Gas delivery system for pulsed-type deposition processes used in the manufacturing of micro-devices

A method of controlling the delivery of gases in a pulse-type reactor for depositing material onto a micro-device workpiece, comprising:

• filling a container of the reactor with a desired mass of a precursor gas for a pulse of the precursor gas;
• actively displacing the precursor gas from the container by driving the precursor gas with a driver separate from the precursor gas;
• and
• dispensing the mass of the precursor gas from outlet ports of a gas distributor in the reactor, wherein
• the container comprises a compartment, a first inlet valve coupled to a first gas supply, an outlet valve coupled to the outlet ports of the gas distributor, and a mechanical driver in the compartment that moves between a first position defining a first volume in the compartment and a second position defining a second volume in the compartment less than the first volume;
• filling the container comprises opening the first inlet valve to flow a first precursor gas into the compartment until a pressure of the first precursor gas in the compartment reaches a desired pressure corresponding to the desired mass of a single pulse of the first precursor gas;
• and
• actively displacing the precursor gas from the outlet ports comprises closing the first inlet valve, opening the outlet valve, and moving the mechanical actuator from the first position to the second position.

A method of controlling the delivery of gases in a pulse-type reactor for depositing material onto a micro-device workpiece, comprising:

• filling a container of the reactor with a desired mass of a precursor gas for a pulse of the precursor gas;
• actively displacing the precursor gas from the container by driving the precursor gas with a driver separate from the precursor gas;
• and
• dispensing the mass of the precursor gas from outlet ports of a gas distributor in the reactor, wherein
• the container comprises a compartment within the gas distributor, a first inlet valve coupled to a first gas supply, a second inlet valve coupled to a second gas supply, an outlet valve coupled to the outlet ports of the gas distributor, and a mechanical driver in the compartment that moves between a first position defining a first volume in the compartment and a second position defining a second volume in the compartment less than the first volume;
• filling the container comprises opening the first inlet valve to flow a first precursor gas into the compartment until a pressure of the first precursor gas in the compartment reaches a desired pressure;
• actively displacing the precursor gas from the outlet ports comprises closing the first inlet valve, opening the outlet valve, and moving the mechanical actuator from the first position to the second position;
• the method further comprises pressurizing the compartment by opening the second valve to flow a second precursor gas into the compartment until a pressure of the second precursor gas in the compartment reaches a desired pressure;
• and
• the method further comprises actively displacing the second precursor gas by closing the second inlet valve, opening the outlet valve, and moving the mechanical actuator from the first position to the second position.

A method of controlling the delivery of gases in a pulse-type reactor for depositing material onto a micro-device workpiece, comprising:

• filling a container of the reactor with a desired mass of a precursor gas for a pulse of the precursor gas;
• actively displacing the precursor gas from the container by driving the precursor gas with a driver separate from the precursor gas;
• and
• dispensing the mass of the precursor gas from outlet ports of a gas distributor in the reactor, wherein
• filling a container with gas comprises charging a compartment with a first precursor gas to a first pressure;
• and
• actively displacing precursor gas from the container, comprises moving a mechanical actuator within the compartment from a first position defining a first volume to a second position defining a second volume less than the first volume.

A method of controlling the delivery of gases in a pulse-type reactor for depositing material onto a micro-device workpiece, comprising:

• filling a container of the reactor with a desired mass of a precursor gas for a pulse of the precursor gas;
• actively displacing the precursor gas from the container by driving the precursor gas with a driver separate from the precursor gas;
• and
• dispensing the mass of the precursor gas from outlet ports of a gas distributor in the reactor, wherein
• the container comprises a compartment, a first inlet valve coupled to a first gas supply of a first precursor, a second inlet valve coupled to a second gas supply of a second precursor, and a third inlet valve coupled to a purge gas, and an outlet valve coupled to the outlet ports of the gas distributor;
• filling the container comprises charging the compartment with the first precursor to a desired pressure by opening the first inlet valve while the second inlet valve, the third inlet valve, and the outlet valve are closed;
• displacing the precursor gas from the outlet ports comprises discharging the first precursor from the compartment by opening the outlet valve and the third inlet valve while first inlet valve and the second inlet valve are dosed to flow the purge gas through the compartment in a manner that drives the first precursor out of the gas dispenser;
• filling the container further comprises charging the compartment with the second precursor to a desired pressure by opening the second inlet valve while the first inlet valve, the third inlet valve, and the outlet valve are closed;
• and
• displacing the precursor gas further comprises discharging the second precursor from the compartment by opening the outlet valve and the third inlet valve while the first inlet valve and the second inlet valve are closed to flow the purge gas through the compartment in a manner that drives the second precursor out of the gas dispenser.

