Modular Mass Flow Controller for Fast Gas Turn-On
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mass flow controllers in semiconductor chip fabrication require improved performance, including more accurate measurements, lower costs, greater speed, and consistent gas delivery, with a need for customizable operating characteristics and efficient transient turn-on performance.
Innovation Solution
The development of a modular method using substantially identical monolithic bases with interchangeable flow components, including cap, laminar flow, pressure transducer, and volumetric expander components, to create mass flow controllers with varying operating characteristics, and an apparatus that pre-pressurizes a volume before opening a valve to enhance transient turn-on performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a common monolithic base is used with interchangeable flow components, then manufacturing cost and production time are reduced, but the ability to achieve different operating characteristics is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The mass flow controller is divided into modular flow components (laminar flow component, control valve component, pressure transducer component, etc.) that can be independently selected and coupled to a common monolithic base. This segmentation allows different combinations of components to achieve various operating characteristics while using the same base structure, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing efficiency and adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The common monolithic base is designed with universal coupling interfaces and multiple flow component mounting regions that can accommodate different types of flow components. This universal base structure serves multiple functions by supporting various component configurations, enabling the system to achieve different operating characteristics without requiring multiple specialized bases, thus reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining versatility.
2Speed
If the volume within the apparatus is pre-pressurized before opening the valve, then transient turn on performance is improved, but the time to achieve steady state flow may be extended
Solution Approach 1:
The apparatus pre-pressurizes the volume within the monolithic base before opening the control valve. This preliminary action prepares the system by establishing the required pressure differential in advance, enabling faster transient turn-on performance when the valve opens. The pre-pressurization ensures that gas flow can begin immediately at the desired rate without delay for pressure equalization, resolving the contradiction between speed and time.
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 allows for customizable mass flow controllers with improved accuracy, speed, and cost-effectiveness, while reducing transient turn-on times and maintaining consistent gas delivery, meeting the demanding requirements of semiconductor fabrication.
Implementation Method 1
a laminar flow component having a characterized flow impedance
Implementation Method 2
a pressure transducer component fluidly coupled to the flow path so as to measure a pressure of the process gas
Implementation Method 3
a volumetric expander component having an internal volume
Implementation Method 4
pre-pressurizing a volume within the apparatus prior to opening a valve, the valve allowing gas to flow out an outlet of the apparatus
Data Source
AI summary
A gas flow control system for delivering a plurality of gas flows. The gas flow control system has a gas flow path extending from a gas inlet to first and second gas outlets. First and second flow restrictors are operably coupled to the gas flow path. First and second valves are operably coupled to the gas flow path such that when both first and second valves are in a fully open state, flows of gas from the first and second gas outlets are split according to the impedances of the first and second flow restrictors.