Conduit check apparatus
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorsShih Yang CHIU, Cheng-Lung WU, Chai Hsien CHEN, Chaolin LO, Yang-Ann CHU
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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 conduit check apparatus comprising:
- a platform;
- a heating assembly disposed on a first surface of the platform;
- and
- a thermochromic structure disposed on a second surface of the platform, wherein:
- the heating assembly is configured to heat the thermochromic structure,
- the second surface is diametrically opposite the first surface,
- the thermochromic structure comprises a material configured to change color in response to experiencing a change in temperature, and
- a material of the platform is selected such that the change in color of the material of the thermochromic structure is visible from the first surface.
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 facing the first conduit and configured to produce a visual indication of the first conduit status.
A system, comprising:
- an electrostatic chuck defining a first conduit configured to emit a first gas;
- and
- a conduit check apparatus, comprising:
- a thermochromic structure facing the first conduit and configured to produce a visual indication of a status of the first conduit while emitting the first gas, and
- a heating assembly configured to heat the thermochromic structure, wherein the thermochromic structure is between the first conduit and the heating assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.