Ampoule for a semiconductor manufacturing precursor
Ampoules for a semiconductor manufacturing precursors and methods of use are described. The ampoules include a container with an inlet port and an outlet port. The ampoules comprise an inlet plenum located between the inlet port and the cavity and an outlet plenum located between the outlet port and the cavity. A flow path is defined by a plurality of tubular walls and a flow ingress openings of the ampoule adjacent bottom edges of the tubular walls, through which a carrier gas flows in contact with the precursor.
1 . An ampoule for a semiconductor manufacturing precursor, the ampoule comprising:
a container defining a cavity configured to hold the precursor;
an inlet port and an outlet port, both in fluid communication with the cavity;
an inlet plenum located between the inlet port and the cavity;
an outlet plenum located between the outlet port and the cavity;
a plurality of elongate walls, each of the elongate walls having a top edge and a bottom edge defining a length and configured to contain the precursor, the plurality of elongate walls arranged to define flow channels, each of the elongate walls comprising a flow ingress opening;
a flow path defined by the flow channels and the flow ingress openings, through which a carrier gas flows in contact with the precursor; and
a lid including a gas distribution insert assembled to the lid and comprising an orifice between the inlet port and the cavity, the orifice having a diameter in a range of from 0.2 mm to 0.9 mm and configured to increase a flow velocity of the carrier gas exiting the inlet plenum and flowing through the orifice into the cavity.
2 . The ampoule of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of elongate walls and ingress openings define a labyrinth such that the flow path is tortuous.
3 . The ampoule of claim 1 , wherein the flow ingress openings are offset such that not one ingress opening overlaps with another ingress opening.
4 . The ampoule of claim 1 , wherein the ampoule comprises a single inlet and a single outlet.
5 . The ampoule of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of orifices, each of the plurality of orifices having a diameter in the range of from 0.2 mm to 0.9 mm and configured to increase the flow velocity of the carrier gas exiting the inlet plenum and flowing through each orifice into the cavity.
6 . The ampoule of claim 1 , further comprising a porous distribution element fitted only within the outlet plenum, the porous distribution element having an average pore size in a range of from 0.1 micrometers to 100 micrometers.
7 . The ampoule of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of elongate walls comprise a solid, non-porous material.
8 . The ampoule of claim 6 , further comprising a retaining element fastened to the lid and configured to hold the porous distribution element to the lid.
9 . An ampoule for dispensing a vapor mixture of a carrier gas and a low vapor pressure precursor used in semiconductor manufacturing, the ampoule comprising:
a container having a bottom wall, sidewalls, and a lid assembly, the container defining a cavity configured to hold the precursor, such that a height (H) of the cavity spans from a lower surface of the lid assembly to a top surface of the bottom wall;
a single inlet port and a single outlet port, both in fluid communication with the cavity;
an inlet plenum located between the single inlet port and the cavity;
an outlet plenum located between the single outlet port and the cavity;
a plurality of elongate tubular walls configured to contain the precursor and arranged to define flow channels, each of the elongate tubular walls having a top edge and a bottom edge defining a length, each of the elongate tubular walls comprising a flow ingress opening extending from the bottom edge, the flow ingress openings being offset such that not one ingress opening overlaps with another ingress opening;
a lid including a gas distribution insert assembled to the lid and including one to six orifices, each orifice having a diameter in a range of from 0.2 mm to 0.9 mm and configured to increase a flow velocity of the carrier gas exiting the inlet plenum and flowing through each orifice into the cavity; and
a tortuous flow path defined by the flow channels and the flow ingress openings, through which the carrier gas flows in contact with the precursor.
10 . The ampoule of claim 9 , further comprising a porous distribution element fitted within only the outlet plenum.
11 . The ampoule of claim 10 , wherein the porous distribution element has an average pore size in a range of from 0.1 micrometers to 100 micrometers.
12 . The ampoule of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of elongate tubular walls are concentric and made from a solid, non-porous material.
13 . The ampoule of claim 9 , wherein the bottom wall comprises a plurality of grooves that mate with the plurality of elongate tubular walls.
14 . The ampoule of claim 12 , wherein the inlet plenum is configured to direct a gas into an outermost flow channel of the flow channels and the gas exits an innermost flow channel of the flow channels through the outlet plenum.
15 . The ampoule of claim 9 , wherein each orifice has a diameter in a range of from 0.3 mm to 0.7 mm.
16 . The ampoule of claim 9 , wherein the flow channels are nested, the flow channels comprising a plurality of tortuous passages and an outlet passage, such that flowing the carrier gas through a first ingress opening diverts the carrier gas into first and second portions, each flowing in first and second directions through first and second sections of the tortuous passages, respectively.
17 . A method of providing a flow of precursor in a substrate processing chamber during a vapor deposition process to form a film on a substrate, the method comprising:
flowing a carrier gas through the inlet port and the inlet plenum of the ampoule of claim 1 having a low vapor pressure precursor therein;
directing the flow of the carrier gas within the ampoule and in contact with the precursor through the flow path defined by the flow channels and the flow ingress openings in the elongate walls, through which the carrier gas flows in contact with the precursor, the flow ingress openings extending from the bottom edge of each of the plurality elongate walls; and
flowing the carrier gas and precursor out of the ampoule through the outlet plenum and the outlet port into the substrate processing chamber.
18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising directing the flow of the carrier gas through the orifice configured to increase the flow velocity of the carrier gas contacting the precursor.
19 . The method of claim 17 further comprising independently heating a lid assembly and a bottom wall of the ampoule, the plurality of elongate walls being effective to conduct heat from an external heat source.
20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the flow path comprises nested passages such that flowing the carrier gas through a first ingress opening diverts the carrier gas into first and second portions, each flowing in first and second directions through first and second sections of the passages, respectively.