# US 12,002,658 B2 · Process cooling-water isolation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,002,658 B2 - Document ID: US12002658B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/598,783 - Filed: 2020-03-26 - Published: 2022-05-26 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2019-03-28 - Assignees: Lam Research Corporation - Applicants: Lam Research Corporation - Inventors: Sreeram Sonti - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12002658B2 ## CPC - H01J 37/32522: {Temperature} - H10P 72/0402: {Apparatus for fluid treatment (H10P72/0441, H10P72/0448 take precedence)} - C23C 16/4401: {Means for minimising impurities, e.g. dust, moisture or residual gas, in the reaction chamber} - G01M 3/165: {by means of cables or similar elongated devices, e.g. tapes} - G01M 3/186: {for containers, e.g. radiators} - G08B 21/20: responsive to moisture - H01J 37/32724: {Temperature} - H01J 37/32807: {Construction (includes replacing parts of the apparatus)} - H01J 37/3288: {Maintenance} - H10P 72/0434: {mainly by convection} - H10P 72/0604: {Process monitoring, e.g. flow or thickness monitoring} - H01J 37/32357: {Generation remote from the workpiece, e.g. down-stream} - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04) - G01M: TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS ## Abstract In one embodiment, the disclosed apparatus is a process cooling-water isolation system used in a process tool. The system includes an isolation valve coupled between a water supply and an inlet of one or more components in a process-module water-cooling circuit. An open device allows cooling water to flow to the one or more components, while a close device prevents cooling water from flowing to the one or more components. At least one water-leak sensor is coupled to the close device to detect a water leak within the process tool. A check valve having an inlet port is coupled to an outlet of the one or more components, and an outlet port is coupled to a water-return reservoir. The check valve prevents water from back-flowing from the water-return reservoir into the one or more components. Other apparatuses and methods are disclosed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A process cooling-water isolation system used in a process tool, the system comprising: an isolation valve having an inlet port and an outlet port, the inlet port is configured to be coupled to a water supply, and the outlet port is configured to be coupled to an inlet of one or more components in a process-module water-cooling circuit; an open device coupled to the isolation valve to open the isolation valve to allow coding water to flow to the one or more components in the process-module water-coding circuit; a dose device coupled to the isolation valve to dose the isolation valve to prevent coding water from flowing to the one or more components in the process-module water-coding circuit; at least one water-leak sensor coupled to the dose device, the at least one water-leak sensor to detect a water leak within the process tool; and a check valve having an inlet port and an outlet port, the inlet port configured to be coupled to an outlet of one or more components in the process-module water-coding circuit, the outlet port configured to be coupled to a water-return reservoir, the check valve to prevent water from back-flowing from the water-return reservoir into the one or more components in the process-module water-cooling circuit. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The process cooling-water isolation system of claim 1, further comprising a water-leak sensor input module disposed between the water-leak sensor and the close device, the water-leak sensor input module to receive a signal from the at least one water-leak sensor and transmit the signal to the close device to close the isolation valve. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The process cooling-water isolation system of claim 1, wherein the at least one water-leak sensor includes multiple instantiations in each of the one or more components in the process-module water-cooling circuit. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The process cooling-water isolation system of claim 1, wherein the at least one water-leak sensor comprises a water-sensitive cable formed in proximity to at least some of the one or more components in the process-module water-cooling circuit. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The process cooling-water isolation system of claim 1, wherein the check valve has a cracking pressure of greater than about 6.9 kRa. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The process cooling-water isolation system of claim 1, wherein the one or more components in the process-module water-cooling circuit includes at least one component selected from components including a radio-frequency generator, a remote plasma-chamber, a top plate, a spindle, a pedestal, and a chamber. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The process cooling-water isolation system of claim 1, wherein the one or more components in the process-module water-cooling circuit are arranged in series with one another. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The process cooling-water isolation system of claim 1, wherein the one or more components in the process-module water-cooling circuit are arranged in parallel with one another. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The process coding-water isolation system of claim 1, wherein the one or more components in the process-module water-cooling circuit are arranged in a series-parallel arrangement with one another. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The process cooling-water isolation system of claim 1, wherein the open device, the dose device, and the isolation valve are coupled to one another electrically. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The process coding-water isolation system of claim 1, wherein the open device, the dose device, and the isolation valve are coupled to one another pneumatically. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The process coding-water isolation system of claim 1, wherein the open device, the dose device, and the isolation valve are coupled to one another hydraulically. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The process coding-water isolation system of claim 1, wherein the one or more components in the process-module water-cooling circuit are contained within a process module of the process tool. ### Claim 14 A method of operating a process cooling-water isolation system for a process tool, the method comprising: monitoring for a water leak within the process tool; based on a determination that a water leak has been detected: shutting down the process tool; sounding an alarm; and closing a double-acting isolation valve supplying cooling water to the process tool by operating a close input of the double-acting isolation valve using a close device coupled to the close input of the double-acting isolation valve; based on a determination that a water leak has not been detected: selecting from (i) opening the isolation valve by operating an open input of the double-acting isolation valve using an open device coupled to the open input of the double-acting isolation valve and (ii) continuing to leave the valve open if previously opened; and continuing to monitor for water leaks. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising, based on the determination that the water leak has occurred: determining one or more locations where the leak has occurred; and repairing the leak. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising: verifying that the leak has been repaired; and based on a determination that the leak has been repaired, continuing to monitor for water leaks within the process tool. ### Claim 17 A machine-readable storage medium storing a set of instructions that, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations for operating a process cooling-water isolation system for a process tool, the operations comprising: monitoring for a water leak within the process tool; based on a determination that a water leak has been detected: shutting down the process tool; sounding an alarm; and closing a double-acting isolation valve supplying cooling water to the process tool by operating a close input of the double-acting isolation valve using a close device coupled to the close input of the double-acting isolation valve; based on a determination that a water leak has not been detected: selecting from (i) opening the isolation valve by operating an open input of the double-acting isolation valve using an open device coupled to the open input of the double-acting isolation valve and (ii) continuing to leave the valve open if previously opened; and continuing to monitor for water leaks. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 further comprising preventing water from back-flowing from a water-return reservoir into a process-module water-cooling circuit using a check valve connected to the water-return reservoir and the process-module water-cooling circuit. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The machine-readable storage medium of claim 17 wherein the operations further comprise preventing water from back-flowing from a water-return reservoir into a process-module water-cooling circuit using a check valve connected to the water-return reservoir and the process-module water-cooling circuit.