Flow control method using plasma system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12247290-B2
Application number	US-202318197919-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 16, 2023
Priority date	Jul 20, 2022
Publication date	Mar 11, 2025
Grant date	Mar 11, 2025

Abstract

Provided is a flow rate control method, including: supplying fluid from a valve to a first sensor; measuring, by the first sensor, a first temperature of the fluid, and heating the fluid; measuring, by a second sensor, a second temperature of the heated fluid, and determining, by a controller, a first flow rate of the fluid based on comparison between the first temperature and the second temperature; supplying the fluid to a chamber and supplying an ignition voltage to the chamber through a radio frequency (RF) power source; measuring, by a third sensor, the ignition voltage; comparing, by the controller, the ignition voltage and a reference voltage to determine a second flow rate of the fluid; and controlling a supply of the fluid from the valve based on at least one of the first flow rate and or the second flow rate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A flow rate control method comprising:
supplying a fluid from a valve to a first sensor;
measuring, by the first sensor, a first temperature of the fluid, and heating the fluid;
measuring, by a second sensor, a second temperature of the heated fluid, and determining, by a controller, a first flow rate of the fluid based on comparison between the first temperature and the second temperature;
supplying the fluid to a chamber and supplying an ignition voltage to the chamber through a radio frequency (RF) power source;
measuring, by a third sensor, the ignition voltage;
comparing, by the controller, the ignition voltage and a reference voltage to determine a second flow rate of the fluid; and
controlling a supply of the fluid from the valve based on at least one of the first flow rate and or the second flow rate.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ignition voltage is a minimum voltage that is to be supplied to the chamber to ignite a plasma in the fluid.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining the first flow rate of the fluid comprises determining the first flow rate of the fluid in a gaseous state.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the comparing the ignition voltage and the reference voltage comprises determining the second flow rate of the fluid in a liquid state, a gaseous state, an aerosol state, or a combination thereof.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the controlling the supply of the fluid comprising transmitting, by the controller, a feedback signal to the valve based on a result of the comparing the ignition voltage and the reference voltage.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the transmitting the feedback signal comprises transmitting, by the controller to the valve, a signal to supply the fluid based on the ignition voltage being lower than the reference voltage.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the transmitting the feedback signal comprises transmitting, by the controller to the valve, a signal to stop supplying the fluid based on the ignition voltage being higher than the reference voltage.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the supplying the fluid comprises supplying the fluid at a flow rate of 3 Standard Cubic Centimeter per Minute (sccm) to 20 sccm.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the supplying the fluid comprises supplying titanium tetrachloride (TiCl 4 ) from the valve to the first sensor.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reference voltage is 1 V to 100 V.

11. A flow rate control method comprising:
supplying a fluid from a valve to a first sensor;
measuring, by the first sensor, a first temperature of the fluid, and heating the fluid;
measuring, by a second sensor, a second temperature of the heated fluid, and determining, by a controller, a first flow rate of the fluid by comparing the first temperature and the second temperature;
supplying the fluid to a chamber and supplying an ignition voltage to the chamber through a radio frequency (RF) power source;
adjusting, by an RF matcher, an impedance in response to the ignition voltage;
measuring, by a third sensor, the adjusted impedance of the RF matcher;
comparing, by the controller, the adjusted impedance and a reference impedance to determine a second flow rate of the fluid; and
controlling a supply of the fluid from the valve based on at least one of the first flow rate and or the second flow rate.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the ignition voltage is a minimum voltage that is to be supplied to the chamber to ignite a plasma in the fluid.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the controlling the supply of the fluid comprising transmitting, by the controller to the valve, a feedback signal based on a result of the comparing the impedance and the reference impedance.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the transmitting the feedback signal comprises transmitting, by the controller to the valve, a signal to supply the fluid based on the impedance being less than the reference impedance.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the transmitting the feedback signal comprises transmitting, by the controller to the valve, a signal to stop supplying the fluid based on the impedance being higher than the reference impedance.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the determining the first flow rate of the fluid comprises determining the first flow rate of the fluid in a gaseous state.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the comparing the adjusted impedance and the reference impedance comprises determining the second flow rate of the fluid in a liquid state, a gaseous state, an aerosol state, or a combination thereof.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the supplying the fluid comprises supplying the fluid at a flow rate of 3 Standard Cubic Centimeter per Minute (sccm) to 20 sccm.

19. A flow rate control method comprising:
supplying a fluid from a valve to a first sensor;
measuring, by the first sensor, a first temperature of the fluid, and heating the fluid;
measuring, by a second sensor, a second temperature of the heated fluid, and determining, by a controller, a first flow rate of the fluid by comparing the first temperature and the second temperature;
supplying the fluid to a chamber and supplying an ignition voltage to the chamber through an RF power source;
measuring, by a third sensor, the ignition voltage;
comparing, by the controller, the ignition voltage and a reference voltage to determine a second flow rate of the fluid in a liquid state, a gaseous state, an aerosol state, or a combination thereof; and
transmitting, by the controller, a feedback signal to the valve based on a result of the comparing the ignition voltage and the reference voltage,
wherein the ignition voltage is a minimum voltage that is to be supplied to the chamber to ignite a plasma in the fluid,
wherein the supplying the fluid comprises supplying the fluid at a flow rate of 3 Standard Cubic Centimeter per Minute (sccm) to 20 sccm, and the fluid comprises titanium tetrachloride (TiCl 4 ), and
wherein the reference voltage is 1 V to 100 V.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the transmitting the feedback signal comprises:
transmitting, to the valve, a signal to supply the fluid based on the ignition voltage being lower than the reference voltage; and
transmitting, to the valve, a signal to stop supplying the fluid based on the ignition voltage being higher than the reference voltage.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Suncheul
• Lee Donghyun
• Lee Uihyoung
• Han Donghoon

Classifications

• C23C16/505

  using radio frequency discharges · CPC title

• C23C16/4486

  by producing an aerosol and subsequent evaporation of the droplets or particles · CPC title

• H01J2237/3321

  CVD [Chemical Vapor Deposition] · CPC title

• H01J37/32449

  Gas control, e.g. control of the gas flow · CPC title

• C23C16/52 Primary

  Controlling or regulating the coating process {(C23C16/45557, C23C16/279 take precedence)} · CPC title