Gas concentration measuring device, method and rapid thermal processing apparatus

Abstract

This disclosure provides a gas concentration measuring device, method, and rapid thermal processing equipment, relating to the field of semiconductor equipment technology. The gas concentration measuring device includes: an inlet branch for communication with an exhaust pipe; a filter located downstream of the inlet branch for filtering the exhaust gas from the inlet branch; an analyzer located downstream of the filter for analyzing the exhaust gas from the filter to obtain the concentration of a target gas; the target gas includes oxygen; and an outlet branch located downstream of the analyzer and connected to the exhaust pipe; the outlet branch is closer to the vacuum pump than the inlet branch.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of semiconductor equipment technology, and in particular to a gas concentration measuring device, method, and rapid thermal processing equipment. Background Technology

[0002] In related technologies, as process technology continues to develop towards refinement, many processes, such as rapid thermal processors, have increasingly higher requirements for the accuracy of gas concentration within the process chamber. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This disclosure provides a gas concentration measuring device, method, and rapid heat treatment equipment.

[0004] As one aspect of this disclosure, an embodiment provides a gas concentration measuring device connected to the exhaust pipe of the process chamber and located upstream of a vacuum pump; the gas concentration measuring device includes: an inlet branch for communicating with the exhaust pipe; a filter located downstream of the inlet branch for filtering the exhaust gas from the inlet branch; an analyzer located downstream of the filter for analyzing the exhaust gas from the filter to obtain the concentration of a target gas; the target gas includes oxygen; and an outlet branch located downstream of the analyzer and communicating with the exhaust pipe; the outlet branch is closer to the vacuum pump than the inlet branch.

[0005] In some embodiments, the intake branch includes: an inlet air passage control valve, located upstream of the filter, for controlling the opening and closing of the intake branch and the filter; and an intake flow control valve, located upstream of the filter, for controlling the flow rate of the exhaust gas flowing to the filter.

[0006] In some embodiments, the intake flow control valve is located upstream of the inlet air path control valve.

[0007] In some embodiments, the gas concentration measuring device further includes: an inlet pilot branch for supplying compressed gas to the inlet gas path control valve to switch the inlet gas path control valve to an open state.

[0008] In some embodiments, the gas concentration measuring device further includes: a flushing branch located upstream of the filter; the flushing branch being used to provide flushing gas to flush the probe of the analyzer when the inlet gas control valve is in the closed state; and a flushing gas recovery branch located downstream of the analyzer for recovering the flushing gas from the analyzer.

[0009] In some embodiments, the flushing branch includes: a flushing gas control valve for controlling the on / off connection between the flushing branch and the filter; and a flushing flow control valve for controlling the flow rate of the flushing gas flowing to the analyzer.

[0010] In some embodiments, the outlet branch includes an outlet gas control valve located downstream of the analyzer, used to control the connection and disconnection between the outlet branch and the analyzer.

[0011] In some embodiments, the gas concentration measuring device further includes: an outlet pilot branch for supplying compressed gas to the outlet gas path control valve and the flushing gas recovery branch flushing gas control valve, so as to switch the outlet gas path control valve to the open state and the flushing gas recovery control valve to the closed state.

[0012] In some embodiments, the analyzer includes: a probe; a tee connector including a gas inlet channel, a gas outlet channel, and an installation channel; the gas inlet channel is used to guide the extracted gas from the filter into the gas inlet; the gas outlet channel is used to guide the extracted gas to the outlet branch; the installation channel is used for insertion of the probe; wherein the gas inlet channel and the gas outlet channel are arranged at a preset angle, and the axial direction of the gas inlet channel is parallel to the axial direction of the installation channel.

[0013] In some embodiments, the outer diameter of the probe is smaller than the inner diameter of the gas inlet channel; The probe extends into the gas inlet channel towards the end of the mounting channel.

[0014] As one aspect of this disclosure, this disclosure provides a gas concentration measurement method based on the gas concentration measurement device described in any of the foregoing claims; the gas concentration measurement method includes: The exhaust gas is introduced from the exhaust pipe of the process chamber through the intake branch; The introduced exhaust gas is filtered through a filter; The filtered exhaust gas is analyzed using an analyzer to determine the concentration of the target gas, which includes oxygen. The analyzed extracted gas is guided back to the extraction pipeline through the gas outlet branch.

[0015] In some embodiments, the introduction of exhaust gas from the exhaust pipe of the process chamber via the intake branch includes: The connection between the intake branch and the filter is controlled by the inlet air passage control valve; The flow rate of the exhaust gas flowing to the filter is controlled by the intake flow control valve.

