second width relative to the first width is set to fall within a range of 2 to 1.5.

20. The system according to claim 12, wherein the exhaust passage is provided with a valve, which is closed to set the exhaust passage as a mist receiver.

21. The system according to claim 20, wherein the exhaust passage is opened to the bottom of the container on the second side.

22. The system according to claim 12, wherein the second heater comprises a resistive heating body included in the lower block.