Particle measurement configuration and semiconductor wafer processing device with such a configuration
AssigneesInfineon Technologies AG, Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
InventorsClaus Schneider, Ralph Trunk, Lothar Pfitzner, Heinz Schmid
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A particle measurement configuration measures the particle concentration in a liquid or gaseous medium by way of a particle measuring instrument. In order to avoid erroneous measurements or damage to the particle measuring instrument, a measuring cell is provided which measures temperature or pressure or pH of the medium. A system controller shuts off a valve if threshold values are exceeded and it prevents the particle measuring instrument from being operated outside a predefined specification.
Claims15
A particle measurement configuration, comprising:
- a feed connection for gaseous or liquid medium;
- a first measuring instrument for measuring a concentration of particles in the medium;
- a second measuring instrument for measuring a parameter different from the concentration of particles in the medium;
- a first valve connected in series with said feed connection, said first measuring instrument, and said second measuring instrument, said first valve being connected upstream of said first measuring instrument in a flow direction of the medium;
- a control unit operatively connected to said first valve, said control unit being coupled to said second measuring instrument for receiving a signal representing the parameter, said control unit comparing said signal with a predefined threshold value and controlling a switching state of said first valve based on the comparison;
- a pump having a suction connection connected downstream of said first and second measuring instruments and said first valve;
- and
- a second valve connected downstream of said first measuring instrument.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.