Apparatus and process for sensing fluoro species in semiconductor processing systems

US7080545B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY & MATERIALS CO., LTD. · US

Inventors

• Frank Dimeo, Jr. · Falls Church, US
• Philip S. H. Chen · Bethel, US
• Jeffrey W. Neuner · Bethel, US
• James Welch · Wolcott, US
• Michele Stawasz · Bethel, US
• Thomas H. Baum · New Fairfield, US
• Mackenzie King · Southbury, US
• Ing-Shin Chen · Danbury, US
• Jeffrey F. Roeder · Brookfield, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 17, 2002
• Grant date: Jul 25, 2006
• Expiry date: May 26, 2023

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T436/19
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A gas detector and process for detecting a fluorine-containing species in a gas containing same, e.g., an effluent of a semiconductor processing tool undergoing etch cleaning with HF, NF3, etc. The detector in a preferred structural arrangement employs a microelectromechanical system (MEMS)-based device structure and/or a free-standing metal element that functions as a sensing component and optionally as a heat source when elevated temperature sensing is required. The free-standing metal element can be fabricated directly onto a standard chip carrier/device package so that the package becomes a platform of the detector.