Shared gas delivery system based on gas reservoirs

Abstract

Embodiments disclosed herein include a gas delivery system including a plurality of gas panels. In embodiments, each gas panel includes an outlet and one or more gas stems fluidically coupled to the outlet. In embodiments, the gas delivery system further includes a plurality of gas tanks, wherein each of the plurality of gas tanks is fluidically coupled to the outlet of a different gas panel of the plurality of gas panels. In embodiments, the gas delivery system further includes a plurality of gas supply lines fluidically coupled to each of the plurality of gas tanks.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Cross-reference to related applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 562,999, filed March 8, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0003] The embodiments relate to the field of semiconductor manufacturing, and more specifically to systems and methods for achieving efficient and reliable gas flow from a single gas box to multiple processing chambers. Background Technology

[0004] Semiconductor manufacturing becomes more efficient by using clustering tools. Clustering tools consist of multiple processing chambers (e.g., four chambers, eight chambers, sixteen chambers, etc.) all coupled to a central interface. For example, a single device front-end module, load lock, and transfer chamber can accommodate multiple chambers from a clustering tool.

[0005] Currently, gas is supplied from a dedicated gas tank to each chamber. That is, there is a one-to-one relationship between the gas tank and the chamber. Each gas tank includes multiple gas rods, each with any necessary piping and / or flow control components (e.g., valves, mass flow controllers (MFCs), etc.). The number of gas rods for each gas tank can be large because all potential process gases used in the chamber need to be mixed within the gas tank. For example, existing gas tanks may include fifteen or more MFCs. In a sixteen-chamber system, this could result in the need for 240 or more MFCs. It is understood that the total cost of the bill of materials (BOM) dedicated to gas distribution can grow rapidly.

[0006] Furthermore, due to safety concerns related to gas leaks, each gas chamber requires a dedicated venting system. This has several drawbacks. The first issue is cost-related, as swarm tools require multiple venting systems. Another issue is the high energy consumption of operating multiple venting systems. This can lead to higher ownership costs for swarm tools and an increased carbon footprint. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The embodiments disclosed herein include a gas delivery system comprising a plurality of gas pallets. In an embodiment, each gas pallet includes an outlet and one or more gas rods fluidly coupled to the outlet. In an embodiment, the gas delivery system further includes a plurality of gas storage tanks, each of the plurality of gas storage tanks being fluidly coupled to an outlet of a different gas pallet among the plurality of gas pallets. In an embodiment, the gas delivery system further includes a plurality of gas supply lines fluidly coupled to each of the plurality of gas storage tanks.

[0008] The embodiments may also include a method for controlling gas flow in a cluster tool. In an embodiment, the method may include pressurizing a plurality of gas tanks, each of which contains a different gas composition, and wherein each of the plurality of gas tanks is coupled to two or more of a plurality of chambers. In an embodiment, the method may further include running a process in each of the plurality of chambers, wherein each process uses an input gas, and wherein the input gas is switched between different gas compositions from different gas tanks.

[0009] The embodiments may also include a tool comprising an equipment front end module (EFEM) and a transfer chamber coupled to the EFEM. In one embodiment, the tool may further include a plurality of chambers coupled to the transfer chamber, wherein each chamber includes a flow controller to regulate the flow rate of gas into the chamber. In another embodiment, the tool may further include a gas delivery system fluidly coupled to each of the plurality of chambers. In another embodiment, the gas delivery system includes a gas tank having a plurality of gas trays and a plurality of storage tanks fluidly coupled to the gas tank, wherein the number of gas trays equals the number of storage tanks, and wherein each of the plurality of storage tanks is fluidly coupled to at least one of the plurality of chambers by a corresponding flow controller. Attached Figure Description

[0010] Figure 1 This is a schematic illustration of a part of a gas distribution system coupled to multiple chambers according to an embodiment.

[0011] Figure 2A This is a schematic illustration of a gas distribution system coupled to a chamber according to an embodiment.

[0012] Figure 2B This is a schematic illustration of a part of a gas distribution system coupled to a chamber via a multi-branch path flow controller according to an embodiment.

[0013] Figure 2C This is a schematic illustration of a gas distribution system coupled to a chamber according to an embodiment, which has one or more additional gas injection points.

[0014] Figure 3A This is a schematic illustration of a portion of a gas distribution system according to an embodiment, showing multiple gas tanks each coupled to multiple chambers.

[0015] Figure 3B This is a schematic illustration of a gas distribution system, according to an embodiment, which utilizes a multi-channel gas rod solution to fill multiple gas storage tanks.

[0016] Figure 4A This is a plan view illustration of a cluster tool according to an embodiment, comprising a gas distribution system having a gas box above a front-end module of the device and a storage tank extending above a chamber.

[0017] Figure 4B This is a plan view illustration of multiple cluster tools served by a shared gas distribution system according to an embodiment.

[0018] Figure 5 This is a process flow diagram of a process for switching the gas input of a chamber between a first storage tank and a second storage tank, according to an embodiment.

[0019] Figure 6 This is a process flow diagram of a process for operating a cluster tool having a gas distribution system similar to those described herein, according to an embodiment.

[0020] Figure 7 This is an illustrative description of a shared gas distribution system having a main storage tank and an auxiliary storage tank according to an embodiment.

[0021] Figure 8A This is a graph illustrating the gas flow rate from the mass flow controller in unsteady and steady-state states, according to an embodiment.

[0022] Figure 8B This is a process flow diagram of a process for controlling gas flow to provide an accurate gas mixture to a storage tank, according to an embodiment.

[0023] Figure 9 This is a schematic illustration of a gas tank having mass flow controllers coupled together for uniform control according to an embodiment.

[0024] Figure 10A This is a control diagram for flow control of a shared gas distribution system according to an embodiment.

[0025] Figure 10B This is a control diagram for pressure control of a shared gas distribution system according to an embodiment.

[0026] Figure 11 This is an illustrative description of an artificial intelligence or machine learning system for controlling a shared gas distribution system, according to an embodiment.

[0027] Figure 12 A block diagram of an exemplary computer system that can be used in conjunction with a processing tool according to an embodiment is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0028] The systems described herein include systems and methods for achieving efficient and reliable gas flow from a single gas chamber to multiple processing chambers. In the following description, several specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the embodiments can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known aspects have not been described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the embodiments. Furthermore, it will be understood that the various embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings are illustrative representations and are not necessarily drawn to scale.

[0029] This document describes various embodiments or aspects of this disclosure. In some implementations, different embodiments are practiced separately. However, the embodiments are not limited to the separately practiced embodiments. For example, two or more different embodiments may be combined together to be practiced as a single apparatus, process, structure, or the like. In some cases, the entirety of the various embodiments may be combined together. In other cases, a portion of a first embodiment may be combined with portions of one or more different embodiments. For example, a portion of a first embodiment may be combined with a portion of a second embodiment, or a portion of a first embodiment may be combined with portions of a second embodiment and portions of a third embodiment.

