US 12,068,135 B2
Fast gas exchange apparatus, system, and method
Ming Xu, San Jose, CA (US); Ashley Mutsuo Okada, San Jose, CA (US); Michael D. Willwerth, Campbell, CA (US); Duc Dang Buckius, San Jose, CA (US); Jeffrey Ludwig, San Jose, CA (US); Aditi Mithun, San Jose, CA (US); and Benjamin Schwarz, San Jose, CA (US)
Assigned to Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed by Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed on Feb. 12, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/175,216.
Prior Publication US 2022/0262600 A1, Aug. 18, 2022
Int. Cl. H01J 37/32 (2006.01); H01L 21/3065 (2006.01); H01L 21/67 (2006.01)
CPC H01J 37/32449 (2013.01) [H01L 21/3065 (2013.01); H01J 2237/332 (2013.01); H01J 2237/334 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A gas distribution apparatus, comprising:
a first reservoir comprising a first upstream end and a first downstream end;
a second reservoir comprising a second upstream end and a second downstream end;
a temperature controlled enclosure containing the first reservoir, the second reservoir, a first pressure gauge, and a second pressure gauge, the first pressure gauge coupled to a first downstream end of the first reservoir, the second pressure gauge coupled to a second downstream end of the second reservoir;
a reservoir switch valve, disposed downstream of the temperature controlled enclosure, in fluid communication with the first downstream end of the first reservoir and the second downstream end of the second reservoir, wherein the reservoir switch valve comprises a first inlet in fluid communication with the first reservoir, a second inlet in fluid communication with the second reservoir, the reservoir switch valve operable to selectively fluidly couple the first inlet to an outlet of the reservoir switch valve when in a first state, and fluidly couple the second inlet to the outlet of the reservoir switch valve when in a second state; and
a plurality of proportional flow control valves having inlets coupled in parallel to the outlet of the reservoir switch valve, the plurality of proportional flow control valves having outlets configured to provide gas to a processing chamber.