Patent ID: 7794788
Filing Date: 2010-09-14
Classification: C23C

Abstract:
1. A method of depositing a thin film on a substrate, comprising: providing said substrate within a deposition system configured to perform a deposition process; heating said substrate to a deposition temperature; providing an exhaust system; providing a film precursor vaporization system coupled to said deposition system and said exhaust system, and configured to supply a film precursor vapor from a film precursor stored therein, said film precursor vaporization system having an entrance valve and an exit valve configured to open or close said film precursor vaporization system to gas flow into and/or out of said film precursor vaporization system; determining a target pressure for operating said film precursor vaporization system during said deposition process; opening said entrance and exit valves of said film precursor vaporization system and establishing a flow of carrier gas through said film precursor vaporization system to said exhaust system to establish a first flow of process gas containing said film precursor vapor and said carrier gas at a deposition flow rate to said exhaust system without introducing said first flow of process gas to said deposition system; adjusting said first flow of process gas to said exhaust system to be at a different flow rate than said deposition flow rate in order to establish a gas pressure within said film precursor vaporization system that is substantially equivalent to said target pressure; closing said entrance and exit valves of said film precursor vaporization system to terminate said first flow of said process gas while maintaining the flow of carrier gas to said exhaust system; diverting the flow of carrier gas from said exhaust system to said deposition system at said deposition flow rate; re-opening said entrance and exit valves of said film precursor vaporization system to direct said flow of carrier gas through said film precursor vaporization system and to said deposition system to establish a second flow of said process gas from said film precursor vaporization system to said deposition system at said deposition flow rate; and exposing said substrate at said deposition temperature to said process gas to deposit said thin film on said substrate using said deposition process.