[0030] The embodiments illustrated and discussed herein are provided for the purpose of explaining some of the basic principles of this disclosure. However, the scope of this disclosure covers all related, potential, and / or possible embodiments, even those differing from the idealized and / or illustrative examples presented. This disclosure even covers the incorporation and / or utilization of modern, future, and / or unknown components, devices, systems, etc., as alternatives to functionally equivalent, similar, and / or analogous components, devices, systems, etc., used herein for purposes of explanation, illustration, and example in the embodiments shown and / or discussed.

[0031] As mentioned above, existing gas distribution systems for cluster tool architectures are expensive and inefficient. In particular, each processing chamber requires a dedicated gas tank. The large number of gas rods and associated components within each tank, coupled with redundant instances of these systems for each processing chamber, results in a massive Bill of Materials (BOM). For example, the BOM could include 240 or more mass flow controllers (MFCs) in a sixteen-chamber cluster tool. Furthermore, each gas tank requires an independent exhaust system. The high energy consumption of operating many different exhaust systems further increases the BOM and raises the cost of ownership.

[0032] Therefore, the embodiments disclosed herein include improved gas distribution systems that reduce costs associated with the BOM. Embodiments can also improve energy efficiency by reducing the number of instances of the exhaust system. Typically, the one-to-one relationship between the gas tank and the processing chamber is changed to a one-to-many relationship between a single gas tank and multiple chambers. This allows for the elimination of redundant components. As illustrated in more detail below, cost savings of approximately 80% can be achieved compared to existing gas distribution systems.

[0033] In one embodiment, the gas distribution system may include a single gas tank. The gas tank may contain multiple gas trays. Each gas tray may include one or more gas rods that can be used to provide a desired gas mixture. The gas mixture from the gas tray is used in a process formulation implemented by one or more processing chambers. In one embodiment, each gas tray may be fluidly coupled to a different gas reservoir. In another embodiment, each gas reservoir may be fluidly coupled to one or more (or all) processing chambers. Thus, each of the processing chambers can obtain any necessary processing gas from multiple reservoirs.

[0034] This gas distribution system offers several benefits. One such benefit is cost reduction. For example, a typical number of gas tanks may include up to ten tanks (although embodiments may include any number of gas tanks). For example, twenty or more tanks may be used in a multi-tool configuration, as will be described in more detail herein. Gas trays coupled to each of these gas tanks may include up to four gas rods (although embodiments may include any number of gas rods per gas tray). In this example, the total number of gas rods in the system may be approximately 40. That is, the gas distribution system may require only approximately 40 MFCs. In contrast, existing systems with dedicated gas boxes for each chamber may include approximately 240 gas rods and MFCs (for a sixteen-chamber system). It can be understood that this reduction in components can lead to significant cost and / or maintenance savings. Reducing the number of gas rods also reduces the number of facility connections. This is another source of cost savings.

[0035] Another benefit is that a single gas chamber system allows for the use of a single exhaust system to mitigate leaks. This reduces the need for redundant components. Additionally, the lower cost of ownership reduces tool energy consumption by operating only a single exhaust unit. Depending on the facility's energy source, lower energy usage can also reduce the tool's carbon footprint.

[0036] In embodiments, each chamber may include a flow controller (FR) to control the flow rate of a specific gas into the chamber. The FC may include a flow meter and a variable conductance valve. The combination of the flow meter and the variable conductance valve allows for precise setting of the gas flow rate into the chamber. That is, the FC measures the flow rate and controls the flow rate via the variable conductance valve. In some cases, the FC may resemble a mass flow controller (MFC) in construction and / or functionality. In some embodiments, the FC may include multiple branches (i.e., multiple pairs of flow meters and variable conductance valves) to provide multiple gas inlets to the chamber (e.g., a central gas inlet and peripheral gas inlets).

[0037] In an embodiment, the gas from a particular gas tank can be selected by controlling a series of valves at each chamber (i.e., one valve per gas tank). Since the gas tank is pressurized with the desired gas mixture, opening the valve results in a near-instantaneous flow of the desired gas. This can lead to improved chamber performance to implement different gas switching patterns specified by the process formulation. For example, alternating pulses of different gases (e.g., in atomic layer deposition (ALD) processes) can be efficiently accomplished with minimal, if any, delay in the gas flow into the chamber.

[0038] Embodiments may also include functionality for calibrating and / or monitoring the performance of the MFC and / or flowmeter. This calibration can be performed using physics-based relationships between different gas properties (e.g., PV=nRT). In one embodiment, measuring changes in gas properties (e.g., pressure, temperature, etc.) within a gas tank can be used for calibration purposes. For example, the rate of pressure increase in the gas tank can be compared to the amount of gas flowing into the gas tank detected by the MFC. Since the tank volume remains substantially constant, the pressure increase within the tank can be directly correlated with the flow rate of gas through the MFC into the tank. If the MFC reading does not match the gas volume calculated based on the pressure reading, the MFC can be calibrated and adjusted.

[0039] Similarly, the pressure decay rate in the gas tank can be compared to the amount of gas flowing into the chamber detected by the FC (Fuel Concentrator). This decay rate analysis can be beneficial because the gas mixture within the tank is unique, and the FC in the chamber will not be aware of the heat transfer characteristics of the gas mixture. Therefore, the FC alone may not be able to accurately determine the amount of gas flowing into the chamber. A combination of the two values ​​can be used to derive a calibration factor for the FC to more precisely control the gas flow rate into the chamber.

[0040] See now Figure 1The illustration shows a schematic depiction of a portion of a gas distribution system 100 according to an embodiment. For simplicity, Figure 1 The gas distribution system 100 includes a single gas tray 110 and a single gas tank 120. As will be described in more detail below, the gas distribution system 100 may include multiple gas trays 110 and multiple gas tanks 120. According to the various embodiments described herein, the number of gas trays 110 is equal to the number of gas tanks 120. That is, there is a one-to-one relationship between the gas trays 110 and the gas tanks 120. In embodiments, each gas tray 110 is fluidly coupled to a different gas tank within the gas tank 120.

[0041] In an embodiment, the gas tray 110 may include one or more gas rods ( Figure 1 (Not shown in the diagram). The gas rods can be fluidly coupled to facility connections for various types of gases. The gas rods within a single gas tray 110 can be individual gas components of the process gas to be used in a process formulation executed by one or more chambers 130. The MFC within each gas rod can control the flow rate of a specific gas to formulate a process gas with the desired composition. All gas rods within the gas trays can be fluidly coupled to an outlet.

[0042] In this embodiment, the gas reservoir 120 may be fluidly coupled to the output of the gas tray 110. Therefore, the gas tray 110 can provide suitable gas mixing to pressurize the gas reservoir 120 with a process gas having the desired composition. The gas reservoir 120 can be pressurized to any desired pressure. As will be described in more detail below, high pressure can be used to improve the switching speed between gases at chamber 130. Higher pressure also allows more of the desired gas to be stored in the gas reservoir 120. This can result in less pressure decay during use by one or more chambers 130. This also reduces the pressure differential along the length of the gas reservoir 120.

