Fluid-assisted thermal management of evaporation sources

Abstract

In various embodiments, evaporation sources for deposition systems are heated and/or cooled via a fluid-based thermal management system.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A deposition system comprising:
 a deposition chamber having an interior enclosed by one or more chamber walls;   an evaporation source comprising (i) a vacuum shell defining a hollow source body having a first reservoir therein for containing a feedstock material for evaporation thereof, and (ii) an evaporation port for fluidly coupling the source body with the interior of the deposition chamber, (iii) a plurality of fluid inlets, and (iv) a plurality of fluid outlets, wherein the evaporation source is configured to establish and monitor a vacuum within the first reservoir and the deposition chamber;   a feedstock material disposed within the source body; and   a thermal management system comprising:
 a second reservoir for containing heat-transfer fluid, 
 a conduit for thermally coupling the second reservoir with the evaporation source, wherein a first portion of the conduit extends between the second reservoir and one of the plurality of fluid inlets of the evaporation source, wherein the conduit includes a plurality of second portions disposed within the source body so as to directly contact the feedstock material disposed therein, wherein one of the second portions extends between the fluid inlet to which the first portion of the conduit is attached and one of the fluid outlets, wherein at least one of the plurality of second portions extends between two fluid outlets, wherein the conduit includes a plurality of third portions disposed outside of the source body, and wherein each third portion extends between fluid outlets to which second portions of the conduit are attached, such that the third portions fluidly connect adjacent ones of the second portions, 
   a fluid pump fluidly connected within the first portion of the conduit,   a temperature-regulation mechanism for heating and/or cooling heat-transfer fluid within the second reservoir, and
 a controller for controlling flow of heated and/or cooled heat-transfer fluid through the conduit between the evaporation source and the second reservoir to thereby control a temperature of the evaporation source, whereby heating of the evaporation source at least in part via flow of heated heat-transfer fluid through the conduit results in vaporization of feedstock material in the source body and flow of vaporized the feedstock material into the deposition chamber via the evaporation port. 
   
     
     
         2 . The deposition system of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature-regulation mechanism comprises at least one of a heater, a heat exchanger, or a resistive heater. 
     
     
         3 . The deposition system of  claim 1 , wherein the feedstock material comprises at least one of phosphorous, sulfur, arsenic, tellurium, or selenium. 
     
     
         4 . The deposition system of  claim 1 , wherein the thermal management system comprises a second heater for heating the evaporation source in tandem with flow of heated heat-transfer fluid through the conduit. 
     
     
         5 . The deposition system of  claim 4 , wherein the second heater comprises at least one of a resistive heater, an electron beam source, a laser source, a thermoelectric heater, or a heat exchanger. 
     
     
         6 . The deposition system of  claim 1 , wherein the thermal management system comprises a cooler for cooling the evaporation source in tandem with flow of cooled heat-transfer fluid through the conduit. 
     
     
         7 . The deposition system of  claim 6 , wherein the cooler comprises a source of gas, a heat exchanger, or a thermoelectric cooler. 
     
     
         8 . The deposition system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control the temperature of the evaporation source via flow of heated and/or cooled heat-transfer fluid through the conduit over only a portion of an operating temperature range of the evaporation source. 
     
     
         9 . The deposition system of  claim 1 , further comprising heat-transfer fluid disposed within the reservoir. 
     
     
         10 . The deposition system of  claim 9 , wherein the heat-transfer fluid comprises at least one of water, a glycol, a silicone, a dielectric fluid, a fluorocarbon, polyalphaolefin, or a hydrocarbon oil. 
     
     
         11 . The deposition system of  claim 1 , wherein the source body comprises at least one of a refractory metal, a ceramic material, or a nickel-containing alloy. 
     
     
         12 . The deposition system of  claim 1 , wherein one or more surfaces of the source body are lined and/or coated with a lining material. 
     
     
         13 . The deposition system of  claim 12 , wherein the lining material comprises a ceramic material. 
     
     
         14 . The deposition system of  claim 1 , wherein the evaporation source comprises one or more fill ports for introduction of feedstock material therethrough into the source body. 
     
     
         15 . The deposition system of  claim 14 , further comprising a removable cover for covering at least one of the fill ports. 
     
     
         16 . A deposition system comprising:
 a deposition chamber having an interior enclosed by one or more chamber walls;   an evaporation source comprising (i) a vacuum shell defining a hollow source body having a first reservoir therein for containing a feedstock material for evaporation thereof, and (ii) an evaporation port for fluidly coupling the source body with the interior of the deposition chamber, (iii) a plurality of fluid inlets, and (iv) a plurality of fluid outlets, wherein the evaporation source is configured to establish and monitor a vacuum within the first reservoir and the deposition chamber;   a feedstock material disposed within the source body; and   a thermal management system comprising:
 a second reservoir having heat-transfer fluid disposed therein, 
 a conduit for thermally coupling the second reservoir with the evaporation source, wherein a first portion of the conduit extends between the second reservoir and one of the plurality of fluid inlets of the evaporation source, wherein the conduit includes a plurality of second portions disposed within the source body so as to directly contact the feedstock material disposed therein, wherein one of the second portions extends between the fluid inlet to which the first portion of the conduit is attached and one of the fluid outlets, wherein at least one of the plurality of second portions extends between two fluid outlets, wherein the conduit includes a plurality of third portions disposed outside of the source body, and wherein each third portion extends between fluid outlets to which second portions of the conduit are attached, such that the third portions fluidly connect adjacent ones of the second portions, 
 a fluid pump fluidly connected within the first portion of the conduit, 
 a temperature-regulation mechanism for heating and/or cooling heat-transfer fluid within the second reservoir, 
 a cooler, and 
 a controller for controlling flow of heated and/or cooled heat-transfer fluid through the conduit between the evaporation source and the second reservoir to thereby control a temperature of the evaporation source, whereby heating of the evaporation source at least in part via flow of heated heat-transfer fluid through the conduit results in vaporization of feedstock material in the source body and flow of vaporized the feedstock material into the deposition chamber via the evaporation port, 
 wherein the cooler cools the evaporation source in tandem with flow of cooled heat-transfer fluid through the conduit.