Flow controller, flow measuring device testing method, flow controller testing system, and semiconductor manufacturing apparatus

A system for testing a flow controller comprising a valve, a flow measuring section for measuring the flow rate of a fluid passing the valve, and a valve control mechanism for controlling the valve so as to make the actual flow-rate measurement determined in the flow measuring section be an assigned target flow rate, the flow controller testing system comprising:

• a flow channel where fluid whose flow is to be controlled flows;
• a testing-subject flow controller arranged in the flow channel;
• a testing-standard flow controller arranged in series in the flow channel on the downstream side of the testing-subject flow controller;
• and
• an information processing unit for receiving a flow rate measurement signal output from the testing-subject flow controller and a flow rate measurement signal output from the testing-standard flow controller, in a flow-uncontrolled state in which the valve of the testing-subject flow controller is practically in the full-open state, and with the fluid flow controlled to a predetermined flow rate by the testing-standard flow controller, and for determinably outputting whether or not actual measurement flow rate indicated by the flow rate measurement signal of the testing-subject flow controller falls within a predetermined range of actual flow-rate measurements indicated by the flow rate measurement signal of the testing-standard flow controller.

A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus for testing a flow controller comprising a valve, a flow measuring section for measuring the flow rate of a fluid passing the valve, and a valve control mechanism for controlling the valve so as to make the actual flow-rate measurement determined in the flow measuring section be an assigned target flow rate, the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus comprising:

• a process chamber for semiconductor manufacture;
• a flow channel for supplying semiconductor manufacturing fluids to the process chamber;
• a testing-subject flow controller, provided in the flow channel;
• a testing-standard flow controller, provided in series in the flow channel on the downstream side of the testing-subject flow controller;
• and
• an information processing unit for receiving a flow rate measurement signal output from the testing-subject flow controller and a flow rate measurement signal output from the testing-standard flow controller, in a flow-uncontrolled state in which the valve of the testing-subject flow controller is practically in the full-open state, and with the fluid flow controlled to a predetermined flow rate by the testing-standard flow controller, and for determinably outputting whether or not actual measurement flow rate indicated by the flow rate measurement signal of the testing-subject flow controller falls within a predetermined range of actual flow-rate measurements indicated by the flow rate measurement signal of the testing-standard flow controller.