U.S. patent application number 09/732435 was filed with the patent office on 2001-08-16 for gas panel.
Invention is credited to Redemann, Eric J., Vu, Kim N..
Application Number | 20010013371 09/732435 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 24974393 |
Filed Date | 2001-08-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010013371 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Redemann, Eric J. ; et
al. |
August 16, 2001 |
Gas panel
Abstract
A gas panel for use with a tool for manufacturing a
semiconductor includes a one-piece manifold body having an inlet
for receiving a process gas. The manifold body has at least one
lateral wall extending in the general direction of gas flow. The
lateral wall includes at least one active device site having an
active device thereon. The active device is in gas communication
with a gas carrying path formed within the one-piece manifold. The
active device may be a manual valve, a pneumatic valve, a pressure
regulator, a pressure transducer, a purifier, a filter or a flow
controller. The gas is received from the active device at a
continuation of the gas flow path in the manifold body and is
conveyed to a manifold outlet for ultimate to the tool.
Inventors: |
Redemann, Eric J.; (Laguna
Niguel, CA) ; Vu, Kim N.; (Yorba Linda, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Peter C. Lando
Wolf, Greenfield & Sacks, P.C.
600 Atlantic Avenue
Boston
MA
02210
US
|
Family ID: |
24974393 |
Appl. No.: |
09/732435 |
Filed: |
December 7, 2000 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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09732435 |
Dec 7, 2000 |
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09371408 |
Aug 10, 1999 |
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6192938 |
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09371408 |
Aug 10, 1999 |
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08739936 |
Oct 30, 1996 |
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5992463 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
137/884 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y10T 137/87917 20150401;
Y10T 137/5283 20150401; Y10T 137/5109 20150401; C23C 16/44
20130101; C23C 16/45561 20130101; H01L 21/67017 20130101; Y10T
137/4259 20150401; Y10T 137/87885 20150401; C23C 16/455 20130101;
H01J 37/3244 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
137/884 |
International
Class: |
F16K 011/10 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A process gas line for a gas panel assembly for handling a
plurality of process gases, comprising: a process gas inlet for
receiving process gas from a process gas source; a one-piece
manifold having at least one laterally-extending manifold face and
having a manifold inlet in communication with the gas inlet to
receive the process gas, the one-piece manifold having an internal
gas pathway for carrying the process gas generally in a lateral
direction from the manifold inlet to a manifold outlet, the
manifold having a plurality of device connection ports along the
manifold face in communication with the internal gas pathway for
mounting devices extending from the manifold face and in gas flow
communication with the connection ports; and a process gas outlet
connected to the manifold outlet.
2. A gas panel for handling plural process gases, comprising: a
plurality of one-piece manifold bodies, each of said manifold
bodies having thereon at least three identical component receiving
stations, each of said component receiving stations having a gas
inlet and a gas outlet, the gas outlet from a first component
receiving station of the plurality being connected by a permanent
connection within the manifold to a gas inlet to a neighboring
component receiving station; a plurality of gas components, each of
said gas components being connected to a respective receiving
station on one of the manifold blocks, said gas components
comprising at least one valve and at least one mass flow
controller.
3. A gas panel according to claim 2, wherein one of said gas
components comprises a purifier.
4. A gas panel according to claim 2, wherein one of said gas
components comprises a filter.
5. A gas panel according to claim 2, wherein one of said gas
components comprises a pressure transducer.
6. A gas panel according to claim 2, wherein said valve comprises a
pneumatic valve.
7. A gas panel according to claim 2, wherein said valve comprises a
manual valve.
8. A gas panel according to claim 2, wherein one of said gas
components comprises a pressure regulator.
9. A gas panel comprising: a plurality of one-piece manifold
bodies, each of said manifold bodies having thereon at least three
identical component receiving stations, each of said component
receiving stations having a gas inlet and a gas outlet, the gas
outlet from a first component receiving station of the plurality
being connected by a permanent connection with the manifold to a
gas inlet to a neighboring component receiving station; a gas
shut-off valve connected to one of the receiving stations on one of
the manifold blocks; and a mass flow controller connected to
receive gas from the gas shut-off valve.
10. A gas panel according to claim 9, further comprising a purifier
connected to one of said one-piece manifold bodies.
11. A gas panel according to claim 9, further comprising a filter
connected to one of said one-piece manifolds.
12. A gas panel according to claim 9, further comprising a pressure
transducer connected to one of said one-piece manifolds.
13. A gas panel according to claim 9, further comprising a pressure
regulator connected to one of said one-piece manifolds.
14. A gas panel enclosure comprising: a floor; a plurality of rods
extending from a floor thereof, each of said upwardly extending
rods being adjustable with respect to said floor; and a one-piece
gas panel manifold positioned on the rods for adjustment with
respect to said floor, said gas panel manifold having a plurality
of active device receiving stations thereon so that the active
device portions of the upper surface of the manifold may be aligned
in a plane with other manifolds positioned within the gas
panel.
15. A gas panel comprising: a plurality of gas inlets; a one-piece
gas panel manifold connected to each inlet of each of said
plurality of said gas inlets, each of said one-piece gas panel
manifolds defining a substantially transverse gas path therethrough
and having a plurality of active device stations positioned across
a top face thereof; a plurality of removable active devices
removably connected to each of the active device stations for
receiving said gas, each of said removable active devices being
connected by a single device connector to couple both to inlet and
outlet ports of the active device station; and a plurality of gas
outlets connected to the one-piece manifolds.
