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US 12,728,446 B2Granted
Fluid vapor mixing and delivery system
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorEdwin Velazquez
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for delivering IPA vapor to a substrate processing chamber. In one aspect, the invention includes a controller, a liquid mass flow controller (LMFC) associated with a vaporizer to convert a first fluid to a vapor, a mass flow controller (MFC) associated with the carrier gas, a mixing unit to mix the vapor with the carrier gas to create the predetermined mixture and a drain circuit including a first flow path having a first valve between the mixing unit and a drain, a second flow path having a second valve between the mixing unit and the processing chamber, whereby the first flow path can be opened until the predetermined mixture is reached and thereafter, the second flow path can be opened allowing the predetermined mixture to be delivered to the chamber.
Claims16
An apparatus for delivering a predetermined mixture of fluids to a substrate in a processing chamber, comprising:
- a controller;
- a liquid mass flow controller associated with a vaporizer configured to convert a first liquid to a vapor;
- a mass flow controller associated with a source of a carrier gas;
- a mixing unit configured to mix the vapor with the carrier gas to create the predetermined mixture;
- a drain circuit including:
- a first flow path having a first valve between the mixing unit and a drain;
- and
- a second flow path having a second valve between the mixing unit and the processing chamber,
- wherein the controller controls the liquid mass flow controller, the mass flow controller, and the vaporizer, to create the predetermined mixture, and wherein the controller causes the predetermined mixture to be provided through the first flow path for at least a first period of time before allowing the predetermined mixture to be delivered to a surface of the substrate within the processing chamber.
6 more elements
A fluid box assembly comprising:
- a controller;
- a first box, the first box having:
- an isopropyl alcohol vessel for containment of liquid isopropyl alcohol, the liquid isopropyl alcohol pressurized for delivery via a first fluid path to a first liquid mass flow controller associated with a first vaporizer configured to convert fluid isopropyl alcohol to isopropyl alcohol vapor;
- a first mass flow controller associated with a source of the first carrier gas;
- and
- a first mixing unit configured to mix the isopropyl alcohol gas with the first carrier gas to create a predetermined mixture for delivery to a first processing chamber;
- a second box, the second box having:
- a second liquid mass flow controller associated with a second vaporizer configured to convert fluid isopropyl alcohol to isopropyl alcohol vapor;
- a second mass flow controller associated with the source of the carrier gas;
- a second mixing unit configured to mix the isopropyl alcohol vapor with the carrier gas to create the predetermined mixture for delivery to a second processing chamber;
- and
- a second fluid path between the isopropyl alcohol vessel and the second box, wherein the controller controls the first and second liquid mass flow controllers, the first and second mass flow controllers and the first and second vaporizers.
9 more elements
A fluid box assembly comprising:
- a controller;
- a first box, the first box having:
- a vessel for containment of liquid isopropyl alcohol, the liquid isopropyl alcohol pressurized for delivery via a first fluid path to a first liquid mass flow controller associated with a first vaporizer configured to convert fluid isopropyl alcohol to isopropyl alcohol vapor;
- a first mass flow controller associated with a carrier gas;
- a first mixing unit configured to mix the isopropyl alcohol gas with the carrier gas to create a predetermined mixture for delivery to a first processing chamber;
- a second box, the second box having:
- a second liquid mass flow controller associated with a second vaporizer configured to convert fluid isopropyl alcohol to isopropyl alcohol vapor;
- a second mass flow controller associated with a carrier gas;
- a second mixing unit configured to mix the isopropyl alcohol vapor with the carrier gas to create the predetermined mixture for delivery to a second processing chamber;
- a second fluid path between the isopropyl alcohol vessel and the second liquid mass flow controller of the second box, wherein liquid isopropyl alcohol is pressurized for delivery from the isopropyl alcohol vessel to the second liquid mass flow controller;
- a first drain circuit associated with the first processing chamber, including:
- a first flow path having a first valve between the first mixing unit and a drain;
- a second flow path having a second valve between the first mixing unit and the first processing chamber, whereby the controller opens the first flow path until the predetermined mixture is reached and thereafter, the controller opens the second flow path allowing the predetermined mixture to be delivered to the first chamber;
- and
- a second drain circuit associated with the second processing chamber, including:
- a first flow path having a first valve between the second mixing unit and a drain;
- a second flow path having a second valve between the second mixing unit and the second processing chamber, whereby the controller opens the first flow path until the predetermined mixture is reached and thereafter, the controller opens the second flow path allowing the predetermined mixture to be delivered to the second chamber wherein the controller controls the first and second liquid mass flow controllers, the first and second mass flow controllers and the first and second vaporizers.
14 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.