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US 7,723,700 B2Granted
Controlling the flow of vapors sublimated from solids
AssigneeSemEquip, Inc.
InventorsThomas N. Horsky, Robert W. Milgate, III
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AssigneeSemEquip, Inc.
InventorsThomas N. Horsky, Robert W. Milgate, III
Estimating the term…
A vapor delivery system for delivering a steady flow of sublimated vapor to a vacuum chamber comprises a vaporizer of solid material, a mechanical throttling valve, and a pressure gauge, followed by a vapor conduit to the vacuum chamber. The vapor flow rate is determined by both the temperature of the vaporizer and the setting of the conductance of the mechanical throttle valve located between the vaporizer and the vacuum chamber. The temperature of the vaporizer is determined by closed-loop control to a set-point temperature. The mechanical throttle valve is electrically controlled, e.g. the valve position is under closed-loop control to the output of the pressure gauge. In this way the vapor flow rate can be generally proportional to the pressure gauge output. All surfaces exposed to the vapor from the vaporizer to the vacuum chamber are heated to prevent condensation.
A vapor delivery system for delivering a controlled flow of vapor sublimated from a solid material to a vacuum chamber, comprising the combination of a heated vaporizer for the solid material operable at sub atmospheric pressure and a vapor delivery passage from the vaporizer to the vacuum chamber, the vapor delivery passage including a throttle valve followed by a vapor conduit a pressure gauge that is responsive to sub atmospheric pressure being located between the throttle valve and the vapor conduit, a closed loop temperature control system for maintaining the surfaces of the vapor delivery passage that are exposed to the sublimed vapor, including such surfaces of the throttle valve, the pressure gauge and the vapor conduit at a temperature above the condensation temperature of the solid material, and a closed-loop pressure control system to vary the conductance of the throttle valve to control the sub atmospheric pressure of the vapor downstream of the throttle valve in response to the output of the pressure gauge, so that the flow of vapor to the vacuum chamber is a function of the pressure of the vapor in the region of the passage between the throttling valve and the vapor conduit.
A vapor delivery system for delivering a controlled flow of vapor sublimated from a solid material to a vacuum chamber, comprising the combination of a heated vaporizer for the solid material operable at sub atmospheric pressure and a vapor delivery passage from the vaporizer to the vacuum chamber, the vapor delivery passage including a throttle valve followed by a vapor conduit a pressure gauge that is responsive to sub atmospheric pressure being located between the throttle valve and the vapor conduit, surfaces of the vapor delivery passage that are exposed to the sublimed vapor, including such surfaces of the throttle valve, the pressure gauge and the vapor conduit, being adapted to be held at temperature above the condensation temperature of the solid material, and a closed-loop control system incorporating the pressure gauge being constructed to vary the conductance of the throttle valve to control the sub atmospheric pressure of the vapor downstream of the throttle valve in response to the output of the pressure gauge, flow of vapor to the vacuum chamber thereby being determined by pressure of the vapor in the region of the passage between the throttling valve and the vapor conduit, wherein the vaporizer is constructed to contain and evaporate indium trichloride, InC3.
A vapor delivery system for delivering a controlled flow of vapor sublimated from a solid material to a vacuum chamber, comprising the combination of a heated vaporizer for the solid material operable at sub atmospheric pressure and a vapor delivery passage from the vaporizer to the vacuum chamber, the vapor delivery passage including a throttle valve followed by a vapor conduit a pressure gauge that is responsive to sub atmospheric pressure being located between the throttle valve and the vapor conduit, surfaces of the vapor delivery passage that are exposed to the sublimed vapor, including such surfaces of the throttle valve, the pressure gauge and the vapor conduit, being adapted to be held at temperature above the condensation temperature of the solid material, and a closed-loop control system incorporating the pressure gauge being constructed to vary the conductance of the throttle valve to control the sub atmospheric pressure of the vapor downstream of the throttle valve in response to the output of the pressure gauge, flow of vapor to the vacuum chamber thereby being determined by pressure of the vapor in the region of the passage between the throttling valve and the vapor conduit, wherein the vaporizer is constructed to contain and evaporate trimethyl indium, In(CH3)3.
A vapor delivery system for delivering a controlled flow of vapor sublimated from a solid material to a vacuum chamber, comprising the combination of a heated vaporizer for the solid material operable at sub atmospheric pressure and a vapor delivery passage from the vaporizer to the vacuum chamber, the vapor delivery passage including a throttle valve followed by a vapor conduit a pressure gauge that is responsive to sub atmospheric pressure being located between the throttle valve and the vapor conduit, surfaces of the vapor delivery passage that are exposed to the sublimed vapor, including such surfaces of the throttle valve, the pressure gauge and the vapor conduit, being adapted to be held at temperature above the condensation temperature of the solid material, and a closed-loop control system incorporating the pressure gauge being constructed to vary the conductance of the throttle valve to control the sub atmospheric pressure of the vapor downstream of the throttle valve in response to the output of the pressure gauge, flow of vapor to the vacuum chamber thereby being determined by pressure of the vapor in the region of the passage between the throttling valve and the vapor conduit, wherein the vaporizer is constructed to contain and evaporate triethyl antimony, Sb(C2H5)3.
A control system for controlling a vapor delivery system for delivering a controlled flow of vapor sublimated from a solid material to a vacuum chamber, the vapor delivery system comprising the combination of a heated vaporizer for the solid material operable at sub atmospheric pressure and a vapor delivery passage from the vaporizer to the vacuum chamber, the vapor delivery passage including a throttle valve followed by a vapor conduit, a pressure gauge that is responsive to sub atmospheric pressure being located between the throttle valve and the vapor conduit, a closed loop temperature control system for controlling the surfaces of the vapor delivery passage that are exposed to the sublimed vapor, including such surfaces of the throttle valve, the pressure gauge and the vapor conduit at a temperature above the condensation temperature of the solid material, and a closed-loop pressure control system configured to vary the conductance of the throttle valve to control the sub atmospheric pressure of the vapor downstream of the throttle valve in response to the output of the pressure gauge, so that the flow of vapor to the vacuum chamber is a function of the pressure of the vapor in the region of the passage between the throttling valve and the vapor conduit,
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.