Mass flow controller based fast gas exchange

US11940819B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• Applied Materials, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Abhishek Chowdhury · Kanchinakote, IN
• Ravikumar Patil · Bengaluru, IN
• Arun Chakravarthy Chakravarthy · Komangalam, IN
• Jon C. Farr · Tempe, US
• Saravanan Chandrabalu · Kanchinakote, IN
• Prabhuraj Kuberan · Kanchinakote, IN

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 20, 2023
• Grant date: Mar 26, 2024
• Expiry date: Jan 20, 2043

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T137/87249
• WIPO field: Mechanical elements
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

Embodiments of fast gas exchange (FGE) manifolds are provided herein. In some embodiments, a FGE manifold includes: a manifold housing having a plurality of inlets and a plurality of outlets for flowing a plurality of process gases therethrough, wherein the plurality of outlets correspond with a plurality of zones in the process chamber; a plurality of hybrid valves disposed in the manifold housing and fluidly coupled to the plurality of inlets; a plurality of mass flow controllers disposed in the manifold housing downstream of the plurality of hybrid valves; a plurality of mixing lines extending downstream from the plurality of mass flow controllers to a plurality of outlet lines; and a plurality of outlet valves disposed in line with corresponding ones of the plurality of outlet lines, wherein a flow path is defined between each inlet of the plurality of inlets and each outlet of the plurality of outlets.