Methods and apparatus for calibrating flow controllers in substrate processing systems

US8707754B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Applied Materials, Inc. · US

Inventors

• James P. Cruse · Santa Cruz, US
• John W. Lane · Austin, US
• Mariusch Gregor · Gilroy, US
• Duc Dang Buckius · San Jose, US
• Berrin Daran
• Corie Lynn Cobb · Mountain View, US
• Ming Xu · Nanjing, CN
• Andrew Nguyen · San Jose, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 29, 2010
• Grant date: Apr 29, 2014
• Expiry date: Jun 30, 2032

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T137/877
• WIPO field: Mechanical elements
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for calibrating a plurality of gas flows in a substrate processing system are provided herein. In some embodiments, a substrate processing system may include a cluster tool comprising a first process chamber and a second process chamber coupled to a central vacuum transfer chamber; a first flow controller to provide a process gas to the first process chamber; a second flow controller to provide the process gas to the second process chamber; a mass flow verifier to verify a flow rate from each of the first and second flow controllers; a first conduit to selectively couple the first flow controller to the mass flow verifier; and a second conduit to selectively couple the second flow controller to the mass flow verifier.