Chemical dilution system for semiconductor device processing system
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorsYounces Achkire, Julia Svirchevski, Jonathan S. Frankel, Kien-Bang Lam
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A dilution stage is adapted to supply a dilute chemistry to a semiconductor device processing apparatus. The dilution stage includes a first vessel adapted to store the chemistry after dilution and a second vessel adapted to store the chemistry prior to dilution. The dilution stage may also include a control mechanism which is adapted to selectively control flowing of the chemistry and a dilutant to the first vessel. The control mechanism may be operative to fill the second vessel with the chemistry, and to flow the dilutant to the first vessel via the second vessel.
Claims12
A dilution stage comprising:
- a storage vessel adapted to store a dilute chemistry;
- a fixed volume vessel adapted to:
- receive a chemistry to be diluted;
- store a fixed volume of the chemistry prior to dilution;
- and
- deliver the fixed volume chemistry to the storage vessel;
- a flow controller adapted to receive a flow of a dilutant and to supply the dilutant to the storage vessel through the fixed volume vessel at a flow rate;
- and
- a controller coupled to the flow controller and programmed to:
- determine a dilution ratio for the storage vessel;
- direct delivery of chemistry to the fixed volume vessel so as to fill the fixed volume vessel with the chemistry;
- determine a volume of dilutant to deliver to the storage vessel through the fixed volume vessel to achieve the dilution ratio;
- and
- direct delivery of the volume of dilutant to the storage vessel through the fixed volume vessel.
A dilution stage comprising:
- a fixed volume vessel adapted to:
- receive a chemistry to be diluted;
- store a fixed volume of the chemistry prior to dilution;
- and
- deliver the fixed volume chemistry to a storage vessel;
- a flow controller adapted to receive a flow of a dilutant and to supply the dilutant to the storage vessel through the fixed volume vessel at a flow rate;
- and
- a controller coupled to the flow controller and programmed to:
- determine a dilution ratio for the storage vessel;
- direct delivery of chemistry to the fixed volume vessel so as to fill the fixed volume vessel with the chemistry;
- determine a volume of dilutant to deliver to the storage vessel through the fixed volume vessel to achieve the dilution ratio;
- and
- direct delivery of the volume of dilutant to the storage vessel through the fixed volume vessel.
A dilution stage comprising:
- a first vessel adapted to store a chemistry after dilution of the chemistry;
- a second fixed volume vessel adapted to store a fixed volume of chemistry prior to dilution thereof, the second vessel having an outlet that is selectively coupled to an inlet of the first vessel;
- and
- a control mechanism adapted to selectively control flowing of the chemistry and a dilutant to the first vessel, the control mechanism being operative to:
- fill the second vessel with the chemistry;
- flow the dilutant to the first vessel via the second vessel for a predetermined period of time;
- and
- control a rate at which the dilutant flows to the first vessel via the second vessel;
- wherein the control mechanism calculates the predetermined period of time on the basis of the rate at which the dilutant flows to the first vessel via the second vessel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.