Fluid handling – With heating or cooling of the system – With electric heating element
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-31
2001-09-04
Chambers, A. Michael (Department: 3753)
Fluid handling
With heating or cooling of the system
With electric heating element
C137S382000, C137S884000, C118S725000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06283143
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to modular gas delivery systems for semiconductor process equipment. More specifically, the present invention relates to integrated gas sticks for delivering hazardous and non-hazardous semiconductor process gases.
FIG. 1
is an illustration showing a conventional semiconductor processing system
100
. The conventional semiconductor processing system
100
includes a gas source
102
, a gas delivery system
104
connected to the gas source
102
via gas lines
106
, and a processing chamber
108
connected to the gas delivery system
104
. The gas delivery system
104
further includes gas sticks
110
coupled to the gas lines
106
.
The conventional semiconductor processing system
100
depends on the use of several hazardous and non-hazardous processing gases and carefully measured delivery of a dozen gases from the gas source
102
to the processing chamber
108
via the gas lines
106
in a synchronized mode. Such systems usually require gas delivery systems
104
for coupling high purity gases for semiconductor processing systems.
Usually components of the gas delivery system
104
are mounted on a common plate before mounting in an enclosure and most are configured and designed to meet specific needs. This configuration poses draw backs including the time it takes to trouble shoot, rework, repair, and assemble. When tubes are welded to fittings, the generated heat during the welding process physically and chemically degrades the electropolish of the portion of the tube near the weld. The degraded portion of the heat effected zone is a further source of particle accumulation and contamination.
Thus conventional gas delivery systems
104
having a large number of fittings and welds are often incompatible with the requirements for ultra clean gas systems where extremely low levels of contaminants and particles are required. Additionally, gas boxes having excessive tubing require significant amounts of time to purge and isolate which can result in expensive downtime of essential manufacturing equipment. Still further, the more tubing a gas box has, the more wetted surface area it has, which increases its likelihood of being a source of contamination in a manufacturing process.
FIG. 2
is block diagram showing a conventional gas stick
110
. The conventional gas stick
110
includes a mass flow controller
200
, pressure sensor
202
, regulator
204
, filters
206
, purge device
208
, input shutoff valves
210
, and a base plate
212
mounting the above components. In a typical semiconductor processing apparatus, multiple gas sticks
110
connect gas sources to processing chambers such as chemical vapor deposition systems or plasma etch systems. Generally, the gas sticks
110
are mounted on a frame called a gas box.
In semiconductor manufacturing, processes have become increasingly intolerant of particle contamination as the dimensions of semiconductor devices decrease and there is less room to accommodate more components. One source for particle contamination is the gas stick itself that delivers gases from the source of high purity gases to the semiconductor processing chamber where such particle contaminants commonly get deposited onto the semiconductor devices that are being processed. Another source for particle contamination is the exposure of components in a gas delivery system to room air during maintenance and repair of individual gas stick components.
In view of the forgoing, what is needed is an apparatus for rapidly and easily configuring a gas box which reduces or eliminates the numbers of welds, fixtures, and tubing incorporated therein. The apparatus should allow installation of components of the gas delivery system so as to save time to trouble shoot, rework, repair, and assemble. Moreover, the apparatus should lessen the excessive tubing required to purge gases in order to reduce the time to purge and significantly reduce the quantity of contaminants entering the semiconductor process system during installation and repair.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention addresses these needs by providing an integrated gas delivery system. In one embodiment, a gas delivery apparatus for the control of process and purge gases is disclosed that is suitable for use in a semiconductor processing system. The gas delivery apparatus includes a base plate having a printed circuit board and an optional heating layer. In addition, the gas delivery apparatus includes a plurality of gas stick components mounted to the base plate. Specific gas stick components are coupled to the printed circuit board, which provides an electrical interface for specific gas stick components.
In another embodiment, a gas delivery system for the control of process and purge gases is disclosed that is suitable for use in a semiconductor processing system. The gas delivery system includes a base plate, and a plurality of integrated gas sticks coupled to the base plate. Each integrated gas stick includes a plurality of gas stick components and a base plate having a printed circuit board and a heating layer. Specific gas stick components of each integrated gas stick are coupled to the printed circuit board of the integrated gas stick, which provides an electrical interface for specific gas stick components of the integrated gas stick.
Advantageously, the present invention provides solutions to the delivery of process gases to a semiconductor process system such as a chemical vapor deposition system or a plasma etch system by reducing the time it takes to trouble shoot, rework, repair and assemble. The condensation of caustic gases can cause accelerated corrosion and additional contamination, but is reduced in the present invention by heating the gas components. This heating is accomplished by integrating a heating layer integrated into the base plate. The present invention also reduces the requirements for purging and particle contamination by reducing excessive tubing. The gas stick components themselves are standard, being chosen from gas delivery systems for semiconductor process equipment.
Moreover, the present invention provides solutions for manufacturing of semiconductor process equipment by minimizing the pneumatic plumbing, eliminating the electrical harness, providing for front access to the electronics such as the interface to a circuit board. Also, the integrated gas stick approach to gas box design enables on-the-fly configuration, reduced manufacturing time (for a gas box), improved serviceability, and improved servicing and manufacturing ergonomics. The gas stick itself is replaceable reducing the mean time to repair (or MTTR). Unlike the prior art, the input and the outputs of the gas sticks can originate or terminate at nonstandard locations in the gas box.
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Adachi, Jr. Richard S.
Le An
Chambers A. Michael
Lam Research Corporation
Oppenheimer Wolff & Donnelly LLP
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