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A solid precursor vaporization system configured for use in a deposition system, such as thermal chemical vapor deposition (TCVD), is described. The solid precursor vaporization system comprises a plurality of concentric solid precursor cylinders supported on a gas distribution plate and configured

A solid precursor vaporization system configured for use in a deposition system, such as thermal chemical vapor deposition (TCVD), is described. The solid precursor vaporization system comprises a plurality of concentric solid precursor cylinders supported on a gas distribution plate and configured to provide a substantially constant surface area as solid precursor is consumed.

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What is claimed is: 1. A film precursor vaporization system configured to be coupled to a thin film deposition system comprising: a container comprising an outer wall and a bottom; a lid configured to be sealably coupled to said container, said lid comprising an outlet configured to be sealably cou

What is claimed is: 1. A film precursor vaporization system configured to be coupled to a thin film deposition system comprising: a container comprising an outer wall and a bottom; a lid configured to be sealably coupled to said container, said lid comprising an outlet configured to be sealably coupled to said thin film deposition system; a gas distribution plate having a plurality of openings formed there-through, positioned in said container substantially near said bottom of said container to form a plenum with said outer wall and said bottom of said container, wherein said plenum is coupled to a carrier gas supply system configured to supply a carrier gas to said container; and two or more hollow cylindrical solid precursor elements, each element including a cylindrical body having an inner cylindrical surface and an outer cylindrical surface, comprising a solid precursor supported by said gas distribution plate, and positioned concentrically to each other within said container to form cylindrical spaces between and surrounding said two or more hollow cylindrical solid precursor elements, wherein said cylindrical spaces are in general alignment with said plurality of openings in said gas distribution plate through which said carrier gas can flow from said plenum concurrently through said cylindrical spaces to said outlet in said lid, wherein a first direction of flow of said carrier gas from said plenum concurrently through a first cylindrical space is limited to a direction that is (i) substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of said two or more hollow cylindrical solid precursor elements while being (ii) between and substantially parallel to both said inner cylindrical surface of a first hollow cylindrical solid precursor element and said outer cylindrical surface of a second hollow cylindrical solid precursor element, and wherein said film precursor vaporization system is configured to heat said solid precursor to a vaporization temperature to form a film precursor vapor and to transport said film precursor vapor in said carrier gas through said outlet to the thin film deposition system. 2. The film precursor vaporization system of claim 1, wherein said two or more hollow cylindrical solid precursor elements comprise a solid metal precursor. 3. The film precursor vaporization system of claim 1, wherein said two or more hollow cylindrical solid precursor elements comprise a solid metal carbonyl precursor. 4. The film precursor vaporization system of claim 3, wherein said solid metal carbonyl precursor includes W(CO)6, Mo(CO)6, Co2(CO)8, Rh4(CO)12, Re2(CO)10, Cr(CO)6, Ru3(CO)12, or Os3(CO)12. 5. The film precursor vaporization system of claim 1, wherein said two or more hollow cylindrical solid precursor elements are formed by performing one or more of a sintering process, a stamping process, a dipping process, a spin-on process, or a combination thereof. 6. The film precursor vaporization system of claim 1, wherein said two or more hollow cylindrical solid precursor elements are formed by performing a sintering process in a vacuum atmosphere or in an inert atmosphere. 7. The film precursor vaporization system of claim 1, wherein said two or more hollow cylindrical solid precursor elements are formed by performing a dipping process by dissolving said solid precursor in solid powder form into a solvent bath, and dipping a coating substrate into said solvent bath. 8. The film precursor vaporization system of claim 7, wherein said performing said dipping process further comprises baking said coating substrate following said dipping of said coating substrate. 9. The film precursor vaporization system of claim 7, wherein said dipping said coating substrate includes dipping a cylindrical sheet. 10. The film precursor vaporization system of claim 7, wherein said dipping said coating substrate includes dipping a porous cylindrical sheet. 11. The film precursor vaporization system of claim 7, wherein said dipping said coating substrate includes dipping a cylindrical mesh. 12. The film precursor vaporization system of claim 1, wherein said container comprises a cylindrical shape. 13. The film precursor vaporization system of claim 12, wherein an inner diameter of said outer wall of said container ranges from approximately 10 cm to approximately 100 cm. 14. The film precursor vaporization system of claim 12, wherein an inner diameter of said outer wall of said container ranges from approximately 20 cm to 40 cm. 15. The film precursor vaporization system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of openings includes a plurality of elongated slots. 16. The film precursor vaporization system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of openings includes a plurality of circular orifices. 17. The film precursor vaporization system of claim 1, further comprising a gas channel extending from said lid through said outer wall of said container to said bottom of said container, and coupled to said plenum. 