Patent · US Expired

Method of vaporizing liquid sources and apparatus therefor

US6380081B1 · kind B1 · utility

18Cited by
6References
16Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateNov 20, 2000
Grant dateApr 30, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 20, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
  • CPC primaryC23C16/4481
  • WIPO fieldSurface technology, coating
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

A method and apparatus for vaporizing liquid source materials, where such vaporized source materials are supplied to a deposition tool such as Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) apparatus, and more particularly in such areas as Metalorganic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) and Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) applications, is disclosed. The method disclosed herein involves with increasing the temperature and the pressure of given liquid source materials to a high level of temperature and pressure states while maintaining the source materials in a liquid state, and then exposing the liquid source material instantaneously to a low pressure while maintaining the temperature of the liquid source material at the high temperature. Such sudden exposure to a low pressure makes the liquid source material vaporized, so that such vaporized source material can be supplied to such deposition tools as Metalorganic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) and Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) apparatus. The structure and the operation of the apparatus that vaporizes liquid source materials in accordance with the present invention are also disclosed.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.