[0043] In embodiments, the gas tank 120 can be any suitable volume for storing the processed gas. In embodiments, the volume of the gas tank can be approximately 1.0 L or more, approximately 5.0 L or more, or approximately 10 L or more. In some embodiments, the volume of the gas tank 120 is configured such that the gas tank 120 can hold gas for at least ten seconds at a desired pressure (with respect to the expected gas flow rate into the plurality of chambers 130). This allows the gas tank 120 to be large enough that pressure fluctuations (caused by the release of gas from the tank 120 into the chambers 130) are minimized and / or otherwise negligible. Therefore, in some embodiments, complex gas flow control schemes may not be required. This further reduces the cost of the gas distribution system. In a particular embodiment, the gas tank 120 has a length greater than the inner diameter of the gas tank 120 (between the first and second ends). In a particular embodiment, the gas tank 120 may comprise a pipe or conduit. For example, a pipe may have an inner diameter of approximately 2 inches or more. However, in some embodiments, a smaller inner diameter may be used. In some cases, the gas storage tank 120 may have a U-shaped layout. The gas storage tank 120 may also be part of a distribution scheme. For example, the gas storage tank 120 may be a pipe that extends above the gas tank containing the gas tray 110 and above a plurality of chambers 130, as will be described in more detail below.

[0044] In an embodiment, the gas storage tank 120 may be coupled to a plurality of chambers 130. For example, in Figure 1 The diagram illustrates chambers 130A to 130N, with a gas storage tank 120 fluidly coupled to all chambers 130A to 130N. The number of chambers 130 can be two or more. For example, in some embodiments, a system with up to 16 chambers 130 can be used. In other embodiments, fifty or more chambers 130 may be present. Because a single storage tank 120 is used to supply a specific process gas to all chambers 130A to 130N, the gas delivery system requires less infrastructure.

[0045] See now Figures 2A to 2C The illustration shows a schematic depiction of the infrastructure of a gas distribution system according to various embodiments. See now. Figure 2AThe illustration shows a schematic depiction of a gas distribution system 200 according to an embodiment. In this embodiment, the gas distribution system 200 may include a plurality of gas trays 210A to 210N. The gas trays 210 may be housed within a gas tank (not shown). In this embodiment, each gas tray 210 may include one or more gas rods 211. The gas rods 211 may take any form common in gas delivery and / or distribution systems. For example, the gas rods 211 may include facility connections 212 to the gas (e.g., gas A to gas N). A first valve 213 may control the flow rate into the gas rods 211. In some embodiments, a regulator 214 and a filter 215 may follow the first valve 213. However, in some embodiments, the regulator 214 and / or filter 215 may be omitted. Embodiments may also include an MFC 216 within the gas rods 211. A second valve 217 may be provided at the end of the gas rods 211. The control of the second valve 217 in each of the gas rods 211 can be used to supply the desired gas mixture to the output 218 of the gas tray 210.

[0046] In embodiments, each gas tray 210 may be fluidly coupled to one of a plurality of gas tanks 220A to 220N. For example, gas tray 210A is fluidly coupled to gas tank 220A, and gas tray 210N is fluidly coupled to gas tank 220N. In some embodiments, the number of gas trays 210 and the number of gas tanks 220 may be up to ten. However, in some embodiments, a gas distribution system 200 having a larger number of gas trays 210 and gas tanks 220 may also be used.

[0047] In an embodiment, gas tank 220 may be similar to gas tank 120, which has been described in more detail above. That is, gas tank 220 may be a pressurized container for storing various process gases. In some embodiments, a gas supply line 224 may extend from gas tank 220. Gas supply line 224 may fluidly couple gas tank 220 to a series of valves 222 configured to control the gas flow rate to each chamber 230. Gas tank 220 may be pressurized by gas tray 210. For example, gas tank 220 may have a pressure of approximately 100 tors or greater, approximately 250 tors or greater, or approximately 600 tors or greater. In a particular embodiment, the pressure within gas tank 220 may be between 150 tors and 600 tors.

[0048] exist Figure 2AIn the illustrated embodiment, multiple storage tanks 220A to 220N are fluidly coupled to a single chamber 230. However, it will be understood that each of the storage tanks 220 may be coupled to multiple chambers 230 in the system. In this embodiment, each chamber 230 may include a gas selection module. The gas selection module may include a group of valves 222 that can initiate and stop the flow of gas from each of the multiple storage tanks. Following the group of valves 222, an FC 235 is provided to set the flow rate of gas into the chamber 230. The FC 235 may include a flow meter 236 and a variable conductance valve 237. The controlled flow rate of gas is then provided to the chamber 230.

[0049] In this embodiment, chamber 230 can be any type of chamber. For example, chamber 230 may include a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) chamber, an atomic layer deposition (ALD) chamber, an epitaxial chamber, an etching chamber, an annealing chamber, a plasma chamber, and / or the like. As a simplified diagram, Figure 2A The illustration shows a chamber 230 having a chamber body 231, in which a base 232 is provided. A substrate 205 (e.g., a wafer) may be provided on the base 232. A spray head 223 may be provided opposite to the base 232 to allow gas to flow from the gas distribution system 200 into the chamber 230.

[0050] It will be understood that the gas distribution system 200 allows for rapid switching of the gas sent to chamber 230. One contributing factor to this rapid switching speed is the pressurization of the gas reservoir 220. Therefore, when valve 222 opens, gas from the associated gas reservoir 220 begins to flow almost instantaneously. Additionally, the system controller (not shown) will know where to set the variable conductance valve 237 based on historical values. Some embodiments may also include the use of feedforward process control and / or machine learning to rapidly set the desired flow rate of gas into chamber 230.

[0051] In some embodiments, a gas distribution system 200 may be used to regulate and / or monitor the gas flow rate in chamber 230. For example, the flow rate through the MFC 216 on the gas tray 210 may be compared to the requested gas usage of chamber 230 during a given time period. This allows determination of whether the chamber is consuming the amount of gas directed to the chamber for consumption (e.g., based on a process formulation or the like). This comparison can be made by checking whether the MFC 216 on the gas tray 210 needs to supply more gas than is recommended for use by chamber 230. If the MFC 216 shows an oversupply, it can be determined that chamber 230 is using too much gas. Similarly, underutilized MFC 216 may indicate that chamber 230 is not using enough gas. This check and analysis may be performed continuously for each tank 220. In other embodiments, asynchronous methods may be used to monitor gas consumption in multiple chambers 230 coupled to tank 220, which may use gas at different time periods.

[0052] See now Figure 2B The illustration shows a schematic depiction of a gas distribution system 201 according to an additional embodiment. Besides FC235, the gas distribution system 201 may be similar to... Figure 2A The gas distribution system 200 in the middle. Figure 2B The FC 235 in this example includes multiple flow paths instead of a single flow path. For example, two flow paths are shown in the gas distribution system 201.

