US 12,467,139 B2
Multizone flow distribution system
Daisuke Shimizu, Milpitas, CA (US); Taiki Hatakeyama, San Jose, CA (US); Sean S. Kang, San Ramon, CA (US); Chunlei Zhang, Santa Clara, CA (US); and Sergio F. Shoji, San Jose, CA (US)
Assigned to Applied Materials Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed by APPLIED MATERIALS, INC., Santa Clara, CA (US)
Filed on Mar. 29, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/370,783.
Prior Publication US 2020/0312680 A1, Oct. 1, 2020
Int. Cl. C23C 16/455 (2006.01); H01J 37/32 (2006.01); H01L 21/67 (2006.01)
CPC C23C 16/45565 (2013.01) [C23C 16/45561 (2013.01); H01J 37/3244 (2013.01); H01J 37/32449 (2013.01); H01L 21/67069 (2013.01); H01J 37/32091 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for controlling fluid distribution to multiple fluid delivery zones in an etch chamber, comprising:
a first flow ratio controller having an inlet, a first outlet, and a second outlet, wherein the first outlet is fluidly coupled to a first fluid delivery zone in a process chamber via a first fluid line and the second outlet is fluidly coupled to a second fluid delivery zone in the process chamber, via a second fluid line, and wherein the first flow ratio controller is configured to provide a flow ratio of a first process fluid between the first outlet and the second outlet;
a second flow ratio controller having an inlet, a first outlet, and a second outlet, wherein the first outlet is fluidly coupled to the first fluid delivery zone via the first fluid line and the second outlet is fluidly coupled to the second fluid delivery zone via the second fluid line, and wherein the second flow ratio controller is configured to provide a flow ratio of a second process fluid between the first outlet and the second outlet; and
a third flow ratio controller having an inlet, a first outlet, a second outlet, and a third outlet, the first outlet is fluidly coupled to the first fluid delivery zone via the first fluid line, the second outlet is fluidly coupled to the second fluid delivery zone via the second fluid line, and the third outlet is fluidly coupled to a third fluid delivery zone in the process chamber via a third fluid line, wherein the third flow ratio controller is configured to provide a flow rate of a third process fluid to at least one of the first fluid delivery zone, second fluid delivery zone, or the third fluid delivery zone, wherein the third fluid delivery zone is configured to only receive fluid flow from the third flow ratio controller; and
a controller configured to control each of the first flow ratio controller and the second flow ratio controller to provide a flow ratio of 6:1 to 1:6 between the first fluid delivery zone and the second fluid delivery zone and configured to control the third flow ratio controller to provide a flow ratio of up to 5:1 between any two of the first fluid delivery zone, the second fluid delivery zone, and the third fluid delivery zone.