Gas distribution apparatus for directional and proportional delivery of process gas to a process chamber

A gas distribution system, comprising:

• a housing having a gas distribution apparatus and a fast gas exchange unit disposed within the housing, the fast gas exchange unit having:
• a plurality of inlets respectively coupled to a plurality of gas sources;
• an outlet;
• a first flow path having a first plurality of flow controllers;
• and
• a second flow path having a second plurality of flow controllers, wherein selective actuation of the first plurality of flow controllers and the second plurality of flow controllers provides a flow of a process gases from one of the plurality of gas sources to the outlet, and wherein the gas distribution apparatus comprises:
• a manifold having a gas inlet to receive a process gas from the outlet of the fast gas exchange unit, a first gas outlet to provide the process gas to a first gas delivery zone, and a second gas outlet to provide the process gas to a second gas delivery zone;
• a plurality of flow restrictors fluidly coupled to one another in parallel, and fluidly coupled to the gas inlet, wherein each of the plurality of flow restrictors are configured to allow at least a portion of a total flow of a process gas through each of the plurality of flow restrictors, wherein the plurality of flow restrictors comprises:
• a first set of flow restrictors fluidly coupled to one another in parallel and fluidly coupled only to the first gas outlet;
• and
• a second set of flow restrictors fluidly coupled to one another in parallel and fluidly coupled only to the second gas outlet;
• and
• a plurality of valves each coupled to respective ones of the plurality of flow restrictors, wherein the plurality of valves are configured to be selectively opened to allow the process gas to flow through selective ones of the plurality of flow restrictors to provide a desired percentage of a total flow of the process gas to the respective gas outlets.

A gas distribution system, comprising:

• a housing;
• a fast gas exchange unit disposed within the housing, wherein the fast gas exchange unit comprises:
• a plurality of inlets respectively coupled to a plurality of gas sources;
• an outlet;
• a first flow path having a first plurality of flow controllers;
• and
• a second flow path having a second plurality of flow controllers, wherein selective actuation of the first plurality of flow controllers and the second plurality of flow controllers provides a flow of a process gases from one of the plurality of gas sources to the outlet;
• a gas distribution apparatus disposed within the housing, wherein the gas distribution apparatus comprises:
• a manifold having a gas inlet to receive a process gas from the outlet of the fast gas exchange unit, a first gas outlet to provide the process gas to a first gas delivery zone, and a second gas outlet to provide the process gas to a second gas delivery zone;
• a plurality of flow restrictors fluidly coupled to one another in parallel, and fluidly coupled to the gas inlet, wherein each of the plurality of flow restrictors are configured to allow at least a portion of a total flow of a process gas through each of the plurality of flow restrictors, wherein the plurality of flow restrictors comprise a first set of flow restrictors fluidly coupled to one another in parallel and fluidly coupled only to the first gas outlet, and a second set of flow restrictors fluidly coupled to one another in parallel and fluidly coupled to only the second gas outlet, and wherein the first gas delivery zone and the second gas delivery zone are gas zones of a process chamber;
• and
• a plurality of valves each coupled to respective ones of the plurality of flow restrictors, wherein the plurality of valves are configured to be selectively opened to allow the process gas to flow through selective ones of the plurality of flow restrictors to provide a desired percentage of a total flow of the process gas to the respective gas outlets.