FLUID STORAGE AND DISPENSING SYSTEM INCLUDING DYNAMIC FLUID MONITORING OF FLUID STORAGE AND DISPENSING VESSEL

• US 20110232367A1
• Filed: 06/07/2011
• Published: 09/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Entegris Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Advanced Technology Materials, Inc. (Entegris Incorporated)
• Inventors: Dietz, James A., Lurcott, Steven M., McManus, James V.
• Granted Patent: US 9,097,611 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/31.04
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 11/00 Use of gas-solvents or gas-sorbents in vessels absorbing compositions for acetylene C10L3/04; absorbing compositions for hydrogen C01B3/0005
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/063 using electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 22/02 involving measurement of pressure
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/804 containing circuits handling parameters other than liquid level
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/32 for containers, e.g. radiators
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/3236 by monitoring the interior space of the containers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/00 Investigating or analysing materials by specific methods not covered by groups G01N1/00 - G01N31/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/04 Manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/561 Batch processing
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/568 Temporary substrate used as encapsulation process aid H01L21/4832 and H01L21/566 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6835 using temporarily an auxiliary support
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 22/10 Measuring as part of the manufacturing process burn-in G01R31/2855
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16227 the bump connector connecting to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/24011 Deposited, e.g. MCM-D type
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/2518 being disposed on at least two different sides of the body, e.g. dual array
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45099 Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48227 : connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/5389 : the chips being integrally enclosed by the interconnect and support structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/24 : of an individual high density interconnect connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/48 : of an individual wire connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/82 : by forming build-up interconnects at chip-level, e.g. for high density interconnects [HDI] interconnection structure between a plurality of semiconductor chips H01L23/5389
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/03 : all the devices being of a type provided for in the same subgroup of groups H01L27/00 - H01L33/00, or in a single subclass of H10K, H10N, e.g. assemblies of rectifier diodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0652 : the devices being arranged next and on each other, i.e. mixed assemblies
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/16 : the devices being of types provided for in two or more different main groups of groups H01L27/00 - H01L33/00, or in a single subclass of H10K, H10N, e.g. forming hybrid circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 : the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01005 : Boron [B]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01006 : Carbon [C]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01013 : Aluminum [Al]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01023 : Vanadium [V]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01027 : Cobalt [Co]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01033 : Arsenic [As]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01058 : Cerium [Ce]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01076 : Osmium [Os]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01078 : Platinum [Pt]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01082 : Lead [Pb]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/014 : Solder alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/09701 : Low temperature co-fired ceramic [LTCC]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/14 : Integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19042 : being an inductor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/185 : Components encapsulated in the insulating substrate of the printed circuit or incorporated in internal layers of a multilayer circuit semiconductor chips encapsulated by interconnect and support structures H01L23/5389, H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/0165 : Holder for holding a Printed Circuit Board [PCB] during processing, e.g. during screen printing
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/085 : Using vacuum or low pressure
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/1469 : Circuit made after mounting or encapsulation of the components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/4602 : characterized by a special circuit board as base or central core whereon additional circuit layers are built or additional circuit boards are laminated
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/30 : Computing systems specially adapted for manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4913 : Assembling to base an electrical component, e.g., capacitor, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49133 : with component orienting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49165 : by forming conductive walled aperture in base
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53183 : Multilead component

Abstract

A monitoring system for monitoring fluid in a fluid supply vessel during operation including dispensing of fluid from the fluid supply vessel. The monitoring system includes (i) one or more sensors for monitoring a characteristic of the fluid supply vessel or the fluid dispensed therefrom, (ii) a data acquisition module operatively coupled to the one or more sensors to receive monitoring data therefrom and responsively generate an output correlative to the characteristic monitored by the one or more sensors, and (iii) a processor and display operatively coupled with the data acquisition module and arranged to process the output from the data acquisition module and responsively output a graphical representation of fluid in the fluid supply vessel.

Claims

1. A monitoring system for monitoring fluid in a fluid supply vessel in a gas box of an ion implanter during operation including dispensing of fluid from the fluid supply vessel, said monitoring system including (i) a monitoring assembly in the gas box, adapted to monitor at least one characteristic of the fluid supply vessel or the fluid dispensed therefrom, and transmit an output correlative to the at least one monitored characteristic, and (ii) an output assembly external to the ion implanter, with said monitoring assembly being arranged in signal transmission relationship to the output assembly by a signal transmission arrangement including a signal transmission optical cable extending exteriorly of the ion implanter to the output assembly.

2. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring assembly is adapted to monitor at least one characteristic of the fluid supply vessel.

3. The monitoring system of claim 2, wherein the monitoring assembly is adapted to monitor at least one characteristic of the fluid supply vessel, wherein said at least one characteristic is selected from the group consisting of:

vessel wall strain;

vessel temperature;

vessel displacement;

vessel flexial character; and

vessel weight.

4. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring assembly is adapted to monitor at least one characteristic of the fluid dispensed from the fluid supply vessel.

5. The monitoring system of claim 4, wherein the monitoring assembly is adapted to monitor at least one characteristic of the fluid dispensed from the fluid supply vessel, wherein said at least one characteristic is selected from group consisting of:

fluid pressure, concentration of a component of the fluid;

fluid temperature;

cumulative flow volume; and

fluid flow rate.

6. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring assembly comprises at least one sensor selected from the group consisting of:

pressure transducers, manometric pressure sensors, thermocouples, mass flow controllers, and flow totalizers.

7. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the output assembly comprises a processor.

8. The monitoring system of claim 7, wherein the output assembly further comprises a display.

9. The monitoring system of claim 8, wherein the output assembly is programmably arranged to provide an output on said display depicting a representation of the fluid supply vessel with a volumetric content of fluid in the vessel, wherein said volumetric content of fluid is determined by said processor based on the output transmitted by the monitoring assembly, to provide real-time graphical representation of said volumetric content of fluid in the fluid supply vessel.

10. The monitoring system of claim 9, wherein the fluid supply vessel contains a sorbent for storing the fluid and from which the fluid is selectively desorbed for dispensing, and the monitoring system is adapted to perform the following sequence of operations:

sensing gas box temperature T;

measuring the fluid supply vessel pressure P;

setting an end-point pressure for dispensing fluid from said fluid supply vessel;

determining temperature coefficients dP/dT at various pressures;

determining temperature coefficient for said end-point pressure;

normalizing measured pressure to a predetermined temperature;

normalizing said end-point pressure to said predetermined temperature;

determining isotherm equations at said predetermined temperature for said sorbent and fluid;

determining, using said isotherm equations, the amount of fluid remaining in the fluid supply vessel; and

outputting the amount of fluid remaining in the fluid supply vessel to the display.

11. An ion implanter including a gas box containing at least one fluid supply vessel, and a monitoring system as claimed in claim 1, arranged for monitoring fluid in said at least one fluid supply vessel in said gas box of the ion implanter during operation including dispensing of fluid therefrom.

12. The ion implanter of claim 11, wherein each of said at least one fluid supply vessel contains fluid selected from the group consisting of arsine, phosphine, boron trifluoride, germanium tetrafluoride and silicon tetrafluoride.

13. The ion implanter of claim 11, wherein each of the at least one fluid supply vessel is adapted to dispense said fluid at subatmospheric pressure.

14. The ion implanter of claim 11, wherein each of the at least one fluid supply vessel contains a sorbent for storing the fluid and from which fluid is selectively desorbed for dispensing from the vessel.

15. The ion implanter of claim 14, wherein said sorbent comprises carbon adsorbent.

16. The ion implanter of claim 11, wherein each of the at least one fluid supply vessel contains a pressure regulator interiorly disposed therein.

17. A method of monitoring fluid in a fluid supply vessel in a gas box of an ion implanter during operation including dispensing of fluid from the fluid supply vessel, said method comprising monitoring at least one characteristic of the fluid supply vessel or the fluid dispensed therefrom, and transmitting an output correlative to the at least one characteristic via a signal transmission optical cable extending exteriorly of the ion implanter to an output assembly outside of the ion implanter.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising algorithmically processing said output and responsively displaying on a display a representation of the fluid supply vessel with a volumetric content of fluid in the vessel, as a real-time graphical representation of said volumetric content of fluid in the fluid supply vessel.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein said gas box contains multiple fluid supply vessels.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein each of said multiple fluid supply vessels contains a sorbent for storing the fluid and from which the fluid is selectively desorbed for dispensing from the vessel.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein each of said multiple fluid supply vessels contains a pressure regulator interiorly disposed therein.