Independent radiant gas preheating for precursor disassociation control and gas reaction kinetics in low temperature cvd systems

Abstract

In one embodiment, a gas distribution assembly includes an injection block having at least one inlet to deliver a precursor gas to a plurality of plenums from at least two gas sources, a perforated plate bounding at least one side of each of the plurality of plenums, at least one radiant energy source positioned within each of the plurality of plenums to provide energy to the precursor gas from one or both of the at least two gas sources and flow an energized gas though openings in the perforated plate and into a chamber, and a variable power source coupled to each of the radiant energy sources positioned within each of the plurality of plenums.

1 . A method of delivering a preheated precursor gas to a processing region in a chamber, comprising:
 providing a precursor gas to a gas distribution assembly in communication with the processing region;   heating the precursor gas at the point of introduction in the gas distribution assembly using a radiant energy source; and   maintaining at least a portion of the heat provided to the precursor gas along a flow path defined between the point of introduction and the processing region.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 providing heat to the flow path.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the radiant energy source is infrared light. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the flow path is substantially normal to a longitudinal axis of the chamber and the radiant energy source is at least one infrared lamp disposed substantially parallel to the flow path. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the flow path is substantially normal to a longitudinal axis of the chamber and the radiant energy source is at least one infrared lamp disposed substantially normal to the flow path. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the point of introduction comprises one or more introduction zones and the intensity of the radiant energy source to the one or more introduction zones is independently controlled by a variable power source. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the point of introduction comprises one or more introduction zones and the intensity of the radiant energy source to the one or more introduction zones is independently controlled by a filter element. 
     
     
         8 . A gas distribution assembly comprising:
 an injection block having at least one inlet to deliver a precursor gas to a plurality of plenums from at least two gas sources;   a perforated plate bounding at least one side of each of the plurality of plenums;   at least one radiant energy source positioned within each of the plurality of plenums to provide energy to the precursor gas from one or both of the at least two gas sources and flow an energized gas though openings in the perforated plate and into a chamber; and   a coolant source in communication with the at least one radiant energy source, wherein the radiant energy sources are independently controlled in each of the plurality of plenums.   
     
     
         9 . The gas distribution assembly of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a sheath coupled to the at least one radiant energy source.   
     
     
         10 . The gas distribution assembly of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a variable power source coupled to the at least one radiant energy source.   
     
     
         11 . The gas distribution assembly of  claim 8 , wherein each of the at least one radiant energy sources comprise an infrared lamp. 
     
     
         12 . The gas distribution assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the perforated plate comprises a material that is transparent to radiant energy. 
     
     
         13 . The gas distribution assembly of  claim 8 , wherein at least a portion of the plurality of plenums comprise an inner zone and an outer zone and energy to each zone is independently controlled. 
     
     
         14 . The gas distribution assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the energized gas is directed to flow into the chamber in a direction that is normal to a longitudinal axis of the chamber. 
     
     
         15 . The gas distribution assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the gas distribution assembly is coupled to the chamber normal to a longitudinal axis of the chamber. 
     
     
         16 . A gas distribution assembly comprising:
 an injection block having at least one inlet to deliver a precursor gas to a plurality of plenums from at least two gas sources;   a perforated plate bounding at least one side of each of the plurality of plenums;   at least one radiant energy source positioned within each of the plurality of plenums to provide energy to the precursor gas from one or both of the at least two gas sources and flow an energized gas though openings in the perforated plate and into a chamber; and   a variable power source coupled to each of the radiant energy sources positioned within each of the plurality of plenums.   
     
     
         17 . The gas distribution assembly of  claim 16 , wherein each of the radiant energy sources is an infrared lamp. 
     
     
         18 . The gas distribution assembly of  claim 16 , wherein at least a portion of the plurality of plenums comprise an inner zone and an outer zone and energy to the radiant energy sources in each zone is independently controlled. 
     
     
         19 . The gas distribution assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the gas distribution assembly comprises a quartz material that is transparent to infrared light. 
     
     
         20 . The gas distribution assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the perforated plate comprises a transparent material that is positioned downstream of the plurality of plenums.