Isothermal control of a process chamber
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for providing a temperature controlled fluid, comprising:
- a processing chamber having a processing chamber inlet and a processing chamber outlet;
a recirculation system having an inlet coupled to the processing chamber outlet and an outlet coupled to the processing chamber inlet;
a fluid supply subassembly coupled to the processing chamber for providing the temperature controlled fluid to the processing chamber, wherein the fluid supply subassembly comprises means for supplying a first quantity of a fluid at a first temperature, means for supplying a second quantity of a fluid at a second temperature, and flow-control means coupled to the means for supplying a first quantity of a fluid at a first temperature and to the means for supplying a second quantity of a fluid at a second temperature, the flow-control means for forming the temperature controlled fluid; and
a controller coupled to the fluid supply subassembly for determining a temperature of the temperature controlled fluid and controlling a ratio of the first quantity of the fluid to the second quantity of the fluid in response to the temperature.
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Abstract
An apparatus for use in providing a fluid at a predetermined temperature is disclosed. The apparatus comprises: means for supplying a first quantity of a fluid at a first temperature; means for supplying a second quantity of a fluid at a second temperature; and flow-control means for controlling a ratio of the first quantity of the fluid to the second quantity of the fluid for forming a mixed fluid, wherein the ratio is determined in response to a measured temperature of the mixed fluid.
101 Citations
44 Claims
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1. An apparatus for providing a temperature controlled fluid, comprising:
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a processing chamber having a processing chamber inlet and a processing chamber outlet;
a recirculation system having an inlet coupled to the processing chamber outlet and an outlet coupled to the processing chamber inlet;
a fluid supply subassembly coupled to the processing chamber for providing the temperature controlled fluid to the processing chamber, wherein the fluid supply subassembly comprises means for supplying a first quantity of a fluid at a first temperature, means for supplying a second quantity of a fluid at a second temperature, and flow-control means coupled to the means for supplying a first quantity of a fluid at a first temperature and to the means for supplying a second quantity of a fluid at a second temperature, the flow-control means for forming the temperature controlled fluid; and
a controller coupled to the fluid supply subassembly for determining a temperature of the temperature controlled fluid and controlling a ratio of the first quantity of the fluid to the second quantity of the fluid in response to the temperature. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A method of operating a fluid supply subassembly comprising:
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supplying a first quantity of a fluid at a first temperature to a flow-control means;
supplying a second quantity of a fluid at a second temperature to the flow-control means;
forming a temperature controlled fluid in the flow-control means by controlling a ratio of the first quantity of the fluid to the second quantity of the fluid;
determining a temperature of the temperature controlled fluid;
controlling the ratio of the first quantity of the fluid to the second quantity of the fluid in response to the temperature.
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36. A method of operating a processing system comprising a recirculation loop including a processing chamber, a recirculation system, and piping coupling the processing chamber to the recirculation system, the method comprising:
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positioning a substrate on a substrate holder in the processing chamber;
sealing the processing chamber;
pressurizing the recirculation loop to a supercritical pressure, wherein a fluid supply subassembly pressurizes the recirculation loop using a first volume of temperature controlled fluid, and wherein a temperature variation of the first volume of temperature controlled fluid during pressurizing is less than approximately ten degrees Celsius;
processing the substrate using a supercritical substrate cleaning process;
performing a push-through process, wherein the fluid supply subassembly provides a second volume of temperature controlled fluid during a push-through process, the second volume being larger than the volume of the recirculation loop, wherein the temperature differential within the second volume of temperature controlled fluid during the push-through process is less than approximately ten degrees Celsius;
performing a pressure cycling process, wherein the fluid supply subassembly provides a third volume of temperature controlled fluid during a first portion of the pressure cycling process and provides a fourth volume of temperature controlled fluid during a second portion of the pressure cycling process, the third volume and the fourth volume being larger than the volume of the recirculation loop, and wherein the temperature differential within the third volume of temperature controlled fluid being less than approximately ten degrees Celsius, and the temperature differential within the fourth volume of temperature controlled fluid being less than approximately ten degrees Celsius;
performing a chamber venting process; and
removing the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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Specification