Dual-Direction Chemical Delivery System For ALD/CVD Chambers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016273108-A1
Application number	US-201615152731-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 12, 2016
Priority date	Dec 20, 2013
Publication date	Sep 22, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Provided are gas distribution apparatus with a delivery channel having an inlet end, an outlet end and a plurality of apertures spaced along the length. The inlet end is connectable to an inlet gas source and the outlet end is connectible with a vacuum source. Also provided are gas distribution apparatus with spiral delivery channels, intertwined spiral delivery channels, splitting delivery channels, merging delivery channels and shaped delivery channels in which an inlet end and outlet end are configured for rapid exchange of gas within the delivery channels.

First claim

1 . A method comprising:
regulating the flow of a gas to a processing chamber using a gas delivery system, the processing chamber, comprising:
a gas distribution plate having a front side and a back side;
a gas delivery in the back side of the gas distribution plate, the delivery channel having a length defined by a first end and a second end, the delivery channel including a plurality of apertures spaced along the length extending through the gas distribution plate to the front side of the gas distribution plate;

the gas delivery system connected to the first end and the second end of the delivery channel, the gas delivery system comprising a first inlet line in flow communication with the first end of the delivery channel and the second inlet line in flow communication with the second end of the delivery channel, a pump line, a first purge line in flow communication with the first inlet line and a second purge line in flow communication with the second inlet line.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising flowing a gas through an inlet line in flow communication with the first inlet line and the second inlet line and an inlet wye which separates gas flowing through the inlet line into the first inlet line and second inlet line.

3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising controlling an inlet valve in flow communication with the inlet line upstream of the inlet wye.

4 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising controlling a first inlet valve in flow communication with the first inlet line and a second inlet valve in flow communication with the second inlet line.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising controlling a purge line in flow communication with the first purge line and the second purge line and a purge wye to separate gas flowing through the purge line into the first inlet line and second inlet line.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein further comprising controlling a purge valve in flow communication with the purge line upstream of the purge wye.

7 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising controlling a first purge valve in flow communication with the first purge line and a second purge valve in flow communication with the second purge line.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the pump line is in flow communication with the first inlet line and the second inlet line.

9 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising controlling a pump valve in flow communication with the pump line.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the purge line maintains a constant flow of a purge gas.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the gas delivery system further comprises a bypass line in flow communication with the inlet line and the pump line.

12 . A gas distribution apparatus to control a flow of gas into a process chamber, comprising:
a gas distribution plate having a front side and a back side; a first spiral gas delivery channel in the back side of the gas distribution plate, the first delivery channel having a length defined by a first end and a second end, the first delivery channel including a plurality of apertures spaced along the length extending through the gas distribution plate to the front side of the gas distribution plate; a second spiral gas delivery channel in the back side of the gas distribution plate, the second delivery channel having a length defined by a third end and a fourth end, the second delivery channel including a plurality of apertures spaced along the length extending through the gas distribution plate to the front side of the gas distribution plate, the first spiral gas delivery channel and the second spiral gas delivery channel are intertwined spirals; a gas delivery system comprising a first inlet line, a second inlet line, a third inlet line, a fourth inlet line, a pump line, a first purge line, a second purge line, a third purge line and a fourth purge line, the first inlet line in flow communication with the first end of the first gas delivery channel, the second inlet line in flow communication with the second end of the first gas delivery channel, the third inlet line in flow communication with the third end of the second gas delivery channel and the fourth inlet line in flow communication with the fourth end of the second gas delivery channel, the first purge line in flow communication with the first inlet line, the second purge line in flow communication with the second inlet line, the third purge line in flow communication with the third inlet line and the fourth purge line in flow communication with the fourth inlet line; and a controller to regulate the flow of the gas through the first gas delivery channel and the second gas delivery channel and into the process chamber.

13 . The gas distribution apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the purge line maintains a constant flow of a purge gas.

14 . The gas distribution apparatus of claim 12 , further comprising a bypass line in flow communication with one or more of the first inlet line and the second inlet line and the pump line, and a second bypass line in flow communication with one or more of the third inlet line and the fourth inlet line and with the pump line.

15 . A processing chamber comprising at least one gas distribution apparatus according to claim 12 .

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Ge Zhenbin
• Kao Chien-Teh
• Huston Joel M
• Chang Mei

Classifications

• C23C16/52

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

• C23C16/4412

  Details relating to the exhausts, e.g. pumps, filters, scrubbers, particle traps · CPC title

• C23C16/45565 Primary

  Shower nozzles · CPC title

• C23C16/45578

  Elongated nozzles, tubes with holes · CPC title

• B08B9/0325

  Control mechanisms therefor · CPC title