Cluster mass flow devices and multi-line mass flow devices incorporating the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9335768-B2
Application number	US-201314025162-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 12, 2013
Priority date	Sep 12, 2013
Publication date	May 10, 2016
Grant date	May 10, 2016

Abstract

A multi-line mass flow device configured for controlled delivery of two or more fluids into a process chamber. The multi-line mass flow device comprises a cluster mass flow control manifold and a multi-inlet manifold. The cluster mass flow control manifold comprises a controller, a gas manifold mounting block, and two or more gas flow control stations. The multi-inlet manifold comprises a multi-inlet mounting block, and two or more isolation valves mounted on the multi-inlet mounting block.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A cluster mass flow device comprising a controller, a gas manifold, two or more control valves, and two or more flow sensors, wherein:
the controller is electrically coupled to each control valve and to each flow sensor;
the gas manifold comprises two or more gas distribution flow paths and a gas mixing region each arranged within an interior of a gas manifold block having at least one mounting surface, and a gas outlet;
each gas distribution flow path of the gas manifold comprises a gas inlet defined within the at least one mounting surface of the gas manifold block and configured to receive a gas, and a gas flow channel fluidly coupled to the gas inlet;
the gas mixing region of the gas manifold is fluidly coupled to each gas flow channel;
the gas outlet of the gas manifold is defined within the at least one mounting surface of the gas manifold block and is fluidly coupled to the gas mixing region;
each flow sensor and each control valve are fluidly coupled to a corresponding gas flow channel of the gas distribution flow path;
each flow sensor is positioned between the control valve and the gas mixing region, and downstream of the control valve;
the controller is programmed to provide a control signal to each control valve for controlling a position of each control valve such that a desired gas flow is produced; and
the controller is further programmed to utilize a gas flow recipe program to automatically receive and process measured gas flow signals indicative of a flow rate of the gas flowing through each gas flow channel from each flow sensor and adjust a position of each control valve to regulate gas flow based on the measured gas flow signals in order to maintain a desired mass of gas flow for two or more gases to be released from the gas outlet.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein:
an exterior of the gas manifold comprises an inlet end and an outlet end, and the at least one mounting surface includes a first mounting surface extending between the inlet end and the outlet end;
each gas inlet is defined within the inlet end of the gas manifold; and
the gas outlet is defined within the outlet end of the gas manifold.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the controller is mounted onto the first mounting surface of the gas manifold.

4. The device of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the two or more flow sensors and at least one of the two or more control valves are mounted onto the first mounting surface of the gas manifold.

5. The device of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the two or more flow sensors and at least one of the two or more control valves are mounted onto the first mounting surface of the gas manifold and are fluidly coupled to the corresponding gas flow channel of the gas distribution flow path via one or more gas flow apertures formed in the first mounting surface of the gas manifold.

6. The device of claim 2 , wherein:
the at least one mounting surface further comprises a second mounting surface extending between the inlet end and the outlet end of the gas manifold; and
the first and second mounting surfaces extend along opposite sides of the gas manifold.

7. The device of claim 6 , wherein at least one of the two or more flow sensors and at least one of the two or more control valves are mounted onto the second mounting surface of the gas manifold and is fluidly coupled to the corresponding gas flow channel of the gas distribution flow path via one or more gas flow apertures formed in the second mounting surface of the gas manifold.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein:
the controller comprises a controller enclosure; and
at least one of the two or more flow sensors and at least one of the two or more control valves are positioned within the controller enclosure.

9. A cluster mass flow device comprising a controller, a gas manifold mounting block, and two or more gas flow control stations, wherein:
an exterior of the gas manifold mounting block comprises an inlet end, an outlet end, and a first mounting surface extending between the inlet end and the outlet end;
an interior of the gas manifold mounting block comprises two or more gas distribution flow paths, a gas mixing region, and a gas outlet defined within the outlet end of the gas manifold mounting block;
each gas distribution flow path comprises a gas inlet and a gas flow channel coupled to the gas inlet;
each gas inlet is defined within the inlet end of the gas manifold mounting block and is configured to receive a gas;
the gas mixing region within the interior of the gas manifold mounting block is fluidly coupled to each gas flow channel;
the gas outlet within the interior of the gas manifold mounting block is fluidly coupled to the gas mixing region;
each gas flow control station comprises a flow sensor and a control valve;
each gas flow control station is mounted onto the first mounting surface of the gas manifold mounting block and is coupled to a corresponding gas distribution flow path within the interior of the gas manifold mounting block via one or more gas flow apertures formed in the first mounting surface such that the flow sensor and control valve are in fluid communication with the gas flow channel within the interior of the gas manifold mounting block;
the controller is mounted onto the first mounting surface of the gas manifold mounting block and is electrically coupled to each gas flow control station;
the controller is programmed to provide a control signal to each control valve for controlling a position of each control valve such that a desired gas flow is produced; and
the controller is further programmed to utilize a gas flow recipe program to automatically receive and process measured gas flow signals indicative of a flow rate of the gas flowing through each gas flow channel from each flow sensor and adjust a position of each control valve to regulate gas flow based on the measured gas flow signals in order to maintain a desired mass of gas flow for two or more gases to be released from the gas outlet.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein:
the gas manifold mounting block further comprises a second mounting surface extending between the inlet end and the outlet end of the gas manifold mounting block;
the first and second mounting surfaces extend along opposite sides of the gas manifold mounting block.

11. The device of claim 10 , wherein at least one of the two or more gas flow control stations is mounted onto the second mounting surface of the gas manifold mounting block and is coupled to the corresponding gas distribution flow path within the interior of the gas manifold mounting block via one or more gas flow apertures formed in the second mounting surface such that the flow sensor and control valve are in fluid communication with the gas flow channel within the interior of the gas manifold mounting block.

12. The device of claim 9 , wherein each flow sensor is positioned between the control valve and the gas mixing region, and downstream of the control valve.

13. A multi-line mass flow device comprising a cluster mass flow control manifold and a multi-inlet manifold, wherein:
the cluster mass flow control manifold comprises a controller, a gas manifold mounting block, and two or more gas flow control stations;
an exterior of the gas manifold mounting block comprises an inlet end, an outlet end, and a first mounting surface extending between the inlet end and the outlet end;
an interior of the gas manifold mounting block comprises two or more gas distribution flow paths, a gas mixing region, and a gas outlet defined within the outlet end of the gas manifold mounting block;
each gas distribution f

Assignees

• Lam Res Corp

Inventors

• Taskar Mark
• Shareef Iqbal

Classifications

• G05D7/0641 Primary

  using a plurality of throttling means (G05D7/067 takes precedence) · CPC title

• Y10T137/2499

  Mixture condition maintaining or sensing · CPC title

• G05D7/0652

  the plurality of throttling means being arranged in parallel · CPC title

• F16K27/003

  Housing formed from a plurality of the same valve elements · CPC title