Vaporizer

• US 7,452,424 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2005
• Issued: 11/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
• Inventors: Okabe, Tsuneyuki, Okura, Shigeyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Cronin; Stephen K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): COLEMAN, KEITH A
• Application Number:
  US11/235,287
• Publication Number:
  US 20060065254A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,148 Days
• Field of Search: 118/725, 118/726, 123/577, 123/25, 123/25.B, 165120-130, 165/47, 257/310, 438/778, 438/691, 392/399, 392/401
• US Class Current: 118/726
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4486 by producing an aerosol and subsequent evaporation of the droplets or particles
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67017 Apparatus for fluid treatment H01L21/67126, H01L21/6715 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67109 mainly by convection

Abstract

A vaporizer for generating a process gas from a gas-liquid mixture fluid includes a container defining a process space of the vaporizer. A supply head having a plurality of spray holes to spray the fluid is disposed within the container. A heating passage is disposed below the spray holes within the container. The heating passage is configured to heat the fluid passing therethrough and thereby generate the process gas. A gas delivery passage is connected to the container to laterally deliver the process gas from below the heating passage. A mist receiver is provided at the container below the gas delivery passage.

Claims

1. 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;

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

wherein the gas generating apparatus comprises;

a pre-treatment unit configured to generate a gas-liquid mixture fluid from the liquid material, and

a vaporizer to which the fluid is supplied from the pre-treatment unit through a fluid supply passage,

wherein the vaporizer comprises;

a container defining a process space of the vaporizer,

a supply head connected to the fluid supply passage and having a plurality of spray holes to spray the fluid within the container,

a heating passage disposed below the spray holes within the container and comprising a plurality of passage portions disposed in parallel with each other and respectively defined by heating walls, the heating passage being configured to heat the fluid passing therethrough downward and thereby generate the process gas,

a gas delivery passage connected to the container to laterally deliver the process gas from below the heating passage,

an electric heater configured to heat the process space and the heating walls; and

a mist receiver provided at the container below the gas delivery passage.

2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a mechanism configured to apply ultrasonic vibration to the fluid supply passage.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the pre-treatment unit is configured such that the liquid material is supplied into a low-pressure space to vaporize part of the liquid material by adiabatic expansion and thereby generate the fluid.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the spray holes are oriented diagonally downward and outward in different directions.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the mist receiver is disposed at a bottom inside the container, to which a discharge pump is connected.

6. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a mechanism configured to apply ultrasonic vibration to the container.

7. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a storage vessel for storing the liquid material, connected to the pre-treatment unit 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 pre-treatment unit through the liquid material supply passage.

8. The system according to claim 3, further comprising a gas supply unit configured to supply a carrier gas to the pre-treatment unit, wherein the fluid is supplied along with the carrier gas from the pre-treatment unit to the fluid vaporizer.

9. The system according to claim 1, 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.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the heating walls are made of metal.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the electric heater is disposed around the container of the vaporizer and configured to heat the heating walls by heating the process space of the vaporizer.

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;

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

wherein the gas generating apparatus comprises;

a pretreatment unit configured to generate a gas-liquid mixture fluid from the liquid material such that the liquid material is supplied into a low-pressure space to vaporize part of the liquid material by adiabatic expansion and thereby generate the fluid,

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

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 pretreatment unit through the liquid material supply passage,

a vaporizer to which the fluid is supplied from the pre-treatment unit through a fluid supply passage, and

a gas supply unit configured to supply a carrier gas to the pre-treatment unit,

wherein the fluid is supplied along with the carrier gas from the pre-treatment unit to the fluid vaporizer,

wherein the vaporizer comprises;

a container defining a process space of the vaporizer,

a supply head connected to the fluid supply passage and having a plurality of spray holes to spray the fluid within the container,

a heating passage disposed below the spray holes within the container and comprising a plurality of passage portions disposed in parallel with each other and respectively defined by heating walls, the heating passage being configured to heat the fluid passing therethrough downward and thereby generate the process gas,

a gas delivery passage connected to the container to laterally deliver the process gas from below the heating passage,

an electric heater configured to heat the process space and the heating walls; and

a mist receiver provided at the container below the gas delivery passage.

13. 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.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein the liquid material stored in the storage vessel is selected from the group consisting of tetrakis(N-ethyl-methylamino) hafnium, hafnium tetra-t-butoxide, hexaethylaminodesilane, Ta(OC₂H₅)₅, and HF[N(C₂H₅)]₄.

15. The system according to claim 12, further comprising a mechanism configured to apply ultrasonic vibration to the fluid supply passage.

16. The system according to claim 12, wherein the spray holes are oriented diagonally downward and outward in different directions.

17. The system according to claim 12, wherein the mist receiver is disposed at a bottom inside the container, to which a discharge pump is connected.

18. The system according to claim 12, further comprising a mechanism configured to apply ultrasonic vibration to the container.

19. The system according to claim 12, wherein the heating walls are made of metal.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein the electric heater is disposed around the container of the vaporizer and configured to heat the heating walls by heating the process space of the vaporizer.