Universal Fluid Flow Adaptor for Semiconductor Gas Delivery
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional semiconductor etch processing systems face challenges with particle contamination and high costs due to expensive and complex gas delivery systems, where individual components are costly to replace and lack flexibility in configuration, leading to inefficiencies and contamination risks.
Innovation Solution
A universal fluid flow adaptor with a single machined block structure featuring multiple vertical and horizontal conduits allows for flexible gas delivery configurations, enabling efficient connection and disconnection of gas sticks without removing entire panels, reducing contamination and costs by eliminating dead-legs and excess parts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If conventional gas delivery systems use multiple separate components (mass flow controllers, pressure transducers, heaters, filters, valves) mounted on manifold blocks, then each component can be individually designed and maintained, but the system becomes expensive to manufacture and replace, and complex in structure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple gas delivery components (mass flow controller, pressure transducer, heater, filter, valve) into a single integrated gas stick assembly that connects to the manifold block as one unit. This merging reduces the number of separate mounting blocks needed, simplifies the overall system structure, and reduces manufacturing costs while still allowing the entire assembly to be replaced as a single unit for maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
The gas stick assembly serves multiple functions simultaneously - it controls mass flow, monitors pressure, provides heating, filters gases, and acts as a shutoff valve - all within a single integrated component that connects to the manifold block. This multi-functionality reduces the need for multiple separate components and mounting blocks.
2Ease of manufacture
If gas panels are manufactured with a fixed number of gas sticks (3, 6, 9, 12, or 16), then manufacturing costs are optimized for standard configurations, but users cannot flexibly add or remove individual gas sticks without buying entire panels
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the gas delivery functionality into modular gas stick assemblies that can be independently connected to and removed from the manifold block. Each gas stick is a self-contained unit that interfaces with a standardized connection on the manifold block, allowing users to configure the system with any number of gas sticks (1, 2, 3, etc.) rather than being limited to fixed panel configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The gas stick system transitions from static, fixed-panel configurations to a dynamic, reconfigurable system where individual gas sticks can be added or removed from the manifold block as needed. The standardized connection interface enables this dynamic reconfiguration without requiring panel removal or complex installation procedures.
3Reliability
If individual gas delivery components are replaced when they fail, then system reliability is maintained, but costs increase because entire components must be replaced even when only a sensor fails
Solution Approach 1:
By integrating multiple components into a single gas stick assembly, the patent creates a cost-effective replacement strategy. When any component within the gas stick fails (such as a sensor), the entire assembly is replaced as one unit, which is more economical than replacing individual components and their separate mounting blocks. This approach maintains system reliability while reducing replacement costs.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If components are down-mounted on multiple manifold blocks to eliminate connection parts and reduce contamination, then contamination risk is reduced, but each component becomes expensive due to highly machined parts and multiple machine operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reduces the number of manifold blocks and connection parts by integrating multiple gas delivery components into single gas stick assemblies. This merging eliminates numerous connection points where contamination could occur, while also reducing the total amount of highly machined parts needed, thereby lowering manufacturing costs.
Data Source
AI summary
A universal fluid flow adaptor may be formed of a single structure having a plurality of vertical conduits to receive a gas flow, the plurality of vertical conduits extending through the single structure from the top surface to the bottom surface, a plurality of horizontal conduits to receive a gas flow, the plurality of horizontal conduits extending through the first side, the second side, the first end, and the second end at an interior of the single structure, wherein one or more of the plurality of vertical conduits converge with at least one of the plurality of horizontal conduits at the interior of the single structure, and wherein one or more of the plurality of horizontal conduits converge to form at least one cross-shaped conduit at the interior of the single structure.