Dynamic gas flow controller
US5865205A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 17, 1997 |
| Grant date | Feb 2, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 17, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T137/7761
- WIPO fieldControl
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method and apparatus for controlling the delivery of a gas from a reservoir to a semiconductor process chamber. In accordance with the present invention, a reservoir, having an inlet and outlet isolation valve and a known volume, is filled with a gas upon the initiation of process recipe step. The temperature and pressure of the gas in the reservoir are measured to determine an initial mass of the gas residing within the reservoir. The flow of gas from the reservoir to the process chamber is metered by a variable flow valve under the control of a self-calibrating, dynamic flow control circuit comprising a flow control servo loop (flow control circuit) and a calibration servo loop (calibration circuit). The variable flow valve is situated in a gas flow path between the reservoir and process chamber at a point upstream of a orifice. In operation, gas is delivered to the process chamber by releasing the gas from the reservoir and directing the gas through the variable flow valve and sonic orifice and into the process chamber. The flow control servo loop is used to dynamically control the variable flow valve in response to a measured gas flow rate. When the flow of gas to the process…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.