Numerical Modeling of the Droplet Vaporization for Design and Operation of Liquid-pulsed CVD†

Abstract

This article presents an approach for modeling the vaporization of droplets of solvent and precursor mixture under vacuum in the pulsed-pressure (pp) CVD process. The pulsed, direct liquid injection apparatus with ultrasonic atomizer is demonstrated as a controllable and reliable alternative to the bubbler and carrier gas system. The numerical modeling solves mass, heat, and momentum continuity equations on liquid droplets, and is intended to evaluate the relative roles of the physical chemistry properties and reactor parameters in the fast vaporization of droplets. The sensitivity analysis proposed here shows that the vaporization time into the pulsed-liquid CVD system is mainly dependent on the heating available in the flash evaporation zone, then on the thermodynamic properties of the liquid solution.