Fluorine Gas Supply Sealing With Buffer Tank Pressure Cushioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for supplying fluorine gas-containing gases to semiconductor manufacturing devices complicate the device configuration and do not adequately prevent thermal deformation, erosion, or damage to resin materials due to adiabatic compression and shock waves, while also reducing fluorine gas concentration.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a pressure regulator and a buffer tank, where a second fluorine gas-containing gas with a lower pressure and similar concentration is introduced between the container valve and pressure regulator, followed by the main fluorine gas, to regulate pressure and reduce adiabatic compression and shock waves, using a diaphragm valve and polychlorotrifluoroethylene resin components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a shock wave attenuation mechanism is used to prevent thermal deformation of seal material, then the seal material is protected from thermal damage, but the device configuration becomes complicated and the gas flow rate is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a buffer tank as an intermediary component between the high-pressure gas source and the consumption equipment. This buffer tank serves as a mediator that absorbs shock waves and attenuates pressure fluctuations, thereby protecting downstream components including seal materials from thermal damage caused by adiabatic compression, while maintaining a relatively simple overall device configuration
Solution Approach 2:
The buffer tank is positioned upstream before the pressure regulator and consumption equipment to provide beforehand cushioning against shock waves and pressure surges. This prior cushioning approach prevents thermal deformation of seal materials before the harmful effects can occur, eliminating the need for complex downstream protection mechanisms
2Ease of operation
If multiple valves and filters are used to supply fluorine gas, then the gas can be supplied to consumption equipment, but the frequency of adiabatic compression and shock wave generation increases, risking thermal damage to sealing materials
Solution Approach 1:
The buffer tank acts as an intermediary that smooths out pressure fluctuations caused by multiple valve operations and filter passages. By providing a large volume reservoir, it reduces the frequency and intensity of adiabatic compression events that occur when gas passes through multiple valves and filters, thereby protecting sealing materials from thermal damage while maintaining ease of gas supply operation
3Device complexity
If inert gas is used for filling and sealing the pipe, then the device configuration remains simple and gas can be supplied at sufficient flow rate, but the fluorine gas concentration of the fluorine gas-containing gas decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary filling of the buffer tank with fluorine gas-containing gas from the high-pressure source before supplying gas to the consumption equipment. This preliminary action ensures that the buffer tank is pre-filled with high-concentration fluorine gas, so that even after mixing with inert gas during the filling and sealing process, the overall fluorine gas concentration remains sufficient for effective semiconductor manufacturing operations
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach simplifies the device configuration, suppresses thermal deformation and damage to resin materials, and maintains a sufficient fluorine gas flow rate without reducing the fluorine gas concentration, eliminating the need for a shock wave attenuation mechanism.
Implementation Method 1
a pressure regulator provided on the pipe and allowing the gas to pass from the upstream side to the downstream side while regulating a gas pressure
Implementation Method 2
the generation of heat caused by the adiabatic compression and shock waves when the high pressure gas is introduced into the pipe from the container
Implementation Method 3
a shock wave attenuation mechanism is required
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
There is provided a method for supplying a fluorine gas-containing gas without complicating the device configuration of supply equipment for supplying the fluorine gas-containing gas and without reducing the fluorine gas concentration of the fluorine gas-containing gas. A sealing step is performed which introduces a second fluorine gas-containing gas having a fluorine gas concentration in a range of ±10% of a fluorine gas concentration of a first fluorine gas-containing gas into a portion between a container valve (3) and a pressure regulator (7) of a pipe (4) such that a pressure is lower than the gas pressure in a filled container (2). After the sealing step, a buffer tank (9) is brought into an opened state, and then the first fluorine gas-containing gas is supplied from the filled container (2) to the portion between the container valve (3) and the pressure regulator (7) of the pipe (4). Thereafter, the pressure regulator (7) is brought into an opened state, and then the first fluorine gas-containing gas is supplied to consumption equipment (20) while regulating a pressure by the pressure regulator (7).