[0016] In some embodiments, the gas concentration measurement method further includes: Compressed gas is supplied to the inlet gas path control valve through the inlet pilot branch, so that the inlet gas path control valve is switched to the open state, and the flushing gas path control valve of the flushing branch is switched to the closed state. When the inlet gas control valve is closed, flushing gas is supplied to the analyzer through the flushing branch to flush the probe, and the flushing gas from the probe is recovered through the flushing gas recovery branch.

[0017] In some embodiments, guiding the analyzed exhaust gas back to the exhaust pipeline via the exhaust branch includes: The outlet gas path control valve controls the connection between the outlet gas path and the analyzer, so that the analyzed exhaust gas can flow to the exhaust pipeline.

[0018] In some embodiments, the gas concentration measurement method further includes: Compressed gas is supplied to the outlet gas path control valve through the outlet pilot branch, so that the outlet gas path control valve is switched to the open state, and the flushing gas control valve of the flushing gas recovery branch is switched to the closed state.

[0019] As one aspect of this disclosure, this disclosure provides a rapid heat treatment apparatus, including: the gas concentration measuring device described in any of the preceding claims.

[0020] This embodiment can introduce exhaust gas discharged from the process chamber through the exhaust pipe of the process chamber for concentration detection. The gas concentration measuring device will not interfere with the pressure section inside the process chamber, and the analyzer will not be affected by the low-pressure environment inside the process chamber, thus enabling accurate measurement of gas concentration.

[0021] The above overview is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to be limiting in any way. Further aspects, embodiments, and features of this disclosure will become readily apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description, in addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments, and features described above. Attached Figure Description

[0022] In the accompanying drawings, unless otherwise specified, the same reference numerals throughout the various drawings denote the same or similar parts or elements. These drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. It should be understood that these drawings depict only some embodiments disclosed in this disclosure and should not be construed as limiting the scope of this disclosure.

[0023] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a rapid heat treatment apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 2 A schematic diagram showing the installation of the probe of an analyzer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is provided. Figure 3 A schematic flowchart of a gas concentration measurement method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0024] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 10-Process chamber; 11-Extraction pipeline; 12-Vacuum pump; 13-Pressure control valve; 20-Gas concentration measuring device; 21-Inlet branch; 211-Inlet gas control valve; 212-Inlet flow control valve; 22-Filter; 23-Analyzer; 231-Probe; 232-T-connector; 2321-Gas inlet channel; 2322-Gas outlet channel; 2323-Installation channel; 24-Outlet branch; 241-Outlet gas control valve; 25-Flush branch; 251-Flush gas control valve; 252-Flush flow control valve; 26-Flush gas recovery branch; 261-Flush gas recovery control valve; 27-Inlet pilot branch; 28-Outlet pilot branch. Detailed Implementation

[0025] In the following description, only certain exemplary embodiments are briefly described. As those skilled in the art will recognize, the described embodiments can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit or scope of this disclosure. Therefore, the drawings and description are to be considered exemplary in nature and not restrictive.

[0026] This embodiment provides a gas concentration measurement device, method, and rapid heat treatment equipment. By constructing a gas concentration detection gas path outside the process chamber, the gas path introduces the exhaust gas discharged from the process chamber through the exhaust pipe of the process chamber for concentration detection. This not only achieves accurate measurement of gas concentration but also does not interfere with the pressure inside the process chamber. This embodiment is applicable to gas concentration measurement scenarios in low-pressure process chambers.

[0027] The implementation process of the gas concentration measuring device, method, and rapid heat treatment equipment in this embodiment will be illustrated below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0028] like Figure 1As shown, the rapid heat treatment equipment provided in this embodiment includes a process chamber 10 and a gas concentration measuring device 20. The process chamber 10 has an exhaust port, and an exhaust pipe 11 is installed at the exhaust port. One end of the exhaust pipe 11, away from the exhaust port, is connected to a vacuum pump 12. Thus, under the action of the vacuum pump 12, the gas (such as process gas, residual gas, etc.) inside the process chamber 10 will be discharged as exhaust gas through the exhaust pipe 11. A portion of the exhaust gas entering the exhaust pipe 11 can enter the gas concentration measuring device 20 for gas concentration analysis. The exhaust gas entering the gas concentration measuring device 20 can also be referred to as the sampling gas.

[0029] The gas concentration measuring device 20 provided in this embodiment is connected to the exhaust pipe 11 (also known as the main exhaust pipe) of the process chamber 10 and is located upstream of the vacuum pump 12. The gas concentration measuring device 20 includes: an inlet branch 21 for communication with the exhaust pipe 11; a filter 22 located downstream of the inlet branch 21 for filtering the exhaust gas from the inlet branch 21; an analyzer 23 located downstream of the filter 22 for analyzing the exhaust gas from the filter 22 to obtain the concentration of the target gas; and an outlet branch 24 located downstream of the analyzer 23 and connected to the exhaust pipe 11. The outlet branch 24 is closer to the vacuum pump 12 than the inlet branch 21. The target gas includes, but is not limited to, oxygen.

