Method and apparatus for fast gas exchange, fast gas switching, and programmable gas delivery

• US 9,305,810 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2012
• Issued: 04/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Singh, Saravjeet, Nangoy, Roy C.
• Primary Examiner(s): PRICE, CRAIG JAMES
• Application Number:
  US13/456,006
• Publication Number:
  US 20130000731A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,441 Days
• Field of Search: 137/88, 137/597, 137/606
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67017 Apparatus for fluid treatment H01L21/67126, H01L21/6715 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6719 characterized by the construction of the processing chambers, e.g. modular processing chambers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0318 Processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87096 Valves with separate, correlated, actuators

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention relate to a gas delivery system. The gas delivery system includes a fast gas exchange module in fluid communication with one or more gas panels and a process chamber. The fast gas exchange module has first and second sets of flow controllers and each of first and second sets of flow controllers has multiple flow controllers. The flow controller is configured such that each of the flow controllers in the first and second sets of the flow controllers is independently operated to selectively open to divert gas to the process chamber or an exhaust. The first and second sets of flow controllers are operated for synchronized switching of gases in a pre-determined timed sequence of flow controller actuation. The invention enables fast switch of resultant gas flow in the process chamber while having individual flow controller operated at lower switching speed to provide longer service life.

Claims

1. A method of supplying gases to a process chamber, comprising:

supplying a first process gas to the process chamber from a first gas panel through a first fast gas exchange module during a first process, comprises selectively diverting the first process gas from a first flow controller through a second flow controller to the process chamber or an exhaust, or selectively diverting the first process gas from the first flow controller through a third flow controller to the process chamber or the exhaust, wherein the second flow controller is in fluid communication with the third flow controller;

supplying a second process gas to the process chamber from a second gas panel through a second fast gas exchange module during a second process, comprises selectively diverting the second process gas from a fourth flow controller through a fifth flow controller to the process chamber or an exhaust, or selectively diverting the second process gas from the fourth flow controller through a sixth flow controller to the process chamber or the exhaust, wherein the fifth flow controller is in fluid communication with the sixth flow controller, wherein the first and second process gases are supplied into the process chamber in an alternating sequence; and

synchronizing a change in a diverting state of each of the flow controllers in the first and second fast gas exchange modules so that a frequency of the first or second process gas flowing into the process chamber is twice a frequency of the change in the diverting state for each of the flow controllers in the first or second fast gas exchange module.

2. A method of supplying gases to a process chamber, comprising:

supplying a first process gas to the process chamber from a first gas panel through a first fast gas exchange module during a first process, wherein the first fast gas exchange module comprising;

a first flow controller coupling to the first gas panel;

a second flow controller coupling to the first flow controller and the process chamber; and

a third flow controller coupling to the second flow controller and the process chamber, wherein the first flow controller is operable to selectively divert the first process gas flowing from the first gas panel to the second flow controller or the third flow controller, the second flow controller is operable to selectively divert the first process gas flowing from the first flow controller to the processing chamber or a exhaust, and the third flow controller is operable to selectively divert the first process gas flowing from the second flow controller to the processing chamber or the exhaust; and

supplying a second process gas to the processing chamber from a second gas panel through a second fast gas exchange module during a second process, wherein the second fast gas exchange module comprising;

a fourth flow controller coupling to the second gas panel;

a fifth flow controller coupling to the fourth flow controller and the process chamber; and

a sixth flow controller coupling to the fifth flow controller and the process chamber, wherein the fourth flow controller is operable to selectively divert the second process gas flowing from the second gas panel to the fifth flow controller or the sixth flow controller, the fifth flow controller is operable to selectively divert the second process gas flowing from the fourth flow controller to the process chamber or the exhaust, and the sixth flow controller is operable to selectively divert the second process gas flowing from the fifth flow controller to the process chamber or the exhaust; and

