High pressure fourier transform infrared cell
AssigneeToyko Electron Limited
InventorWilliam Jones
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A monitoring system enables in-situ monitoring of a solution enclosed within a high-pressure, closed loop environment. The monitoring system includes a calcium fluoride disk that is substantially transparent to infrared light. A hole is configured through the disk and a solution passes through the hole. Solution passing through the hole is analyzed by directing infrared light through the disk and the solution currently moving through the hole in the disk. The light exiting the disk is collected and analyzed to determine the composition of the solution through which the light passed.
Claims43
A system for monitoring a processing fluid within a high-pressure processing system, the system comprising:
- a recirculation loop comprising a high pressure processing chamber and a high pressure recirculation system coupled to the high pressure processing chamber, wherein the processing fluid flows through the recirculation loop;
- a high-pressure fluid supply system coupled to the recirculation loop and comprising means for supplying fluid to the recirculation loop;
- a process chemistry supply system coupled to the recirculation loop and comprising means for supplying process chemistry to the recirculation loop;
- a pressure control system coupled to the recirculation loop;
- an exhaust system coupled to the recirculation loop;
- a monitoring system coupled to the recirculation loop for monitoring the processing fluid flowing through the recirculation loop;
- and
- a controller coupled to the high pressure processing chamber, the recirculation system, the high-pressure fluid supply system, the process chemistry supply system, the pressure control system, the exhaust system, and the monitoring system wherein the controller comprises means for determining a chemical composition of the processing fluid using data from the monitoring system, means for comparing the chemical composition to a threshold value, means for providing additional fluid to the recirculation loop when the chemical composition is greater than or equal to the threshold value, and means for providing additional process chemistry to the recirculation loop when the chemical composition is less than the threshold value.
A monitoring system for monitoring a high-pressure processing fluid flowing through a recirculation loop in a high-pressure processing system, the monitoring system comprising:
- a block of material substantially transparent to a light beam, wherein the block of material includes a flow passage through which. the high-pressure processing fluid flows;
- and
- a holder coupled to the block of material, the holder comprising an input port coupled to a first side of the flow passage, an output port coupled to a second side of the flow passage, a first connecting element for coupling the input port to a first fluid line in the recirculation loop, a second connecting element for coupling the output port to a second fluid line in the recirculation loop, wherein the holder further comprises means for coupling an optical source for creating the light beam and an optical detector for receiving the light beam to the block of material for monitoring the flow of the high-pressure processing fluid therethrough.
A method for monitoring a high-pressure processing fluid flowing through a recirculation loop in a high-pressure processing system, the method comprising:
- circulating the high pressure solution through the recirculation loop, the recirculation loop including a monitoring system through which the high-pressure processing fluid passes, the monitoring system including a block material that is substantially transparent to an infrared light beam;
- directing the infrared light beam at a first side of the block material such that the infrared light beam passes through the block material and the high-pressure processing fluid passing therethrough;
- receiving the infrared light beam output from a second side of the block material;
- and
- analyzing the received infrared light beam.
A computer readable medium containing program instructions for execution on a controller coupled to a high-pressure processing system, which when executed by the controller, cause the high-pressure processing system to perform the steps of:
- positioning a substrate within a processing chamber, the high-pressure processing system comprising a recirculation loop coupled to the processing chamber;
- circulating a high pressure solution through processing chamber and the recirculation loop, the recirculation loop including a monitoring system through which the high-pressure processing fluid passes, the monitoring system including a block material that is substantially transparent to an infrared light beam;
- directing the infrared light beam at a first side of the block material such that the infrared light beam passes through the block material and the high-pressure processing fluid passing therethrough;
- receiving the infrared light beam output from a second side of the block material;
- analyzing the received infrared light beam;
- and
- altering a composition of the processing fluid based on the analysis of the received infrared light beam.
A set of computer readable instructions for execution by a computer system coupled to a high-pressure processing system, which when executed by the computer system, cause the high-pressure processing system to perform the steps of:
- positioning a substrate within a processing chamber, the high-pressure processing system comprising a recirculation loop coupled to the processing chamber;
- circulating a high pressure solution through processing chamber and the recirculation loop, the recirculation loop including a monitoring system through which the high-pressure processing fluid passes, the monitoring system including a block material that is substantially transparent to an infrared light beam;
- directing the infrared light beam at a first side of the block material such that the infrared light beam passes through the block material and the high-pressure processing fluid passing therethrough;
- receiving the infrared light beam output from a second side of the block material;
- analyzing the received infrared light beam;
- and
- altering a composition of the processing fluid based on the analysis of the received infrared light beam.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.