[0030] The intake branch 21 is connected to the exhaust pipe 11 via a branch interface, so that the exhaust gas diverted from the exhaust pipe 11 can enter the gas concentration measuring device 20. In other examples, the intake branch 21 can also be connected to the exhaust pipe 11 via a multi-port connector.

[0031] The intake branch 21 may include an intake pipe. One end of the intake pipe is connected to the exhaust pipe 11, and the other end is connected to the inlet of the filter 22. The intake pipe may be made of stainless steel, a flexible hose, or other corrosion-resistant materials.

[0032] The intake branch 21 may also include a control valve, which is used to control the connection and disconnection between the intake branch 21 and the exhaust pipe 11. The control valve can be a manual valve or an automatic valve.

[0033] Filter 22 is located downstream of intake branch 21 and is used to remove particulate matter, metallic impurities, or corrosive components from the exhaust gas, preventing contamination of the subsequent analyzer 23. Filter 22 can be at least one of the following: high-efficiency particulate filter (HEPA) or chemical filter. The housing of filter 22 has a removable end cap for easy periodic replacement of the filter element.

[0034] Analyzer 23 is located downstream of filter 22 and is used to analyze the concentration of the target gas. When the target gas is oxygen, analyzer 23 can be an oxygen concentration analyzer, such as a laser absorption spectrometer, electrochemical analyzer, or paramagnetic oxygen analyzer, capable of measuring oxygen concentration in real time. When the target gas is another gas, a suitable analyzer 23 can be selected according to the gas being measured. In some examples, analyzer 23 is detachably mounted on the gas concentration measuring device 20 to facilitate changing to a suitable analyzer 23 for the gas being measured.

[0035] The outlet branch 24 merges into the extraction line 11 via a manifold. The manifold is closer to the vacuum pump 12 than the branch interface. This ensures that the measured gas flows smoothly back to the extraction line 11, and the suction of the vacuum pump 12 maintains the flow of gas within the gas concentration measuring device 20. In other examples, the outlet branch 24 may also be connected to the extraction line 11 via a multi-port connector.

[0036] The exhaust branch 24 may include an exhaust pipe. One end of the exhaust pipe is connected to the outlet of the analyzer 23, and the other end is connected to the over-extraction pipe 11. The exhaust pipe may be made of stainless steel, flexible hose, or other corrosion-resistant materials.

[0037] The outlet branch 24 may also include a control valve, which is used to control the connection and disconnection between the outlet branch 24 and the extraction / discharge line 11. The control valve may be a manual valve or an automatic valve.

[0038] When the rapid heat treatment equipment is in operation, the gas concentration measuring device 20 measures the gas concentration. Specifically, when the vacuum pump 12 starts, the gas in the process chamber 10 is drawn into the exhaust pipe 11, forming a negative pressure airflow; a portion of the exhaust gas is used as sampling gas and enters the inlet branch 21, where it is filtered by the filter 22 and analyzed by the analyzer 23; the analyzed gas then flows back into the exhaust pipe 11 via the outlet branch 24 and is finally discharged by the vacuum pump 12. The analyzer 23 can also communicate with the control system or other equipment of the rapid heat treatment equipment, and can send the detected gas concentration information to the control system or other equipment of the rapid heat treatment equipment.

[0039] This embodiment can introduce the exhaust gas discharged from the process chamber 10 through the exhaust pipe 11 of the process chamber for concentration detection. In this way, the gas concentration measuring device 20 is decoupled from the interior of the process chamber 10. The sampling and analysis process of the gas concentration measuring device 20 is carried out outside the process chamber 10, which will not interfere with the pressure section inside the process chamber 10. Furthermore, the analyzer 23 and other instruments will not be affected by the low-pressure environment inside the process chamber 10, thus enabling accurate measurement of gas concentration.

[0040] It is understood that this embodiment is applicable to gas concentration measurement scenarios in low-pressure process chambers 10, and can also be applied to other scenarios with gas concentration measurement requirements.

[0041] In some embodiments, the intake branch 21 includes: an inlet air passage control valve 211, located upstream of the filter 22, for controlling the opening and closing of the intake branch 21 and the filter 22; and an intake flow control valve 212, located upstream of the filter 22, for controlling the flow rate of the exhaust gas flowing to the filter 22.