A method of controlling the delivery of gases in a pulse-type reactor for depositing material onto a micro-device workpiece, comprising:

• filling a container of the reactor with a desired mass of a precursor gas for a pulse of the precursor gas;
• actively displacing the precursor gas from the container by driving the precursor gas with a driver separate from the precursor gas;
• and
• dispensing the mass of the precursor gas from outlet ports of a gas distributor in the reactor, wherein
• the container comprises a compartment, a first inlet valve coupled to a first gas supply of a first precursor, a second inlet valve coupled to a second gas supply of a second precursor, a third inlet valve coupled to a purge gas, and an outlet valve coupled to the outlet ports of the gas distributor;
• filling the container comprises charging the compartment with the first and second precursors to a desired pressure by opening the first and second inlet valves while the third inlet valve and the outlet valve are closed;
• and
• displacing the precursor gas from the outlet ports comprises discharging the first and second precursors from the compartment by opening the outlet valve and the third inlet valve while first inlet valve and the second inlet valve are closed to flow the purge gas through the compartment in a manner that drives the first and second precursors out of the gas dispenser.

A method of controlling the delivery of gases in processes for depositing material onto a micro-device workpiece using a reactor comprising a chamber including a gas distributor with outlet ports configured to dispense gas to the workpiece, the method comprising:

• pressuring a first compartment of the chamber with a first gas while prohibiting the first gas from flowing from the first compartment through the outlet ports;
• opening a fluid passageway between the first compartment and the outlet ports after the first gas reaches a desired pressure in the first compartment;
• and
• driving the first gas from the first compartment and through the outlet ports, wherein
• the reactor further comprises a first inlet valve coupled to a first gas supply and the first compartment, a second inlet valve coupled to a second gas supply and the first compartment, and an outlet valve coupled to the outlet ports of the gas distributor and the first compartment;
• pressurizing the first compartment comprises opening the first inlet valve to flow a first precursor into the first compartment until a pressure of the first precursor in the first compartment reaches a desired pressure corresponding to the desired mass of a single pulse of the first precursor;
• and
• driving the gas from the first compartment comprises closing the first inlet valve, opening the outlet valve, and opening the second inlet valve to flow a purge gas into the first compartment that drives the first gas out of the first compartment.

A method of controlling the delivery of gases in processes for depositing material onto a micro-device workpiece using a reactor comprising a chamber including a gas distributor with outlet ports configured to dispense gas to the workpiece, the method comprising:

• pressurizing a first compartment of the chamber with a first gas while prohibiting the first gas from flowing from the first compartment through the outlet ports;
• opening a fluid passageway between the first compartment and the outlet ports after the first gas reaches a desired pressure in the first compartment;
• and driving the first gas from the first compartment and through the outlet ports, wherein
• the reactor further comprises a first inlet valve coupled to a first gas supply and the first compartment, an outlet valve coupled to the outlet ports of the gas distributor and the first compartment, and a mechanical driver in the first compartment that moves between a first position defining a first volume in the first compartment and a second position defining a second volume in the first compartment less than the first volume;
• pressurizing the first compartment comprises opening the first inlet valve to flow a first precursor gas into the first compartment until a pressure of the first precursor gas in the first compartment reaches a desired pressure corresponding to the desired mass of a single pulse of the first precursor gas;
• and
• driving the gas from the first compartment comprises closing the first inlet valve, opening the outlet valve, and moving the mechanical actuator from the first position to the second position.

A method of controlling the delivery of gases in processes for depositing material onto a micro-device workpiece using a reactor comprising a chamber including a gas distributor with outlet ports configured to dispense gas to the workpiece, the method comprising:

• pressuring a first compartment of the chamber with a first gas while prohibiting the first gas from flowing from the first compartment through the outlet ports;
• opening a fluid passageway between the first compartment and the outlet ports after the first gas reaches a desired pressure in the first compartment;
• and
• driving the first gas from the first compartment and through the outlet ports, wherein
• the reactor further comprises a first inlet valve coupled to a first gas supply and the first compartment, an outlet valve coupled to the outlet ports of the gas distributor and the first compartment, and a mechanical driver in the first compartment that moves between a first position defining a first volume in the first compartment and a second position defining a second volume in the first compartment less than the first volume;
• pressurizing the first compartment comprises opening the first inlet valve to flow a first precursor gas into the first compartment until a pressure of the first precursor gas in the first compartment reaches a desired pressure;
• driving the gas from the first compartment comprises closing the first inlet valve, opening the outlet valve, and moving the mechanical actuator from the first position to the second position;
• the method further comprises pressurizing the first compartment by opening the second valve to flow a second precursor gas into the first compartment until a pressure of the second precursor gas in the first compartment reaches a desired pressure;
• and
• the method further comprises driving the second precursor gas by closing the second inlet valve, opening the outlet valve, and moving the mechanical actuator from the first position to the second position.

