ASM International has been granted a patent for solid source chemical sublimator vessels and deposition modules. The invention includes a housing with a lid that allows gas flow and a filter to restrict the passage of solid chemical reactants. The patent also covers a flow structure within the housing to increase the exposure time of carrier gas to sublimed reactants. GlobalData’s report on ASM International gives a 360-degree view of the company including its patenting strategy. Buy the report here.
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Solid source chemical sublimator with improved gas flow path
A recently granted patent (Publication Number: US11773486B2) describes a solid source chemical sublimator that is designed to efficiently release sublimed reactant into a carrier gas. The sublimator includes a housing with a proximal portion and a distal portion, with the distal portion holding the solid chemical reactant. A lid is placed on the proximal portion of the housing and has a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. The lid is perpendicular to the housing axis. A thermally conductive conduit runs along the housing axis, with two or more thermally conductive protrusions extending radially from the conduit. These protrusions are positioned within the distal portion of the housing, where the solid chemical reactant is held.
To increase the exposure time of the carrier gas to the sublimed reactant, a flow structure is placed within the proximal interior portion of the housing. This flow structure consists of axially spaced protrusions that create fluid paths between the fluid inlet and outlet.
The sublimator also includes a filter below the lid and above the housing, which restricts the passage of the solid chemical reactant. The distal face of the lid contacts the proximal surface of the filter, while the proximal portion of the housing contacts the distal surface of the filter. The flow structure may include a filter frame to support the filter.
In another embodiment, the sublimator has a housing with a base at the distal end and a lid at the proximal end. A thermally conductive conduit extends from the base along the housing axis, with multiple thermally conductive protrusions connected to the conduit. These protrusions heat the solid chemical reactant. A filter is placed between the lid and the housing to restrict the passage of the reactant.
The patent also describes a solid source vessel that holds the solid chemical reactant and includes a flow structure to promote saturation of the carrier gas with the sublimed reactant. The vessel has a refill aperture for adding more reactant and multiple thermally conductive protrusions that heat the reactant.
Overall, this patent presents innovative designs for solid source chemical sublimators and vessels that improve the efficiency of releasing sublimed reactant into a carrier gas. These designs include thermally conductive protrusions, flow structures, and filters to enhance the sublimation process.
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GlobalData Patent Analytics tracks bibliographic data, legal events data, point in time patent ownerships, and backward and forward citations from global patenting offices. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