[0042] The inlet gas path control valve 211 serves as the main switch for the inlet branch 21, controlling the connection and disconnection between the entire inlet branch 21 and the process chamber 10, that is, controlling the connection or physical isolation between the process chamber 10 and the subsequent filter 22 and analyzer 23.

[0043] When it is necessary to replace the filter element of downstream filter 22, calibrate or maintain analyzer 23, or when a malfunction occurs inside gas concentration measuring device 20, closing the inlet gas path control valve 211 can safely isolate gas concentration measuring device 20 from extraction pipeline 11. At the end of the process or during process commissioning, if there is no need for concentration monitoring, the inlet gas path control valve 211 can also be closed.

[0044] The open state is the primary operating state of the inlet gas path control valve 211. During normal equipment operation and gas concentration measurement, the inlet gas path control valve 211 remains open by default to ensure a continuous flow of extracted gas into the gas concentration measuring device 20. Therefore, the inlet gas path control valve 211 can be a normally open type control valve.

[0045] The intake branch 21 also includes: an intake flow control valve 212, located upstream of the filter 22, used to control the flow rate of the exhaust gas flowing to the filter 22.

[0046] The intake flow control valve 212 is used to precisely regulate the flow rate of the exhaust gas introduced from the exhaust pipe 11. The intake flow control valve 212 can be at least one of the following: an electric regulating valve or a pneumatic regulating valve. This enables automatic setting, regulation, and closed-loop control of the flow rate, achieving a high degree of automation.

[0047] By setting the intake flow control valve 212, the flow rate of the exhaust gas entering the gas concentration measuring device 20 can be stabilized within the range adapted to the analyzer 23, and it is beneficial to ensure the main airflow balance of the exhaust pipeline 11.

[0048] When the rapid heat treatment equipment is running normally, confirm that the inlet gas control valve 211 is in the open state and the measurement channel in the gas concentration measuring device 20 is established; according to at least one of the requirements of the selected analyzer 23 and the balance of the main airflow in the extraction pipeline 11, adjust the opening of the inlet flow control valve 212 in real time, so as to ensure that the gas with a stable flow rate passes through the filter 22 and the analyzer 23 in sequence to achieve continuous online monitoring, while also taking into account the balance of the main airflow in the extraction pipeline 11.

[0049] In this embodiment, by setting an inlet gas path control valve 211, the inlet branch 21 provides a clear and reliable gas path isolation point, so that maintenance operations on the gas concentration measuring device 20 can be carried out under safe conditions isolated from the process chamber 10. By setting an inlet flow control valve 212, active and precise control of the flow rate of the exhaust gas entering the gas concentration measuring device 20 is achieved, which is conducive to obtaining high-precision measurement results and avoids the influence of flow rate changes caused by pressure fluctuations in the exhaust pipeline 11 on the measurement results of the analyzer 23.

[0050] In some examples, the inlet flow control valve 212 is located upstream of the inlet gas path control valve 211. This allows the inlet flow control valve 212 to be the first point of contact with the airflow, enabling it to respond more directly to pressure changes at the source of the extraction / discharge pipeline 11 and provide rapid compensation. Furthermore, when maintaining the filter 22 or analyzer 23, closing the inlet gas path control valve 211 allows for safe disassembly or repair of the filter 22 and analyzer 23. During this time, the inlet flow control valve 212 typically maintains its original opening setting. After maintenance, opening the inlet gas path control valve 211 allows the gas concentration measuring device 20 to quickly return to the preset flow rate measurement state, improving operational convenience.

[0051] Of course, in other examples, the intake flow control valve 212 may also be located downstream of the inlet air path control valve 211.

[0052] In some embodiments, the gas concentration measuring device 20 further includes an inlet pilot branch 27 for supplying compressed gas to the inlet gas path control valve 211 so that the inlet gas path control valve 211 is switched to the open state.

[0053] Compressed gas is supplied to the inlet gas control valve 211 via the inlet pilot branch 27 as a power source, driving the inlet gas control valve 211 to switch to and remain in the open state. When the compressed gas supply is cut off, the inlet gas control valve 211 can automatically switch to and remain in the closed state under the action of internal springs and other reset components, thereby cutting off the gas path. In this way, the operator can remotely control the opening and closing of the inlet gas control valve 211, avoiding the risk of manual operation by the operator near the pipeline, and effectively isolating the gas concentration measuring device 20 and the process chamber 10.

[0054] In some embodiments, the gas concentration measuring device 20 further includes: a flushing branch 25 located upstream of the filter 22; the flushing branch 25 is used to provide flushing gas to the probe 231 of the analyzer 23 when the inlet gas control valve 211 is closed; and a flushing gas recovery branch 26 located downstream of the analyzer 23 for recovering the flushing gas from the analyzer 23. The flushing gas may be pure dry air (CDA).

