Precursor delivery system for semiconductor device formation

Inventors: Shashidhara Patel H B (Bangalore, IN); Nagaraj Naik (Bangalore, IN); Muhannad Mustafa (Milpitas, CA)

Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.

C23C16/45561 C23C16/4408

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12709803
App. No.: 18/118,499
Granted: Aug 18, 2026
Kind: B2

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Abstract

Embodiments of precursor delivery systems are described herein. The precursor delivery systems include a reservoir having a cylindrical body, a conical shaped inlet on a first end of the cylindrical body, and a conical shaped outlet on a second end of the cylindrical body. Each of the conical shaped inlet and the conical shaped outlet independently have an angle in a range of from 5 degrees to 45 degrees.

Claims (25)

1 . A precursor delivery system comprising:

2 . The precursor delivery system of claim 1 , further comprising an outlet valve on the conical shaped outlet, the outlet valve connected to an outlet line.

3 . The precursor delivery system of claim 2 , further comprising an inlet valve on the conical shaped inlet, the inlet valve connected to an inlet line.

4 . The precursor delivery system of claim 3 , further comprising a controller connected to the outlet valve, the controller configured to close the outlet valve to pressurize the reservoir and open the outlet valve to provide a uniform flow of a purge gas from the reservoir through the conical shaped outlet.

5 . The precursor delivery system of claim 4 , wherein the controller is connected to the inlet valve, the controller configured to open and close the inlet valve to charge the reservoir to a predetermined pressure.

6 . The precursor delivery system of claim 4 , wherein the controller is connected to a heater to maintain the reservoir at a predetermined temperature.

7 . The precursor delivery system of claim 4 , wherein an increased number of particles are removed from the reservoir compared to reservoirs not having a conical shaped inlet and/or a conical shaped outlet.

8 . The precursor delivery system of claim 4 , wherein an amount of time to purge the reservoir is reduced by at least 50% compared to reservoirs not having a conical shaped inlet and/or a conical shaped outlet.

9 . The precursor delivery system of claim 3 , further comprising a precursor source selected from one or more of a facility gas line or a precursor ampoule in fluid communication with the inlet line, the precursor source maintained at a temperature less than a predetermined temperature of the reservoir.

10 . The precursor delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the angle of each of the conical shaped inlet and the conical shaped outlet is 20 degrees.

11 . The precursor delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the cylindrical body has a height of about 6 inches.

12 . The precursor delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the cylindrical body has an inner diameter of about 3 inches.

13 . The precursor delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the reservoir has a height of about 13 inches.

14 . A precursor delivery system comprising:

a reservoir having a cylindrical body, a conical shaped inlet on a first end of the cylindrical body, and a conical shaped outlet on a second end of the cylindrical body, each of the conical shaped inlet and the conical shaped outlet independently having an angle in a range of from 5 degrees to 45 degrees, the conical shaped inlet having an inlet valve connected to an inlet line and the conical shaped outlet having an outlet valve connected to an outlet line; and

a controller connected to each of the inlet valve and the outlet valve, the controller configured to close the outlet valve to pressurize the reservoir and open the outlet valve to provide a uniform flow of a purge gas from the reservoir through the conical shaped outlet.

15 . The precursor delivery system of claim 14 , wherein the angle of each of the conical shaped inlet and the conical shaped outlet is 20 degrees.

16 . The precursor delivery system of claim 14 , wherein the reservoir has a height of about 13 inches and the cylindrical body has a height of about 6 inches and an inner diameter of about 3 inches.

17 . The precursor delivery system of claim 14 , wherein an increased number of particles are removed from the reservoir compared to reservoirs not having a conical shaped inlet and/or a conical shaped outlet.

18 . The precursor delivery system of claim 14 , wherein an amount of time to purge the reservoir is reduced by at least 50% compared to reservoirs not having a conical shaped inlet and/or a conical shaped outlet.

19 . A method comprising:

providing the precursor delivery system of claim 1 , wherein the conical shaped inlet has an inlet valve connected to an inlet line and the conical shaped outlet has an outlet valve connected to an outlet line, and the inlet line and the outlet line are in fluid communication with the reservoir; and

using a controller to continuously provide a flow of a purge gas through the outlet line to remove particles from the reservoir.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein an amount of time to purge the reservoir is reduced by at least 50% and an increased number of particles are removed in the reservoir compared to reservoirs not having a conical shaped inlet and/or a conical shaped outlet.