16. A gas panel according to claim 15, wherein said removable
active devices further comprise: a shutoff valve, a pressure
regulator and a mass flow controller.
17. A gas panel according to claim 16, wherein said removable
active devices further comprise a manual shut-off valve.
18. A gas panel according to claim 15, wherein an interface region
between the manifold and the active devices is substantially planar
and substantially parallel to the flow of gas from the inlet of the
manifold to the outlet of the manifold.
19. A flange for coupling to an active-site of a one-piece
manifold, comprising: a seal; a base, said base having a retainer
for coupling the seal in registration with the base, the base
having a pair of gas ports comprising a gas inlet for receiving gas
from an inlet bore of the one-piece manifold and a gas outlet for
supplying the gas to an outlet bore of the one-piece manifold; and
a fastener retained with the base for coupling with the one-piece
manifold when the base is assembled with the one-piece
manifold.
20. A preassembled active device for use in a gas panel comprising:
a base; a keeper mounted on the base; a seal held by the keeper; a
fastener retained with the base and extending through the base for
connection to a manifold of a gas panel; and a retainer for holding
the fastener to the base prior to assembly of the base with the
manifold.
21. A one-piece manifold for a gas panel assembly for handling a
gas, comprising: a one-piece manifold body having at least one
laterally-extending manifold face and having a manifold inlet for
receiving a gas, the one-piece manifold body having an internal gas
pathway for carrying the process gas generally in a lateral
direction from the manifold inlet to a manifold outlet, the
manifold having a plurality of device connection ports along the
manifold face in communication with the internal gas pathway for
mounting devices extending from the manifold face and in gas flow
communication with the connection ports, and a gas outlet in gas
communication with the internal gas pathway for delivering the
process gas to a tool.
22. A one-piece manifold for a gas panel assembly for handling a
gas according to claim 21, wherein the internal gas pathway
comprises pairs of angularly formed bores defining v-paths between
the device connection ports for carrying the gas from one device
connection port to the next device connection port.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates in general to gas handling systems for
semiconductor processing and in particular, to gas panel systems
whether of a localized nature or distributed around a semiconductor
processing tool.
[0002] Wafer fabrication facilities are commonly organized to
include areas in which chemical vapor deposition, plasma
deposition, plasma etching, sputtering and the like are carried
out. In order to carry out many of these processes, it is necessary
that the tools which are used for the process, be they chemical
vapor deposition reactors, vacuum sputtering machines, plasma
etchers or plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition, be supplied
with various process gases which gases may be reactive or inert or
provide reactive species.
[0003] For instance, in order to perform epitaxial deposition,
silicon tetrachloride has bubbled through it a carrier gas such as
dry nitrogen, which then carries silicon tetrachloride vapor into
an epitaxial deposition chamber. In order to deposit a silicon
oxide dielectric coating, also known as a deposited oxide coating,
silane (SiH.sub.4) is flowed into the tool and oxygen is flowed
into the tool where they react to form (SiO.sub.2) on the surface
of the wafer. Plasma etching is carried out by supplying carbon
tetrachloride and sulfur hexafluoride to a plasma etcher tool. The
compounds are ionized, to form reactive halogen species which then
etch the silicon wafer. Silicon nitride may be deposited by the
reaction of dichlorosilane and ammonia in a tool. It may be
appreciated that in each instance pure carrier gases or reactant
gases must be supplied to the tool in contaminant-free, precisely
metered quantities.
[0004] In a typical wafer fabrication facility the inert and
reactant gases are stored in tanks which may be located in the
basement of the facility and which are connected via piping or
conduit to a valve manifold box. The tanks and the valve manifold
box are considered to be part of the facility level system. At the
tool level an overall tool system, such as a plasma etcher or the
like, includes a gas panel and the tool itself. The gas panel
contained in the tool includes a plurality of gas paths having
connected therein manual valves, pneumatic valves, pressure
regulators, pressure transducers, mass flow controllers, filters,
purifiers and the like. All have the purpose of delivering
precisely metered amounts of pure inert or reactant gas from the
valve manifold box to the tool itself.
[0005] The gas panel is located in the cabinet with the tool and
typically occupies a relatively large amount of space, as each of
the active devices are plumbed into the gas panel, either through
welding tubing to the devices or combinations of welds and
connectors such as VCR connectors available from Cajon Corporation
or the like.
[0006] Gas panels are relatively difficult to manufacture and hence
expensive. In a combination VCR connector and welded tubing system
the individual components are held on shimmed supports to provide
alignment prior to connections at VCR fittings. Misalignment at a
VCR fitting can result in leakage.
[0007] In addition, it has been found that VCR fittings often tend
to come loose in transit and some gas panel manufacturers assume
that the VCR fittings have loosened during transit, possibly
admitting contaminants to the system.
[0008] Welds are relatively expensive to make in such systems but
are typically carried out using a tungsten inert gas (TIG) system,
having an orbital welding head to weld a tube stub and a tube
together. The welding must take place in an inert atmosphere, such
as argon, and even then leads to deterioration of the surface
finish within the tubes. One of the important characteristics of
modern-day gas panel systems and gas handling systems is that the
surfaces of the gas handling equipment that tend to have the gas or
vapor contact them must be made as smooth and nonreactive as
possible in order to reduce the number of nucleation sites and
collection sites where contaminants may tend to deposit in the
tube, leading to the formation of particulates or dust which would
contaminate the wafers being processed.