synchronizing a change in a diverting state of each of the flow controllers in the first and second fast gas exchange modules so that a frequency of the first or second process gas flowing into the process chamber is twice a frequency of the change in the diverting state for each of the flow controllers in the first or second fast gas exchange module.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second and third flow controllers are controlled to simultaneously operate in a diverting state opposite to each other.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first and second flow controllers simultaneously direct the first process gas from the first gas panel to the process chamber.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the first flow controller and the second flow controller simultaneously direct the first process gas from the first gas panel to the exhaust.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the first flow controller and the third flow controller simultaneously direct the first process gas from the first gas panel to the process chamber.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the first flow controller and the third flow controller simultaneously direct the first process gas from the first gas panel to the exhaust.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the fifth and sixth flow controllers are controlled to simultaneously operate in a diverting state opposite to each other.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the fourth and fifth flow controllers simultaneously direct the second process gas from the second gas panel to the process chamber.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the fourth flow controller and the fifth flow controller simultaneously direct the second process gas from the second gas panel to the exhaust.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the fourth flow controller and the sixth flow controller simultaneously direct the second process gas from the second gas panel to the process chamber.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the fourth flow controller and the sixth flow controller simultaneously direct the second process gas from the second gas panel to the exhaust.

13. The method of claim 2, wherein the first and second process gases are selected from a group consisting of etching gas, deposition gas, passivation gas, and cleaning gas.

14. The method of claim 2, wherein the first and second processes are performed in an alternating sequence.

15. A gas delivery system, comprising:

a process chamber for processing a substrate; and

a fast gas exchange module in fluid communication with a first gas panel and the process chamber, wherein the fast gas exchange module having a first flow controller configuration comprising;

a first flow controller coupling to the first gas panel;

a second flow controller coupling to the first flow controller and the process chamber; and

a third flow controller coupling to the second flow controller and the process chamber, wherein the third flow controller comprises a first sub-flow controller, a second sub-flow controller, and a third sub-flow controller, the third sub-flow controller is not in fluid communication with the second sub-flow controller, and the first sub-flow controller and the second sub-flow controller or the first sub-flow controller and the third sub-flow controller are in fluid communication with each other and are operable to selectively divert a first gas flowing from the second flow controller to the process chamber or a exhaust; and

wherein the second flow controller is in fluid communication with the third flow controller, wherein the first flow controller is operable to selectively divert the first gas flowing from the first gas panel to the second flow controller or the third flow controller, the second flow controller is operable to selectively divert the first gas flowing from the first flow controller to the third flow controller or to the process chamber.

16. The gas delivery system of claim 15, wherein the second and third flow controllers are simultaneously operated in a diverting state opposite to each other.

17. The gas delivery system of claim 15, further comprising:

a second gas panel; and

a second flow controller configuration in fluid communication with the second gas panel and the process chamber, comprising;

a fourth flow controller coupled to the second gas panel;

a fifth flow controller coupling the fourth flow controller and the process chamber; and

a sixth flow controller coupling the fifth flow controller and the process chamber, wherein the sixth flow controller comprises a first sub-flow controller, a second sub-flow controller, and a third sub-flow controller, the third sub-flow controller is not in fluid communication with the second sub-flow controller, and the first sub-flow controller and the second sub-flow controller or the first sub-flow controller and the third sub-flow controller are in fluid communication with each other and are operable to selectively divert a second gas flowing from the fifth flow controller to the process chamber or the exhaust; and

wherein the fifth flow controller is in fluid communication with the sixth flow controller, wherein the fourth flow controller is operable to selectively divert the second gas flowing from the second gas panel to the fifth flow controller or the sixth flow controller, the fifth flow controller is operable to selectively divert the second gas flowing from the fourth flow controller to the sixth flow controller or to the process chamber.

18. The gas delivery system of claim 17, wherein the fifth and sixth flow controllers are simultaneously operated in a diverting state opposite to each other.

19. The gas delivery system of claim 17, wherein the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth flow controllers comprise a three-way valve.