Systems and methods for providing gases to a process chamber
US9721763B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 29, 2015 |
| Grant date | Aug 1, 2017 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 29, 2035 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T137/7722
- WIPO fieldControl
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A gas supply system for providing a plurality of process gases to a process chamber includes a plurality of mass flow controllers each arranged to receive a respective subset of the plurality of process gases. Each of the respective subsets includes more than one of the process gases, and at least one of the process gases is provided to more than one of the plurality of mass flow controllers. Respective valves are arranged upstream of each of the plurality of mass flow controllers to selectively provide the respective subsets to the mass flow controllers. A first quantity of the plurality of mass flow controllers is less than a total number of the plurality of process gases to be supplied to the process chamber. The first quantity is equal to a maximum number of the plurality of process gases to be used in the process chamber at any one time.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.