[0009] Additional problems with conventional gas panels relate to
the fact that a combination VCR and welded system of the type
currently used today typically requires a significant amount of
space between each of the components so that during servicing the
VCR connections can be accessed and opened. In addition, in order
to remove an active component from a contemporary gas panel, many
of the supports of the surrounding components must be loosened so
that the components can be spread out to allow removal of the
active component under consideration.
[0010] Most wafer fabricators are aware that it is only a matter of
time until, for instance, the silane lines in the gas panels are
"dusted." "Dusting" occurs when air leaks into an active silane
line causing a pyrophoric reaction to take place yielding loose
particulate silicon dioxide in the tube, thereby contaminating the
line. Other lines also can be contaminated. For instance, those
which carry chlorine gas used in etchers or which carry hydrogen
chloride used in other reactions. Hydrogen chloride mixing with
moisture present in the humidity of air produces hydrochloric acid
which etches the interior of the tube, roughening it and increasing
the number of nucleation sites and the likelihood that unwanted
deposition would occur inside the tube. In both of these cases, as
well as in others, it would be necessary then to open the
particular line in the gas panel in order to clean it.
[0011] In addition, individual component failures may require a
line being opened in order to clean it and is time consuming and
expensive.
[0012] What is needed, then, is a new type of gas panel which is
compact, inexpensive to manufacture and easy to service.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0013] In accordance with the present invention, a gas panel
assembly is provided including a plurality of active device
receiving one-piece gas or vapor manifolds. The active device
receiving manifolds are arranged so that they receive gas or vapor
at an inlet end, pass the gas or vapor along to a plurality of
interior channels to a plurality of active device receiving
stations which may be connected to an active device or have
connected thereto a gas return cap and ultimately deliver the gas
or vapor from an outlet for ultimate supply to a tool.
[0014] The inventive gas panel assembly is easy to manufacture, in
that a standardized manifold is used with a standardized footprint
for connection to the active devices. Each of the active device
sites is positioned along the face of the substantially rectangular
manifold and is oriented to extend at substantially right angles to
the face of the active device manifold and therefore out of the
general flow path. Each of the devices is connected to the manifold
by a plurality of Allen-head bolts which hold the device base onto
the manifold and which may be quickly and easily removed in order
to remove a particular device from the system without disturbing
other portions of the system.
[0015] The manifolding system is also self-aligning, in that each
manifold is a repeatable machined component which has been
prefabricated. There is no necessity either to provide welded
connections or VCR and tube connections directly to the active
devices as the connections are made through and support provided by
the manifold itself. By tucking within the manifold each of the
inlet and outlet connection loops from the manifold between
adjacent stations, this greatly saves space and allows a great
reduction in the amount of space over that required by a prior gas
panel assembly.
[0016] The gas panel assembly embodying the present invention is
easy to manufacture in that each of the active devices is
separately aligned. If misalignment were to occur, for instance,
between a pressure regulator and the device receiving station on
the surface of a one-piece manifold, an adjacent valve mass flow
controller or the like would not be positioned out of alignment
with the general manifolding structure as a result thereof. Thus,
any misalignment which may occur has been uncoupled from
neighboring stations through the use of the manifolding system.
Tolerance stack-up problems are also avoided by the simultaneous
ability of the manifold to connect with and register the active
devices.
[0017] Each of the active devices which are connected to the
manifold may be prefabricated in that they include a combination
seal and screw capture mechanism component, the seal including a
keeper for holding the seal in alignment with the active device and
the screws being held captured by nylon split rings to hold the
screws within the bores of the active device mount. This allows for
quick and easy assembly. The active devices are seated upon edge
seals at the active sites. The edge seals do not require extensive
or fine surface preparation yet provide good, leak-free and
contaminant-free joins at the gas flow inlets and outlets between
the manifold and the active devices. The seals are easily removable
for replacement during repair. They include keepers for
self-locating which is particularly helpful when replacing an
active device on a manifold face in the field.
[0018] The inventive gas panel manifold system also allows an
entire manifolding assembly, or stick, to have applied thereto
heated tape or other types of heaters in order to heat all of the
manifold bores extending among the active device components and
maintain a low vapor pressure gas or vapor in a vapor state
throughout each of the process gas lines of the system.
[0019] The inventive gas panel manifolding system allows the gas
panel to be easily reconfigured by a user in the field as welds and
VCR connections need not be broken. An active device may be
replaced or added simply by lifting it out of connection with an
active device site and a new one connected thereto.
[0020] A pair of nitrogen purge inlets is provided, both at the
upstream and the downstream end of the one-piece manifolds so that
should it be necessary to remove an active device from the
manifold, dry nitrogen can be blown both backward and forward
through the manifold. Dry, clean nitrogen would exit at both the
exposed inlet and outlet ports the active device site and
contamination of the rest of the manifold during the course of the
changing of the active device site be eliminated.
[0021] In addition, in a particular embodiment of the present
invention the manifolded gas panel system includes pressure
transducers having visual digital readouts so that the pressure can
be directly viewed by an operator at the site as well as
transmitted to a control computer.
[0022] In an additional feature of the present device, the gas
panel system is enclosed within a gas panel housing having a floor,
sides and a cover. Extending across the floor of the gas panel
housing is a plurality of threaded mounts adapted to engage
mounting apertures in the ends of each of the gas panel manifolds.
The mounts allow the upper surfaces of the manifold, which receive
the active devices, to be individually aligned into a single plane.
This allows a rapid assembly of active devices across the gas panel
system and allows bridging connectors to be easily aligned with the
overall gas panel active device plane defined by each of the
manifolds. The single device plane construction also provides easy
access to the Allen-head bolts holding the active devices to the
manifolds.
[0023] U-tube type bridge connectors, having long connector legs
and short cross tubes connected together by Cajon elbows for
interconnecting successive manifolds to bridge various manifolds,
provide a route for purge gas, such as nitrogen. The long tubing
provides mechanical advantage allowing limited flexure of the short
bridging tube. The U-tube connection is thus dimensionally
forgiving for any slight misalignment which may occur in the
horizontal plane defining the active device surfaces. It may also
be appreciated that a snug fit is not provided between the threaded
support fasteners and the active device manifolds to allow a slight
amount of horizontal play between the manifolds for easy U-tube
connection therebetween. The U-tube may also be formed by bending a
tube into a U-shaped configuration which would avoid the necessity
of welding.
[0024] The ability to suspend the manifolds above the surface of
the gas panel enclosure allows circulation of purge and vacuum air
around assemblies. Many building codes for wafer fabrication
facilities require prescribed amounts of purge air to sweep leaked
process gas out of the housings of the gas panels for safe
disposal. The improved sweep provided by the suspension of the
manifolding assemblies above the floor aids in the isolation of any
leaks which may occur within the gas panel system from the wafer
fabrication operators.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0025] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a gas panel system including
a housing and a gas panel mounting plate;
[0026] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the gas panel shown in FIG.
1;
[0027] FIG. 3 is a top elevational view of the gas panel shown in
FIG. 2;
[0028] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a bottom portion of the gas
panel shown in FIG. 2;
[0029] FIG. 5 is a perspective view, with portions shown in
phantom, of a gas manifold shown in FIG. 2;
[0030] FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view, with portions shown
in phantom, of an outlet gas panel manifold for an alternative
embodiment;
[0031] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an inlet gas panel manifold
for an alternative embodiment;
[0032] FIG. 8 is a perspective section view of a mass flow
controller used with the gas panel embodying the present
invention;
[0033] FIG. 9 is a view of a bottom portion of a mass flow control
base block connected in jumpering configuration with portions of
the gas panel system;
[0034] FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of a bottom block of
the mass flow controller showing details of its assembly with a gas
panel manifold;
[0035] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a deformable edge-type seal
element shown in FIG. 10;
[0036] FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view of a keeper and
C-ring seal;
[0037] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the keeper shown in FIG. 12
engaging the C-ring seal;
[0038] FIG. 14 is a sectional view taken between a portion of the
mass flow controller and a portion of one of the gas panel manifold
showing details of the engagement between the C-ring seal and the
manifold;
[0039] FIG. 15 is an exploded perspective of a pneumatic control
valve showing details of a flange mounting assembly for coupling
with a gas manifold;
[0040] FIG. 16 is a perspective view of an edge-type seal used in
the assembly shown in FIG. 15;
[0041] FIG. 17 is an exploded perspective view of a jumper
conduit;
[0042] FIG. 18 is a view, partially in section, and exploded, of
details of a connection fitting of the jumper conduit shown in FIG.
17;
[0043] FIG. 19 is a perspective view, partially in section, showing
details of the mounting of a gas manifold above the gas panel
support platform;
[0044] FIG. 20 is a perspective view of a partially disassembled
gas panel stick to show details of some of the connection relations
therein;
[0045] FIG. 21 is an exploded perspective view of a flange for
coupling a valve to a gas manifold;
[0046] FIG. 22 is a section view of the flange shown in FIG.
21;
[0047] FIG. 23 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment
of an assembly gas manifold;
[0048] FIG. 24 is a top elevation, with portions in phantom, of the
manifold shown in FIG. 23;
[0049] FIG. 25 is a side elevation, with portions in phantom, of
the manifold shown in FIG. 23; and
[0050] FIG. 26 is a section of a portion of the assembled gas
manifold shown in FIG. 23.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0051] Referring now to the drawings and especially to FIG. 1, a
gas panel assembly, generally identified by numeral 10, is shown
therein and includes a gas panel housing 12 having a gas panel 14
positioned between an upper housing half 16 and a lower housing
half 18. The gas panel assembly receives multiple process gases
from a source and provides them to a tool for fabricating a
semiconductor wafer.
[0052] The housing is adapted to confine gases which may leak from
the gas panel 14 to the immediate vicinity of the gas panel and to
carry them away efficiency. In order to confine the gases, the gas
panel itself has extending therefrom a plurality of posts 20 which
contact a top wall 24 of the upper portion of the housing 16. The
housing also includes a pair of end walls 26 and 28, a back wall 30
and a front wall 32. The bottom housing 18 includes a bottom wall
34 having a plurality of inlet apertures 36 formed therein adapted
to receive gas flow lines coupled to other portions of the gas
panel 14. The apertures 36 are sized significantly larger than the
diameter of the gas flow lines to also function as sweep air inlets
into the housing 12. Swept air is exhausted through an exhaust
plenum 38 which may be coupled to a suitable low pressure or vacuum
source. A plurality of electrical connections 40 is also positioned
in the bottom wall 34 to allow wiring to be connected to portions
of the gas panel 14.