[0055] When flushing the probe 231 of the analyzer 23 is required, ensure that the inlet gas path control valve 211 is closed to isolate the gas concentration measuring device 20 from the extraction / extraction pipeline 11. At this time, the gas concentration measuring device 20 enters maintenance mode. The inlet gas path control valve 211 and the flushing branch 25 are mutually exclusive; the flushing branch 25 is closed when the inlet gas path control valve 211 is open, and can only be opened when the inlet gas path control valve 211 is closed.

[0056] The flushing branch 25 provides clean flushing gas to purge the probe 231 of the analyzer 23, removing dust, condensate, or reaction residues adhering to its surface. The flushing gas can be high-purity nitrogen or clean, dry air. The flushing branch 25 can be connected to the inlet of the filter 22 or to the inlet of the analyzer 23.

[0057] The flushing gas recovery branch 26 collects and guides the flushing gas that has been used to flush the probe 231 and may carry contaminants for recovery, thus avoiding pollution.

[0058] Since the probe 231 of the analyzer 23 is in direct contact with the exhaust gas, it is prone to contamination after long-term operation, leading to decreased sensitivity, slow response, or baseline drift, which is one of the main sources of measurement error. Therefore, in this embodiment, the probe 231 can be cleaned in situ by flushing the branch 25 without disassembling the analyzer 23, simplifying the maintenance process, shortening maintenance time, and enabling more frequent cleaning, thereby maintaining the measurement accuracy and response performance of the analyzer 23 stably over a long period of time.

[0059] In some examples, the flushing branch 25 includes: a flushing gas control valve 251 for controlling the on / off connection between the flushing branch 25 and the filter 22; and a flushing flow control valve 252 for controlling the flow rate of the flushing gas flowing towards the analyzer 23. The flushing flow control valve 252 is located upstream of the flushing gas control valve 251. Alternatively, the flushing flow control valve 252 can be located downstream of the flushing gas control valve 251.

[0060] The flushing gas control valve 251 acts as the main switch for the flushing branch 25, directly controlling whether the flushing gas can enter the analyzer 23. The closed state of the flushing gas control valve 251 ensures that no leakage or slow seepage of the flushing gas occurs during normal measurement.

[0061] The flushing flow control valve 252 is used to precisely control and stabilize the flow rate of the flushing gas to the probe 231 of the analyzer 23. In this way, different flushing flow rates can be configured according to the type of probe 231, the degree of contamination, and the properties of the flushing gas, to ensure efficient decontamination while avoiding physical or performance damage to the analyzer 23 due to flow control failure.

[0062] In some examples, the flushing gas recovery branch 26 includes a flushing gas recovery control valve 261. The flushing gas recovery control valve 261 is the main switch for the flushing gas recovery branch 26. When the flushing gas control valve 251 and the flushing gas recovery control valve 261 are open, the flushing branch 25, the analyzer 23, and the flushing gas recovery branch 26 form a flushing channel. The closed state of the flushing gas control valve 251 and the flushing gas recovery control valve 261 ensures that, in measurement mode, no flushing gas leakage or slow infiltration occurs, and it does not interfere with the measurement channel.

[0063] In some embodiments, the outlet branch 24 includes an outlet gas control valve 241, located downstream of the analyzer 23, for controlling the connection and disconnection between the outlet of the analyzer 23 and the extraction pipeline 11.

[0064] The outlet gas path control valve 241 is used to control the opening and closing of the outlet gas path 24 and the extraction pipeline 11. When the outlet gas path control valve 241 is closed, the exhaust outlet of the gas concentration measuring device 20 is sealed, which helps to effectively isolate the gas concentration measuring device 20 and the extraction pipeline 11.

[0065] When maintenance operations such as zero-point calibration are required for the analyzer 23, the analyzer 23 can be completely isolated from the exhaust pipe 11 of the process chamber 10 by using the inlet gas control valve 211 and the outlet gas control valve 241, so that the analyzer 23 forms a closed cavity.

[0066] Furthermore, this embodiment provides a controllable path for flushing gas recovery. That is, in maintenance mode, both the inlet gas control valve 211 and the outlet gas control valve 241 are closed, ensuring that flushing gas can only enter along the flushing branch 25 and exit along the flushing gas recovery branch 26.

[0067] In some embodiments, the gas concentration measuring device 20 further includes an outlet pilot branch 28, which provides compressed gas to the outlet gas path control valve 241 and the flushing gas recovery control valve 261, so that the outlet gas path control valve 241 is switched to the open state and the flushing gas recovery control valve 261 is switched to the closed state.

