Electro-optic monitor for fluid spray pattern
First Claim
1. A method of monitoring a fluid spray pattern of fluid sprayed from a nozzle, the method comprising the steps of:
- illuminating a fluid spray pattern P with a light source such that light emitted by the light source is scattered by fluid in the spray pattern P;
detecting the light scattered by the fluid in the flowing fluid spray pattern P using a plurality of photodetectors positioned adjacent to the volume occupied by the fluid spray pattern P so that each of said photodetectors develops an electrical signal in response to receipt of scattered light prior to impact of said fluid on a surface; and
analyzing the electrical signal issued by each of said photodetectors and comparing the electrical signals with corresponding reference signals that represent a desired fluid spray pattern P0.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Method and apparatus for monitoring the fluid spray pattern of fluid sprayed by a nozzle onto a semiconductor wafer during processing of the wafer. A light source is positioned to illuminate the fluid sprayed in a pattern P from the nozzle, and one or more photodetectors are positioned to receive light scattered by the fluid spray. Each photodetector develops an electrical signal in response to receipt of the scattered light, and these electrical signals are received and analyzed by a comparison means. One or more reference signals representing a desired fluid spray pattern P0 is stored in the comparison means, and each electrical signal for the pattern P is compared with the corresponding reference signal for the pattern P0 by the comparison means. If one or more signal for the pattern P differs substantially from the corresponding reference signal for the desired pattern P0, an alarm may be generated and/or delivery of fluid by the nozzle may be terminated.
25 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method of monitoring a fluid spray pattern of fluid sprayed from a nozzle, the method comprising the steps of:
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illuminating a fluid spray pattern P with a light source such that light emitted by the light source is scattered by fluid in the spray pattern P; detecting the light scattered by the fluid in the flowing fluid spray pattern P using a plurality of photodetectors positioned adjacent to the volume occupied by the fluid spray pattern P so that each of said photodetectors develops an electrical signal in response to receipt of scattered light prior to impact of said fluid on a surface; and analyzing the electrical signal issued by each of said photodetectors and comparing the electrical signals with corresponding reference signals that represent a desired fluid spray pattern P0. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An apparatus for monitoring a fluid spray pattern of fluid sprayed from a nozzle, the apparatus comprising:
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a light source positioned to illuminate fluid sprayed by a nozzle in a pattern P so that light emitted by the light source is scattered by the fluid; a plurality of photodetectors positioned adjacent to the volume occupied by the fluid spray pattern P so that each photodetector develops an electrical signal in response to receipt of such light prior to impact of said fluid on a surface; and comparison means for comparing the electrical signals developed by each photodetector with reference signals that represent a desired fluid spray pattern P0. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of monitoring a fluid spray pattern of fluid sprayed from the nozzle, the method comprising:
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illuminating a fluid spray pattern P with a light source such that light emitted by said light source is scattered by fluid in the spray pattern P; detecting the light scattered by the fluid in the flowing spray pattern P by a photodetector positioned adjacent to the volume occupied by the fluid spray pattern P so that said photodetector develops an electrical signal in response to receipt of the scattered light prior to impact of said fluid on a surface; and analyzing said electrical signal issued by said photodetector and comparing said electrical signal with a corresponding reference signal that represents a desired fluid spray pattern P0.
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15. An apparatus for monitoring a fluid spray pattern of fluid sprayed from a nozzle, the apparatus comprising:
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a light source positioned to illuminate fluid sprayed by a nozzle in a fluid spray pattern P so that light emitted by the light source is scattered by the fluid; a photodetector positioned adjacent to the volume occupied by the fluid spray pattern P so that said photodetector develops an electrical signal in response to receipt of such light before said fluid impacts a surface; and comparison means for comparing said electrical signal issued by said photodetector and comparing said electrical signal with a corresponding reference signal that represents a desired fluid spray pattern P0.
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Specification