[0053] In an embodiment, the first flow path may include a first flow meter 236A and a first variable conductivity valve 237A. The second flow path may include a second flow meter 236B and a second variable conductivity valve 237B. The use of multiple flow paths allows for the supply of gas at different flow rates to different inputs into the chamber 230. For example, the first flow path may be coupled to the spray head 223 at the top and center of the chamber 230, and the second flow path may be coupled to the sidewall injection port 234 to allow gas to flow laterally into the chamber 230.

[0054] See now Figure 2C The illustration shows a schematic depiction of a gas distribution system 202 according to an additional embodiment. The gas distribution system 202 may be similar to... Figure 2AThe gas distribution system 200 includes a gas input added downstream of the storage tank 220. In some embodiments, the processed gas may contain components that are not well-mixable, readily react with other gases, or must be maintained at a certain temperature. For any of these reasons (or any other desired reason), such components may be added to the gas flow following the assembly of valves 222. In one embodiment, gas rod 240A may be fluidly coupled to a flow line between the assembly of valves 222 and FC 235. In another embodiment, gas rod 240B may be fluidly coupled to a flow line between FC 235 and chamber 230. Although Figure 2C The diagram illustrates two locations, and it will be understood that embodiments may include one additional injection point, two additional injection points, or more than two additional injection points.

[0055] See now Figure 3A and Figure 3B The illustration shows a schematic diagram of a gas distribution system according to various embodiments, illustrating the connection between each gas storage tank 320 and one or more chambers 330. Figure 3A In this process, multiple gas trays 310 are used. Figure 3B In this context, multiple solutions are provided to further reduce infrastructure requirements.

[0056] See now Figure 3A The illustration shows a schematic depiction of a gas distribution system 300 according to an embodiment. In this embodiment, a plurality of gas trays 310A to 310N are provided within a gas tank 350. Each gas tray 310 may include one or more gas rods 311. For example, gas tray 310A includes four gas rods 311, gas tray 310B includes two gas rods 311, and gas tray 310N includes three gas rods 311. That is, the gas trays 310 may have an uneven number of gas rods 311. The gas rods 311 may be similar to any of the gas rods described in more detail herein.

[0057] In embodiments, each of the gas trays 310 is fluidly coupled to a single (different) gas tank 320. For example, gas tray 310A is fluidly coupled to gas tank 320A, gas tray 310B is fluidly coupled to gas tank 320B, and gas tray 310N is fluidly coupled to gas tank 320N. In embodiments, the number of gas trays 310 and the number of gas tanks 320 may be two or more. In a particular embodiment, ten gas trays 310 and ten gas tanks 320 may be present. In embodiments, the gas tanks 320 may be similar to any of the gas tanks described in more detail herein. In some embodiments, a pressure gauge 326 may be coupled to each of the gas tanks 320. The pressure gauge 326 may be used to monitor the flow rate of gas flowing into and / or out of the gas tank 320. Although Figure 3A The diagram illustrates pressure gauge 326. It will be understood that any suitable process monitoring sensor may be included in the gas distribution system 300. For example, a temperature sensor or similar may also be used in some embodiments. This information can be used to monitor the performance and / or accuracy of the flow meters in the MFC in gas rod 311 and / or FC 335, as described in more detail herein.

[0058] In an embodiment, each of the gas storage tanks 320 is fluidly coupled to two or more chambers 330. For example, gas storage tank 320A is fluidly coupled to chambers 330A, 330B, and 330N. Although Figure 3A Each fluid in the gas tank 320 is coupled to all the shown chambers 330, but in some embodiments, one or more gas tanks 320 may be coupled to some of the chambers 330 in the system rather than all of them.

[0059] In an embodiment, the gas supply line 324 from the gas storage tank 320 may be controlled by a valve 322. Control of the valve 322 allows each chamber 330 to receive gas from one of the gas storage tanks 320 to which it is coupled. Additionally, an FC 335 may be provided between the valve 322 and the chamber 330 to control the flow rate of gas into the chamber 330. The FC 335 may be similar to any of the FCs described in more detail herein. For example, the FC 335 may include a single flow path or multiple flow paths. Figure 3A In this context, each of the FC 335 includes a first flow path 338 (e.g., for center gas input) and a second flow path 339 (e.g., for edge gas input).

[0060] In the illustrated embodiment, chambers 330A to 330N are schematically illustrated as blocks. However, chamber 330 may resemble any of the chambers described in more detail herein. Chambers 330 may not all be of the same type. In other embodiments, chamber 330 may comprise two or more chambers 330 of different types.

[0061] See now Figure 3B The illustration shows a schematic depiction of a gas distribution system 301 according to an embodiment. Apart from the gas tank 350, the gas distribution system 301 may be similar to... Figure 3A The gas distribution system 300 in the system. A multiplexing module 318 is used to supply the necessary gas components to each gas tank 320 without using multiple gas trays 310. For example, a set of gas rods 311A ​​to 311N is provided. All gas tanks 320 receive their gas from a single set of gas rods 311A ​​to 311N.

[0062] As shown in the figure, the multiplexing module 318 includes gas lines from each gas rod 311. The gas lines branch to two or more gas tanks 320. For example, gas rod 311A ​​is fluidly coupled to gas tanks 320A, 320B, and 320N. Gas rod 311B is fluidly coupled to gas tanks 320A and 320N. Gas rod 311N is fluidly coupled to gas tanks 320A and 320N. The gas flow rate from gas rods 311 to tanks 320 is controlled by valve 319.

[0063] In this embodiment, fewer gas rods 311 are needed to supply gas tanks 320. However, complexity can increase due to the need to fill all tanks 320. For example, if multiple chambers 330 draw gas from gas tank 320A, the pressure can drop rapidly. A similar drop in gas tank 320N can occur simultaneously. However, gas rods 311A ​​are used to fill both gas tanks 320A and 320N. Therefore, sufficient gas flow from gas rods 311A ​​and / or an optimized switching solution are required to maintain tanks 320A and 320N at pressures suitable for supporting multiple processing formulations implemented in chambers 330.

[0064] See now Figure 4A The illustration shows a plan view of a cluster tool with a gas distribution system 400 according to an embodiment. In this embodiment, the cluster tool may include a device front-end module (EFEM) 406. The EFEM 406 may receive a front-opening unified pod (FOUP) or other wafer transfer device. A wafer handling robot within the EFEM 406 transfers wafers from the FOUP to a load lock 407. The load lock 407 is coupled to a transfer chamber 408 maintained under vacuum pressure. That is, the load lock 407 allows a transition from an atmospheric pressure environment to a vacuum environment. A wafer handling robot within the transfer chamber 408 may distribute wafers from the load lock 407 to any of the chambers 430 coupled to the transfer chamber 408. For example, eight chambers 430 are illustrated in Figure 4. However, in some embodiments, two or more chambers 430 may be used. The chambers 430 may be similar to any of the chambers described in more detail herein.

[0065] In this embodiment, a gas distribution system 400 is provided on top of the cluster tool. For example, a gas tank 450 may be provided on top of the EFEM 406. However, the gas tank 450 may be provided at any suitable location. For example, the gas tank 450 may be mounted on top of the EFEM 406, or the gas tank 450 may be mounted on the back or side of the EFEM 406. The gas tank 450 may also be mounted above different parts of the cluster tool, or in a dedicated space in the plant area, in an elevated position, or similarly. In this embodiment, the gas tank 450 may resemble any of the gas tanks described in more detail herein. For example, the gas tank 450 may comprise a plurality of gas trays, each gas tray comprising one or more gas rods.

[0066] In one embodiment, multiple gas tanks 420A to 420N are fluidly coupled to a gas tank 450. For example, each gas tank 420 may be fluidly coupled to a single gas tray within the gas tank 450. Additionally, each gas tank 420 may be fluidly coupled to two or more chambers 430. Figure 4A In the specific embodiment shown, each gas tank 420 is coupled to all eight chambers 430. The gas tank 420 may resemble any of the gas tanks described in more detail herein. For example, the gas tank may be U-shaped. The middle portion of the U-shape may be above the gas tank 450, and said middle portion may be coupled to one of the gas trays. The arms of the U-shape may extend above the chambers 430 provided along the side of the transfer chamber 408. That is, the gas tank 420 may be positioned above the gas tank 450 and above one or more chambers 430.

[0067] Despite Figure 4A While not visible in the text, it will be understood that each gas storage tank 420 may be coupled to each chamber 430 by a group of valves and FC fluid, similar to other embodiments described in more detail herein. For example, in Figure 4A In the illustrated embodiment, each chamber 430 may include a group of four valves (i.e., one valve for each of the four gas tanks 420A to 420N), and a FC between the group of four valves and the chamber 430. In this way, each chamber 430 can receive gas from any of the tanks 420. Alternatively, multiple chambers 430 can simultaneously receive gas from the same tank 420.

[0068] See now Figure 4BThe illustration depicts a plan view of multiple cluster tools with a shared gas distribution system 400 according to an embodiment. In some embodiments, each of the multiple cluster tools may resemble one another. For example, each cluster tool may include an EFEM 406, a load lock 407, a transfer chamber 408, and multiple chambers 430. In other embodiments, the shared gas distribution system 400 may be used by different types of cluster tools, single-chamber tools, or any type of tool using gas supplied by the gas distribution system 400. In the illustrated embodiment, two cluster tools are depicted. However, embodiments may include a shared gas distribution system 400 that supplies multiple gas mixtures to any number of tools (e.g., two or more tools, five or more tools, ten or more tools, twenty or more tools, or the like). Sharing the gas distribution system 400 among multiple tools further reduces the cost of the gas distribution system. That is, the cost of the gas tank 450 can be distributed across multiple tools, while the additional cost of extending gas distribution to other tools is minimized.

[0069] In an embodiment, a gas distribution system 400 is provided on top of the cluster tool. For example, a gas tank 450 may be provided on top of one of the tools, EFEM 406. However, the gas tank 450 may be provided at any suitable location. In an embodiment, the gas tank 450 may be similar to any of the gas tanks described in more detail herein. For example, the gas tank 450 may comprise a plurality of gas trays, wherein each gas tray comprises one or more gas rods.

[0070] In one embodiment, multiple gas tanks 420A to 420N are fluidly coupled to a gas tank 450. For example, each gas tank 420 may be fluidly coupled to a single gas tray within the gas tank 450. Additionally, each gas tank 420 may be fluidly coupled to two or more chambers 430 within the system. In some embodiments, each gas tank is coupled to at least one chamber in each cluster of tools in a plurality of tools. Figure 4B In the specific embodiment shown, gas tanks 420 are each coupled to all eight chambers 430 on two cluster tools. Gas tanks 420 can be similar to any of the gas tanks described in more detail herein. For example, gas tank 420 can be U-shaped. The middle portion of the U-shape may be above a gas tank 450, and said middle portion is coupled to one of the gas trays. Arms of the U-shape may extend above chambers 430 provided along the sides of transfer chambers 408 for the two cluster tools. That is, gas tank 420 may be positioned above the gas tank 450 of one of the cluster tools and above one or more chambers 430 of all cluster tools in the system. In the illustrated embodiment, a U-shape is designed for gas tank 420. However, gas tank 420 may have any number of branches, bends, etc., to route to multiple cluster tools within the system. Although in Figure 4BThe diagram illustrates four gas storage tanks 420A to 420N. It will be understood that any number of gas storage tanks 420 can be used in a multi-tool configuration. For example, in some embodiments, ten or more gas storage tanks 420 or thirty or more gas storage tanks 420 may be used.

[0071] Despite Figure 4B As will be apparent from the description, each gas storage tank 420 may be coupled to each chamber 430 by a group of valves and FC fluid, similar to other embodiments described in more detail herein. For example, in Figure 4B In the illustrated embodiment, each chamber 430 may include a group of four valves (i.e., one valve for each of the four gas tanks 420A to 420N), and a FC between the group of four valves and the chamber 430. In this way, each chamber 430 can receive gas from any of the tanks 420. Alternatively, multiple chambers 430 can simultaneously receive gas from the same tank 420.

[0072] See now Figure 5 The illustration shows a process flow diagram depicting a process 560 for controlling the flow rate of gas into a chamber connected to a gas distribution system similar to those described herein, according to an embodiment. In an embodiment, process 560 can be initiated at operation 561, which includes starting the process in the chamber. In an embodiment, the chamber is fluidly coupled to multiple pressurized tanks. The process initiated in the chamber may be a process formulation for manufacturing semiconductor devices or other types of devices provided within the chamber. In an embodiment, the pressurized tanks may each be fluidly coupled to different gas trays located within a single gas tank.

[0073] In one embodiment, process 560 can continue at operation 562, which includes flowing a first gas from a first tank through an FC into a chamber. The FC may be similar to any of the FCs described in more detail herein. The FC may include a single flow path or multiple flow paths. Flow of the first gas from the first tank can be initiated by opening a valve between the first tank and the FC.

[0074] In one embodiment, process 560 can continue with operation 563, which includes stopping the flow of the first gas into the chamber. The flow can be stopped by closing the valve between the first reservoir and the FC.

[0075] In one embodiment, process 560 can continue at operation 564, which includes flowing a second gas from the second tank through the FC into the chamber. The flow of the second gas from the second tank can be initiated by opening a valve between the second tank and the FC.

[0076] In one embodiment, process 560 can continue with operation 565, which includes stopping the flow of the second gas into the chamber. The flow can be stopped by closing the valve between the second reservoir and the FC. In another embodiment, operations 562 through 565 can be repeated any number of times. For example, in an ALD process, the first and second gases can be alternately pulsed into the chamber until the desired deposition thickness is achieved. In other embodiments, process 560 can continue with the flow of any number of additional gas types (each from a different reservoir). The order and / or duration of the flow of each gas can be specified by the process formulation or the like.

[0077] See now Figure 6 The illustration shows a process flow diagram of a process 670 for operating a plurality of chambers coupled to a gas distribution system according to an embodiment. In an embodiment, process 670 may begin operation 671, which includes providing a plurality of gas tanks and a plurality of chambers. In an embodiment, the gas tanks are similar to any of the gas tanks described in more detail herein, and the chambers are similar to any of the chambers described in more detail herein. In an embodiment, each of the plurality of gas tanks is coupled to two or more of the plurality of chambers.

[0078] In one embodiment, process 670 can continue at operation 672, which includes pressurizing a plurality of gas tanks, each containing a different gas composition. In another embodiment, the gas tanks are pressurized by gas pallets, which are similar to any gas pallet described more specifically herein. The gas pallets direct gas components into the gas tanks to pressurize them using those gas components. For example, the gas tanks may be pressurized to between 100 and 600 Torr.

[0079] In an embodiment, process 670 can continue with operation 673, which includes running the process in each of a plurality of chambers. The process in each chamber may sometimes be referred to as a formulation or process recipe. The formulation used for each of the chambers may be the same, or the chambers may have different formulations. When the formulations are the same, they can be run in an interleaved manner. This allows for lower demand on any one tank at a given time. In an embodiment, each process uses an input gas, and the input gas switches between different gas components stored in different gas tanks. That is, each chamber can draw gas from multiple different tanks, and each tank can supply gas to multiple different chambers.

[0080] See now Figure 7The illustration shows a schematic depiction of a gas distribution system 700 according to an additional embodiment. In this embodiment, the gas distribution system 700 may be a shared gas distribution system similar to other embodiments described in more detail herein. For example, although a single main tank 720B (i.e., tank B), a single chamber 730, and a single gas tray 710 are illustrated for simplicity, there may be multiple of each component.

[0081] In an embodiment, Figure 7 The gas distribution system 700 achieves a more consistent gas pressure within the main tank 720B. This provides more consistent gas flow characteristics to the chamber 730. In particular, an auxiliary tank 720A (e.g., tank A) can be used to maintain a constant supply of the gas mixture. In an embodiment, the auxiliary tank 720A can be maintained at a pressure higher than that of the main tank 720B. When the main tank 720B is sufficiently depleted and / or being used by the chamber 730, the valve 728 can open to allow the gas mixture to flow immediately into the main tank 720B. Thus, replenishing the main tank 720B is independent of the performance of the gas tray 710. Furthermore, this allows for the maintenance of a consistent and ideal pressure within the main tank 720B while supplying gas to one or more chambers 730, with only minimal pressure variation. This embodiment eliminates dynamic pressure fluctuations caused by changes in the MFC of each gas rod 711.

[0082] In some embodiments, the gas tray 710 can supply a constant gas supply to the auxiliary storage tank 720A. However, to prevent oversupply of gas to the auxiliary storage tank 720A, a vent line 725 can be provided before the output 718. The vent line 725 can be controlled by a valve 723 that allows gas to be returned to the upstream line, venting device, or the like.

[0083] Similarly, if the gas flow rate to the main storage tank 720B exceeds a target, the main storage tank 720B may have a vent line 727 leading to a preceding pipeline, venting device, or the like. The gas flow rate through the vent line 727 may be controlled by a valve 726, which may be provided between valve 722 and chamber 730 or between the main storage tank 720B and valve 722. In the illustrated embodiment, an auxiliary storage tank 720A is provided before the main storage tank 720B. In other embodiments, the auxiliary storage tank 720A may be provided after the main storage tank 720B.

[0084] In some situations, the performance of MFCs is not ideal. In particular, after the MFC valve opens, the gas flow rate through the MFC can be under unsteady-state conditions. For example, Figure 8AThis is a time-varying graph showing the gas flow rates of a series of gas flows 840A to 840C for different MFCs. In this embodiment, the values ​​of gas flows 840A to 840C are non-steady-state during the initial time period 841, and the gas flows 840A to 840C approach steady-state during the time period 842.

[0085] Therefore, if gas from the MFC is supplied to the storage tank during the non-steady-state period 841, the gas mixture may not match the desired composition. Consequently, the embodiments disclosed herein include a method for diverting the gas mixture from a gas pallet until a steady state is reached.

[0086] See now Figure 8B A process flow diagram of process 880 for maintaining an accurate gas mixture in a shared gas distribution system according to an embodiment is disclosed. In an embodiment, process 880 may be initiated at operation 881, which includes opening multiple valves for multiple gas supply lines. In an embodiment, the multiple valves and multiple gas supply lines may be portions of a gas tray similar to any of the gas trays described in more detail herein. For example, the valves may be portions of an MFC for controlling the flow rate of gas to a storage tank.

[0087] In one embodiment, process 880 can continue with operation 882, which includes diverting the gas flow from multiple gas supply lines to an exhaust device for a first duration. In one embodiment, the gas flow can be diverted by opening a valve on a vent line to the system. The first duration can be a period of time sufficient to ensure that the gas flow behavior has changed from non-steady-state behavior to steady-state behavior. For example, if necessary, the first duration can be up to 1 second, up to 10 seconds, up to 1 minute, or longer.

[0088] In one embodiment, process 880 can continue at operation 883, which includes allowing gas streams from multiple gas supply lines to fill the storage tank. In another embodiment, gas streams are supplied to the storage tank after each of the multiple gas supply lines has stabilized to steady-state conditions. This allows for the precise supply of a gas mixture to the storage tank for future use by one or more chambers. In another embodiment, the storage tank may be one of any of the shared gas distribution systems described in more detail herein.

[0089] In some embodiments, process 880 can be initiated at the start of processing within the chamber and / or while the tool is online. A stable flow of the gas mixture can continue for the duration of processing, thus avoiding unsteady conditions. For example, when the gas mixture is not needed (e.g., due to chamber idleness, gas oversupply, etc.), the gas mixture can be diverted to an exhaust path, similar to the embodiments described in more detail herein.

[0090] It is understood that precise control of gas mixtures is beneficial to formulation and processing performance within the tool. That is, it is necessary to supply the appropriate gas mixture to the tank to provide the appropriate processing gas to perform the desired operation in the process formulation within the chamber. Therefore, precise control of the MFC within the gas tray is essential to match the desired gas mixture target. However, existing MFC designs are geared towards achieving the desired flow rate. Controlling gas mixtures from multiple MFCs is currently beyond the scope of existing solutions.

[0091] Therefore, the embodiments disclosed herein may include an MFC controller that improves coordination between multiple MFCs within a single gas tray. Examples of such a solution are found in... Figure 9 The diagram shows that the gas tray 910 may include multiple MFCs 916 (e.g., each MFC 916 may be paired with a gas line for gas A through N). A subsequent valve 917 provides control over the flow of gas out of the storage tank 920 or the remainder of the gas distribution system.

[0092] Typically, each of the MFC 916 components operates independently. However, as... Figure 9 As shown, MFCs 916 are communicatively connected together (as indicated by the arrows) and controlled by controller 919. In an embodiment, controller 919 consistently operates MFCs 916 to set the desired gas mixture supplied to tank 920. For example, controller 919 may maintain the system such that a change to one MFC 916 results in a change in the proportion of the remaining MFCs 916 to maintain the desired gas mixing ratio.

