This invention generally relates to apparatuses and methods for generating a carrier gas stream containing a desired compound and more specifically to apparatuses and methods related to a chemical precursor bubbler design and operation.
Apparatuses and systems for generating carrier gas streams containing a desired compound, under controlled environmental conditions, are used in a variety of industries. For example, “bubblers” are often used in the electronics fabrication industry, particularly when manufacturing semiconductors, integrated circuits, computer chips and LEDs. A carrier gas saturated with the desired compound may be delivered to processing equipment that provides for deposition of the compound to form layers and/or films, for example. The carrier gas may be saturated with the desired compound by “bubbling” it through a container comprising a solid or liquid precursor that comprises the desired compound.
In some applications, as illustrated in
Know bubbler apparatuses generally work well for their intended purposes. One known problem, however, with reference to
According to some embodiments of this invention, a method for a bubbler apparatus may include the steps of: A) providing a bubbler apparatus including: 1) a container having: a) a top and a bottom defining an inside bottom surface; and b) a height H1 from the top to the inside bottom surface; 2) a lid; 3) a sealing member; 4) an inlet opening; 5) an outlet opening; and 6) a gas routing structure including a first routing member; B) providing the bubbler apparatus to be operable to perform the following steps: 1) placing a substance within the container; 2) placing the first routing member within the container; 3) placing the sealing member on the top of the container; 4) placing the lid on the sealing member; 5) tightening the lid to the sealing member thereby compressing the sealing member; 6) providing the first routing member with a vertical height H2 within the container between the top of the container and a distal end of the first routing member; 7) providing H2 to be less than H1 thereby forming a gap between the distal end of the first routing member and the inside bottom surface of the container; and 8) moving a gas stream: into the container through the inlet opening; into contact with the substance to saturate the gas with the substance; into contact with the first routing member to rout the gas within the container; and out of the container through the outlet opening. Step B6 may occur after step B5.
According to some embodiments of this invention, a bubbler apparatus may include: a container having: 1) a top and a bottom defining an inside bottom surface; and 2) a height H1 from the top to the inside bottom surface; a lid; a sealing member; an inlet opening; an outlet opening; and gas routing structure including a first routing member. The bubbler apparatus may be operable to: 1) place a substance within the container; 2) place the first routing member within the container; 3) place the sealing member on the top of the container; 4) place the lid on the sealing member; 5) tighten the lid to the sealing member thereby compressing the sealing member; 6) provide the first routing member with a vertical height H2 within the container between the top of the container and a distal end of the first routing member after the lid has been tightened; 7) provide H2 to be less than H1 thereby forming a gap between the distal end of the first routing member and the inside bottom surface of the container; and 8) move a gas stream: into the container through the inlet opening; into contact with the substance to saturate the gas with the substance; into contact with the first routing member to rout the gas within the container; and out of the container through the outlet opening.
According to some embodiments of this invention, a method of operating a bubbler apparatus may include the steps of: A) providing a bubbler apparatus including: 1) a container having: a) a top and a bottom defining an inside bottom surface; and b) a height H1 from the top to the inside bottom surface; 2) a lid; 3) a sealing member; 4) an inlet opening; 5) an outlet opening; and 6) a gas routing structure including a first routing member; B) placing a substance within the container; C) placing the first routing member within the container; D) placing the sealing member on the top of the container; E) placing the lid on the sealing member; F) tightening the lid to the sealing member thereby compressing the sealing member; G) providing the first routing member with a vertical height H2 within the container between the top of the container and a distal end of the first routing member; H) providing H2 to be less than H1 thereby forming a gap between the distal end of the first routing member and the inside bottom surface of the container; and I) moving a gas stream: into the container through the inlet opening; into contact with the substance to saturate the gas with the substance; into contact with the first routing member to rout the gas within the container; and out of the container through the outlet opening. Step G may occur after step F.
According to some embodiments of this invention, the gap between the distal end of the routing member and the bottom surface of the container is between 0.10 inches and 0.01 inches.
According to some embodiments of this invention, the gap between the distal end of the routing member and the bottom surface of the container is about 0.03 inches.
According to some embodiments of this invention, the distal end of the routing member is flat and compresses the substance in the container when the lid is tightened to the sealing member.
According to some embodiments of this invention, the distal end of the routing member is pointed and slices through the substance in the container when the lid is tightened to the sealing member.
According to some embodiments of this invention, multiple routing members can be used.
The invention may take physical form in certain parts and arrangement of parts, embodiments of which will be described in detail in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof and wherein:
Referring now to the drawings wherein the showings are for purposes of illustrating embodiments of the invention only and not for purposes of limiting the same, and wherein like reference numerals are understood to refer to like components,
With reference now to
With reference now to
With reference now to
In use, when the lid 56 is properly attached to the container 52 (compressing the sealing member 62) and routing member(s) 72 is extended into the container, the distal end of the routing member(s) 72 does not contact the inside bottom surface 54 because of the gap 74. The distal end of the routing member(s) 74 may, however, contact the substance, such as a compound, within the container. For the embodiment shown in
A plurality of different embodiments of the invention is shown in the Figures of the application. Similar features are shown in the various embodiments of the invention. Similar features are structured similarly, operate similarly, and/or have the same function unless otherwise indicated by the drawings or this specification. Furthermore, particular features of one embodiment can replace corresponding features in another embodiment or can supplement other embodiments unless otherwise indicated by the drawings or this specification.
Numerous embodiments have been described herein. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the above methods and apparatuses may incorporate changes and modifications without departing from the general scope of this invention. It is intended to include all such modifications and alterations in so far as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof. Further, the “invention” as that term is used in this document is what is claimed in the claims of this document. The right to claim elements and/or sub-combinations that are disclosed herein as other inventions in other patent documents is hereby unconditionally reserved.
Having thus described the invention, it is now claimed: