IP Library Granted Patent US 11,542,598
Granted Patent B2
US 11,542,598 · App. 16/650,328 · Granted Jan 3, 2023

Systems and methods for pulse width modulated dose control

Inventor: Mariusch Gregor (Gilroy, CA)
Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
C23C16/45544B05B1/14B05B1/30C23C16/45557C23C16/45565H01L21/67069H01L21/67253
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,542,598
App. No.
16/650,328
Granted
Jan 3, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A substrate processing system for treating a substrate includes a manifold and a plurality of injector assemblies located in a processing chamber. Each of the plurality of injector assemblies is in fluid communication with the manifold and includes a valve including an inlet and an outlet. A dose controller is configured to communicate with the valve in each of the plurality of injector assemblies and adjust a pulse width supplied to the valve in each of the plurality of injector assemblies based on at least one of manufacturing differences between the valves in each of the plurality of injector assemblies and non-uniformities of the valves in each of the plurality of injector assemblies to cause a desired dose to be supplied from the valve in each of the plurality of injector assemblies.

Claims (22)

1. A substrate processing system for treating a substrate, comprising:

a manifold;

a plurality of injector assemblies located in a processing chamber,

wherein each of the plurality of injector assemblies is in fluid communication with the manifold and includes a valve including an inlet and an outlet;

a dose controller configured to:

communicate with the valve in each of the plurality of injector assemblies; and

adjust a pulse width supplied to the valve in each of the plurality of injector assemblies based on at least one of manufacturing differences between the valves in each of the plurality of injector assemblies and non-uniformities of the valves in each of the plurality of injector assemblies to cause a desired dose to be supplied from the valve in each of the plurality of injector assemblies.

2. The substrate processing system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of injector assemblies further includes a pressure sensor sensing pressure at the valve in each of the plurality of injector assemblies.

3. The substrate processing system of claim 2 , wherein the dose controller is configured to adjust the respective pulse width for each valve based on the corresponding sensed pressure.

4. The substrate processing system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of injector assemblies further includes a temperature sensor sensing gas temperature at the valve in each of the plurality of injector assemblies.

5. The substrate processing system of claim 4 , wherein the dose controller is configured to adjust the respective pulse width for each valve based on the corresponding sensed gas temperature.

6. The substrate processing system of claim 1 , wherein the dose controller is configured to vary the pulse widths based on corresponding locations of the plurality of injector assemblies relative to the substrate.

7. The substrate processing system of claim 1 , wherein the dose controller is configured to vary the pulse widths based on corresponding empirical data for the plurality of injector assemblies.

8. The substrate processing system of claim 1 , further comprising a pressure regulator to regulate a pressure inside the manifold.

9. The substrate processing system of claim 1 , wherein the dose controller is configured to adjust the pulse widths so as to cause the valves to provide approximately the same dose.

10. The substrate processing system of claim 1 , wherein the dose controller is configured to adjust the pulse widths so as to cause the valves to provide different doses.

11. The substrate processing system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of injector assemblies further includes a restricted orifice.

12. The substrate processing system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of injector assemblies further includes a bypass valve having an inlet connected to the inlet of the valve.

13. The substrate processing system of claim 12 , wherein each of the plurality of injector assemblies further includes a pressure sensor sensing pressure at the corresponding valve in each of the plurality of injector assemblies, and wherein the dose controller is configured to adjust the pulse widths for the valves and the bypass valves based on the corresponding sensed pressures.

14. The substrate processing system of claim 12 , wherein each of the plurality of injector assemblies further includes a temperature sensor sensing gas temperature at the corresponding valve in each of the plurality of injector assemblies, and wherein the dose controller is configured to adjust the pulse widths for the valves and the bypass valves based on the corresponding sensed gas temperatures.

15. The substrate processing system of claim 12 , wherein the dose controller is configured to vary the respective pulse width based on a desired overlap of the valve and the bypass valve for each of the plurality of injector assemblies.

16. The substrate processing system of claim 1 , wherein the dose controller is configured to vary doses output by the plurality of injector assemblies to provide spatial skew.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 25, 2020
From: GREGOR, MARIUSCH
To: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 052219/0242 →
Continuity (3)
Provisional Application 62590815 · Nov 27, 2017
Provisional Application 62563129 · Sep 26, 2017
Related Publication 20200270748A1 · Aug 27, 2020