Vapor Delivery Device, Methods of Manufacture And Methods of Use Thereof

Abstract

A method comprises transporting a first stream of a carrier gas to a delivery device that contains a solid precursor compound. The first stream of carrier gas is at a temperature greater than or equal to 20° C. The method further comprises transporting a second stream of the carrier gas to a point downstream of the delivery device. The first stream and the second stream are combined to form a third stream, such that the dewpoint of the vapor of the solid precursor compound in the third stream is lower than the ambient temperature. The flow direction of the first stream, the flow direction of the second stream and the flow direction of the third stream are unidirectional and are not opposed to each other.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 transporting a first stream of a carrier gas to a delivery device; the delivery device being part of a delivery system; where the delivery device contains a precursor compound; the first stream of carrier gas being at a temperature greater than or equal to 20° C.;   transporting a second stream of the carrier gas to a point downstream of the delivery device; wherein a flow direction of the first stream and a flow direction of the second stream are not opposed to each other; and   combining the first stream and the second stream to form a third stream; where a dewpoint of a vapor of the precursor compound in the third stream is lower than an ambient temperature.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transmitting a signal from a chemical sensor that is disposed in the third stream to a first pressure/flow regulator and/or a second pressure/flow regulator, where the first pressure/flow regulator is operative to control a flow rate of a carrier gas in the first stream, and where the second pressure/flow regulator is operative to control a flow rate of a carrier gas in the second stream. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , where the chemical sensor is disposed downstream of the delivery device and is operative to analyze chemical contents of a fluid stream emanating from the delivery device; the chemical sensor being in communication with a proportional valve. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , where the first proportional valve is in operative communication with the delivery device; wherein the first proportional valve is operative to control the flow of the carrier gas based on an applied voltage; where the first proportional valve is in fluid communication with the first stream. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising a first pressure/flow controller that is in operative communication with the chemical sensor and with the first proportional valve; wherein the delivery system is operative to deliver a substantially constant number of moles of a precursor vapor per unit volume of the carrier gas to a plurality of reactors that are communication with the delivery system. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , where none of flows in the delivery system contact each other from opposite directions and where the chemical sensor is disposed downstream of the delivery device and downstream of the point where the first stream and the second stream contact each other. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising a pressure sensor; the pressure sensor being disposed downstream of the delivery device. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising a second pressure/flow controller; that is in operative communication with the pressure sensor; where the second pressure/flow controller is in electrical communication with a second proportional valve.