Precursor supply chamber
AssigneeBeneq Oy
InventorsJohannes Wesslin, Matti Malila, Pekka Soininen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A precursor supply chamber for accommodating a precursor container in connection with an atomic layer deposition apparatus includes chamber walls defining a chamber space inside the precursor supply chamber. The precursor supply chamber also includes a chamber door assembly arranged to close the precursor supply chamber in a gas tight manner, a first heating element provided to the precursor supply chamber and arranged to heat the precursor container inside the chamber space of the precursor supply chamber and a gas tight precursor connection provided to the chamber walls for supplying precursor from the precursor container outside the precursor supply chamber.
Claims20
A precursor supply chamber for accommodating a precursor container in connection with an atomic layer deposition apparatus, the precursor supply chamber comprises chamber walls including a top wall, a bottom wall, and at least one side wall extending between the top wall and the bottom wall, the chamber walls defining a chamber space inside the precursor supply chamber, the precursor supply chamber comprising:
- a chamber door assembly arranged to close the precursor supply chamber in gas tight manner;
- a first heating element provided to the precursor supply chamber and arranged to heat the precursor container inside the chamber space of the precursor supply chamber;
- a gas tight precursor connection provided to the chamber walls for supplying precursor from the precursor container outside the precursor supply chamber;
- a precursor container holder for holding the precursor container, the precursor container holder is arranged at a bottom of the chamber space of the precursor supply chamber, the first heating element is provided to the precursor container holder for heating the precursor container held by the precursor container holder;
- a precursor supply element arranged to control precursor supply from the precursor container to outside the precursor supply chamber via the gas tight precursor connection, the precursor supply element is arranged at a top of the chamber space of the precursor supply chamber above the precursor container holder inside the precursor supply chamber, the precursor supply element includes one or more gas valves arranged to control precursor supply from the precursor container outside the precursor supply chamber via the gas tight precursor connection;
- a second heating element provided above the precursor container holder in the precursor supply chamber, wherein the second heating element is positioned in contact with the precursor supply element in the precursor supply chamber, the second heating element arranged to heat the precursor supply element and the one or more gas valves;
- and
- a third heating element provided to the gas tight precursor connection,
- wherein the precursor supply chamber further comprises:
- a first temperature sensor arranged in connection with the first heating element;
- a second temperature sensor arranged in connection with the second heating element;
- and
- a third temperature sensor arranged in connection with the precursor connection for measuring the temperature of the precursor connection, a precursor supply conduit in the precursor connection and the temperature of the precursor, and
- wherein the temperatures of the first, second and third heating elements are controlled with a control unit by utilizing the temperature sensors.
A precursor supply cabinet in connection with an atomic layer deposition apparatus, wherein the precursor supply cabinet comprises:
- one or more ventilation openings arranged to provide ventilation gas into the precursor supply cabinet;
- a ventilation discharge connection arranged to discharge ventilation gas from the precursor supply cabinet;
- and
- one or more gas tight precursor supply chambers inside the precursor supply cabinet, the one or more gas tight precursor supply chambers are arranged to accommodate a precursor container in connection with an atomic layer deposition apparatus, wherein the precursor supply chamber comprises chamber walls including a top wall, a bottom wall, and at least one side wall extending between the top wall and the bottom wall, the chamber walls defining a chamber space inside precursor supply chamber, the precursor supply chamber comprising:
- a chamber door assembly arranged to close the precursor supply chamber in gas tight manner;
- a first heating element provided to the precursor supply chamber and arranged to heat the precursor container inside the chamber space of the precursor supply chamber;
- a precursor container holder for holding the precursor container and arranged at a bottom of the chamber space of the precursor supply chamber;
- a precursor supply element arranged to control precursor supply from the precursor container to outside the precursor supply chamber, the precursor supply element is spaced from and above the first heating element inside the precursor supply chamber, the precursor supply element is arranged at a top of the chamber space of the precursor supply chamber;
- a second heating element provided above the first heating element in the precursor supply chamber, wherein the second heating element is positioned in contact with the precursor supply element in the precursor supply chamber;
- a gas tight precursor connection provided to the chamber walls for supplying precursor from the precursor container outside the precursor supply chamber;
- and
- a third heating element provided to the gas tight precursor connection,
- wherein the precursor supply chamber further comprises:
- a first temperature sensor arranged in connection with the first heating element;
- a second temperature sensor arranged in connection with the second heating element;
- and
- a third temperature sensor arranged in connection with the precursor connection for measuring the temperature of the precursor connection, a precursor supply conduit in the precursor connection and the temperature of the precursor,
- and
- wherein the temperatures of the first, second and third heating elements are controlled with a control unit by utilizing the temperature sensors.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.