[0053] As may best be seen in FIG. 2, the gas panel 14 is shown
therein and has a plurality of process gas sticks or process gas
assemblies 50, 52, 54, 56 and 58. A nitrogen purge gas assembly 60
is also positioned on an aluminum platform 62. The aluminum
platform 62 has tubing inlet bores 70, 72, 74, 76, and 78 as well
as a purge gas bore 80 formed therein for connection to inlets of
each the gas sticks. The process gas sticks 50, 52, 54, 56 and 58
are substantially identical. Each of the sticks includes an inlet
100 as is shown in the exemplary stick 50. The inlet 100 comprising
a U-shaped tube having a threaded portion of a VCR fitting 102
connected thereto. The U-shaped tube 100 is coupled to a tube base
104 which is coupled to an inlet manifold 118 are shown. The
manifold also includes an end wall or face 120. Each of the sticks
includes a plurality of active devices or gas components.
[0054] A process gas such as silane or the like is delivered from a
line connected to nut 102 through the U-tube 100 and into the base
104 where it is delivered to the inlet manifold. A manual valve
130, comprising one of the active devices or gas components and
mounted on the base, may be turned to close transmission for the
process gas through the manifold. The manifold has a plurality of
bores formed therein, which bores are in communication between the
inlet 100 and the valve 130. The gas is then passed to a pneumatic
valve 134 which is controllable through a pneumatic stem 136 from a
suitable source of pneumatic gas. A purge valve 140 is connected
through a bridging U-tube 150 to a second manifold 152.
[0055] Elongated rectangular manifold 152, as shown in FIG. 5,
includes a pair of sidewalls 160 and 162, a lateral bottom wall
164, a lateral top wall 166, and end walls 168 and 170. The
manifold is substantially unitary and comprising a solid piece
defining an inlet station 170 and a plurality of active device
stations 172a-172f extending there along, including a mass flow
controller station 174, second mass flow controller station 176,
and an outlet station 180. It may be appreciated that successive
stations are connected by bores drilled into the block or manifold
152.
[0056] The bendable element 150 is connected to the inlet 170 and
delivers gas to a bore 190 which is coupled to a second bore 192
providing an inlet tube to first active device station 172a. The
first active device station 172a has a pressure regulator 200
mounted on it, which receives gas from the bore 192 and delivers
gas with reduced pressure back through the bore 194, which is then
delivered to a bore 196. The gas is supplied to second station 172b
having a pressure transducer device 206 positioned thereon. The
pressure transducer 206 has a visual read-out 207 for providing a
visual indication or the pressure to a user. it also has an
electrical signalling connection for sending a pressure signal off
panel. The flow of gas continues through a bore 208, to a bore 210
and delivered to a third station 172c to which a filter/purifier
212 is mounted.
[0057] The filter/purifier removes moisture from the gas stream and
delivers the dried gas stream back through a bore 213, to a bore
214. The dried gas supplied through the bore 214 to the active
device station 172 is delivered to a pressure transducer 220 which
then delivers the gas after measuring the pressure to a bore 222,
supplying gas to a bore 224, which is coupled by an aperture 226 to
an inlet of a mass flow controller 228. The mass flow controller
228 meters the flow of gas in accordance with electrical signals it
receives. It delivers the metered gas output to an aperture 230
which supplies the metered output of the gas to a bore 32, coupled
to supply gas to a bore 234 providing gas at the outlet 180. The
outlet 180 has connected to it a pneumatic valve 240 which is
connected by a bridging connectors through chained pneumatic valves
242, 244, 246 and 248, which selectively allowed gas to flow to an
outlet line 250 for delivery off the gas panel.
[0058] In addition, purge gas, such as dry nitrogen or argon, can
be received at the purged gas inlet 270, supplied by a U-tube 272
to a purge gas rectangular manifold 274, having laterally extending
faces including a manual valve 276 positioned in communication with
bores therein to enable or disable purged gas, such as nitrogen
from traveling through the remainder of the manifold 274. A
pneumatic valve 280 couples the gas to a pressure transducer 282,
which then may feed the gas through either an elongated U-tube 284
to other portions of the purged gas manifolding system 60,
including an outlet manifold 286. It also may feed the gas through
a plurality of pneumatic valves 290, 292, 294, 296 or the pneumatic
valve 140, which are coupled by bridging elements to supply purge
gas to the center manifolding sections of the gas sticks 50, 52,
54, 56 and 58. The pneumatic valves are controlled by a plurality
of pneumatic lines 300, which are driven from an electrical control
block 302, which receives electrical inputs from a suitable outside
source.
[0059] The purge gas is then delivered through the U-tube into the
block 286, where it passes through a pneumatic valve 310 and a
pressure regulator 312, and is delivered to the outlet 250. It may
be appreciated that the valves may be cycled in such a manner that
purge gas may be flowed both into the inlet valve stack side,
including valves 290 through 296 and 140, and the outlet stack
side, valves 240 through 248, causing purge gas to sweep inwardly
from both ends of the manifold 152, keeping the manifold clean
while a repair is taking place.
[0060] As may best be seen in FIG. 7 an alternative embodiment of
an inlet manifold includes a first active device site 400, a second
active device site 402, and a third active device site 404. Each of
the sites 400, 402 and 404 includes an outer circumferential ring
respectively, 406, 408 and 410 for engagement with an outer edge
type connector. The U-tube inlet is connected to an aperture 412 to
feed gas through a bore 414 to a second bore 416 which delivers the
gas to an inlet 420.
