Leak detection for gas sticks

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12031885-B2
Application number	US-202318190418-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 27, 2023
Priority date	Mar 31, 2022
Publication date	Jul 9, 2024
Grant date	Jul 9, 2024

Abstract

A method and system for monitoring and detecting a gas leak in a gas stick assembly is provided. The method includes measuring a pressure in a mass flow controller of the gas stick assembly at different time points and determining whether there is a difference in pressure at the different time points that exceeds a difference threshold.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for monitoring a gas leak in a gas stick assembly, wherein the method comprises:
closing a first valve of the gas stick assembly that is downstream of a pressure sensor in a flow path of the gas stick assembly;
opening one or more additional valves of the gas stick assembly that are upstream of the pressure sensor for a first time period until the gas stick assembly is pressurized by a gas;
closing a second valve of the one or more valves, wherein at least a portion of the gas stick assembly between the first valve and the second valve is pressurized after closing the second valve;
measuring pressure within at least the portion of the gas stick assembly by the pressure sensor to gather pressure data over a second time period; and
analyzing the pressure data to determine whether at least the portion of the gas stick assembly has a leak,
wherein the gas stick assembly comprises a first end comprising an input configured to receive the gas from a gas source, a second end comprising an output configured to deliver the gas to a destination, and a plurality of components between the first end and the second end, and wherein the pressure sensor is a pressure sensor of a mass flow controller (MFC).

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
measuring the pressure within at least the portion of the gas stick assembly comprises:
measuring a first pressure within at least the portion of the gas stick assembly using the pressure sensor at a first time after closing the second valve; and
measuring a second pressure within at least the portion of the gas stick assembly using the pressure sensor at a second time after closing the second valve; and
analyzing the pressure data comprises:
comparing the second pressure to the first pressure;
determining whether there is a difference between the second pressure and the first pressure based on the comparing; and
determining whether at least the portion of the gas stick assembly has a leak based on whether there is a difference between the second pressure and the first pressure that exceeds a difference threshold.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first valve is located at the output, wherein the second valve is a hybrid valve comprising a first mechanism that actuates via a first type of input and a second mechanism that actuates via a second type of input, wherein the hybrid valve is located at the input, and where at least the portion of the gas stick assembly comprises an entirety of the gas stick assembly between the input and the output.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the first time period is about 5 seconds to about 30 seconds.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein at least the portion of the gas stick assembly is pressured to a pressure of about 3 psia to about 60 psia.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the method is performed in-situ for a processing chamber between processes performed on product without stopping the processes.

7. The method of claim 2 , wherein the difference threshold comprises about 5 psi to about 15 psi.

8. The method of claim 2 , wherein the gas comprises a non-toxic gas or a toxic gas.

9. A method for monitoring a gas leak in a gas stick assembly, wherein the method comprises:
closing a first valve of the gas stick assembly that is upstream of a pressure sensor in a flow path of the gas stick assembly;
opening a second valve of one or more valves of the gas stick assembly that is downstream of the pressure sensor;
connecting an output end of the gas stick assembly to a pump;
pumping the gas stick assembly down to a first pressure;
closing the second valve of the one or more valves of the gas stick assembly, wherein at least a portion of the gas stick assembly between the first valve and the second valve is under vacuum after closing the second valve;
measuring pressure within at least the portion of the gas stick assembly by the pressure sensor to gather pressure data over a time period; and
analyzing the pressure data to determine whether at least the portion of the gas stick assembly has a leak,
wherein the gas stick assembly comprises a first end comprising an input configured to receive a gas from a gas source, a second end comprising the output end configured to deliver the gas to a destination, and a plurality of components between the first end and the second end, and wherein the pressure sensor is a pressure sensor of a mass flow controller (MFC).

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein:
measuring the pressure within at least the portion of the gas stick assembly comprises:
measuring a first pressure within at least the portion of the gas stick assembly using the pressure sensor at a first time after closing the second valve; and
measuring a second pressure within at least the portion of the gas stick assembly using the pressure sensor at a second time after closing the second valve; and
analyzing the pressure data comprises:
comparing the second pressure to the first pressure;
determining whether there is a difference between the second pressure and the first pressure based on the comparing; and
determining whether at least the portion of the gas stick assembly has a leak based on whether there is a difference between the second pressure and the first pressure that exceeds a difference threshold.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the second valve is located at the output end, wherein the first valve is a hybrid valve comprising a first mechanism that actuates via a first type of input and a second mechanism that actuates via a second type of input, wherein the hybrid valve is located at the input, and where at least the portion of the gas stick assembly comprises an entirety of the gas stick assembly between the input and the output.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the pumping is performed for a second time period of about 5 seconds to about 30 seconds.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first pressure is a vacuum pressure of below about 6 psia.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the method is performed in-situ for a processing chamber between processes performed on product.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the difference threshold comprises about 5 psi to about 15 psi.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the gas comprises a non-toxic gas or a toxic gas.

17. A system comprising:
a memory; and
a processing device operatively coupled to the memory, wherein the processing device is configured to:
cause a first valve of a gas stick assembly that is a first one of a downstream or upstream of a mass flow controller (MFC) of the gas stick assembly to close;
cause one or more additional valves of the gas stick assembly to remain open for a first time period until the gas stick assembly reaches a target pressure;
cause a second valve of the one or more additional valves to close once the gas stick assembly reaches the target pressure, wherein at least a portion of the gas stick assembly between the first valve and the second valve has the target pressure after closing the second valve;
receive pressure data for a pressure within at least the portion of the gas stick assembly from a pressure sensor of the MFC over a second time period, wherein the pressure sensor is in a flow path in the gas stick assembly; and
analyze the pressure data to determine whether at least the portion of the gas stick assembly has a leak, wherein the gas stick assembly comprises a first end comprising an input configured to receive a gas from a gas source, a second end comprising the output end configured to deliver the gas to a destination, and a plura

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Wang Yen-Kun
• Tom Alex J
• Xu Ming
• Okada Ashley
• Le Kenneth

Classifications

• H10P72/0604 Primary

  Process monitoring, e.g. flow or thickness monitoring · CPC title

• G01M3/2853

  for pipe joints or seals (G01M3/30 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01M3/2815 Primary

  using pressure measurements · CPC title

• H01L21/67253

  Electricity · mapped topic