# US 12,183,606 B2 · Methods and assemblies for gas flow ratio control > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,183,606 B2 - Document ID: US12183606B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/406,034 - Filed: 2024-01-05 - Published: 2024-05-02 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2016-03-15 - Assignees: Applied Materials, Inc. - Applicants: Applied Materials, Inc. - Inventors: Kevin Brashear; Ashley M. Okada; Dennis L. Demars; Zhiyuan Ye; Jaidev Rajaram; Marcel E. Josephson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12183606B2 ## CPC - H10P 72/0604: {Process monitoring, e.g. flow or thickness monitoring} - G05D 11/132: {by controlling the flow of the individual components (G05D11/133 takes precedence)} - H10P 72/0402: {Apparatus for fluid treatment (H10P72/0441, H10P72/0448 take precedence)} - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES ## Abstract A master controller identifies a flow ratio setpoint for at least one of a process gas or a carrier gas flow to a process chamber through a set of mass flow controllers. The master controller determines a flow setpoint for the at least one of the process gas or the carrier gas through the set of mass flow controllers based on the identified flow ratio setpoint. The master controller controls the at least one of the process gas flow or the carrier gas flow through each of the set of mass flow controllers according to the determined flow setpoint for each of the set of mass flow controllers and based on a back pressure reading provided by a back pressure sensor. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for controlling flow of a gas to a process chamber, comprising: the process chamber; a plurality of mass flow controllers fluidly coupled to the process chamber, wherein each of the plurality of mass flow controllers are configured to flow at least one of a process gas or a carrier gas into a respective zone of the process chamber; a distribution manifold fluidly coupled to each of the plurality of mass flow controllers; a process gas supply fluidly coupled to the distribution manifold, wherein the process gas supply is configured to provide at least one of the process gas or the carrier gas to the process chamber via the distribution manifold and the plurality of mass flow controllers; a back pressure sensor configured to obtain a back pressure reading of a back pressure of the distribution manifold; a master controller operatively coupled to each of the plurality of mass flow controllers, the process gas supply, and the back pressure sensor of the distribution manifold, wherein the master controller is configured to: identify a flow ratio setpoint for at least one of a process gas flow or a carrier gas flow to the process chamber through the plurality of mass flow controllers; determine a flow setpoint for the at least one of the process gas flow or the carrier gas flow through each of the plurality of mass flow controllers based on the identified flow ratio setpoint; and control the at least one of the process gas flow or the carrier gas flow through each of the plurality of mass flow controllers according to the determined flow setpoint for each of the plurality of mass flow controllers and based on the back pressure reading provided by the back pressure sensor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising: a back pressure controller fluidly coupled to the distribution manifold, wherein the back pressure controller is configured to control a back pressure within the distribution manifold in view of the back pressure reading of the back pressure sensor, and wherein the at least one of the process gas flow or the carrier gas flow is further controlled by the back pressure controller. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the master controller is further configured to: control the carrier gas flow to a junction where the carrier gas flow and the process gas flow are mixed. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein the master controller is configured to control the carrier gas flow to the junction to be mixed with the process gas flow in view of a back pressure setpoint for the distribution manifold. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the determined flow setpoint corresponds to a flow rate of greater than 90 slm. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the master controller is further to: obtain a back pressure setpoint of the distribution manifold, wherein the flow setpoint for the at least one of the process gas flow or the carrier gas flow through each of the plurality of mass flow controllers is further determined based on the obtained back pressure setpoint. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the master controller is a digital controller comprising a processor. ### Claim 8 A method comprising: identifying, by a master controller, a flow ratio setpoint for at least one of a process gas flow or a carrier gas flow to a process chamber to a plurality of mass flow controllers, wherein each of the plurality of mass flow controllers are configured to flow at least one of a process gas or a carrier gas from a process gas supply and via a distribution manifold into a respective zone of the process chamber; determining, by the master controller, a flow setpoint for the at least one of the process gas flow or the carrier gas flow through each of the plurality of mass flow controllers based on the identified flow ratio setpoint; and controlling, by the master controller, the at least one of the process gas flow or the carrier gas flow through each of the plurality of mass flow controllers according to the determined flow setpoint for each of the mass flow controllers based on a back pressure reading of a back pressure of the distribution manifold, the back pressure reading provided by a back pressure sensor. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising: causing a back pressure controller fluidly coupled to the distribution manifold to control a back pressure within the distribution manifold in view of the back pressure reading of the back pressure sensor, and wherein the at least one of the process gas flow or the carrier gas flow is further controlled by the back pressure controller. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising: controlling the carrier gas flow to a junction where the carrier gas flow and the process gas flow are mixed. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the carrier gas flow is controlled to the junction to be mixed with the process gas flow in view of a back pressure setpoint for the distribution manifold. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the determined flow setpoint corresponds to a flow rate of greater than 90 slm. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising: obtaining a back pressure setpoint of the distribution manifold, wherein the flow setpoint for the at least one of the process gas flow or the carrier gas flow through each of the plurality of mass flow controllers is further determined based on the obtained back pressure setpoint. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the master controller is a digital controller comprising a processor. ### Claim 15 A master controller comprising: a set of one or more processors, wherein the set of one or more processors is to: identify a flow ratio setpoint for at least one of a process gas flow or a carrier gas flow to a process chamber to a plurality of mass flow controllers, wherein each of the plurality of mass flow controllers are configured to flow at least one of a process gas or a carrier gas from a process gas supply and via a distribution manifold into a respective zone of the process chamber; determine a flow setpoint for the at least one of the process gas flow or the carrier gas flow through each of the plurality of mass flow controllers based on the identified flow ratio setpoint; and control the at least one of the process gas flow or the carrier gas flow through each of the plurality of mass flow controllers according to the determined flow setpoint for each of the mass flow controllers based on a back pressure reading of a back pressure of the distribution manifold, the back pressure reading provided by a back pressure sensor. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The master controller of claim 15, wherein the set of one or more processors is further to: cause a back pressure controller fluidly coupled to the distribution manifold to control a back pressure within the distribution manifold in view of the back pressure reading of the back pressure sensor, and wherein the at least one of the process gas flow or the carrier gas flow is further controlled by the back pressure controller. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The master controller of claim 15, wherein the set of one or more processors is further to: control the carrier gas flow to a junction where the carrier gas flow and the process gas flow are mixed. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The master controller of claim 17, wherein the carrier gas flow is controlled to the junction to be mixed with the process gas flow in view of a back pressure setpoint for the distribution manifold. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The master controller of claim 15, wherein the determined flow setpoint corresponds to a flow rate of greater than 90 slm. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The master controller of claim 15, wherein the set of one or more processors is further to: obtain a back pressure setpoint of the distribution manifold, wherein the flow setpoint for the at least one of the process gas flow or the carrier gas flow through each of the plurality of mass flow controllers is further determined based on the obtained back pressure setpoint.