Programmable multizone gas injector for single-wafer semiconductor processing equipment

• US 5,453,124 A
• Filed: 06/17/1994
• Issued: 09/26/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Moslehi, Mehrdad M., Davis, Cecil J., Matthews, Robert T.
• Primary Examiner(s): BUEKER, RICHARD R
• Application Number:
  US08/261,650
• Time in Patent Office: 466 Days
• Field of Search: 118/715, 118/725
• US Class Current: 118/715
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45561 Gas plumbing upstream of the reaction chamber
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45565 Shower nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4557 Heated nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45572 Cooled nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45574 Nozzles for more than one gas
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45576 Coaxial inlets for each gas
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/52 Controlling or regulating the coating process C23C16/45557, C23C16/279 take precedence

Abstract

A programmable multizone fluids injector for use in single-wafer semiconductor processing equipment including an injector having a plurality of orifices therein which are divided into a number of separate zones or areas. These zones or areas are connected by means of appropriate passageways and conduits to a source of process fluids. Each of the separate conduits has at least one flow control device located therein for independently controlling the amounts and ratios of process fluids flowing into each zone. The fluid control devices are responsive to input signals so that the fluid flow rates from the orifices can maintain a desired flow pattern within the process chamber to suit the individual needs of a particular fabrication processs.

Claims

1. A multi-zone gas injector for use in a semiconductor processing equipment comprising:

a body member having a showerhead plate arranged to be located adjacent to a wafer;

a plurality of inlet conduits connected with said body member and arranged to be connected to at least one source of process fluids, wherein said source of process fluid is capable of providing a combination of said process fluids;

a plurality of passageways located within said body member, wherein each of said passageways is connected to only one of said inlet conduits; and

a plurality of orifices extending through said showerhead plate, wherein each of said orifices is associated with one of said passageways;

wherein said source of process fluid includes;

a mixing manifold;

pressure control apparatus connected with said mixing manifold for maintaining a desired manifold pressure therein;

at least one process fluids conduit connected to said mixing manifold for supplying process fluids to said mixing manifold;

a control device located in each process fluids conduit for controlling the mass flow of said process fluids into said mixing manifold; and

an outlet conduit connected to said mixing manifold for delivering said process fluids to said plurality of inlet conduits connected to said body member; and

wherein said pressure control apparatus includes;

a pressure sensor in said mixing manifold for generating a signal indicative of the pressure in the mixing manifold;

a controller for receiving said signal and comparing said signal to a desired pressure and transmitting an output control signal indicative of the desired pressure;

pressure controlling apparatus connected with said mixing manifold; and

a control valve located between said mixing manifold and pressure controlling apparatus, said valve being responsive to said output control signal to regulate the pressure in said mixing manifold.

2. A multizone fluids injector for use in single-wafer semiconductor processing equipment comprising:

a body member having a showerhead plate arranged to be located adjacent to said wafer, a plurality of radially and circumferentially spaced orifices extending through said showerhead plate, a first passageway in said body member having a center circular portion and connected with a first portion of said orifices and having only one first inlet, a second passageway in said body member having a first annular portion surrounding said center circular portion of said first passageway and connected with a second portion of said orifices and having only one second inlet, and a third passageway in said body member having a second annular portion surrounding said first annular portion of said second passageway and connected with a third portion of said orifices and having only one third inlet;

a first conduit connected to said first inlet and arranged to be connected to a source of process fluids;

a second conduit connected to said second inlet and arranged to be connected to said source of process fluids; and

a third conduit connected to said third inlet and arranged to be connected to said source of process fluids;

wherein said source of process fluids includes;

a fluid mixing manifold;

pressure control apparatus connected with said mixing manifold for maintaining a desired pressure therein;

a plurality of conduits connected to said mixing manifold for supplying process fluids to said mixing manifold;

control valves for controlling the mass flow of said process fluids into said mixing manifold; and

,

an outlet conduit connected to said mixing manifold for delivering said process fluids to said first, second, and third conduits connected to said body member; and

wherein said pressure control apparatus includes;

a pressure sensor in said mixing manifold for generating a signal indicative of the pressure in the mixing manifold;

a controller for receiving said signal and comparing said signal to a desired pressure and transmitting an output control signal indicative of the desired pressure;

pressure controlling apparatus connected with said mixing manifold;

a control valve located between said mixing manifold and pressure controlling apparatus, said valve being responsive to said output control signal to regulate the pressure in said mixing manifold.

3. A single-wafer semiconductor processing apparatus comprising:

a process chamber having a plurality of inlet conduits; and

a gas distribution system connected to said process chamber, said gas distribution system comprising;

a plurality of gas mixing manifolds each connected to one of said plurality of inlet conduits of said process chamber;

a plurality of process gas supplies each connected to each of said plurality of gas mixing manifolds through a plurality of mass flow controllers; and

a pressure control system for maintaining a desired pressure in each of said gas mixing manifolds, wherein said pressure control system comprises, for each gas mixing manifold;

a pressure sensor in the associated gas mixing manifold for generating a signal indicative of the pressure in said associated gas mixing manifold;

a controller for receiving said signal and comparing said signal to a desired pressure for said associated gas mixing manifold and transmitting an output control signal indicative of the desired pressure;

a pressure controlling device connected with said associated gas mixing manifold; and

a control valve located between said associated gas mixing manifold and said pressure controlling device, said control valve being responsive to said output control signal to regulate the pressure in said associated gas mixing manifold.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said process chamber further comprises:

a showerhead plate having a plurality of radially and circumferentially spaced orifices arranged in a plurality of annular zones;

a plurality of passageways, each of said passageways associated with only one of said annular zones and each of said passageways connected to only one of said plurality of inlet conduits.