[0093] The embodiments disclosed herein may also include control mechanisms to maintain appropriate pressure, gas flow rate, gas mixture, and / or the like. In one embodiment, a dual control loop process may be used to control the gas distribution system. A first control loop provides gas flow control, and a second control loop provides pressure control. In some embodiments, the two control loops may operate in parallel.

[0094] See now Figure 10AThe diagram illustrates a control loop 1060 for gas flow control according to an embodiment. Generally, the total flow rate from mixer 1010 (e.g., gas tray) should be matched with the total flow rate from tank 1020 to chamber 1030. The flow rate to chamber 1030 and the flow rate from mixer 1010 can be determined based on information provided by an MFC (not shown) associated with each component (as described more specifically herein). In an embodiment, the total gas flow to chamber 1030 can be returned to setpoint 1063 along line 1062. The setpoint value can pass through filter 1066 (e.g., low-pass filter) before reaching summer 1065. Line 1064 to summer 1065 is in a second control loop 1061 (as will be discussed regarding...). Figure 10B (Description) shared between.

[0095] In this embodiment, the actual gas flow into chamber 1030 can be after the target set point. That is, set point 1063 is generated before gas is supplied to chamber 1030. Thus, the control loop can be used as a feedforward control loop to improve process performance.

[0096] See now Figure 10B The illustration shows a schematic depiction of a pressure control loop 1061 according to an embodiment. The pressure control loop 1061 may include a summer 1065, which is also coupled to a gas flow control loop 1060 via a line 1064. In an embodiment, the pressure control loop 1061 may manage pressure deviations from a setpoint 1058 via PID control based on negative feedback 1059 from pressure readings from a pressure sensor 1026 within a tank 1020. In an embodiment, the setpoint 1058 is fed forward toward one or more transfer functions comprising a proportional gain (Kp) in block 1069A and a derivative gain (Kd*s) in block 1069B. The transfer functions continue to a summer 1067, which also includes a flow component 1068. The output of the summer 1067 is provided to the summer 1065 for combination with inputs from line 1064, which is connected to a parallel control loop 1060 for gas flow control. The output of the summer 1067 is then used to control the mixer 1010 in order to maintain the desired pressure within the storage tank 1020.

[0097] The embodiments disclosed herein may also include the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and / or machine learning (ML) to control pressure, flow rate, gas composition, and / or similar parameters, such as those described in more detail herein, within a gas distribution system. Figure 11 The diagram shows an example of such a system.

[0098] See now Figure 11The diagram illustrates a block diagram of a system 1100 according to an embodiment. System 1100 may include a gas distribution assembly 1110 communicatively coupled to a control system. The control system may include a system controller 1106, a tool server 1103, and a data storage 1107. In embodiments, the gas distribution assembly 1110 may be similar to any of the gas distribution assemblies or systems described in more detail herein. For example, a shared gas distribution assembly 1110 may provide gas mixtures in multiple tanks that supply gas to multiple chambers for various processing operations.

[0099] In one embodiment, system controller 1106 may be communicatively coupled to gas distribution assembly 1110. System controller 1106 may include one or more computing devices (e.g., processors, logic controllers, servers, microcontrollers, etc.) having on-board memory. In another embodiment, system controller 1106 may execute instructions to perform any of the processing embodiments described in more detail herein. System controller 1106 may also cause gas distribution assembly 1110 to implement and / or perform a processing recipe or portion thereof for a substrate in a processing chamber (not shown).

[0100] System controller 1106 may receive data from one or more sensors within gas distribution assembly 1110. For example, sensors may include pressure sensors, temperature sensors, sensors for determining valve positioning, gas flow rate sensors, or the like. Data received by system controller 1106 from one or more sensors may be stored in data storage 1107 or the like. Although illustrated as separate components, in some embodiments, data storage 1107 may also be integrated with system controller 1106 (i.e., as part of the system controller).

[0101] In an embodiment, system 1100 may also include a tool server 1103. Tool server 1103 may include one or more computing devices, servers, processors, etc. In an embodiment, tool server 1103 may execute instructions to perform any of the processes described in more detail herein. In an embodiment, tool server 1103 may execute instructions to perform one or more data collection operations within system 1100 to acquire data from sensors in gas distribution assembly 1110.

[0102] In one embodiment, the tool server 1103 may store one or more evaluation systems 1105. The evaluation system 1105 may include AI models and / or ML models. The evaluation system 1105 may also include inference engines, heuristic models, algorithms, physics-based models, and / or the like. In one embodiment, the evaluation system 1105 may be trained and / or stored on the tool server 1103. In other embodiments, the evaluation system 1105 may be trained and / or stored on an external server (not shown) communicatively coupled to the tool server 1103.

[0103] In an embodiment, tool server 1103 may include node 1104 configured to connect one or more evaluation systems 1105 to gas distribution assembly 1110. For example, communication node 1104 may be configured to bridge data from gas distribution assembly 1110 (e.g., generated by one or more sensors) to evaluation system 1105. In an embodiment, remote procedure call (RPC) may be used to enable communication between evaluation system 1105 and gas distribution assembly 1110.

[0104] In an embodiment, node 1104 can receive one or more attributes that evaluation system 1105 expects from gas distribution assembly 1110. For example, attributes may include sensor data describing pressure, temperature, gas flow rate, valve position, and / or the like within gas distribution assembly 1110. In this way, system 1100 can extract data from gas distribution assembly 1110 and use the data as input to evaluation system 1105, which can be used to control and / or monitor gas distribution assembly 1110.

[0105] In embodiments, one or more evaluation systems 1105 can be used to monitor drift between different set points. For example, if the flow rate provided at a given valve position differs from the flow rate expected under a previous model, the evaluation system 1105 can provide an update to the model to improve the overall performance of the gas distribution assembly 1110. This helps prevent the gas distribution assembly 1110 from deviating from specifications for a variety of different reasons, such as worn or damaged parts, non-steady-state execution (e.g., during preheating), changes in process formulation, and / or the like. More generally, using ML and / or AI models with the evaluation system 1105 can prevent gas mixture drift, target pressure drift, gas flow rate drift, and / or the like.

[0106] See now Figure 12A block diagram of an exemplary computer system 1200 for a processing tool according to an embodiment is shown. In the embodiment, the computer system 1200 is coupled to and controls processing within the processing tool. The computer system 1200 may be connected (e.g., networked) to other machines in a local area network (LAN), an internal network, an external network, or the Internet. The computer system 1200 may operate as a server or client machine in a client-server network environment, or as a peer machine in a peer-to-peer (or distributed) network environment. The computer system 1200 may be a personal computer (PC), a tablet PC, a set-top box (STB), a personal digital assistant (PDA), a cellular phone, an internet access device, a server, a network router, a switch, or a bridge, or any machine capable of executing a set of instructions (continuously or otherwise) that specifies actions to be taken by that machine. Additionally, although only a single machine of computer system 1200 is shown, the term "machine" should also be considered to include any collection of machines (e.g., computers) that independently or jointly execute instruction sets (or multiple instruction sets) to perform any one or more methodologies described herein.

