Gas distributor and flow rate verifier

Abstract

To provide a gas distributor and a method for distributing and mixing gases.SOLUTION: A gas distributor subassembly 200 includes a main body, a gas inlet (nozzle 206) for injecting gas into the main body, a gas outlet (outlet nozzle 202) of an annular array 205 for distributing the gas to an external component, and a central gas distribution point located within the main body at the center of the gas outlet of the annular array 205 and in fluid communication with the gas outlet of the annular array.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Background Art

[0001] [Claiming Priority] This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 040,326, filed Jul. 19, 2018, entitled “Gas Distributor and Flow Verifier” by Taskar et al., which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

Technical Field

[0002] The present disclosure generally relates to gas distributors and flow verifiers, and in one example, to an annular gas distributor or splitter having an annular array of gas outlets, nozzles, or orifices disposed around a central gas distribution point.

[0003] The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the content of the present disclosure. Within the scope described in this background art section, the research by the inventors named at the present time, as well as aspects of the description that cannot be separately regarded as prior art at the time of filing, are not admitted as prior art against the present disclosure, whether explicitly or implicitly.

[0004] A typical plasma etching apparatus includes a reactor that includes a chamber through which one or more reactive gases flow. In semiconductor processing, the uniformity of the etching rate or deposition rate across the entire wafer during each process directly affects the yield of the device. Since uniformity has become one of the primary qualification requirements for process reactors, it is regarded as a very important parameter in their design and development.

[0005] In a plasma etching reactor, the uniformity of etching parameters (etching rate, profile, cross-sectional dimensions, etc.) may be affected by several parameters. One of these parameters is the content and supply amount of the components of the plasma gas. It is becoming increasingly important to improve the uniformity by providing consistent plasma discharge and chemical properties above the wafer while improving the transient response and maintaining uniform gas mixing and distribution.

Summary of the Invention

[0006] In some examples, the gas distributor includes a body, a gas inlet for introducing gas into the body, an annular array of gas outlets for distributing gas to external components, and a central gas distribution point disposed at the center of the annular array of gas outlets within the body and in fluid communication with the annular array of gas outlets.

[0007] In some examples, the annular array of gas outlets is radially equidistantly spaced around the central gas distribution point. In some examples, the body includes an internal gas conduit connecting the central gas distribution point to the annular array of gas outlets. In some examples, each gas flow path of the internal gas conduit from the central gas distribution point to the annular array of gas outlets has an equal length. In some examples, each gas outlet includes an orifice sized to permit or regulate a predetermined gas flow passing through the gas outlet. In some examples, the body includes a mounting location for each control valve or nozzle to permit or regulate a predetermined gas flow exiting the gas outlet. In some examples, each of the control valves or nozzles includes an orifice.

[0008] In some examples, the gas distributor further comprises a control valve or a nozzle. In some examples, the control valve or the nozzle is replaceable. In some examples, the control valve or the nozzle is configured in a horizontal orientation or a vertical orientation. In some examples, the orifice associated with the first control valve or nozzle is sized differently from the orifice associated with the second control valve or nozzle. In some examples, the central gas distribution point includes a substantially spherical volume. In some examples, one or more vacuum gauges measure or verify the gas flow rate of the gas flowing through the annular array of gas outlets.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009] Several embodiments are illustrated in the figures of the accompanying drawings, which are examples and not shown as limitations.

[0010]

Figure 1

[0011]

Figure 2

[0012]

Figure 3

[0013]

Figure 4

[0014]

Figure 5

[0015]

Figure 6

[0016]

Figure 7A

Figure 7B

[0017]

Figure 8A

Figure 8B

Figure 8C

[0018]

Figure 9

[0019]

Figure 10

[0020]

Figure 11

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] The following description includes systems, methods, techniques, instruction sequences, and computing machine program products that embody exemplary embodiments of the present subject matter. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the exemplary embodiments. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that the embodiments may be practiced without these specific details.

[0022] A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. The following notice applies to all data as described hereinafter or as illustrated in the text of this document: Copyright Lam Research Corporation, 2018, All Rights Reserved.

[0023] As described in detail previously, a typical plasma etching apparatus includes a reactor that includes a chamber through which one or more reactive gases flow. Inside the chamber, the gas is typically ionized by radio frequency energy to form a plasma. The highly reactive ions of the plasma gas react with specific materials such as a polymer mask on the surface of a semiconductor wafer to be processed into an integrated circuit (IC). Prior to etching, the wafer is placed inside the chamber and held in place by a chuck or holder that exposes the top surface of the wafer to the plasma gas.

[0024] There are several types of chucks known in the art. The chuck provides an isothermal plane and functions as a heat sink for the wafer. In one type, the semiconductor wafer is held in place for etching by mechanical clamping means. In another type of chuck, the semiconductor wafer is held in place by an electrostatic force generated by an electric field between the chuck and the wafer. The present disclosure is applicable to both of these types of chucks or other types of chucks.

[0025] In semiconductor processing, the uniformity of the etching rate or deposition rate across the entire wafer during each process directly affects the device yield. Since uniformity has become one of the major qualification requirements for process reactors, it is regarded as a very important parameter in their design and development. As the size of the wafer diameter increases, the problem of ensuring the uniformity of each batch of ICs processed from larger wafers becomes even more difficult. For example, when the wafer size increases from 200 mm to 300 mm and the device size per wafer decreases, the edge exclusion region shrinks to, for example, 2 mm or less. Therefore, it has become very important to maintain a uniform etching rate, device profile, and desired dimensions up to 2 mm or less from the edge of the wafer.

[0026] In a plasma etching reactor, the uniformity of etching parameters (etching rate, profile, cross-sectional dimensions, etc.) is affected by several parameters. One of these parameters is the content and supply rate of the components of the plasma gas. Maintaining uniform gas mixing and distribution upstream of the reactor and providing consistent plasma discharge and chemical properties above the wafer are becoming increasingly important for improving wafer uniformity.

[0027] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a reaction chamber in which several embodiments of the present gas distributor can be employed. FIG. 1 shows a capacitively coupled plasma processing chamber 100, representing an exemplary plasma processing chamber of the type commonly employed for etching substrates. Chamber 100 includes a chuck 102, which represents a workpiece holder on which a substrate such as wafer 104 is positioned during etching. Chuck 102 can be realized by any suitable chucking technique (e.g., electrostatic, mechanical, clamping, vacuum, etc.) 。Chi Chuck 102 is typically supplied with a dual RF frequency (low frequency and high frequency, e.g., 2 MHz and 27 MHz) simultaneously during etching by a dual frequency source 106.

[0028] Above the wafer 104, the upper electrode 108 is positioned. The upper electrode 108 is grounded. In the etching reactor shown in FIG. 1, the surface of the upper electrode 108 is larger than the surfaces of the chuck 102 and the wafer 104. During etching, the plasma 110 is formed from an etchant source gas that is supplied through the mixed gas line 112 and pumped out through the exhaust line 114. Inside the chamber 100, the mixed gas line 112 may be connected to a showerhead (not shown). The mixing and distribution of the gas upstream outside the chamber 100 will be described in more detail later.

[0029] The electrical insulation ring 109 insulates the upper electrode 108 from the grounded chamber 100. A confinement ring 116 can be placed between the upper electrode 108 and the lower electrode, like the chuck 102 in FIG. 1. Generally, to improve process control and ensure reproducibility, the confinement ring 116 promotes confining the etching plasma 110 to the region above the wafer 104.

[0030] When RF power is Dual frequency source supplied from 106 to the chuck 102, equipotential field lines are set on the wafer 104. The equipotential field lines are electric field lines that cross the plasma sheath between the wafer 104 and the plasma 110. During plasma processing, positive ions accelerate across the equipotential field lines and collide with the surface of the wafer 104, thereby providing desired etching effects such as improved etching directionality. Due to the shapes of the upper electrode 108 and the chuck 102, the electric field lines are not uniform across the entire wafer surface and may vary significantly at the edges of the wafer 104. Therefore, usually, a focus ring 118 is provided to improve the process uniformity across the entire wafer surface. Referring to FIG. 1, the wafer 104 is shown disposed within the focus ring 118. The focus ring 118 can be formed of a suitable dielectric material such as ceramic, quartz, plastic, etc. Thus, the presence of the focus ring 118 makes it possible to arrange the equipotential field lines substantially uniformly across the entire surface of the wafer 104.

[0031] The conductive shield 120 substantially surrounds the focus ring 118. The conductive shield 120 is configured to be substantially grounded within the plasma processing chamber 100. The shield 120 prevents the existence of unnecessary equipotential field lines outside the focus ring 118. Regarding the chamber source gas supplied through the mixed gas line 112, it has been found that the internal and upstream gas transport characteristics of the plasma reactor can be the most sensitive variables contributing to etching or deposition non-uniformities.

[0032] Conventionally, the gas supply panel upstream of the mixed gas line 112 is supplied by individual supply lines specific to the gas before mixing. These lines can include piping and flow components such as valves, regulators, mass flow controllers (MFCs) for each gas component in the gas mixture. Usually, these individual lines supply gas to a conventional gas mixing manifold through a manifold inlet. After the individual gases are mixed within the manifold, they exit the manifold through an outlet and are distributed to other components or to the processing chamber (e.g., processing chamber 100, FIG. 1) through a gas supply line (e.g., mixed gas line 112, FIG. 1).

[0033] Conventional gas mixing manifolds or distributors typically include a relatively large-volume elongated tubular structure. Each gas supply line for generating the desired gas mixture is spaced at a specific distance along the length of the gas manifold. The length of some manifolds can be, for example, up to 27 inches. The total length of a given manifold can be determined based on the number of gas lines for supply. Next, the number of gas lines can be determined according to the gas mixture desired for a given process within the processing chamber 100. The connection positions of the gas lines are often not the same for each manifold or are not the same when the processing chamber 100 is different. Furthermore, even on one manifold, it will be understood that some gas line inlet positions are located farther from the manifold outlet than others.

[0034] The momentum of each gas entering a conventional manifold or dispenser can vary significantly because of the different sizes and flow rates of the gas molecules. A heavy gas flowing at high speed within the manifold may, due to factors such as turbulence, potentially affect the flow and entrainment of a gas flowing slowly and unstably. If the inlet of the gas flowing at low speed is located relatively far from the manifold outlet, accordingly, for example, the reaction rate corresponding to a change in the desired gas mixture may be severely suppressed. A conventional manifold may operate in a manner similar to a capacitor with an inherent delay time in response to an induced change. Further, even if a valve that brings about a change in the desired gas mixture operates rapidly, there is an inherent waiting time in a conventional manifold configuration, and since the various flow rates, travel distances, and momenta of the gases are mostly unknown, there remains a significant challenge in being able to identify the exact components of a given gas mixture.

[0035] What further complicates this situation is that, in the absence of proper control, the stability of a gas mixture or gas flow based on the existing linear arrangement of the gas lines supplying a conventional manifold can be disrupted when a new gas line is attached or detached from the manifold. In particular, this can occur when supplying at different pressures. For example, when the upstream reservoir is depleted, or when different gas mixtures are desired within the manifold or the processing chamber 100, the position of the gas line may change unexpectedly or randomly. Attempts to control the supply of individual gases to a conventional manifold include the use of valves under software control, but this still does not fully address the above-mentioned issues. The wafer etching application is very sensitive to the supply time for supplying the required mixture to the chamber. The above factors can each potentially have a significant impact on gas supply performance, and the potential problems caused by delays in response time, non-uniformity in co-flow, and delays in gas mixing may compromise the uniformity of the wafer.

[0036] In some applications, a mixed gas manifold or dispenser as a mixed gas source may be required to supply a group of process chambers 100 formed in series or parallel arrangements. In other applications, multiple zones (such as a central zone, an edge zone, or an intermediate zone) each require a reliable gas source. Considering that the location of the chamber and the length of the distribution line vary for each processing chamber 100 within the group, the above problems may be exacerbated.

[0037] An illustration of the gas dispenser subassembly 200 is shown in FIG. 2. The subassembly 200 includes a body 201 and Ring a gas outlet, nozzle, or orifice in an array 205. The outlet can take the form of the illustrated nozzle 202 disposed around a central gas distribution point (or zone) 302 (see FIG. 3). In some examples, the nozzle 202 can include an orifice that is specially designed and sized to regulate the gas flow at a predetermined level. This will be described more fully below. Although the term "gas" is used herein, it will be understood that the systems and methods described herein are more generally applicable to "fluids" unless otherwise indicated by the context.

[0038] In some examples, the gas distribution point 302 is a local area or volume having specific dimensions and a central position relative to the gas inlet or outlet of the array 205, as further described herein. Thus, the term "point" is not intended to mean a zero-dimensional geometric element. An example of the central mixed gas distribution point 302 can be seen more clearly in the partial cross-sectional view of the subassembly 200 provided in FIG. 3.

[0039] In some examples, the sub-assembly 200 shown in FIGS. 2-3 forms the first half of the gas distributor 300. A complete gas distributor can be formed by coupling an opposing or second half to the first half. In some examples, the opposing or second half of the gas distributor is essentially a mirror image of the sub-assembly 200 shown in FIGS. 2-3. This arrangement can be seen in FIG. 3. The second or opposing sub-assembly is labeled 200'. In some examples, the gas distributor 300 is formed by connecting two sub-assemblies (i.e., halves) 200 and 200'. In the connected configuration, a central mixed gas distribution point 302 is in fluid communication with a central mixed gas inlet of the gas distributor (such as the nozzle 206 shown located at the center of the outlet nozzles or orifices 202 of the annular array 205). In some examples, the gas distributor 300 of the present disclosure may be used in place of a conventional gas distributor of the type described above, or may be used in combination with similar or other components in a gas supply system.

[0040] In some examples, the gas distributor 300 can operate as a gas mixer such that the gas inlet functions as a gas outlet (and vice versa) and the gas within the distributor is reversed. The central gas mixing point is formed by the central gas distribution point. In such an arrangement, the gas distributor can be connected to a gas mixer of the type described above, whereby the gas distributor and the gas mixer cooperate to mix (or homogenize) the gas and distribute it to one or more process chambers, thus addressing the disadvantages discussed herein in relation to the use of conventional gas manifolds and distributors.

[0041] Referring back to FIG. 2, in some examples, each of the outlet nozzles 202 is split inside the gas dispenser 300 (e.g., to meet a desired ratio between gas supply channels) and combined with gas from other outlet nozzles, or a single gas or gas mixture separated into separate streams can be distributed to multiple downstream locations. For example, each of the outlet nozzles 202 shown in the figure can be connected to a downstream component or process chamber 100 that requires a gas source. In this figure, eight outlet nozzles 202 are connected to the first half portion of the subassembly 200. The number of nozzles may be other than eight. Although not essential, usually the same number of outlet nozzles 202 are provided in the second half portion of the gas dispenser 300, and in this particular example, a total of 16 outlet nozzles 202 are provided. Depending on the desired capacity of the gas dispenser 300 to supply (or mix in an alternative gas mixing mode) to the downstream component or process chamber 100, other numbers of nozzles 202 may be employed.

[0042] Referring now to FIG. 3, it is shown that each of the outlet nozzles 202 and 202' is in fluid communication with a central gas distribution point 302 via internal conduits 304 formed within each of the subassemblies 200 and 200'. Each internal conduit 304 (or, in other words, a gas path) has the same length. Each control valve 208 and 208' can operate to adjust the flow rate and velocity of the gas passing through the internal conduit 304 and to produce or supply a desired gas or gas mixture. The internal conduits 304 are also shown in FIG. 4, and the gas outlets for the internal conduits 304 are shown at 502 in FIG. 5. The internal conduits 304 are radially equidistantly spaced as shown in FIG. 4. The horizontally oriented control valves form an annular array 205 as shown. In some examples, the gas outlets 502 can each function as a threaded attachment point for complementary threaded support stems 203 and 203' of the outlet nozzles 202 and 202'. In some examples, the gas outlets 502 are welded to the gas dispenser 300 as stub shafts or as surface mount joints for C-seals.

[0043] Referring again to FIG. 3, when the first and second sub-assemblies of the gas distributor 300, namely the half bodies 200 and 200', are connected, it will be appreciated that the central gas distribution point 302 is defined by a volume having a substantially ball-shaped or spherical shape. This shape is shown by a dotted line in the figure. In some examples, the volume shape of the central gas distribution point 302 is elliptical or non-spherical. For example, other shapes including circular, square, or rectangular cross-sections are also possible. In some examples, the diameter of the ball-shaped, spherical, or circular contour ranges from 0.1 to 100 mm, in some examples from 0.5 to 50 mm, and in some examples from 1 to 10 mm.

[0044] Note that in some examples in the present disclosure, the central gas distribution point 302 is equidistant from each of the outlet nozzles 202 and 202'. For this reason, some of the problems caused by conventional gas mixing or distribution manifolds or the above-mentioned problems inherent in them are addressed in the sense that each gas flow path is of the same length and does not depend on the linear position of the outlet nozzles along an elongated manifold, as in the prior art. The travel distance of each gas in a given gas mixture is the same. In the gas mixing mode of the gas distributor, one gas component does not collide or interfere with another gas component until it reaches the central mixing point 302. The volume of the central gas distribution point 302 is relatively small compared to the volume of a conventional gas manifold having a length of, for example, about 27 inches.

[0045] An annular array 205 having 16 outlet nozzles 202 is schematically shown in FIG. 6. The outlet nozzles 202 connected to the first half body (i.e., the sub-assembly 200) of the gas distributor 300 have a supply line shown by a solid line and are numbered 202. The outlet nozzles 202' connected to the second half body of the gas distributor 300 have a supply line shown by a dotted line and are numbered 202'. Thus, in this example, a total of 16 outlet nozzles are provided. Each nozzle 202 and 202' distributes and supplies a desired gas or gas mixture, for example, to the processing chamber 100 (FIG. 1).

[0046] It will be appreciated that the gas flowing into the gas dispenser 300 is "split", i.e., distributed or apportioned, in proportion to the number of outlet nozzles 202 and 202' that are in the open state and operating. Some of the nozzles 202 and 202' may not be operating in the closed state. Since the volume of the central gas distribution point is relatively small compared to conventional gas mixers and dispensers, the components of the mixed gas are not affected by passing through the gas dispenser 300, and the ratio of the components in the mixed gas is substantially maintained. In the gas mixing configuration of the gas dispenser 300 described in detail above, in the case of an arrangement having 16 inlet nozzles 200 and 200' in the open state, a mixed gas having up to 16 gas components can be formed. It will be understood that the annular shape of the inlet nozzle array 205 illustrated in FIG. 6 may not be entirely annular or a complete ring in some examples. Some degree of elliptical or other circular shape may be used in some examples.

[0047] In some examples, the control valve 208 is provided in fluid communication with each of the outlet nozzles 202 and 202'. The control valve 208 of the array 205 functions to distribute the respective mass flow rates of the gas exiting the gas dispenser 300 via the outlet nozzles 202 and 202', or to distribute the components of the mixed gas formed by the gas dispenser 300 in its gas mixing configuration. Each control valve 208 is similarly alternately labeled 208 and 208' in FIG. 6, and the individual respective gas flow rates are labeled FR in the same figure to indicate the flow rate limitations of the exhaust gas. The gas flow through the outlet nozzles 202 and 202' can be controlled using the control valves 208 and 208', and in some examples, verified using associated measuring equipment.

[0048] In some examples, the gas dispenser 300 can also operate as a gas flow verifier or regulator when distributing gas. For example, the gas flow to be measured (Q) may be directed to pass through an appropriately sized orifice sized such that the supersonic flow crosses the orifice. Under supersonic flow conditions, the gas flow Q = KP 1 where (K) is a gas-dependent constant, (P1 ) is the upstream pressure. The upstream pressure (P 1 ) can be measured by a high-precision digital diaphragm vacuum gauge. The gas-dependent constant (K) has weak temperature dependence and can be determined empirically using an independent methodology. Thus, for a given orifice size (e.g., the orifice of the outlet nozzle 202 or 202’), the gas flow (Q) through that outlet nozzle 202 or 202’ can be verified (i.e., calculated or guaranteed) for a given upstream pressure (P 1 )(e.g., in some examples, the pressure within the central gas distribution point 302 that can be measured by a vacuum gauge).

[0049] Referring now to FIGS. 7A - 7B, a schematic top view of the gas flow verifier 300 is shown. The gas flow verifier 300 includes a central gas distribution point 302. The gas flow verifier 300 includes control valves 208 of an annular array 205, and these vertically oriented control valves 208 surround the central gas distribution point 302. Each control valve 208 includes a representative gas outlet 202 as shown. The gas flow verifier 300 is included in a gas distribution arrangement 700 that includes a pair of vacuum gauges 702A and 702B and a third vacuum gauge 704.

[0050] A series of interconnected gas paths or conduits 706 are installed to fluidly connect the control valve 208 and the vacuum gauges 702A, 702B, and 704 to each other. In the illustrated gas distribution arrangement 700, the vacuum gauge 704 measures the pressure of the gas exiting the gas outlets 202 of the two control valves 208 on the right side of the gas flow verifier 300 in the figure. A pair of vacuum gauges 702A and 702B similarly measure the three gas outlets 202 of the three control valves 208 on the left side of the gas flow verifier 300 in the figure. The illustrated vacuum gauges can be used to measure and verify the gas flow through the gas flow verifier 300 and, in some examples, the gas flow through each of the specific gas outlets 202 of the gas flow verifier 300. In some examples, the gas pressure measured by the vacuum gauge 702A, 702B, or 704 is converted to an actual flow rate using a specific gas lookup table. The gas flow error can be calculated and displayed, for example, on a user interface display. The system software can include a specific gas table for calculating the gas flow error applicable to the use of a specific gas. In some examples, the gas table includes the relationship between the pressure and flow rate of the selected gas at the location of one or more orifices installed in the gas flow verifier 300. In some examples, one or more measurements can be made regarding the increase in the gas pressure rate compared to the corresponding predicted pressure defined in the appropriate lookup gas table. The measurement time until a stable pressure is reached is a function of the molecular weight of the gas and the gas (or MFC) flow rate.

[0051] In some examples, the gas flow through each of the control valves 208 can be regulated by an orifice 707 (or “flow orifice”). The orifice 707 is shown more clearly in the schematic cross-sectional view of the control valve 208 shown in FIG. 7B. In accordance with the gas flow rate equations described in detail above, the orifice 707 can be designed and sized, for example, to permit or control the gas flow through the control valve 208 at a desired, specified, or predetermined gas flow rate or mass flow rate. Thus, for example, if each of the orifices 707 in each of the illustrated control valves 208 is of equal size, the gas flow through each control valve 208 (and thus through each gas outlet 202) will be the same for a given upstream pressure. In this way, the gas flow rate verifier of the present disclosure can evenly distribute (divide) and supply gas to downstream components. Alternatively, by making each orifice 707 of an appropriate and different size for each gas outlet or nozzle 202, a desired or predetermined different flow rate of gas to be distributed can be established for each outlet 202, and at the same time, gas can be distributed to the same number of desired components located downstream of the gas flow rate verifier 300. Exemplary downstream components can include one or more wafer processing chambers 100.

[0052] In some examples, the orifice 707 can be included in the replaceable or substitutable component 708 of FIG. 7B. The replaceable component 708 can be positioned, for example, inside or below the surface-mounted control valve 208. Other arrangements are possible, and for example, as shown by the exemplary dotted-line contour in FIG. 3, the exemplary orifice 707 is provided directly inside the gas outlet or nozzle 202 in the gas flow path of the gas exiting the gas flow rate verifier 300. The orifice 707 can, in some examples, be provided in all of the outlets 202, or in a selected number of the outlets 202.

[0053] In some examples, a series of replaceable parts 708 each including an orifice 707 of a specific size are provided, such that the gas flow rate from all the gas outlets 202 can be conveniently adjusted. In other examples, for each individual gas outlet 202, a specific different gas flow rate can be conveniently established. In some examples, the gas flow rate validator 300 functions conveniently as a dual-function device operable in two modes simultaneously (i.e., proportionally splitting and distributing the gas in one mode and restricting or validating the gas flow rate in another mode). In essence, the same hardware of the gas flow rate validator 300 can implement two functions simultaneously. Thus, the gas flow rate validator 300 of the present disclosure is highly configurable to adapt to specific changing conditions and gas flow rate requirements within a semiconductor manufacturing system.

[0054] In other examples, referring now to FIGS. 8A - 8C, the orifice 707 can be embedded directly or indirectly in the control valve 208 and calibrated in the factory (e.g., in the manner described above to permit or regulate a desired or predetermined gas flow rate through the control valve 208 to which the orifice 707 is attached). FIGS. 8B - 8C show alternative configurations for providing the orifice 707, and FIG. 8C shows an alternative form of the replacement part 708, for example.

[0055] Referring now to FIG. 9, an alternative configuration of the gas flow rate validator 300 is shown. In this example, the control valve 208 is horizontally oriented and again forms an annular array 205. Similar parts corresponding to those shown in FIG. 7A are shown with corresponding reference numerals.

[0056] The gas flow verifier 300 and the gas distribution arrangement 700 can have yet another configuration. In some examples, the vacuum gauges 702A-702B and 704 that form part of the gas distribution system 700 function to verify the gas flow through the gas path or conduit 706, and more specifically, function to verify or determine the blocked state of the gas outlet 202 or the orifice 707. The vacuum gauges 702A-702B and 704 can measure and verify the gas flow being supplied by the gas flow verifier 300 at a point in time or over a period of time.

[0057] In some exemplary embodiments of the gas distributor or gas flow verifier 300 described herein, the volume of the gas distribution point 302 is relatively negligible compared to the relatively large volume of a conventional gas mixing or distribution manifold, so that the mixing delays or latency induced in prior art systems in the absence thereof can be significantly reduced. The gas flow regulation according to the present disclosure can be implemented with an error of ±0.5% over a wide range of gas flows (e.g., 0.5 sccm to 5000 sccm).

[0058] The present disclosure also includes an exemplary method. Referring to FIG. 10, a gas distribution method 1000 includes, in operation 1002, providing a gas distributor, the gas distributor comprising a body, an inlet for introducing gas into the body of the gas distributor, an annular array of gas outlets for distributing gas from the gas distributor, and a central gas distribution point disposed within the body of the gas distributor and at the center of the annular array of gas outlets; in operation 1004, supplying gas through the gas inlet to the central gas distribution point; in operation 1006, dividing the supplied gas inside the central gas distribution point based on the number of gas outlets in the annular array or the percentage of gas outlets in operation; in operation 1008, distributing the divided gas to at least each of the gas outlets or each of the gas outlets in operation; and in operation 1010, supplying the distributed gas to a downstream location.

[0059] In some examples, method 1000 includes distributing the split gas through an internal gas conduit formed within the body of the gas dispenser to a gas outlet, the internal gas conduit further including connecting an annular array of gas outlets to a central gas distribution point.

[0060] In some examples, method 1000 includes distributing the split gas along each gas flow path of the internal gas conduit from the central gas distribution point to the gas outlet, each gas flow path further including having an equal length.

[0061] In some examples, method 1000 further includes providing an orifice sized to permit or regulate a particular gas flow through each gas outlet, associated with each gas outlet.

[0062] In some examples, method 1000 further includes providing the central gas distribution point within the body of the gas dispenser with a substantially spherical volume or a substantially annular cross-sectional profile.

[0063] In some examples, the non-transitory machine-readable medium includes instructions 1124 that, when read by machine 1100, cause the machine to control operations in a method that includes at least the non-limiting, exemplary operations summarized above.

[0064] FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a machine 1100 that can implement or control one or more exemplary process embodiments described herein. In an alternative embodiment, the machine 1100 may operate as a stand-alone device or may be connected (e.g., network-connected) to other machines. In a network deployment, the machine 1100 can operate in the capacity of a server machine, a client machine, or both in a server-client network environment. In one example, the machine 1100 can operate as a peer machine in a peer-to-peer (P2P) (or other distributed) network environment. Further, although only a single machine 1100 is shown, the term "machine" should also be construed to include any collection of machines that individually or jointly execute a set (or multiple sets) of instructions to implement any one or more of the methodologies discussed herein via, for example, cloud computing, software as a service (SaaS), or other computer cluster configurations.

[0065] The examples described herein may include, or be operated by, logic, some components, or mechanisms. A circuit set is a collection of circuits implemented in a tangible entity that includes hardware (e.g., simple circuits, gates, logic, etc.). The membership of a circuit set can flexibly accommodate the passage of time and the variability of the underlying hardware. A circuit set includes members that can perform certain operations during operation, either alone or in combination. In one example, the hardware of a circuit set may be fixedly designed to perform a particular operation (e.g., hardwired). In one example, the hardware of a circuit set may include a physically modified (e.g., by magnetic, electrical, movable placement of immutable mass particles, etc.) computer-readable medium for encoding instructions for a particular operation, and may include variably connected physical components (e.g., execution units, transistors, simple circuits, etc.). When connecting physical components, the underlying electrical characteristics of the hardware components are changed (e.g., from insulator to conductor, or vice versa). Instructions enable an embedded hardware (e.g., an execution unit or a loading mechanism) to create members of a circuit set within the hardware via variable connections and perform part of a particular operation during operation. Thus, the computer-readable medium is communicatively coupled to other components of the circuit set when the device is operating. In one example, any of the physical components may be used by multiple members of multiple circuit sets. For example, during operation, an execution unit may be used by a first circuit of a first circuit set at one point in time and reused by a second circuit within the first circuit set or by a third circuit within a second circuit set at another point in time.

[0066] A machine (e.g., a computer system) 1100 can include a hardware processor 1102 (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU), a hardware processor core, or any combination thereof), a graphics processing unit (GPU) 1103, a main memory 1104, and a static memory 1106, and some or all of which can communicate with each other via an interlink (e.g., a bus) 1108. The machine 1100 can further include a display device 1110, an alphanumeric input device 1112 (e.g., a keyboard), and a user interface (UI) navigation device 1114 (e.g., a mouse). In one example, the display device 1110, the alphanumeric input device 1112, and the UI navigation device 1114 can be a touch screen display. The machine 1100 can further include a mass storage device (e.g., a drive unit) 1116, a signal generation device 1118 (e.g., a speaker), a network interface device 1120, and one or more sensors 1121 (such as a global positioning system (GPS) sensor, a compass, an accelerometer, or another sensor). The machine 1100 can include an output controller 1128, such as a serial (e.g., a universal serial bus (USB)), parallel, or other wired or wireless (e.g., infrared (IR), near field communication (NFC), etc.) connection, to communicate with or control one or more peripheral devices (e.g., a printer, a card reader, etc.).

[0067] The mass storage device 1116 can include a machine-readable medium 1122. One or more sets of data structures or instructions 1124 (e.g., software) that embody or are utilized by any one or more of the techniques or functions described herein are stored in the machine-readable medium 1122. Also, the instructions 1124 may be present, in whole or at least in part, within the main memory 1104, within the static memory 1106, within the hardware processor 1102, or within the GPU 1103 during execution by the machine 1100. In one example, the machine-readable medium 1122 may be constituted by any one of the hardware processor 1102, the GPU 1103, the main memory 1104, the static memory 1106, or the mass storage device 1116, or any combination thereof.

[0068] Although the machine-readable medium 1122 is shown as a single medium, the term "machine-readable medium" can include a single medium configured to store one or more instructions 1124, or a plurality of media (e.g., a centralized or distributed database, and / or associated caches and servers).

[0069] The term "machine-readable medium" can include any medium that can store, encode, or carry instructions 1124 for execution by machine 1100 and cause machine 1100 to perform any one or more of the techniques of this disclosure, or any medium that can store, encode, or carry a data structure used by such instructions 1124 or a data structure related to such instructions 1124. Non-limiting examples of machine-readable media can include solid state memories, optical media, and magnetic media. In one example, a mass machine-readable medium includes a machine-readable medium 1122 having a plurality of particles with invariant (e.g., stationary) mass. Thus, a mass machine-readable medium is not a transiently propagating signal. Specific examples of mass machine-readable media can include non-volatile memories such as semiconductor memory devices (e.g., electrically programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM)) and flash memory devices, magnetic disks such as internal hard disks and removable disks, magneto-optical disks, and CD-ROM and DVD-ROM disks. Further, instructions 1124 can be transmitted or received over communication network 1126 via network interface device 1120 using a transmission medium.