A method of controlling the delivery of gases in processes for depositing material onto a micro-device workpiece using a reactor comprising a chamber including a gas distributor with outlet ports configured to dispense gas to the workpiece, the method comprising:

• pressurizing a first compartment of the chamber with a first gas while prohibiting the first gas from flowing from the first compartment through the outlet ports;
• opening a fluid passageway between the first compartment and the outlet ports after the first gas reaches a desired pressure in the first compartment;
• and
• driving the first gas from the first compartment and through the outlet ports, wherein
• the reactor further comprises a first inlet valve coupled to a first gas supply of a first precursor and the first compartment, a second inlet valve coupled to a second gas supply of a second precursor and the first compartment, and a third inlet valve coupled to a purge gas and the first compartment, and an outlet valve coupled to the outlet ports of the gas distributor and the first compartment;
• pressurizing the first compartment comprises charging the first compartment with the first precursor to a desired pressure by opening the first inlet valve while the second inlet valve, the third inlet valve and the outlet valve are closed;
• driving the gas from the first compartment comprises discharging the first precursor from the first compartment by opening the outlet valve and the third inlet valve while first inlet valve and the second inlet valve are closed to flow the purge gas through the first compartment in a manner that drives the first precursor out of the gas dispenser;
• pressurizing the first compartment further comprises charging the first compartment with the second precursor to a desired pressure by opening the second inlet valve while the first inlet valve, the third inlet valve and the outlet valve are closed;
• and
• driving the gas from the first compartment comprises discharging the second precursor from the first compartment by opening the outlet valve and the third inlet valve while the first inlet valve and, the second inlet valve are dosed to flow the purge gas through the first compartment in a manner that drives the second precursor out of the gas dispenser.

A method of controlling the delivery of gases in processes for depositing material onto a micro-device workpiece using a reactor comprising a chamber including a gas distributor with outlet ports configured to dispense gas to the workpiece, the method comprising:

• pressurizing a first compartment of the chamber with a first gas while prohibiting the first gas from flowing from the first compartment through the outlet ports;
• opening a fluid passageway between the first compartment and the outlet ports after the first gas reaches a desired pressure in the first compartment;
• and
• driving the first gas from the first compartment and through the outlet ports, wherein
• the reactor further comprises a first inlet valve coupled to a first gas supply of a first precursor and the first compartment, a second inlet valve coupled to a second gas supply of a second precursor and the first compartment, and a third inlet valve coupled to a purge gas and the first compartment, and an outlet valve coupled to the outlet ports of the gas distributor and the first compartment;
• pressurizing the first compartment comprises charging the first compartment with the first and second precursors to a desired pressure by opening the first and second inlet valves while the third inlet valve and the outlet valve are closed;
• and
• driving the gas from the first compartment comprises discharging the first and second precursors from the first compartment by opening the outlet valve and the third inlet valve while first inlet valve and the second inlet valve are closed to flow the purge gas through the first compartment in a manner that drives the first and second precursors out of the gas dispenser.

A method of depositing material onto a micro-device workpiece, comprising:

• placing a micro-device workpiece having a plurality of submicron features in a reaction chamber of a reactor so that the workpiece is proximate to outlet ports of a gas distributor in the reaction chamber;
• flowing a gas from a gas supply to a compartment of the reactor while preventing gas from flowing through the outlet ports until the gas reaches, a desired pressure within the compartment;
• and
• dispensing the gas in the chamber through the outlet ports by displacing the gas from the compartment.

A method of depositing material onto a workpiece, comprising:

• placing a micro-device workpiece having a plurality of submicron features proximate to outlet ports of a gas distributor in a reactor;
• flowing a gas from a gas supply to a selectively sealable compartment in the reactor until the gas reaches a desired pressure within the compartment for a pulse of the gas;
• and
• dispensing the gas from the outlet ports over the workpiece by opening a valve between the compartment and the outlet ports and physically displacing the gas from the compartment.

A method of depositing material onto a workpiece, comprising:

• placing a micro-device workpiece having a plurality of submicron features proximate to outlet ports of a gas distributor in a reaction chamber of a reactor;
• filling a container of the reactor with a desired mass of a precursor gas while preventing the precursor gas from flowing through the outlet ports of the gas distributor;
• actively displacing the precursor gas from the container to flow the precursor gas through the outlet ports of the gas distributor;
• and
• dispensing the precursor gas from outlet ports to the workpiece.