[0107] Computer system 1200 may include a computer program product or software 1222 having a non-transitory machine-readable medium on which instructions are stored, which can be used to program computer system 1200 (or other electronic device) to perform a process according to an embodiment. Machine-readable medium includes any mechanism for storing or transmitting information in a form readable by a machine (e.g., a computer). For example, machine-readable (e.g., computer-readable) media includes machine-readable (e.g., computer-readable) storage media (e.g., read-only memory (“ROM”), random access memory (“RAM”), disk storage media, optical storage media, flash memory devices, etc.), machine-readable (e.g., computer-readable) transmission media (electrical, optical, acoustic, or other forms of propagated signals (e.g., infrared signals, digital signals, etc.)), etc.

[0108] In an embodiment, the computer system 1200 includes a system processor 1202, a main memory 1204 (e.g., read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, dynamic random access memory (DRAM) such as synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), or Rambus DRAM (RDRAM), etc.), a static memory 1206 (e.g., flash memory, static random access memory (SRAM), etc.), and an auxiliary memory 1218 (e.g., a data storage device), which communicate with each other via a bus 1230.

[0109] System processor 1202 represents one or more general-purpose processing devices, such as microsystem processors, central processing units, or the like. More specifically, the system processor may be a complex instruction set computing (CISC) microsystem processor, a reduced instruction set computing (RISC) microsystem processor, a very long instruction word (VLIW) microsystem processor, or a system processor implementing other instruction sets, or a system processor implementing a combination of instruction sets. System processor 1202 may also be one or more special-purpose processing devices, such as application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), digital signal system processors (DSPs), network system processors, or the like. System processor 1202 is configured to execute processing logic 1226 for performing the operations described herein.

[0110] The computer system 1200 may further include a system network interface device 1208 for communicating with other devices or machines. The computer system 1200 may also include a video display unit 1210 (e.g., a liquid crystal display (LCD), a light emitting diode display (LED), or a cathode ray tube (CRT)), an alphanumeric input device 1212 (e.g., a keyboard), a cursor control device 1214 (e.g., a mouse), and a signal generation device 1216 (e.g., a speaker).

[0111] Auxiliary storage 1218 may include machine-accessible storage medium 1231 (or more specifically, computer-readable storage medium) storing one or more instruction sets (e.g., software 1222) embodying any of the methodologies or functions described herein. Software 1222 may also reside wholly or at least partially within main memory 1204 and / or system processor 1202 during its execution via computer system 1200, main memory 1204, and system processor 1202, which also constitute machine-readable storage medium. Software 1222 may further be transmitted or received over network 1261 via system network interface device 1208. In embodiments, network interface device 1208 may operate using RF coupling, optical coupling, acoustic coupling, or inductive coupling.

[0112] Although machine-accessible storage medium 1231 is illustrated as a single medium in the exemplary embodiment, the term "machine-readable storage medium" should be considered to include a single medium or multiple media (e.g., a centralized or distributed database, and / or associated caches and servers) that store one or more instruction sets. The term "machine-readable storage medium" should also be considered to include any medium capable of storing or encoding instruction sets for execution by a machine and causing the machine to execute any one or more methodologies. The term "machine-readable storage medium" should therefore be considered to include, but is not limited to, solid-state memory, as well as optical and magnetic media.

[0113] Specific exemplary embodiments have been described in the above specification. It is obvious that various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the following claims. Therefore, the specification and drawings are considered illustrative rather than restrictive.

Claims

1. A gas delivery system, the system comprising: Multiple gas trays, each gas tray comprising: exit; as well as One or more gas rods, the fluid rods being fluidly coupled to the outlet; Multiple gas storage tanks, wherein each of the gas storage tanks is fluidly coupled to the outlet of a different gas tray in the gas tray; as well as Multiple gas supply lines are fluidly coupled to each of the gas storage tanks.

2. The gas delivery system according to claim 1, further comprising: Multiple chambers, each of which is fluidly coupled to one or more gas storage tanks by different gas supply lines in the gas supply lines.

3. The gas delivery system according to claim 2, further comprising: Valves on each of the gas supply lines between one of the gas storage tanks and one of the chambers.

4. The gas delivery system according to claim 3, further comprising: A flow controller, located in each chamber, comprising one or more flow paths, and each flow path comprising: Flow meters; and Variable conductance valve.

5. The gas delivery system of claim 4, wherein a first flow path is fluidly coupled to the central gas inlet of the first chamber of the chamber, and a second flow path is fluidly coupled to the edge gas inlet of the first chamber of the chamber.

6. The gas delivery system according to claim 2, wherein the chamber comprises a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) chamber, an etching chamber, an epitaxial growth chamber, an atomic layer deposition (ALD) chamber, an annealing chamber, or a plasma chamber.

7. The gas delivery system of claim 2, wherein the chambers are grouped into two or more cluster tools.

8. The gas delivery system of claim 1, wherein each gas rod comprises: First valve; A mass flow controller, wherein the mass flow controller is located after the first valve; and The second valve is located after the mass flow controller.

9. The gas delivery system of claim 1, wherein each of the gas tanks comprises a pipe, wherein the length of the pipe is greater than the inner diameter of the pipe, and wherein the volume of each of the gas tanks is at least 1.0 liter.

10. The gas delivery system according to claim 9, wherein the tube is U-shaped between the first end and the second end.

11. A method for controlling gas flow rate in a cluster tool, comprising the following steps: Pressurizing multiple gas storage tanks, each of which contains a different gas composition, and each of which is coupled to two or more of a plurality of chambers; and A process is operated in each of the chambers, wherein each process uses an input gas, and wherein the input gas is switched between different gas compositions from different gas storage tanks.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the gas storage tank comprises up to thirty gas storage tanks, and wherein the chamber comprises up to fifty chambers.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein each of the gas storage tanks is pressurized by two or more gas rods.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein each gas rod is fluidly coupled to a single gas storage tank.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the method is implemented at least by a tool server, the tool server comprising an evaluation system communicatively coupled to a plurality of sensors coupled to the cluster tool.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the evaluation system comprises a machine learning model and / or an artificial intelligence model.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the evaluation system is configured to control one or more of gas mixture drift, target pressure drift, or gas flow rate drift.

18. A tool comprising: Equipment Front End Module (EFEM); A transfer chamber coupled to the EFEM; Multiple chambers coupled to the transfer chamber, each of the chambers including a flow controller to regulate the gas flow rate to each chamber; and A gas delivery system, fluidly coupled to each of the chambers, wherein the gas delivery system comprises: A gas chamber, the gas chamber comprising multiple gas trays; and Multiple storage tanks are fluidly coupled to the gas tank, wherein the number of gas trays is equal to the number of storage tanks, and wherein each of the storage tanks is fluidly coupled to at least one of the chambers by a corresponding flow controller.

19. The tool of claim 18, wherein the gas chamber is mounted to the EFEM.

20. The tool of claim 19, wherein the tank is a tube above each of the chambers.

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