# US 10,480,069 B2 · Storage device, vaporizer and substrate processing apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,480,069 B2 - Document ID: US10480069B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/008,825 - Filed: 2018-06-14 - Published: 2018-10-11 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2015-12-18 - Assignees: Kokusai Electric Corporation - Applicants: Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc. - Inventors: Naoko Kitagawa; Yuichi Wada - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10480069B2 ## CPC - C23C 16/448: characterised by the method used for generating reactive gas streams, e.g. by evaporation or sublimation of precursor materials - C23C 14/12: Organic material - C23C 14/543: {using measurement on the vapor source} - C23C 16/44: characterised by the method of coating (C23C16/04 takes precedence) - C23C 16/4412: {Details relating to the exhausts, e.g. pumps, filters, scrubbers, particle traps} - C23C 16/45561: {Gas plumbing upstream of the reaction chamber} - C23C 16/52: Controlling or regulating the coating process {(C23C16/45557, C23C16/279 take precedence)} - H10P 14/60: of insulating materials - C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04) - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract A storage device includes: a sidewall formed in a cylindrical shape; a cover wall disposed at an upper end of the sidewall; a bottom wall connected to a lower end of the sidewall and comprising a mounting surface mountable on a weight detector; a storage chamber surrounded by the sidewall, the cover wall, and the bottom wall; a recess communicating with the storage chamber and provided at the bottom wall; a communication pipe having one end connected to a bottom portion of the recess in a direction of gravity and the other end extending in a direction different from the direction of gravity in the bottom wall, the communication pipe having a diameter smaller than that of the recess; a gas flow path provided at a wall other than the bottom wall; and a liquid discharge path connected to a downstream side of the communication pipe. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A storage device comprising: a sidewall formed in a cylindrical shape; a cover wall disposed at an upper end of the sidewall; a bottom wall connected to a lower end of the sidewall and comprising a mounting surface mountable on a weight detector; a storage chamber surrounded by the sidewall, the cover wall, and the bottom wall; a recess communicating with the storage chamber and provided at the bottom wall; a communication pipe comprising an upstream portion connected directly to a bottom portion of the recess and extending in a vertically downward direction with a diameter smaller than that of the recess, a downstream portion extending in a vertically upward direction in the bottom wall, and a middle portion disposed between the upstream portion and the downstream portion; a gas flow path provided at a wall other than the bottom wall; and a discharge pipe connected directly to the downstream portion of the communication pipe and extending in a direction same as that of the downstream portion of the communication pipe with a diameter smaller than that of the downstream portion of the communication pipe. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The storage device of claim 1, wherein the communication pipe is provided inside the bottom wall. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The storage device of claim 1, wherein a diameter of the storage chamber decreases progressively toward the bottom wall. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The storage device of claim 3, wherein the communication pipe is provided inside the bottom wall. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The storage device of claim 1, wherein the discharge pipe is connectable to a pump. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The storage device of claim 5, wherein the communication pipe is provided inside the bottom wall. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The storage device of claim 5, wherein a diameter of the storage chamber decreases progressively toward the bottom wall. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The storage device of claim 1, wherein the discharge pipe is configured to pass through the sidewall. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The storage device of claim 8, wherein the communication pipe is provided inside the bottom wall. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The storage device of claim 8, wherein a diameter of the storage chamber decreases progressively toward the bottom wall. ### Claim 11 A vaporizer comprising: a storage device comprising: a sidewall formed in a cylindrical shape; a cover wall disposed at an upper end of the sidewall; a bottom wall connected to a lower end of the sidewall and comprising a mounting surface mountable on a weight detector; a storage chamber surrounded by the sidewall, the cover wall, and the bottom wall; a recess communicating with the storage chamber and provided at the bottom wall; a communication pipe comprising an upstream portion connected directly to a bottom portion of the recess and extending in a vertically downward direction with a diameter smaller than that of the recess, a downstream portion extending in a vertically upward direction in the bottom wall, and a middle portion disposed between the upstream portion and the downstream portion; a gas flow path provided at a wall other than the bottom wall; and a discharge pipe connected directly to the downstream portion of the communication pipe and extending in a direction same as that of the downstream portion of the communication pipe with a diameter smaller than that of the downstream portion of the communication pipe; and a heater configured to heat the storage chamber. ### Claim 12 A substrate processing apparatus comprising: a vaporizer comprising: a storage device comprising: a sidewall formed in a cylindrical shape; a cover wall disposed at an upper end of the sidewall; a bottom wall connected to a lower end of the sidewall and comprising a mounting surface mountable on a weight detector; a storage chamber surrounded by the sidewall, the cover wall, and the bottom wall; a recess communicating with the storage chamber and provided at the bottom wall, a communication pipe comprising an upstream portion connected directly to a bottom portion of the recess and extending in a vertically downward direction with a diameter smaller than that of the recess, a downstream portion extending in a vertically upward direction in the bottom wall, and a middle portion disposed between the upstream portion and the downstream portion, a gas flow path provided at a wall other than the bottom wall; and a discharge pipe connected directly to the downstream portion of the communication pipe and extending in a direction same as that of the downstream portion of the communication pipe with a diameter smaller than that of the downstream portion of the communication pipe; and a heater configured to heat the storage chamber; a process chamber communicating with the vaporizer; and a substrate support configured to support a substrate inside the process chamber. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The substrate processing apparatus of claim 12, wherein, during a substrate processing mode in which the substrate is processed in the process chamber, the gas flow path communicates with the process chamber and the discharge pipe communicates with a liquid material source in a state in which the bottom wall is supported by the weight detector; and during a maintenance mode in which maintenance is performed inside the storage device, the gas flow path communicates with an inert gas source and the discharge pipe is connected to one of a waste liquid device and a cleaning device in a state in which the bottom wall is mounted on the weight detector.