[0061] The gas then flows through the manual valve 130 and is
delivered to an outlet aperture 418 which supplies a gas through a
bore 420 to a second slanting bore 422, coupled with the active
site 402. The bore 422 is connected to an aperture 424 for
supplying gas to the pneumatic valve 134 and the gas exits the
pneumatic valve 134 at an opening 430 which supplies gas to a bore
432 connected to a bore 434.
[0062] A second pneumatic valve may be coupled at the site 404
which pneumatic valve is a three-way valve able to receive process
gas such as silane or the like from the bore 434 which is delivered
to the valve at the aperture 440. In one state, the valve will then
transfer the process gas to its outlet aperture 442, which supplies
the gas to a bore 444 and a bore 446 to deliver the gas to a
manifold outlet 450 coupled to the jumper 150. However, in another
mode, purge gas may be received at the aperture 460 and supplied by
a transverse bore 462 to a vertical bore 464 to the valve and
thereby supply either backward through the bore 434 or in most
practical applications, forward through the aperture 442 for
flushing of other parts of the line. In addition, since the inlet
manifold block is exemplary of all manifold blocks, the transfer
bore 462 is used for transferring gas across blocks so that
nitrogen from the nitrogen manifold 60 may be transferred across
all of the inlet blocks via the transverse bores.
[0063] An alternative embodiment of an outlet manifold 500 is shown
in FIG. 6 and includes an inlet bore 502 for receiving gas from a
mass flow controller, regulated gas flow is then transferred
through a slanting bore 504 to a second slanting bore 506 and
delivered to an active device site 508 to which a valve is
connected. The gas is delivered to an aperture 510 for delivery to
a valve such as the valve 240 or the like. The gas is then
delivered downward through a vertical bore 515 to a transverse bore
514, terminating in a first bore coupling 516 and a second bore
coupling 518. Fittings 520 and 522, respectively connected to the
bore couplings for delivery of gas transversely so that a selected
gas may be supplied through the panel through the single outlet
250.
[0064] As may best be seen in FIGS. 15 and 16, a typical pneumatic
valve, such as the pneumatic valve 112, includes a valve actuator
114, which is commercially available. The valve actuator has valve
components which communicate through a pneumatic interface fitting
552, which is coupled by a pneumatic line to the pneumatic
manifold. The valve 112 is connected to a flange 554, having a
rectangular base 556, and a valve accepting collar 558. A plurality
of manifold mounting bolts 560 extend through apertures 562 for
connection with the gas manifold block.
[0065] The valve 112 may be preassembled with seal elements
attached to it through the use of a prefabricated keeper 570 which
is substantially rectangular and includes a plurality of apertures
572 through which the bolts 560 extend. The bolts 560 are trapped
by nylon split rings 574 which lightly engage the bolts, but hold
them in the bores 562 so that after preassembly the bolts will not
fall out and the unit can be packaged together.
[0066] A seal ring 580, having a ring proper 582, for effecting
sealing engagement between the valve and the manifold, includes a
ledge 584 having a plurality of semi-circular tabs 586 positioned
thereabout. The tabs 586 engage an edge or shoulder 590, which
defines an aperture 592 and the keeper 570. The keeper 570 receives
a plurality of small bolts 594 at respective apertures 596, which
are in registration with apertures formed in the bottom of the
rectangular base 556 of the flange 554, which holds the keeper
against the bottom of the flange 554. The bolts 594 engage threaded
and counterbored apertures 595 formed in the flange 554. The
threaded bores 595 act as a holder or retainer for coupling the
keeper 570, and hence the seal ring 580 to the bottom 556 of the
flange 554 prior to assembly with the manifold block.
[0067] The sealing ring 580 extends slightly below the keeper 570
but is trapped in registration with an opening 602 in the bottom of
the flange and extends slightly below the keeper at an extension
portion. At best, the unit may be completely preassembled and may
be quickly added to the manifold. The flange type base is exemplary
of similar flange type bases used throughout the manifolding system
wherein the flange may be preassembled with seal rings held
securely by keepers.
[0068] Another example of such an arrangement is shown in FIGS. 17
through 18, wherein a typical jumper, such as the jumper 150, is
shown therein. The jumper 150 includes an inlet block 702 having a
stem 704 for connection in gas conducting contact with a tube 706.
An elbow 708 is welded to the tube 706 and a second elbow 710
carries gas from the elbow 708 to a cross piece tube 712. A first
return elbow 714 is connected to a second returned elbow 716 to
deliver gas to an outlet tube 718 coupled at a tube fitting 720 to
a block 722. Each of the blocks 702 and 722 includes respective
bolts 726, 728, 730 and 732, which extend through the block. Bolt
726 is held by a plastic split ring 740 within a bore 742 of the
block. The bolt 728 is held by a split ring 744 within a bore 746
of the block 702. A tabbed seal table ring 750 is positioned in a
ring keeper aperture 752 of a metal keeper 754. The keeper 754 has
a pair of keeper mounting bolt apertures 756 and 758, which receive
keeper mounting bolts 760 and 762 to hold the keeper and to trap
the seal ring 750 in registration with the opening from the tube
704 into the keeper and ultimately into the manifold. Likewise, the
bolt 730 extends through a bolt aperture 770. The bolt 732 extends
through a bolt aperture 772 into apertures 774 and 776 of a keeper
780. The bolts are held in light engagement prior to assembly by
snap rings 790 and 792 and keeper 780 holds a seal ring 794 in
engagement with the bottom of the block via the bolts 800 and 802,
which extend through apertures 804 and 806 of the keeper.
