# US 12,009,235 B2 · In-chamber low-profile sensor assembly > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,009,235 B2 - Document ID: US12009235B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/109,019 - Filed: 2020-12-01 - Published: 2022-06-02 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2020-12-01 - Assignees: Applied Materials, Inc. - Applicants: Applied Materials, Inc. - Inventors: Chuang-Chia Lin; Wenwei Qiao - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12009235B2 ## CPC - H10P 72/0604: {Process monitoring, e.g. flow or thickness monitoring} - C23C 14/54: Controlling or regulating the coating process - C23C 14/566: {using a load-lock chamber} - C23C 14/568: {Transferring the substrates through a series of coating stations (C23C14/562 takes precedence)} - C23C 16/52: Controlling or regulating the coating process {(C23C16/45557, C23C16/279 take precedence)} - C23C 16/54: Apparatus specially adapted for continuous coating - G01F 15/063: using electrical means - G01F 15/14: Casings, e.g. of special material - G01L 15/00: Devices or apparatus for measuring two or more fluid pressure values simultaneously - G01L 19/086: {for remote indication} - G01L 19/14: Housings {(G01L19/0007, G01L19/0084, G01L19/0092, G01L19/04, G01L19/06 take precedence)} - G01L 21/12: measuring changes in electric resistance of measuring members, e.g. of filaments; Vacuum gauges of the Pirani type - G01N 25/18: by investigating thermal conductivity (by calorimetry G01N25/20; by measuring change of resistance of an electrically-heated body G01N27/18) - G01P 5/00: Measuring speed of fluids, e.g. of air stream; Measuring speed of bodies relative to fluids, e.g. of ship, of aircraft (application of speed-measuring devices for measuring volume of fluid G01F) - G01P 5/001: {Full-field flow measurement, e.g. determining flow velocity and direction in a whole region at the same time, flow visualisation} - G01P 5/14: by measuring differences of pressure in the fluid - H01J 37/32715: {Workpiece holder} - H01J 37/32935: {Monitoring and controlling tubes by information coming from the object and/or discharge} - G01L 2019/0053: {Pressure sensors associated with other sensors, e.g. for measuring acceleration, temperature} - H01J 37/32082: {Radio frequency generated discharge (H01J37/32357, H01J37/32366, H01J37/32394 and H01J37/32403 take precedence)} - H01J 2237/2007: Holding mechanisms - H01J 2237/3343: Problems associated with etching - H10P 72/0421: {for drying etching} - 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) - G01F: MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME - G01L: MEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER, MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE (weighing G01G) - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - G01P: MEASURING LINEAR OR ANGULAR SPEED, ACCELERATION, DECELERATION, OR SHOCK; INDICATING PRESENCE, ABSENCE, OR DIRECTION, OF MOVEMENT (measuring or recording blood flow A61B5/02, A61B8/06; monitoring speed or deceleration of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L3/00; vehicle lighting systems adapted to indicate speed B60Q1/54; determining position or course in navigation, measuring ground distance in geodesy or surveying G01C; combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement G01C23/00; measuring velocity of sound G01H; measuring velocity of light G01J7/00; measuring direction or velocity of solid objects by reception or emission of radiowaves or other waves and based on propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effect, propagation time, direction of propagation, G01S; measuring speed of nuclear radiation G01T; measuring acceleration of gravity G01V; {measuring or recording the speed of trains B61L23/00; speed indicators incorporated in motor vehicles B60K35/00; measuring frequency or phase G01R; traffic control G08G}) - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) ## Abstract A sensor assembly that includes a substrate and a set of sensors. The set of sensor includes pressure sensor and/or flow sensors located across a surface of the substrate. Each respective sensor of the plurality of sensor is adapted to measure a respective pressure or a respective flow of an environment proximate the respective sensor. Each respective sensor of the plurality of sensor may further be adapted to output a respective signal associated with the measured respective pressure or the measured respective flow. The respective signals associated with the measured respective pressure or the measured respective flows measured by the plurality of sensor together provide a pressure distribution across the surface of the substrate and/or a flow distribution across the surface of the substrate. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A sensor assembly comprising: a substrate; a controller disposed on the substrate; a plurality of first sensors activatable by the controller responsive to a determination by the controller that one or more of a threshold pressure condition or a threshold temperature condition is met, the plurality of first sensors comprising at least one of pressure sensors or flow sensors disposed across a surface of the substrate, wherein each respective sensor of the plurality of first sensors is adapted to: measure a respective pressure or a respective flow of an environment proximate the respective sensor; and output a respective signal associated with the measured respective pressure or the measured respective flow; wherein the respective signals associated with the measured respective pressures or the measured respective flows measured by the plurality of first sensors together provide at least one of a pressure distribution across the surface of the substrate or a flow distribution across the surface of the substrate. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises at least one of a semiconductor wafer, a printed circuit board (PCB), or a housing assembly, wherein the substrate is adapted to be chucked by a chuck of a processing chamber. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The sensor assembly of claim 1, further comprising a packaging layer disposed at least one of on the plurality of first sensors or on the substrate between the plurality of first sensors. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The sensor assembly of claim 3, wherein a combination of the packaging layer and the plurality of first sensors covers the surface of the substrate, wherein the packaging layer and the plurality of first sensors are aligned to form an approximately flat surface. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The sensor assembly of claim 1, further comprising: one or more circuit boards to which the plurality of first sensors are connected; and a data storage device coupled to the one or more circuit boards, wherein the data storage device is adapted to receive the respective signals and store the measured respective pressures or flows. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The sensor assembly of claim 1, further comprising: one or more circuit boards to which the plurality of first sensors are connected; and a wireless communication circuit coupled to the one or more circuit boards, the wireless communication circuit adapted to transmit the respective signals to a remote processing device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of first sensors comprises a thermal conductivity gauge to detect pressure or flow using thermal conductivity pressure dependence. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of first sensors comprises at least 10 sensor devices, and wherein the sensor assembly comprises a sensor wafer having a height of at most 2 mm. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of first sensors comprises a micro-electrical mechanical system (MEMS) pressure or flow sensor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The sensor assembly of claim 1, further comprising: a second sensor coupled to the controller, the second sensor is adapted to detect that a condition of the environment meets one or more of the threshold pressure condition or the threshold temperature condition; and the controller coupled to the second sensor, the controller adapted to: receive an indication from the second sensor that the condition of the environment meets one or more of the threshold pressure condition or the threshold temperature condition; and responsive to receiving the indication, switch one or more of the plurality of first sensors between an on status and an off status. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The sensor assembly of claim 10, wherein the threshold pressure condition is associated with a vacuum condition of the environment. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The sensor assembly of claim 10, wherein the second sensor is one of the plurality of first sensors.