Pressure Transmitter With Fluidic Coupling for Semiconductor Vacuum Chambers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Measuring process pressure in semiconductor processing tools is challenging due to restrictions in gas flow caused by process gases and byproducts, leading to inaccurate pressure measurements and potential substrate quality issues, especially in low-pressure environments like those found in atomic layer deposition processes.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor processing module with a pressure-sensitive structure that transmits pressure information via a fluidically coupled incompressible pressure transmission fluid to an external location, avoiding the limitations of small orifice taps and reference cell drift, and allowing for accurate pressure measurement within the vacuum chamber.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If small orifice taps are used to sample process gas for pressure measurement, then pressure measurement is enabled, but gas flow is restricted leading to inaccurate measurements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a pressure transmission fluid as an intermediary medium that couples the vacuum chamber pressure to an external measurement location. This mediator transfers pressure information without requiring direct gas flow sampling, thereby eliminating the flow restriction problem while maintaining measurement capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the pressure measurement function from the process gas environment by using a pressure transmission fluid coupled system. The measurement is performed externally rather than directly in the process gas, removing the harmful interaction between the measurement device and the process gas flow.
2Reliability
If pressure measurement devices are placed within the vacuum chamber to directly measure process pressure, then real-time pressure monitoring is achieved, but the devices are exposed to fouling and clogging from process gases and byproducts
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure transmission fluid acts as a protective intermediary that transmits pressure information from the vacuum chamber to an external measurement location. This allows the measurement device to remain outside the vacuum chamber environment, avoiding exposure to fouling and clogging conditions while maintaining real-time monitoring capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the measurement device from the harmful vacuum chamber environment by using the pressure transmission fluid coupling system. The device operates externally where it is not exposed to process gases and byproducts, thereby eliminating fouling and clogging issues while maintaining measurement functionality.
3Measurement precision
If compressible gas is used as pressure transmission medium, then pressure can be transmitted to external location, but pressure measurements become inaccurate due to compressibility effects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies hydraulic principles by using an incompressible liquid fluid as the pressure transmission medium. This hydraulic approach ensures accurate pressure transmission without the compressibility effects that plague gas-based systems, enabling precise pressure measurement while maintaining fluid coupling between the vacuum chamber and external measurement device.
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 solution enables accurate pressure measurement and control within the semiconductor processing environment, reducing the risk of fouling and clogging, and providing longer-term service life by using a pressure transmission fluid that is incompressible and resistant to changes in pressure, thus enhancing the reliability of substrate processing.
Implementation Method 1
transmitting pressure from a vacuum chamber of semiconductor processing module to an external location via a pressure transmission fluid
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments related to measuring process pressure in low-pressure semiconductor processing environments are provided. In one example, a semiconductor processing module for processing a substrate with a process gas in a vacuum chamber is provided. The example module includes a reactor positioned within the vacuum chamber for processing the substrate with the process gas and a pressure-sensitive structure operative to transmit a pressure transmission fluid pressure to a location exterior to the vacuum chamber. In this example, the pressure transmission fluid pressure varies in response to the process gas pressure within the vacuum chamber.