[0069] An alternative embodiment of a flange for use with a
multiple port or three-way valve such as an Aptech 3550, valves
140, 290, 292, 294 and 296, may best be seen in FIGS. 21 and 22. A
valve flange 820 includes a flange base 820 to having an upstanding
cylindrical flange section for contact with a valve such as a
pneumatic valve or the like. A first bore 826 extends between a gas
connection aperture 828 and a second bore 830 extends to a gas
connection aperture 832. Both apertures 828 and 832 terminate
bottom ends of the bore. The upper end of the bore 826 terminates
in an aperture 836. The upper end of the bore 830 terminates in an
aperture 838. The bores 828 and 832 are at a bottom portion 832 of
the flange bottom 822.
[0070] A pair of metal keepers 850 and 852 are substantially
rectangular hold a plurality of edge type seals 854, 856 and 858.
The seal 854 is positioned at an opening 855a of a bore 855b
extending to a bore aperture 855c. The seal 856 is positioned at
the aperture 828 and the seal 858 is positioned at the aperture
832. The seal 854 sits in a sealing receiving aperture 860 of the
keeper 850. The seal 856 sits in a sealing ring receiving aperture
862 of the keeper 850. Seal ring 858 sits in a keeper receiving
aperture 864 of keeper 852, and keeper 864 also includes a spare or
extra aperture 866 which may be used in other applications.
[0071] A plurality of keeper holding bolts 880, 882 and 884 extend
through respective apertures 890, 892 and 894 of the keeper 852 and
to contact with the flange 822. A plurality of split rings 910,
912, 914 and 916 contact the threaded fasteners including threaded
fasteners 870 and 872 for mounting a flange on the gas panel. In
order to hold the threaded fasteners within the threaded fastener
bores including the bores 874 and 875, a plurality of keeper bolts
924, 926 and 928 extends through apertures 930, 932 and 934 to
secure the keeper 850 and the accompanying seal rings 854 and 856
against the bottom of the flange 852. Thus, the entire flange
assembly provides highly localized apertures for connection to a
manifold body. Each aperture has associated with it a relatively
small seal ring for the prevention of leakage between the
respective bores 830, 826 and 855b, and the manifold. This allows
leaks to be easily detected.
[0072] An exemplary mass flow controller 228, as may best be seen
in FIG. 8, is used with the gas panel. The mass flow controller
includes a pair of body blocks 1000 and 1002, bypass 1004 is
mounted in a block 1000. Gas is received is in an inlet block 1006
through a gas aperture 1008 and is delivered through a bore 1010 to
a bore 1012 within which the bypass is mounted. A portion of the
gas flows through a sensor tube 1016 which provides an electrical
signal to circuitry 1018 indicative of the rate of flow. A control
signal is supplied to an electromagnetic valve 1020, which receives
gas through an aperture 1022 of a block 1024, upon which the valve
is mounted. Gas is then released through a bore 1026 to a bore
aperture 1028 for delivery to other parts of the gas panel
system.
[0073] A simplified version of the mass flow controller 28 with
some detail removed for clarity, as may best be seen in FIG. 9,
discloses the manner in which the mass flow controller may be
connected to a manifolding system having a first gas panel manifold
1030 with active site regions 1032 and 1034 thereon. A manifold
bore 1036 is connected to the inlet block bore 1010. The outlet
bore 1026 is connected to a manifold bore 1042 in a second
one-piece gas panel manifold 1040.
[0074] A keeper 1050, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, having a seal
ring 1052 mounted in a keeper aperture 1054, is positioned at the
aperture 1034, which is the inlet to the mass flow controller.
Likewise a keeper 1060, having a seal ring 1062, positioned in a
bore 1064, is mounted on the manifold 1040, and couples the outlet
aperture 1028 of the control block 1024 to the manifold 1040. The
controller is mounted by a pair of bolts 1070 and 1072 to the
manifolds 1030 and 1040.
[0075] It should be appreciated that the edge seal 1050 includes a
plurality of semi-circular tabs 1080 extending thereabout for
supporting the seal in the keeper prior to assembly.
[0076] In an alternative arrangement, as may best be seen in FIGS.
12-14, a C-ring type seal 1098 may be used between the inlet block
1010 of the mass flow controller and the manifold block 1030. The
C-ring seal 1098 includes a substantially toroidal split ring 1100
having a helically wound spring 1102 positioned therein for
supporting the split ring 1100. A keeper 1104 holds the split ring
assembly 1098 in contact with itself. The keeper 1104 includes a
first arcuate section 1116 having a split ring tab 1118 formed
thereon for engagement with an open slot 1120 in the split ring.
Likewise, the second wave-like arcuate section 1122 has a tab 1124
for engaging the split ring seal 1098. A shoulder section 1130, and
the shoulder section 1132, also engage the opening 1120 to the
split ring 1098. The keeper functions as the other keepers do in
the system. It holds the split ring 1098 in registration with one
of the apertures of the mass flow controller, when the mass flow
controller is being attached to a manifold.
