Pulse-Width Gas Dosing for Spatial Skew Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Substrate processing systems face challenges in quickly changing gas mixtures and varying gas doses spatially or temporally due to latency and reaction issues in gas delivery systems, particularly in processes like atomic layer etching and deposition, where precise and fast switching is required.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing system with multiple injector assemblies and a dose controller that adjusts pulse widths based on pressure, temperature, and location to compensate for manufacturing differences and non-uniformities, allowing for precise and varied gas dosing, including spatial and temporal skew compensation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If gas delivery systems use traditional manifolds and conduits to deliver process gases, then gas delivery is simple and reliable, but latency increases and the ability to change gas mixtures quickly or vary gas doses spatially or temporally deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The gas delivery system is segmented into multiple independent injector assemblies, each with its own valve and gas delivery path from the manifold. This segmentation eliminates the need for long conduits and mixing chambers, allowing each injector to receive gas directly from the manifold and switch gas mixtures independently and rapidly, thereby reducing delivery latency and improving switching speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a single centralized gas delivery path to a multi-dimensional array of injector assemblies distributed across the processing chamber. Each injector operates independently in its own spatial location, enabling simultaneous delivery of different gas mixtures to different regions, thus improving both switching speed and spatial dosing capability while reducing overall system latency.
2Adaptability or versatility
If traditional gas delivery systems are used with long conduits and mixing chambers, then system simplicity is maintained, but the ability to vary gas doses spatially or temporally and respond quickly to process changes deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the gas delivery function into multiple independent injector assemblies distributed across the processing chamber, each injector can be controlled independently to deliver specific gas mixtures to specific locations. This segmentation enables precise spatial and temporal dosing control while maintaining fast response times, as each injector can switch gas mixtures independently without waiting for system-wide changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs dynamic control of multiple injector assemblies, where each injector's valve can be opened or closed independently based on real-time process requirements. This dynamic capability allows the system to adapt gas mixture composition, dosage, and delivery timing spatially and temporally, achieving high versatility while maintaining fast response speeds through independent valve actuation.
3Manufacturing precision
If pulse widths are not adjusted for manufacturing differences between valves, then system complexity is reduced, but manufacturing precision and uniformity of gas dosing deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback control by measuring the actual gas flow or pressure from each injector assembly and using this information to adjust the pulse width of each valve individually. This feedback mechanism compensates for manufacturing variations in valve characteristics, ensuring uniform gas dosing across all injectors while maintaining relatively simple hardware through software-based correction.
Solution Approach 2:
The system compensates for manufacturing differences by dynamically adjusting the pulse width parameter for each valve based on its individual performance characteristics. By changing this single control parameter, the system achieves uniform gas dosing across all injector assemblies without requiring complex hardware modifications, thereby maintaining simplicity while improving manufacturing precision.
Data Source
AI summary
A substrate processing system for treating a substrate includes a manifold, a plurality of injector assemblies located in a processing chamber, and a dose controller. Each of the plurality of injector assemblies is in fluid communication with the manifold and includes a valve including an inlet and an outlet. The dose controller is configured to communicate with the valve in each of the plurality of injector assemblies. The dose controller is configured to adjust a pulse width supplied to the valve in each of the plurality of injector assemblies to provide spatial dosing and at least one of compensate for upstream skew caused by a prior process and pre-compensate for downstream skew expected from a subsequent process.