[0068] In this embodiment, the outlet gas path control valve 241 and the flushing gas recovery control valve 261 are simultaneously controlled via the outlet pilot branch 28. The outlet gas path control valve 241 and the flushing gas recovery control valve 261 are mutually exclusive; that is, when the outlet gas path control valve 241 is open, the flushing gas recovery control valve 261 is closed; and when the outlet gas path control valve 241 is closed, the flushing gas recovery control valve 261 is open. This embodiment can effectively prevent the possibility of waste gas being directly discharged into the extraction pipeline 11 due to misoperation when it is necessary to recover the flushing waste gas, and further simplifies the gas path.

[0069] When gas concentration measurement is required using the gas concentration measuring device 20 of this embodiment, the inlet gas path control valve 211 is opened and kept open via the inlet pilot branch 27, and the flushing gas path control valve 251 is closed and kept closed. Conversely, the outlet gas path control valve 241 is opened and kept open via the outlet pilot branch 28, and the flushing gas recovery control valve 261 is closed and kept closed. The gas concentration measuring device 20 switches to measurement mode, and a portion of the extracted gas in the extraction pipeline 11 passes through the inlet branch 21 and the filter 22 to reach the analyzer 23 for gas concentration analysis, and then is discharged back to the extraction pipeline 11 via the outlet branch 24. The gas flow rate entering the analyzer 23 can be precisely controlled via the inlet flow control valve 212 to prevent damage to the analyzer 23 due to excessive gas flow.

[0070] When gas concentration measurement is not required, the compressed gas is cut off via the inlet pilot branch 27, the inlet gas path control valve 211 is closed and remains closed, the flushing gas path control valve 251 is opened and remains open, and the compressed gas is cut off via the outlet pilot branch 28, the outlet gas path control valve 241 is closed and remains closed, and the flushing gas recovery control valve 261 is opened and remains open. The gas concentration measuring device 20 switches to maintenance mode, flushing gas enters the gas concentration measuring device 20 and flushes the probe 231 of the analyzer 23. The flushing gas discharged from the analyzer 23 is discharged via the charging gas recovery branch. The flow rate of the gas entering the analyzer 23 can be precisely controlled via the flushing flow control valve 252 to prevent damage to the analyzer 23 from excessive gas flow.

[0071] The inlet gas path control valve 211 and the outlet gas path control valve 241 are both normally open pneumatic control valves. The flushing gas path control valve 251 and the flushing gas recovery control valve 261 are normally closed pneumatic control valves.

[0072] This embodiment not only isolates the gas concentration measuring device 20 from the process chamber 10, enabling the measurement of gas concentration in a low-pressure environment, but also ensures the cleanliness of the probe 231 surface and extends the service life of the probe 231.

[0073] In some embodiments, the inlet gas path control valve 211 and the outlet gas path control valve 241 are also equipped with a position feedback function to monitor the on / off state of the gas path guiding the sampled gas in the gas concentration measuring device 20 in real time, ensuring that the gas concentration analyzed by the analyzer 23 is read only when the gas path is open, thus ensuring the accuracy of the analysis data.

[0074] like Figure 2 As shown, in some embodiments, the analyzer 23 includes: a probe 231; a three-way connector 232, including a gas inlet channel 2321, a gas outlet channel 2322, and an installation channel 2323; the gas inlet channel 2321 is used to guide the extracted gas from the filter 22 into the gas inlet; the gas outlet channel 2322 is used to guide the extracted gas to the outlet branch 24; the installation channel 2323 is used for the probe 231 to be inserted; wherein, the gas inlet channel 2321 is arranged at a preset angle with the gas inlet channel 2322, and the axial direction of the gas inlet channel 2321 is parallel to the axial direction of the installation channel 2323.

[0075] Gas inlet channel 2321 connects to filter 22. Gas outlet channel 2322 connects to outlet branch 24. Mounting channel 2323 is used to insert probe 231. The axis of gas inlet channel 2321 is designed to be parallel to the axis of mounting channel 2323; for example, the central axis of gas inlet channel 2321 coincides with the central axis of mounting channel 2323. The gas inlet channel 2321 and the outlet channel form a preset angle, for example, a preset angle of 90°.

[0076] After the extracted gas flows in through the gas inlet channel 2321, it flows at high speed and smoothly along a direction parallel to the sensor surface of the probe 231, and then exits through the gas outlet channel 2322. In the above flow path, the probe 231 crosses more gas path branch points, allowing more extracted gas to contact and leave the sensitive element of the probe 231, which helps to improve the accuracy and response speed of gas concentration measurement, and also ensures the flushing effect of the probe 231.

