Methods and apparatus for supplying process gas in a plasma processing system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10002747-B2
Application number	US-201213431950-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 27, 2012
Priority date	Mar 27, 2012
Publication date	Jun 19, 2018
Grant date	Jun 19, 2018

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for supplying gas in a plasma processing system that employs the single line drop approach wherein a regulator is shared among multiple mass flow controllers. In one or more embodiments, an accumulator is provided and coupled in gaseous communication with a shared manifold to reduce pressure spikes and dips. A filter, which may be replaceable or non-replaceable separate from the accumulator, is integrated with the accumulator in one or more embodiments.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A plasma processing system for supplying a processing gas to a plurality of plasma chambers, the plasma processing system comprising:
a regulator configured to receive the processing gas;
an accumulator connected to the regulator, wherein
the regulator is configured to regulate supply of the processing gas to the accumulator to maintain a stable pressure of the processing gas supplied to the accumulator;
a shared manifold connected to the accumulator, wherein the accumulator is configured to (i) while supplying a first portion of the processing gas to the shared manifold, receive a second portion of the processing gas from the regulator and accumulate the processing gas, and (ii) absorb at least portions of spikes and dips in pressures within the shared manifold; and
a plurality of mass flow controllers connected to the shared manifold, wherein the accumulator is connected between the regulator and the plurality of mass flow controllers, and wherein the plurality of mass flow controllers control flow of portions of the processing gas out of branches of the shared manifold to the plurality of plasma chambers.

2. The plasma processing system of claim 1 , wherein:
the accumulator comprises a gas containment structure having a cross-sectional area that is larger than cross-sectional area of a portion of the manifold; and
the accumulator is connected to the portion of the manifold.

3. The plasma processing system of claim 1 , further comprising a filter, wherein the filter is integrated within the accumulator and filters the processing gas prior to be supplied from the accumulator to the shared manifold, the plurality of mass flow controllers and the plurality of plasma chambers.

4. The plasma processing system of claim 3 , wherein the filter is integrated in an input end of the accumulator.

5. The plasma processing system of claim 4 , wherein the accumulator and filter are configured to allow the filter to be inserted into the accumulator and held via a coupling, such that the filter is replaceable.

6. The plasma processing system of claim 1 , wherein the accumulator is implemented in-line with the shared manifold.

7. The plasma processing system of claim 5 , wherein:
the accumulator is coupled to the shared manifold via the coupling, and
the coupling is a ‘T’-shaped coupling.

8. The plasma processing system of claim 1 , wherein the accumulator is disposed remotely from the plurality of mass flow controllers such that the accumulator is not disposed at any of the multiple processing chambers.

9. The plasma processing system of claim 1 , wherein a combined volume of the accumulator and the shared manifold is at least 3 times a volume of the shared manifold without the accumulator.

10. The plasma processing system of claim 1 , wherein:
the regulator is directly coupled to the accumulator; and
the accumulator is directly coupled to the shared manifold.

11. The plasma processing system of claim 4 , further comprising a ‘T’-shaped coupling, wherein:
the filter is implemented in the ‘T’-shaped coupling;
the accumulator receives the processing gas via the ‘T’-shaped coupling;
the ‘T’-shaped coupling comprises a first portion and a second portion;
the first portion of the ‘T’-shaped coupling is disposed on an exterior of the accumulator; and
the second portion of the ‘T’-shaped coupling is disposed within the accumulator.

Assignees

• Shareef Iqbal
• Spyropoulos Evangelos
• Taskar Mark
• Lam Res Corp

Inventors

• Shareef Iqbal
• Spyropoulos Evangelos
• Taskar Mark

Classifications

• H01J37/3244 Primary

  Gas supply means · CPC title

• C23C16/52

  Controlling or regulating the coating process {(C23C16/45557, C23C16/279 take precedence)} · CPC title

• C23C16/455

  characterised by the method used for introducing gases into reaction chamber or for modifying gas flows in reaction chamber · CPC title

• H01J37/32899

  Multiple chambers, e.g. cluster tools · CPC title