[0070] While the embodiments have been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments, it will be apparent that various modifications and changes can be made to these embodiments without departing from the broader scope of the subject matter of the present invention. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be considered in an illustrative rather than a limiting sense. The accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, illustrate, by way of example and not of limitation, specific embodiments in which the subject matter may be practiced. The illustrated embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the teachings disclosed herein. Other embodiments may be utilized and other embodiments may be derived from the teachings disclosed herein without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Accordingly, this detailed description is not to be construed in a limiting sense, and the scope of the various embodiments is defined only by the appended claims and all the scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.

[0071] Such embodiments of the subject matter of the present invention may be referred to herein individually and / or collectively by the term "invention," which is merely a matter of convenience and is not intended to spontaneously limit the scope of this application to any single invention or inventive concept (if more than one is actually disclosed). Accordingly, while specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, it should be understood that any configuration calculated to achieve the same purpose may be an alternative to the specific embodiments shown. The present disclosure is intended to cover all adaptations or variations of the various embodiments. Combinations of the above embodiments and other embodiments not specifically described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the above description. The present disclosure may be implemented in the following forms. [Form 1] A main body, A gas inlet for introducing gas into the main body, An annular array of gas outlets for distributing the gas to external components, A central gas distribution point disposed at the center of the annular array of gas outlets within the main body and in fluid communication with the annular array of gas outlets And a gas distributor. [Form 2] The gas distributor according to Form 1, Wherein the annular array of gas outlets is radially and equidistantly spaced around the central gas distribution point. [Form 3] The gas distributor according to Form 1, Wherein the main body includes an internal gas conduit connecting the central gas distribution point to the annular array of gas outlets. [Form 4] The gas distributor according to Form 3, Wherein each gas flow path of the internal gas conduit from the central gas distribution point to the annular array of gas outlets has an equal length. [Form 5] The gas distributor according to Form 1, Each gas outlet includes an orifice sized to permit or regulate a predetermined gas flow passing through the gas outlet. [Form 6] The gas distributor according to Form 5, The main body includes a mounting location for each control valve or nozzle for permitting or regulating a predetermined gas flow exiting the gas outlet. [Form 7] The gas distributor according to Form 6, Each of the control valves or nozzles includes an orifice. [Form 8] The gas distributor according to Form 6, Further comprising the control valve or nozzle. [Form 9] The gas distributor according to Form 8, The control valve or nozzle is replaceable. [Form 10] The gas distributor according to Form 8, The control valve or nozzle is configured in a horizontal or vertical orientation. [Form 11] The gas distributor according to Form 8, The orifice associated with the first control valve or nozzle is sized differently from the orifice associated with the second control valve or nozzle. [Form 12] The gas distributor according to Form 1, The central gas distribution point includes a substantially spherical volume. [Form 13] The gas distributor according to Form 1, One or more vacuum gauges for measuring or verifying the gas flow rate of the gas flowing through the gas outlet of the annular array A gas distributor further comprising. [Embodiment 14] A method of distributing gas, comprising: Providing a gas distributor, the gas distributor comprising: A body; A gas inlet for introducing gas into the body; An annular array of gas outlets for distributing the gas to external components; A central gas distribution point disposed at the center of the annular array of gas outlets within the body and in fluid communication with the annular array of gas outlets; Comprising; Supplying gas to the central gas distribution point through the gas inlet; Dividing the supplied gas inside the central gas distribution point based on the number of gas outlets in the annular array or the proportion of the gas outlets in operation; Distributing the divided gas to each of the gas outlets or each of the gas outlets in operation; Supplying the distributed gas to a downstream location Including, a method. [Embodiment 15] The method according to Embodiment 14, wherein: Distributing the divided gas to the gas outlet through an internal gas conduit formed in the body, the internal gas conduit connecting the annular array of gas outlets to the central gas distribution point Further including, a method. [Embodiment 16] The method according to Embodiment 15, wherein: Distributing the divided gas along each gas flow path of the internal gas conduit from the central gas distribution point to the gas outlets of the annular array, each of the gas flow paths having an equal length Further including, a method. [Embodiment 17] The method according to Embodiment 14, wherein: Providing an orifice sized to permit or regulate a predetermined gas flow passing through each gas outlet in relation to each gas outlet Further including, a method. [Embodiment 18] The method according to Embodiment 14, wherein: The gas distributor further comprises a control valve or nozzle, a method. [Embodiment 19] The method according to Embodiment 18, wherein: Each of the control valves or nozzles includes one or more orifices, and the orifices associated with the first control valve or nozzle are sized differently from the orifices associated with the second control valve or nozzle, a method. [Embodiment 20] A machine-readable medium that, when read by a machine, contains instructions for causing the machine to control the operation in a gas distribution method using a gas dispenser, wherein the gas dispenser includes a main body, a gas inlet for introducing gas into the main body, an annular array of gas outlets for distributing the gas to external components, and a central gas distribution point disposed at the center of the annular array of gas outlets within the main body and in fluid communication with the annular array of gas outlets, and the operation includes at least supplying gas through the gas inlet to the central gas distribution point; dividing the supplied gas inside the central gas distribution point based on the number of gas outlets in the annular array or the proportion of the gas outlets in operation; distributing the divided gas to each of the gas outlets or each of the gas outlets in operation; and supplying the distributed gas to a downstream location A machine-readable medium including the above.

