Conduit check apparatus
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsShih Yang Chiu, Cheng-Lung Wu, Chai Hsien Chen, Chaolin Lo, Yang-Ann Chu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system includes an electrostatic chuck defining a first conduit configured to emit a first gas. The system includes a conduit check apparatus for identifying a first conduit status of the first conduit. The conduit check apparatus includes a thermochromic structure including a first region positioned relative to a flow path of the first gas emitted from the first conduit. The first region of the thermochromic structure produces a first visual indication of the first conduit status.
Claims20
A system, comprising:
- an electrostatic chuck defining a first conduit configured to emit a first gas;
- and
- a conduit check apparatus for identifying a first conduit status of the first conduit, wherein:
- the conduit check apparatus comprises a thermochromic structure comprising a first region positioned relative to a flow path of the first gas emitted from the first conduit;
- and
- the first region of the thermochromic structure produces a first visual indication of the first conduit status.
A method comprising:
- positioning a conduit check apparatus relative to an electrostatic chuck, wherein the conduit check apparatus comprises a thermochromic structure;
- emitting, from a first conduit defined by the electrostatic chuck, a first gas towards a first region of the thermochromic structure;
- and
- producing a first visual indication of a first conduit status of the first conduit at the first region of the thermochromic structure.
A conduit check apparatus comprising:
- a thermochromic structure comprising:
- a first region overlying a first conduit configured to emit a first gas;
- and
- a second region overlying a second conduit configured to emit a second gas;
- and
- a heating assembly configured to heat the thermochromic structure while the first gas is emitted from the first conduit and the second gas is emitted from the second conduit, wherein:
- the first region of the thermochromic structure produces a first visual indication of a first conduit status of the first conduit;
- and
- the second region of the thermochromic structure produces a second visual indication of a second conduit status of the second conduit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.