18. The film precursor vaporization system of claim 17, wherein said carrier gas supply system is sealably coupled through said lid to said gas channel in said outer wall of said container whereby said plenum is coupled to said carrier gas supply system. 19. The film precursor vaporization system of claim 1, further comprising a heater for heating said solid precursor, said heater coupled to said container and comprising at least one resistive heater element. 20. The film precursor vaporization system of claim 1, wherein said two or more hollow cylindrical solid precursor elements further comprise a resistive heater element embedded in said solid precursor for heating said solid precursor, and coupled to a temperature control unit configured to control the temperature of said two or more hollow cylindrical solid precursor elements. 21. The film precursor vaporization system of claim 1, further comprising a heater element coupled to one or more of said two or more hollow cylindrical solid precursor elements for heating said solid precursor. 22. The film precursor vaporization system of claim 21, wherein said heater element comprises at least one resistive heater element. 23. The film precursor vaporization system of claim 21, further comprising a temperature control unit coupled to said heater element and configured to maintain said two or more hollow cylindrical solid precursor elements at an elevated temperature greater than or equal to about 40° C. 24. The film precursor vaporization system of claim 1, wherein a total surface area of said inner cylindrical surface and said outer cylindrical surface of each hollow cylindrical solid precursor element remains substantially constant during the consumption of each of said two or more hollow cylindrical solid precursor elements. 25. The film precursor vaporization system of claim 1 wherein said first hollow cylindrical solid precursor element has a first mean radius and said second hollow cylindrical solid precursor element has a second mean radius, and wherein said first mean radius is greater than said second mean radius such that said first hollow cylindrical solid precursor element surrounds said second hollow cylindrical solid precursor element with said inner cylindrical surface of said first hollow cylindrical solid precursor element spaced apart from said outer cylindrical surface of said second hollow cylindrical solid precursor element by said first cylindrical space. 26. The film precursor vaporization system of claim 25 wherein said outer surface of said first hollow cylindrical solid precursor element or said inner cylindrical surface of said second hollow cylindrical solid precursor element define a second cylindrical space and a second direction of flow of said carrier gas, wherein said second direction of flow of said carrier gas is substantially parallel to said first direction of flow of said carrier gas. 27. The film precursor vaporization system of claim 26 wherein said first cylindrical space is configured to flow a first portion of carrier gas and said second cylindrical space is configured to flow a second portion of carrier gas, and said first portion of carrier gas does not flow through said second cylindrical space after flowing through said first cylindrical space and said second portion of carrier gas does not flow through said first cylindrical space after flowing through said second cylindrical space. 28. The film precursor vaporization system of claim 1 wherein said two or more hollow cylindrical solid precursor elements comprise a sintered refractory metal powder. 29. A thin film deposition system for forming a thin film on a substrate comprising: a process chamber having a substrate holder configured to support said substrate and heat said substrate, a vapor distribution system coupled to said process chamber and configured to introduce film precursor vapor above said substrate, and a pumping system configured to evacuate said process chamber; and the film precursor vaporization system of claim 1, wherein said outlet is coupled to said vapor distribution system. 30. A deposition system for forming a thin film on a substrate comprising: a process chamber having a substrate holder configured to support said substrate and heat said substrate; a vapor distribution system coupled to said process chamber and configured to introduce film precursor vapor above said substrate; a pumping system configured to evacuate said process chamber; a film precursor vaporization system configured to vaporize a film precursor, and to transport said film precursor vapor in a carrier gas, wherein said film precursor vaporization system comprises: a container comprising an outer wall and a bottom; a lid sealably coupled to said container, said lid comprising an outlet sealably coupled to said vapor distribution system; a gas distribution plate having a plurality of openings formed there-through, positioned in said container substantially near said bottom of said container to form a plenum with said outer wall and said bottom of said container; a gas channel extending from said lid through said outer wall of said container to said bottom of said container, and coupled to said plenum; two or more hollow cylindrical solid precursor elements, each element including a cylindrical body having an inner cylindrical surface and an outer cylindrical surface, comprising a solid precursor supported by said gas distribution plate, and positioned concentrically to each other within said container to form cylindrical spaces between and surrounding said two or more hollow cylindrical solid precursor elements, wherein said cylindrical spaces are in general alignment with said plurality of openings in said gas distribution plate; and at least one heater element coupled to at least one of said container or one of said two or more hollow cylindrical solid precursor elements, wherein said heater