[0077] One of the advantages of the present invention is that the
various gas manifolds may be mounted at selected heights above the
aluminum platform. As may best be seen in FIG. 19, an inlet
manifold 110 is mounted on a standoff 1200, which is identical to
other standoffs 1200, extending through the platform 62. The
standoff 1200 includes a bolt portion 1204 which is in threaded
engagement with a sleeve 1206 at a bottom bore 1208. The sleeve
1206 includes an upper bore 1210 which receives a second or
mounting bolt 1212 in threaded engagement therewith. The mounting
bolt extending through a mounting bracket 1214.
[0078] It may be appreciated that the height at which the upper
wall 51 of the inlet manifold 51 may be supported may be adjusted
and may be aligned with other upper walls to provide a
substantially planar, multiple wall surface for the attachment of
bridging connections between successive gas sticks. In addition, a
slight amount of play is allowed between a bore 1226 within which
the sleeve is located and the sleeve itself, to allow for slight
lateral transitions or movement of the manifolds with respect to
one another to allow easy cross connections between the
manifolds.
[0079] In another embodiment of the instant invention, a gas
manifold assembly 1300, as may best be seen in FIG. 20, includes a
VCR inlet 1302, which receives gas and sends gas through a jumper
1304 to a first gas manifold 1306, having a laterally extending
upper wall 1308, having a plurality of active sites 1310, 1312 and
1314, positioned thereon.
[0080] For purposes of showing the geometry of the manifold, the
active sites are unpopulated. But for instance, site 1310 would
likely have a manual valve and sites 1312 and 1314 would likely
have pneumatic valves connected to them. The position between the
sites are inlet and outlet bores 1324 and 1326, pair of bores 1328
and 1330, extending between site 1310 and active site 1312 and the
like. A cross connect 1334, which receives a gas, such as a purged
gas or nitrogen at a bore 1336, passes a gas to a second bore 1338,
and then into a bore 1340, which is connected to the active site
1312, which is able to route gas to a second jumper 1344, coupled
to a second gas manifold 1346.
[0081] The second gas manifold 1346 includes an upper wall 1348,
having a plurality of active sites 1350, 1352, 1354 and 1356
coupled by pair of v-connected bores which are connected to a mass
flow controller 1362 of which only the blocks and the housing are
shown. The mass flow controller having an inlet block 1364
connected to receive gas, a first body block 1366 having a bypass
1368 therein, and a valve or outlet block 1370 connected to an
outlet manifold 1372. The outlet manifold 1372 receives regulated
gas from the mass flow controller at a bore 1374, and passes the
gas to an active site 1376 which includes a valve or the like.
[0082] Another manifolding system 1400 is specifically adapted to
be used in a moisture sampling system for determining the levels of
trace amounts of moisture carried in a gas or other vapor stream.
In operation, gas is flowed into the inlet 1408 and is received at
a port 1420 and is delivered to a first valve station 1422, having
a first pneumatic valve 1424 mounted thereon.
[0083] The gas may then be supplied to a moisture scrubber station
through the valve 1424. The scrubber station 1426 has a scrubber
connector 1428 connected thereto with a pair or tubing stubs 1430
and 1432 for connection to a moisture scrubber. Also connected to
the inlet is a pneumatic valve 1442, connected at a pneumatic valve
station 1444 to receive gas therefrom. The scrubber station 1426 is
connected to a third valve station 1450 having a pneumatic valve
1452 connected thereto.
[0084] The pneumatic valve 1452, like pneumatic valve 1442, is
connectable to send gas from the inlet to a mass flow controller
1460 mounted at a controller station 1462.
[0085] In normal operation, nominally completely dry gas is
supplied to the mass flow controller by opening valve 1424 and
valve 1452 while holding valve 1442 closed. This causes the inlet
gas to be fed through the moisture scrubber where moisture is
removed. The dry gas is then fed to the mass flow controller.
[0086] In the event that a measurement of the amount of moisture in
the gas is to be made, the valves 1424 and 1452 are closed. Valve
1442 is opened, and the gas to be measured is flowed directly into
the mass flow controller. Downstream of the mass flow controller is
a permeation site 1468 having a permeation cell 1470 connected
thereto for supplying a trace amount of moisture to the gas, after
it flows out of the mass flow controller. The gas is then delivered
to a first pneumatic valve 1486 and a second pneumatic valve 1488
at valve sites 1490 and 1492, respectively.
[0087] A trace moisture sensor 1496 is connected to receive gas
from the valve 1486 and delivers the gas to a valve 1498. In
addition, gas from the permeation cell 1470 may be delivered to the
valve 1488 for later downstream delivery to other locations. An
outlet 1500 is provided from valve 1498 and an outlet is provided
from the valve 1488.
[0088] Zero mode operation, when the scrubber is connected in
series with the mass flow controller, causes the valves 1486, 1488,
and 1498 to be opened allowing some moisture carrying gas to enter
the sensor cell 1496 and other moisture carrying gas to be
exhausted out through the valve 1488.
[0089] In a span mode, which is necessary to determine a transfer
function of the overall apparatus, valves 1486 and 1498 are open,
causing all of the gas to flow through the sensor 1496 and out the
valve V6 at a low flow rate. In a sample measuring mode valves
1486, 1488 and 1498 are all open.
[0090] While there have been illustrated and described particular
embodiments of the present invention, it will be appreciated that
numerous changes and modifications will occur to those skilled in
the art, and it is intended in the appended claims to cover all
those changes and modifications which fall within the true spirit
and scope of the present invention.
* * * * *