Infrared thermopile detector system for semiconductor process monitoring and control
First Claim
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1. A semiconductor process system including flow circuitry for flow of or with a process fluid, said system comprising:
- a fluid sampling region for the process fluid;
an infrared radiation source constructed and arranged to transmit infrared radiation through the fluid sampling region;
a thermopile detector constructed and arranged to receive infrared radiation after the transmission thereof through the fluid sampling region and to responsively generate an output signal correlative of concentration of at least one selected component of the process fluid; and
process control means arranged to receive the output of the thermopile detector and to responsively control one or more process conditions in and/or affecting the semiconductor process system.
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Abstract
A thermopile-based detector for monitoring and/or controlling semiconductor processes, and a method of monitoring and/or controlling semiconductor processes using thermopile-based sensing of conditions in and/or affecting such processes.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A semiconductor process system including flow circuitry for flow of or with a process fluid, said system comprising:
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a fluid sampling region for the process fluid;
an infrared radiation source constructed and arranged to transmit infrared radiation through the fluid sampling region;
a thermopile detector constructed and arranged to receive infrared radiation after the transmission thereof through the fluid sampling region and to responsively generate an output signal correlative of concentration of at least one selected component of the process fluid; and
process control means arranged to receive the output of the thermopile detector and to responsively control one or more process conditions in and/or affecting the semiconductor process system. - 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)
fluid flowed to the semiconductor process tool, fluid flowed from the semiconductor process tool to the abatement unit, and fluid discharged from the abatement unit.
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24. The semiconductor process system of claim 23, wherein the thermopile detector is arranged to monitor fluid flowed to the semiconductor process tool.
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25. The semiconductor process system of claim 23, wherein the thermopile detector is arranged to monitor fluid flowed from the semiconductor process tool to the abatement unit.
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26. The semiconductor process system of claim 23, wherein the thermopile detector is arranged to monitor fluid discharged from the abatement unit.
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27. The semiconductor process system of claim 1, wherein output of the thermopile detector is used to modulate a set point of a mass flow controller.
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28. The semiconductor process system of claim 1, wherein the output of the thermopile detector is used to modulate a recycle rate of a fluid treatment step or processing operation of the system.
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29. The semiconductor process system of claim 1, wherein the fluid sampling region is in said flow circuitry.
Specification