Claims

1. A gas dispenser, comprising: a body; an annular array of gas outlets for dispensing gas to external components; a gas inlet disposed within the annular array of gas outlets for introducing the gas into the body; a gas distribution point remote from the gas inlet, disposed within the body and including an internal volume surrounded by the annular array of gas outlets, the internal volume being in fluid communication with the annular array of gas outlets via a corresponding array of gas paths extending from the internal volume to each of the gas outlets, the gas path lengths of the gas paths being the same; A gas dispenser, wherein each gas outlet includes an orifice sized to permit or regulate a predetermined gas flow passing through the gas outlet.

2. The gas dispenser according to claim 1, wherein: the annular array of gas outlets is radially equidistantly spaced around the gas distribution point.

3. The gas dispenser according to claim 1, wherein: the body includes an internal gas conduit connecting the gas distribution point to the annular array of gas outlets.

4. The gas dispenser according to claim 3, wherein: each gas flow path of the internal gas conduit from the gas distribution point to the annular array of gas outlets has an equal length.

5. The gas dispenser according to claim 4, wherein: the internal gas conduit is arranged in a radial array with each internal gas conduit extending from the gas distribution point towards a respective gas outlet of the annular array of gas outlets.

6. The gas dispenser according to claim 1, wherein: the body includes a mounting location for a control valve or nozzle to permit or regulate a predetermined gas flow exiting the gas outlet.

7. The gas dispenser according to claim 6, wherein: each of the control valves or nozzles is mountable at a respective one of the mounting locations such that respective control means for controlling the gas flow through each gas outlet are provided at each gas outlet, and each of the control valves or nozzles includes an orifice.

8. The gas dispenser according to claim 6, further comprising: the control valve or nozzle.

9. The gas dispenser according to claim 8, wherein: the control valve or nozzle is replaceable.

10. The gas dispenser according to claim 8, wherein: the control valve or nozzle is configured in a same plane.

11. The gas distributor according to claim 8, wherein the orifice associated with the first control valve or nozzle is sized differently from the orifice associated with the second control valve or nozzle.

12. The gas distributor according to claim 1, wherein the internal volume of the gas distribution point includes a spherical volume.

13. The gas distributor according to claim 1, further comprising one or more vacuum gauges for measuring or verifying the gas flow rate of the gas flowing through the annular array of gas outlets.

14. The gas distributor according to claim 1, wherein the body includes two components that define a dividing line therebetween, the internal volume is disposed at the dividing line of the two components, the first component of the two components defines a first wall of the internal volume, and the second component of the two components defines a second wall of the internal volume.

15. A gas mixer, comprising a body, an annular array of gas inlets for receiving one or more components of the mixed gas, a mixed gas outlet disposed within the annular array of gas inlets for discharging the mixed gas from the body, a gas mixing point remote from the mixed gas outlet and disposed within the body and including an internal volume surrounded by the annular array of gas inlets, the internal volume being in fluid communication with the gas inlets via a corresponding array of gas paths extending from the internal volume to each of the annular array of gas inlets, and the gas path lengths of the gas paths being the same. Each gas inlet includes an orifice sized to permit or regulate a predetermined gas flow through the gas inlet.

16. The gas mixer according to claim 15, wherein the annular array of gas inlets is radially equidistantly spaced around the gas mixing point.

17. The gas mixer according to claim 15, wherein the body includes an internal gas conduit connecting the gas mixing point to the annular array of gas inlets.

18. The gas mixer according to claim 17, wherein each gas flow path of the internal gas conduit from the gas mixing point to the annular array of gas inlets has an equal length.

19. The gas mixer according to claim 17, wherein The internal gas conduit is a gas mixer arranged in a radial array with each internal gas conduit extending from the gas mixing point towards the respective gas inlet of the annular array of gas inlets.

20. The gas mixer according to claim 19, wherein the body includes a mounting location for a control valve or nozzle to permit or regulate a predetermined gas flow entering the gas inlet, the gas mixer.

21. The gas mixer according to claim 20, wherein each of the control valve or nozzle is mountable at each of the mounting locations such that respective control means for controlling the gas flow through each gas inlet are provided at each gas inlet, and each of the control valve or nozzle includes an orifice, the gas mixer.

22. The gas mixer according to claim 20, further comprising the control valve or nozzle, the gas mixer.

23. The gas mixer according to claim 22, wherein the control valve or nozzle is replaceable, the gas mixer.

24. The gas mixer according to claim 22, wherein the control valve or nozzle is configured in the same plane, the gas mixer.

25. The gas mixer according to claim 22, wherein the orifice associated with the first control valve or nozzle is sized to be different from the orifice associated with the second control valve or nozzle, the gas mixer.

26. The gas mixer according to claim 15, wherein the internal volume at the gas mixing point includes a spherical volume, the gas mixer.

27. The gas mixer according to claim 15, further comprising one or more vacuum gauges for measuring or verifying the gas flow rate flowing through the annular array of gas inlets or the mixed gas outlet, the gas mixer.

28. The gas mixer according to claim 15, wherein the body includes two components defining a dividing line therebetween, the internal volume is disposed at the dividing line of the two components, a first component of the two components defines a first wall of the internal volume, and a second component of the two components defines a second wall of the internal volume, the gas mixer.

Images