# US 2023/0056446 A1 · A semiconductor wafer temperature control apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2023/0056446 A1 - Document ID: US20230056446A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/760,500 - Filed: 2021-02-10 - Published: 2023-02-23 - Earliest claimed: 2020-02-12 - Assignees: Edwards Vacuum LLC - Applicants: Edwards Vacuum LLC - Inventors: Kaustubh Kale - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20230056446A1 ## CPC - F25B 49/02: for compression type machines, plants or systems - F25B 1/10: with multi-stage compression (with cascade operation F25B7/00) - F25B 5/02: arranged in parallel - F25B 9/00: Compression machines, plants or systems, in which the refrigerant is air or other gas of low boiling point - F25B 9/006: {the refrigerant containing more than one component (F25B9/004 takes precedence)} - F25B 40/00: Subcoolers, desuperheaters or superheaters - F25B 41/20: Disposition of valves, e.g. of on-off valves or flow control valves (expansion valves F25B41/31) - F25B 41/00: Fluid-circulation arrangements - F25B 2600/2515: Flow valves - F25B 2700/2103: near a heat exchanger - F25B: REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS ## Abstract A temperature control apparatus for supplying fluid to control a temperature of at least one semiconductor wafer within a semiconductor processing chamber, the temperature control apparatus comprising: a mixed refrigerant refrigeration system; the temperature control apparatus being configured to supply the mixed refrigerant to at least one conditioning circuit within the semiconductor processing chamber and to receive the mixed refrigerant from the at least one conditioning circuit. The temperature control apparatus comprises a temperature control circuitry for controlling a temperature of the at least one conditioning circuit to one of a plurality of predetermined temperatures, at least one of the temperatures being below -100° C., the temperature control circuitry being configured to control the temperature of the at least one conditioning circuit by controlling at least one of a mass flow rate, composition or temperature of the mixed refrigerant supplied to the at least one conditioning circuit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A temperature control apparatus for supplying fluid to control a temperature of at least one semiconductor wafer within a semiconductor processing chamber, said temperature control apparatus comprising: a mixed refrigerant refrigeration system; said temperature control apparatus being configured to supply said mixed refrigerant to at least one conditioning circuit within said semiconductor processing chamber and to receive said mixed refrigerant from said at least one conditioning circuit; wherein said temperature control apparatus comprises temperature control circuitry for controlling a temperature of said at least one conditioning circuit to one of a plurality of predetermined temperatures, at least one of said temperatures being below -100℃; said temperature control circuitry being configured to receive a signal indicative of a temperature of said at least one conditioning circuit from at least one temperature sensor and to control said temperature of said at least one conditioning circuit in dependence upon said received signal and said predetermined temperature by controlling at least one of a mass flow rate, composition or temperature of said mixed refrigerant supplied to said at least one conditioning circuit. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The temperature control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said temperature control apparatus comprises: said at least one temperature sensor. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The temperature control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus is configured to supply said mixed refrigerant to a plurality of conditioning circuits for cooling or conditioning a plurality of semiconductor wafer, said plurality of conditioning circuits being arranged in parallel with each other, said temperature control apparatus being configured to control circulation of said mixed refrigerant through selected ones of said plurality of conditioning circuits during a processing cycle. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The temperature control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said temperature control circuitry is configured to individually control a temperature of said plurality of conditioning circuits by controlling at least one of a mass flow rate, temperature or composition of said mixed refrigerant supplied to each of said plurality of conditioning circuits. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The temperature control apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said temperature control circuitry is configured to receive signals indicative of a temperature of each said plurality of conditioning circuits from a plurality of temperature sensors and to control said temperature of said plurality of conditioning circuits in dependence upon said received signals and said predetermined temperatures by controlling at least one of a mass flow rate, composition or temperature of said mixed refrigerant supplied to each of said plurality of conditioning circuits. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The temperature control apparatus according to claim 1 comprising: a bypass mixed refrigerant channel for channeling a portion of said mixed refrigerant output from said compressor around at least a portion of said refrigeration system such that mixed refrigerant in said bypass channel is warmer than mixed refrigerant output by said refrigeration system; wherein said temperature control circuitry is configured to control a temperature of said mixed refrigerant output to each of said selected ones of said plurality of conditioning circuits by controlling a supply at least one of said mixed refrigerant from said bypass channel and said mixed refrigerant output from said refrigeration system to said at least one wafer conditioning circuit. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The temperature control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said temperature control apparatus comprises: at least one valve for controlling a flow of refrigerant into said at least one conditioning circuit. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The temperature control apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said at least one valve comprises at least one of: an on/off valve and a proportional flow control valve. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The temperature control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said temperature control apparatus comprises: a composition control device for changing a composition and phase of the mixed refrigerant prior to said mixed refrigerant being supplied to said at least one conditioning circuit. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The temperature control apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said composition control device comprises: a phase separator, said composition of said mixed refrigerant being controlled by controlling at least one of a mass flow rate and subsequent expansion of the liquid phase refrigerants exiting the phase separator. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The temperature control apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said composition control device, comprises a device for controlling a phase composition of said mixed refrigerant. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The temperature control apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said temperature control apparatus comprises: an evaporator pressure regulator for controlling the pressure of the mixed refrigerant supplied to or received from said at least one conditioning circuit. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The temperature control apparatus according to preceding claim 1, wherein said temperature control apparatus comprises: a heat exchanger through which at least a portion of said mixed refrigerant flows, said heat exchanger being configured to receive a controlled flow of at least one warmer fluid from another portion of said refrigerant system. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The temperature control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said temperature control apparatus comprises: an expansion device for controlling an expansion of said mixed refrigerant and thus, a pressure and temperature of said mixed refrigerant within said at least one conditioning circuit. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The temperature control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said refrigeration system comprises at least one compressor, said temperature control circuitry comprising control circuitry for controlling a discharge mass flow rate of said at least one compressor. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The temperature control apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said refrigeration system comprises a plurality of compressors arranged in parallel, said temperature control circuitry comprising control circuitry for controlling a discharge mass flow rate of said plurality of compressors by controlling at least one of: a number of said plurality of compressors that are operational; a control speed of at least one of said plurality of compressors; and unloading at least one of said plurality of compressors. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) An apparatus comprising a semiconductor processing chamber comprising at least one conditioning circuit, and a temperature control apparatus according to claim 1, said temperature control apparatus being arranged such that mixed refrigerant from said temperature control apparatus is supplied to said at least one conditioning circuit. ### Claim 18 A method of controlling a temperature of at least one semiconductor wafer within a semiconductor processing chamber by controlling a temperature of at least one conditioning circuit within said semiconductor processing chamber to one of a plurality of predetermined temperatures, at least one of said temperatures being below -100℃; said method comprising: supplying a mixed refrigerant from a refrigeration system to said at least one conditioning circuit within said semiconductor processing chamber; receiving said mixed refrigerant from said at least one conditioning circuit; and receiving a signal indicative of a temperature of said at least one conditioning circuit from at least one temperature sensor and in dependence upon said received signal and said predetermined temperature controlling said temperature by controlling at least one of a mass flow rate, composition or temperature of said mixed refrigerant supplied to said at least one conditioning circuit.