[0077] In some examples, the outer diameter of probe 231 is smaller than the inner diameter of gas inlet channel 2321; The probe 231 extends into the gas inlet channel 2321 toward the end of the mounting channel 2323.

[0078] Thus, after the probe 231 is inserted into the gas inlet channel 2321, an annular gap will be formed between the outer wall of the probe 231 and the inner wall of the gas inlet channel 2321. The exhaust gas comes towards the probe 231, and the sensing surface of the probe 231 directly bears the dynamic pressure and high-speed flow of the exhaust gas, enabling it to instantly sense changes in gas concentration.

[0079] In this embodiment, the gas concentration measuring device 20 measures the concentration of the exhaust gas from the process chamber 10 by establishing a measurement channel outside the process chamber 10. A flushing channel is also established to purge the probe 231 in non-measurement states. Flow control functions are configured in both the detection gas path and the flushing gas path. This ensures accurate measurement of the concentration of at least one gas in the exhaust gas from the process chamber 10 while maintaining the cleanliness of the probe 231 and preventing it from being impacted by large airflows, thus guaranteeing the accuracy and reliability of the measurement. The gas path control valves at both ends of the detection gas path and the flushing gas path are normally open and normally closed, respectively, and are controlled by the same compressed air path. This ensures that only the exhaust gas or flushing gas passes through the oxygen analyzer 23 at any given time, guaranteeing the reliability of the measurement.

[0080] In some embodiments, the portion of the extraction pipeline 11 connected in parallel with the gas concentration measuring device 20 may be equipped with a pressure control valve 13, which is used to control the pressure of the extraction pipeline 11.

[0081] This embodiment also provides a gas concentration measuring device, whose structure, function and implementation process are the same as the gas concentration measuring device in any of the foregoing embodiments, and will not be described again here.

[0082] Other components of the rapid heat treatment equipment and gas concentration measuring device in the above embodiments can be adopted from various technical solutions that are now and will be known to those skilled in the art, and will not be described in detail here.

[0083] This embodiment also provides a gas concentration measurement method, implemented based on the gas concentration measurement device in any of the foregoing embodiments. The similarities to the foregoing embodiments will not be repeated here.

[0084] like Figure 3 As shown, the gas concentration measurement method provided in this embodiment includes: S310, The exhaust gas is introduced from the exhaust pipe of the process chamber through the intake branch; S320. The introduced exhaust gas is filtered through a filter. S330. The filtered exhaust gas is analyzed using an analyzer to obtain the concentration of the target gas, which includes oxygen. S340, the analyzed exhaust gas is guided back to the exhaust pipeline through the exhaust branch.

[0085] In some embodiments, step S310, introducing exhaust gas from the exhaust pipe of the process chamber through the intake branch, includes: The connection between the intake branch and the filter is controlled by the inlet air circuit control valve; The flow rate of the exhaust gas flowing to the filter is controlled by the intake flow control valve.

[0086] In some embodiments, the gas concentration measurement method further includes: Compressed gas is supplied to the inlet gas path control valve through the inlet pilot branch, so that the inlet gas path control valve is switched to the open state, and the flushing gas path control valve of the flushing branch is switched to the closed state.

[0087] In some embodiments, the gas concentration measurement method further includes: When the inlet gas control valve is closed, flushing gas is supplied to the analyzer through the flushing branch to flush the analyzer probe; The flushing gas from the probe is recovered via the flushing gas recovery branch.

[0088] In some embodiments, step S340, guiding the analyzed exhaust gas back to the exhaust pipeline through the exhaust branch, includes: The outlet gas path control valve controls the connection between the outlet gas path and the analyzer, allowing the analyzed exhaust gas to flow into the exhaust pipeline.

[0089] In some embodiments, the gas concentration measurement method further includes: Compressed gas is supplied to the outlet gas path control valve through the outlet pilot branch, so that the outlet gas path control valve is switched to the open state, and the flushing gas recovery control valve of the flushing gas recovery branch is switched to the closed state.

[0090] In this disclosure, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or a communication connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this disclosure according to the specific circumstances.

[0091] In this disclosure, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature being directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature being directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0092] The foregoing disclosure provides many different implementations or examples for carrying out different structures of this disclosure. To simplify the disclosure, specific examples of components and arrangements have been described above. Of course, these are merely examples and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Furthermore, reference numerals and / or letters may be repeated in different examples; such repetition is for simplification and clarity and does not in itself indicate a relationship between the various implementations and / or arrangements discussed.

