Processing chamber gas detection system and operation method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10663336-B2
Application number	US-201815861149-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 3, 2018
Priority date	Jun 20, 2017
Publication date	May 26, 2020
Grant date	May 26, 2020

Abstract

A processing chamber gas detection system is provided, including a chamber, an exhaust pipe, a connection pipe, and a gas detector. The chamber is configured to perform a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process. The exhaust pipe is connected to the chamber and the pumping unit, and the connecting pipe communicates with the exhaust pipe. The gas detector is disposed on the connecting pipe and configured to detect the oxygen content in the air from the chamber. When the air in the chamber is pumped out via the pumping unit and the air flows through the exhaust pipe and the connecting pipe, the gas detector detects whether oxygen is contained in the air or not.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A processing chamber gas detection system, comprising:
a chamber, configured to perform a chemical vapor deposition process;
a pumping unit;
an exhaust pipe, connecting the chamber and the pumping unit;
a connecting pipe, communicating with the exhaust pipe;
a first valve, disposed on the exhaust pipe;
a second valve, disposed on the connecting pipe; and
a gas detector, disposed on the connecting pipe;
wherein the pumping unit pumps air out of the chamber through the first valve and the exhaust pipe,
wherein when the air in the chamber is pumped out by the pumping unit, the air pumped out of the chamber flows through the connecting pipe via the second valve and the gas detector detects an oxygen content in the air.

2. The processing chamber gas detection system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein when an air pressure of the chamber is less than 10 −8 mbar, the gas detector detects the oxygen content in the air flowing through the connecting pipe.

3. The processing chamber gas detection system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein there is a distance between the chamber and the gas detector, and the distance is at least 25 meters.

4. The processing chamber gas detection system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a temperature inside the chamber is greater than 600° C. when the gas detector detects the oxygen content in the air from the chamber.

5. The processing chamber gas detection system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the connecting pipe has a U-shaped structure, and two ends of the U-shaped structure communicate with the exhaust pipe.

6. The processing chamber gas detection system as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a trap disposed on the connecting pipe, wherein when the air from the chamber is exhausted by the pumping unit through the exhaust pipe and the connecting pipe, the trap filters particles in the air.

7. The processing chamber gas detection system as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the trap is closer to the chamber than the gas detector.

8. The processing chamber gas detection system as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a pressure detector disposed on the exhaust pipe, configured to detect the air pressure in the chamber.

9. The processing chamber gas detection system as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the pressure detector is disposed between the chamber and the first valve.

10. A method for operating a processing chamber gas detection system, comprising:
providing an exhaust pipe to connect a chamber and a pumping unit, wherein the chamber is configured to perform a chemical vapor deposition process;
providing a connecting pipe to communicate with the exhaust pipe;
disposing a first valve on the exhaust pipe;
disposing a second valve and a gas detector on the connecting pipe;
opening the first valve and pumping the air out of the chamber using the pumping unit to perform a first exhausting;
opening the second valve, wherein the air from the chamber flows from the exhaust pipe to the connecting pipe; and
detecting an oxygen content in the air by using a gas detector after the air is pumped out of the chamber and flows through the connecting pipe.

11. The method for operating a processing chamber gas detection system as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the air pressure in the chamber is less than 10-8 mbar after the first exhausting is performed.

12. The method for operating a processing chamber gas detection system as claimed in claim 10 , further comprising:
applying an inert gas into the chamber and pumping the air out of the chamber using the pumping unit to perform a second exhausting after the step of performing the first exhausting and before the step of opening the second valve.

13. The method for operating a processing chamber gas detection system as claimed in claim 10 , further comprising:
after the step of performing the first exhausting and before the step of opening the second valve, closing the first valve and applying an inert gas to the chamber, to maintain the pressure in the chamber for 5-10 minutes, and then opening the first valve and pumping the air out of the chamber using the pumping unit to perform a second exhausting.

14. The method for operating a processing chamber gas detection system as claimed in claim 10 , wherein there is a distance between the chamber and the gas detector, and the distance is at least 25 meters.

15. The method for operating a processing chamber gas detection system as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the temperature inside the chamber is greater than 600° C. when the gas detector detects the oxygen content in the air from the chamber.

16. The method for operating a processing chamber gas detection system as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the connecting pipe has a U-shaped structure, and two ends of the U-shaped structure communicate with the exhaust pipe.

17. The method for operating a processing chamber gas detection system as claimed in claim 10 , further comprising:
disposing a trap on the exhaust pipe, wherein when the pumping unit performs the first pumping of the air from the chamber, the trap filters particles in the air.

18. The method for operating a processing chamber gas detection system as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the trap is closer to the chamber than the gas detector.

19. The method for operating a processing chamber gas detection system as claimed in claim 10 , further comprising:
disposing a pressure detector on the exhaust pipe, configured to detect the air pressure in the chamber.

20. The method for operating a processing chamber gas detection system as claimed in claim 19 , wherein the pressure detector is disposed between the chamber and the first valve.

Assignees

• Winbond Electronics Corp

Inventors

• Cheng Chi-We
• Chen Pei-Yu

Classifications

• G05D11/132

  by controlling the flow of the individual components (G05D11/133 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01N33/0027

  concerning the detector · CPC title

• G01L19/12

  Alarms or signals · CPC title

• C23C16/4412 Primary

  Details relating to the exhausts, e.g. pumps, filters, scrubbers, particle traps · CPC title

• G01M3/32

  for containers, e.g. radiators · CPC title