Indexed gas jet injector for substrate processing system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10119194-B2
Application number	US-201414766863-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 18, 2014
Priority date	Mar 12, 2013
Publication date	Nov 6, 2018
Grant date	Nov 6, 2018

Abstract

Apparatus for use in a substrate processing chamber are provided herein. In some embodiments, an indexed jet injector may include a body having a substantially cylindrical central volume, a gas input port disposed on a first surface of the body, a gas distribution channel formed in the body and fluidly coupled to the gas input port and to the cylindrical central volume, a gas distribution drum disposed within the cylindrical central volume and rotatably coupled to the body, the gas distribution drum having a plurality of jet channels formed through the gas distribution drum, and a plurality of indexer output ports formed on a second surface of the body, wherein each of the plurality of jet channels fluidly couple the gas input port to at least one of the plurality of indexer output ports at least once per 360° rotation of the gas distribution drum.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An indexed jet injector for use in a substrate process chamber, comprising:
a body having a substantially cylindrical central volume;
a gas input port disposed on a first surface of the body;
a gas distribution drum disposed within the cylindrical central volume and rotatably coupled to the body, the gas distribution drum having a plurality of jet channels formed through the gas distribution drum; and
a plurality of indexer output ports formed on a second surface of the body, wherein at least some of the plurality of jet channels fluidly couple the gas input port to at least one of the plurality of indexer output ports at least once per 360° rotation of the gas distribution drum.

2. The indexed jet injector of claim 1 , further comprising:
a gas distribution channel formed in the body and fluidly coupled to the gas input port and to the cylindrical central volume.

3. The indexed jet injector of claim 2 , wherein the gas distribution channel includes a plurality of holes that fluidly couple the gas inlet port to the cylindrical central volume.

4. The indexed jet injector of claim 3 , wherein each of the plurality of jet channels aligns with one or more of the plurality of holes in the gas distribution channel at least twice for every 360° rotation of gas distribution drum.

5. The indexed jet injector of claim 3 , wherein when a first end of a jet channel aligns with one or more of the plurality of holes in the gas distribution channel, a second end of the jet channel aligns with one or more of the plurality of indexer output ports.

6. The indexed jet injector of claim 2 , wherein the gas distribution channel is formed proximate an upper portion of the body.

7. The indexed jet injector of any of claim 2 , wherein the gas distribution channel is divided into multiple zones.

8. The indexed jet injector of claim 1 , further comprising:
a stepper motor coupled to gas distribution drum via a shaft to rotate or index the gas distribution drum within the central volume of the body.

9. The indexed jet injector of claim 8 , wherein the indexed jet injector and the stepper motor are hermetically sealed.

10. The indexed jet injector of claim 1 , wherein an inner surface of the body and an outer surface of the gas distribution drum is at least one of machine finished or lubricated.

11. The indexed jet injector of claim 1 , further comprising at least one of bearings or bushings to facilitate the rotation of the gas distribution drum.

12. A substrate processing tool, comprising:
a substrate carrier configured to support one or more substrates when disposed thereon; and
a first substrate processing module comprising:
an enclosure having a lower surface to support the substrate carrier and a gas injector assembly forming a top of the enclosure that provides one or more processing gases into the enclosure;
an indexed jet injector disposed above the gas injector assembly, the indexed jet injector comprising:
a body having a substantially cylindrical central volume;
a gas input port disposed on a first surface of the body;
a gas distribution drum disposed within the cylindrical central volume and rotatably coupled to the body, the gas distribution drum having a plurality of jet channels formed through the gas distribution drum; and
a plurality of indexer output ports formed on a second surface of the body; and

an exhaust disposed opposite the gas injector assembly to remove process gases from the enclosure.

13. The substrate processing tool of claim 12 , wherein the indexed jet injector further comprises a gas distribution channel formed in the body and fluidly coupled to the gas input port and to the cylindrical central volume.

14. The substrate processing tool of claim 12 , wherein each of the plurality of jet channels aligns with one or more of a plurality of holes in the gas distribution channel at least twice for every 360° rotation of gas distribution drum.

15. The substrate processing tool of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of holes fluidly couple the gas inlet port to the cylindrical central volume.

16. The substrate processing tool of claim 15 , wherein when a first end of a jet channel aligns with one or more of the plurality of holes in the gas distribution channel, a second end of the jet channel aligns with one or more of the plurality of indexer output ports.

17. The substrate processing tool of claim 12 , wherein the indexed jet injector further comprises a stepper motor coupled to gas distribution drum via a shaft to rotate or index the gas distribution drum within the central volume of the body.

18. The substrate processing tool of claim 17 , wherein the indexed jet injector and the stepper motor are hermetically sealed.

19. The substrate processing tool of claim 12 , wherein an inner surface of the body and an outer surface of the gas distribution drum is at least one of machine finished or lubricated.

20. The substrate processing tool of claim 12 , further comprising at least one of bearings or bushings to facilitate the rotation of the gas distribution drum.

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Carlson David K

Classifications

• C30B25/08

  Reaction chambers; Selection of materials therefor · CPC title

• C23C16/45504

  Laminar flow · CPC title

• C23C16/45563

  Gas nozzles · CPC title

• C23C16/45519

  Inert gas curtains · CPC title

• C30B25/025

  Continuous growth · CPC title