element is configured to heat one of said two or more hollow cylindrical solid precursor elements to a vaporization temperature to form said film precursor vapor; and a carrier gas supply system sealably coupled through said lid to said gas channel and configured to supply said carrier gas through said gas channel to said plenum and through said plurality of openings and concurrently through said cylindrical spaces to said outlet in said lid for transporting said film precursor vapor to said process chamber, wherein a direction of flow of said carrier gas from said plenum concurrently through a first cylindrical space is limited to a direction that is (i) substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of said two or more hollow cylindrical solid precursor elements while being (ii) between and substantially parallel to both said inner cylindrical surface of a first hollow cylindrical solid precursor element and said outer cylindrical surface of a second hollow cylindrical solid precursor element. 31. The deposition system of claim 30, wherein said solid precursor is a solid metal precursor. 32. The deposition system of claim 30, wherein said solid precursor comprises a solid metal carbonyl precursor. 33. The deposition system of claim 32, wherein said solid metal carbonyl precursor includes W(CO)6, Mo(CO)6, Co2(CO)8, Rh4(CO)12, Re2(CO)10, Cr(CO)6, Ru3(CO)12, or Os3(CO)12. 34. The deposition system of claim 30, wherein each of said two or more hollow cylindrical solid precursor elements comprises a respective one of said at least one heater element embedded in said solid precursor. 35. A film precursor vaporization system configured to be coupled to a thin film deposition system comprising: a container comprising an inner wall, an outer wall, and a bottom; a lid configured to be sealably coupled to said container, said lid comprising an outlet configured to be sealably coupled to said thin film deposition system; a gas distribution plate having a plurality of openings formed there-through, positioned in said container substantially near said bottom of said container to form a plenum with said outer wall and said bottom of said container, wherein said plenum is coupled to a carrier gas supply system configured to supply a carrier gas to said container; and two or more hollow cylindrical solid precursor elements comprising a solid precursor supported by said gas distribution plate and positioned concentrically to each other within said container to form cylindrical spaces between and surrounding said two or more hollow cylindrical solid precursor elements, wherein each of said plurality of openings in said gas distribution plate is in general alignment with one of said cylindrical spaces, wherein a portion of carrier gas can flow through each of said plurality of openings into said one respective generally aligned cylindrical space and does not flow through another of said cylindrical spaces, wherein a direction of flow of said carrier gas from said plenum is concurrent through said cylindrical spaces and is limited to a direction that is substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of said two or more hollow cylindrical solid precursor elements, and wherein said film precursor vaporization system is configured to heat said solid precursor to a vaporization temperature to form a film precursor vapor and to transport said film precursor vapor in said carrier gas through said outlet to the thin film deposition system. 36. A film precursor vaporization system configured to be coupled to a thin film deposition system comprising: a container comprising an outer wall and a bottom; a lid configured to be sealably coupled to said container, said lid comprising an outlet configured to be sealably coupled to said thin film deposition system; a gas distribution plate having a plurality of openings formed there-through, positioned in said container substantially near said bottom of said container to form a plenum with said outer wall and said bottom of said container, wherein said plenum is coupled to a carrier gas supply system configured to supply a carrier gas to said container; and two or more hollow cylindrical elements each comprising a solid precursor and each having a different mean radius, wherein the two or more hollow cylindrical elements are positioned concentrically within each other and spaced apart from each other on said gas distribution plate within said container to form a nested arrangement with cylindrical spaces between and surrounding said two or more hollow cylindrical elements, wherein said cylindrical spaces are in general alignment with said plurality of openings in said gas distribution plate through which said carrier gas can flow from said plenum concurrently through said cylindrical spaces in contact with said solid precursor and to said outlet in said lid, and wherein said film precursor vaporization system is configured to heat said solid precursor to a vaporization temperature to form a film precursor vapor and to transport said film precursor vapor in said carrier gas through said outlet to the thin film deposition system. 37. The film precursor vaporization system of claim 36, wherein said two or more hollow cylindrical elements comprise a solid metal carbonyl precursor. 38. The film precursor vaporization system of claim 37, wherein said solid metal carbonyl precursor includes W(CO)6, Mo(CO)6, Co2(CO)8, Rh4(CO)12, Re2(CO)10, Cr(CO)6, Ru3(CO)12, or Os3(CO)12. 39. The film precursor vaporization system of claim 36, wherein said two or more hollow cylindrical elements are formed by performing a sintering process, a stamping process, a dipping process, or a spin-on process, or a combination thereof. 40. The film precursor vaporization system of claim 36, wherein said two or more hollow cylindrical elements are formed by performing a dipping process by dissolving said solid precursor in solid powder form into a solvent bath, and dipping a coating substrate into said solvent bath.