Method and apparatus to help promote contact of gas with vaporized material

Abstract

Vaporizable material is supported within a vessel to promote contact of an introduced gas with the vaporizable material, and produce a product gas including vaporized material. A heating element supplies heat to a wall of the vessel to heat vaporizable material disposed therein. The vessel may comprise an ampoule having a removable top. Multiple containers defining multiple material support surfaces may be stacked disposed within a vessel in thermal communication with the vessel. A tube may be disposed within the vessel and coupled to a gas inlet. Filters, flow meters, and level sensors may be further provided. Product gas resulting from contact of introduced gas with vaporized material may be delivered to atomic layer deposition (ALD) or similar process equipment. At least a portion of source material including a solid may be dissolved in a solvent, followed by removal of solvent to yield source material (e.g., a metal complex) disposed within the vaporizer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vaporizer comprising:
 a plurality of containers that each define a cavity therein, wherein the cavity includes a bottom and a side wall, and the cavity of each container contains a solid source material dissolved in a solvent; and   an ampoule having an internal compartment therein adapted to receive said plurality of containers so that each container side wall contacts a side wall of the ampoule.   
     
     
         2 . The vaporizer of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the ampoule has an ampoule wall;   each container has a container bottom and a thermally conductive container sidewall extending above the container bottom;   each container sidewall is adapted to be in substantial thermal contact with the ampoule wall at an ampoule operating temperature; and   the ampoule is adapted to transfer heat through the ampoule wall to the thermally conductive container sidewall.   
     
     
         3 . The vaporizer of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of containers embodies a stack of containers disposed within the ampoule. 
     
     
         4 . The vaporizer of  claim 1 , wherein the ampoule includes a gas inlet that is connectable to a first gas source and is adapted to supply a first gas to the ampoule. 
     
     
         5 . The vaporizer of  claim 2 , wherein the ampoule includes a gas inlet that is connectable to a first gas source and is adapted to supply a first gas to the ampoule. 
     
     
         6 . The vaporizer of  claim 3 , wherein the ampoule includes a gas inlet that is connectable to a first gas source and is adapted to supply a first gas to the ampoule. 
     
     
         7 . A vaporizer comprising:
 at least one wall defining an internal compartment; and   a solid source material disposed within a cavity of one or more containers received within the internal compartment, wherein the cavity includes surfaces including a bottom and a side wall, wherein the solid source material comprises a metal complex applied to the surfaces of the cavity, said metal complex coating formed by dissolution of the metal complex in a solvent within the cavity followed by removal of the solvent under reduced pressure, and wherein each container side wall contacts the internal compartment wall of the vaporizer.   
     
     
         8 . The vaporizer of  claim 7 , comprising a plurality of containers disposed at different levels within the internal compartment, each container comprising a container bottom and arranged to contain the solid source material. 
     
     
         9 . The vaporizer of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the at least one wall comprises an ampoule wall;   each container of the one or more containers includes a container bottom and a thermally conductive container sidewall extending above the container bottom;   each container sidewall is adapted to be in substantial thermal contact with the ampoule wall at an ampoule operating temperature; and   the ampoule wall is adapted to transfer heat to the thermally conductive container sidewall.   
     
     
         10 . The vaporizer of  claim 7 , wherein the vaporizer includes a gas inlet that is connectable to a first gas source and is adapted to supply a first gas to the internal compartment. 
     
     
         11 . The vaporizer of  claim 8 , wherein the vaporizer includes a gas inlet that is connectable to a first gas source and is adapted to supply a first gas to the internal compartment. 
     
     
         12 . The vaporizer of  claim 9 , wherein the vaporizer includes a gas inlet that is connectable to a first gas source and is adapted to supply a first gas to the internal compartment. 
     
     
         13 . The vaporizer of  claim 1 , further comprising a heating element arranged to heat at least a portion of the vaporizer. 
     
     
         14 . The vaporizer of  claim 7 , further comprising a heating element arranged to heat at least a portion of the vaporizer. 
     
     
         15 . The vaporizer of  claim 1 , wherein each container bottom defines a plurality of gas flow passages. 
     
     
         16 . The vaporizer of  claim 3 , wherein each container bottom defines a plurality of gas flow passages. 
     
     
         17 . The vaporizer of  claim 7 , wherein each container bottom defines a plurality of gas flow passages. 
     
     
         18 . The vaporizer of  claim 1 , comprising an outlet and a porous frit, wherein the porous frit is arranged to reduce entrainment of solid source material in carrier gas delivered to or through the outlet. 
     
     
         19 . The vaporizer of  claim 7 , comprising an outlet and a porous frit, wherein the porous frit is arranged to reduce entrainment of solid source material in carrier gas delivered to or through the outlet. 
     
     
         20 . The vaporizer of  claim 1 , containing a solid source material processed by melting.