[0093] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this disclosure, but the scope of protection of this disclosure is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can easily conceive of various variations or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in this disclosure, and these should all be included within the scope of protection of this disclosure. Therefore, the scope of protection of this disclosure should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A gas concentration measuring device characterized by comprising: It is connected to the exhaust pipeline of the process chamber and located upstream of the vacuum pump; the gas concentration measuring device includes: An intake branch is used to connect with the exhaust pipe; A filter, located downstream of the intake branch, is used to filter the exhaust gas from the intake branch. An analyzer, located downstream of the filter, is used to analyze the exhaust gas from the filter to obtain the concentration of a target gas, including oxygen. The exhaust branch is located downstream of the analyzer and is connected to the extraction pipeline; the exhaust branch is closer to the vacuum pump than the inlet branch.

2. The gas concentration measuring device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The intake branch includes: An inlet air path control valve, located upstream of the filter, is used to control the opening and closing of the air inlet branch and the filter; An intake flow control valve, located upstream of the filter, is used to control the flow rate of the exhaust gas flowing to the filter.

3. The gas concentration measuring device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The intake flow control valve is located upstream of the inlet air path control valve.

4. The gas concentration measuring device according to claim 2, characterized in that, Also includes: The intake pilot branch is used to supply compressed gas to the inlet gas path control valve so that the inlet gas path control valve is switched to the open state.

5. The gas concentration measuring device according to claim 4, characterized in that, Also includes: The flushing branch is located upstream of the filter; The flushing branch is used to provide flushing gas to flush the probe of the analyzer when the inlet gas control valve is in the closed state; The flushing gas recovery branch, located downstream of the analyzer, is used to recover the flushing gas from the analyzer.

6. The gas concentration measuring device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The flushing branch includes: A flushing air control valve is used to control the opening and closing of the flushing branch and the filter; A flushing flow control valve is used to control the flow rate of the flushing gas flowing to the analyzer.

7. The gas concentration measuring device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The exhaust branch includes: An outlet gas path control valve, located downstream of the analyzer, is used to control the connection and disconnection between the outlet gas path and the analyzer.

8. The gas concentration measuring device according to claim 7, characterized in that, Also includes: The outlet pilot branch is used to supply compressed gas to the outlet gas control valve and the flushing gas recovery branch flushing gas control valve, so as to switch the outlet gas control valve to the open state and the flushing gas recovery control valve to the closed state.

9. The gas concentration measuring device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The analyzer includes: probe; The tee connector includes a gas inlet channel, a gas outlet channel, and an installation channel; the gas inlet channel is used to guide the extracted gas from the filter into the gas inlet; the gas outlet channel is used to guide the extracted gas to the outlet branch; the installation channel is used for the insertion of the probe; wherein, the gas inlet channel and the gas outlet channel are arranged at a preset angle, and the axial direction of the gas inlet channel is parallel to the axial direction of the installation channel.

10. The gas concentration measuring device according to claim 9, characterized in that, The outer diameter of the probe is smaller than the inner diameter of the gas inlet channel; The probe extends into the gas inlet channel towards the end of the mounting channel.

11. A method for measuring gas concentration, based on the gas concentration measuring device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that, The gas concentration measurement method includes: The exhaust gas is introduced from the exhaust pipe of the process chamber through the intake branch; The introduced exhaust gas is filtered through a filter; The filtered exhaust gas is analyzed using an analyzer to determine the concentration of the target gas, which includes oxygen. The analyzed extracted gas is guided back to the extraction pipeline through the gas outlet branch.

12. The gas concentration measurement method according to claim 11, characterized in that, The process gas is introduced into the exhaust pipe from the process chamber through the intake branch, including: The connection between the air intake branch and the filter is controlled by the inlet air path control valve; The flow rate of the exhaust gas flowing to the filter is controlled by the intake flow control valve.

13. The gas concentration measurement method according to claim 12, characterized in that, Also includes: Compressed gas is supplied to the inlet gas path control valve through the inlet pilot branch, so that the inlet gas path control valve is switched to the open state, and the flushing gas path control valve of the flushing branch is switched to the closed state. When the inlet gas control valve is closed, flushing gas is supplied to the analyzer through the flushing branch to flush the probe, and the flushing gas from the probe is recovered through the flushing gas recovery branch.

14. The gas concentration measurement method according to claim 13, characterized in that, The step of guiding the analyzed extracted gas back to the extraction pipeline through the gas outlet branch includes: The outlet gas path control valve controls the connection between the outlet gas path and the analyzer, so that the analyzed exhaust gas can flow to the exhaust pipeline. The gas concentration measurement method further includes: Compressed gas is supplied to the outlet gas path control valve through the outlet pilot branch, so that the outlet gas path control valve is switched to the open state, and the flushing gas control valve of the flushing gas recovery branch is switched to the closed state.

15. A rapid heat treatment apparatus, characterized in that, include: The gas concentration measuring device according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

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