Programmable multizone gas injector for single-wafer semiconductor processing equipment

A multizone fluids injector for use in single-wafer semiconductor processing equipment comprising:

• a body member having a showerhead plate arranged to be located adjacent to said wafer, a plurality of radially and circumferentially spaced orifices extending through said showerhead plate, a first passageway in said body member having a center circular portion and connected with a first portion of said orifices and having only one first inlet, a second passageway in said body member having a first annular portion surrounding said center circular portion of said first passageway and connected with a second portion of said orifices and having only one second inlet, and a third passageway in said body member having a second annular portion surrounding said first annular portion of said second passageway and connected with a third portion of said orifices and having only one third inlet;
• a first conduit connected to said first inlet and arranged to be connected to a source of process fluids;
• a second conduit connected to said second inlet and arranged to be connected to said source of process fluids;
• and
• a third conduit connected to said third inlet and arranged to be connected to said source of process fluids;
• wherein said source of process fluids includes:
• a fluid mixing manifold;
• pressure control apparatus connected with said mixing manifold for maintaining a desired pressure therein;
• a plurality of conduits connected to said mixing manifold for supplying process fluids to said mixing manifold;
• control valves for controlling the mass flow of said process fluids into said mixing manifold;
• and,
• an outlet conduit connected to said mixing manifold for delivering said process fluids to said first, second, and third conduits connected to said body member;
• and
• wherein said pressure control apparatus includes:
• a pressure sensor in said mixing manifold for generating a signal indicative of the pressure in the mixing manifold;
• a controller for receiving said signal and comparing said signal to a desired pressure and transmitting an output control signal indicative of the desired pressure;
• pressure controlling apparatus connected with said mixing manifold;
• a control valve located between said mixing manifold and pressure controlling apparatus, said valve being responsive to said output control signal to regulate the pressure in said mixing manifold.

A single-wafer semiconductor processing apparatus comprising:

• a process chamber having a plurality of inlet conduits;
• and
• a gas distribution system connected to said process chamber, said gas distribution system comprising:
• a plurality of gas mixing manifolds each connected to one of said plurality of inlet conduits of said process chamber;
• a plurality of process gas supplies each connected to each of said plurality of gas mixing manifolds through a plurality of mass flow controllers;
• and a pressure control system for maintaining a desired pressure in each of said gas mixing manifolds, wherein said pressure control system comprises, for each gas mixing manifold:
• a pressure sensor in the associated gas mixing manifold for generating a signal indicative of the pressure in said associated gas mixing manifold;
• a controller for receiving said signal and comparing said signal to a desired pressure for said associated gas mixing manifold and transmitting an output control signal indicative of the desired pressure;
• a pressure controlling device connected with said associated gas mixing manifold;
• and
• a control valve located between said associated gas mixing manifold and said pressure controlling device, said control valve being responsive to said output control signal to regulate the pressure in said associated gas mixing manifold.