US 6,951,765 B1Granted

Method and apparatus for introduction of solid precursors and reactants into a supercritical fluid reactor

AssigneeNovellus Systems, Inc.

InventorsSanjay Gopinath, Patrick A. Van Cleemput, Michelle Schulberg, Sasangan Ramanathan, Francisco Juarez, Patrick Joyce

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Abstract

The present invention pertains to apparatus and methods for introduction of solid precursors and reactants into a supercritical fluid reactor. Solids are dissolved in supercritical fluid solvents in generator apparatus separate from the supercritical fluid reactor. Such apparatus preferably generate saturated solutions of solid precursors via recirculation of supercritical fluids through a vessel containing the solid precursors. Supercritical solutions of the solids are introduced into the reactor, which itself is charged with a supercritical fluid. Supercritical conditions are maintained during the delivery of the dissolved precursor to the reactor. Recirculation of supercritical precursor solutions through the reactor may or may not be implemented in methods of the invention. Methods of the invention are particularly well suited for integrated circuit fabrication, where films are deposited on wafers under supercritical conditions.

Claims15

Dependent claims

An apparatus for providing a solid precursor to a surface of a work piece via a supercritical solution, the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of vessels for housing the solid precursor and allowing it to contact a solvent under supercritical or near supercritical conditions to generate a saturated solution of the solid precursor, wherein supercritical condition exist when the temperature and pressure of a solution are at or above the solution's critical temperature and pressure, and wherein near supercritical conditions exist when the reduced temperature and pressure of a solution are both greater than 80% of their critical point but the solution is not yet in the supercritical phase;
a generator recirculation loop in fluid communication with the plurality of vessels and allowing the saturated solution of the solid precursor to recirculate through the plurality of vessels, said saturated solution being under supercritical or near supercritical conditions over its entire recirculation path;
and
a delivery mechanism adapted to deliver, under supercritical or near supercritical conditions, a portion of the saturated solution to a reactor for housing said work piece;
wherein the solid precursor is a solid at or about standard temperature and pressure.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.