KR-102963541-B1 - Material supply system

KR102963541B1KR 102963541 B1KR102963541 B1KR 102963541B1KR-102963541-B1

Abstract

The present invention provides a gas supply and distribution system and a method for operating the same, which are used to distribute gas at a preset gas flow rate, comprising: a first on-stream container and a first standby container; and a sensor that communicates with a controller to detect a preset endpoint of the first on-stream container for subsequent distribution of gas from the first standby container, thereby causing the controller to initiate automatic crossing from the first on-stream container to the first standby container that has received gas from the first on-stream container of the array. The controller initiates the gas flow from the first standby container after detecting the preset endpoint, and accordingly, the first standby container becomes a second on-stream container that distributes gas simultaneously with the first on-stream container for a certain period of time before terminating the gas flow from the first on-stream container.

Inventors

필츠 토마스 윌리엄
프리고 존 폴

Assignees

버슘머트리얼즈 유에스, 엘엘씨

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20210915
Priority Date: 20200918

Claims (20)

As a gas supply and distribution system used to distribute gas at a preset gas flow rate, An array of at least two gas storage and distribution vessels, wherein the at least two gas storage and distribution vessels are arranged for sequential on-stream distribution involving a cross-over from one or more first on-stream vessels to one or more first standby vessels in the array; A manifold comprising piping fluidly communicating with an array of the above gas storage and distribution vessels and at least two valves; Controller; and One or more sensors communicating with the controller, wherein the one or more sensors detect one or more predefined endpoints of one or more first on-stream containers for the subsequent distribution of gas from the one or more first standby containers, thereby causing the controller to initiate automatic crossing from the one or more first on-stream containers to one or more first standby containers in an array containing gas. Includes, The controller, after detecting the one or more predefined endpoints, initiates a gas flow from the one or more first standby vessels, and the one or more first standby vessels accordingly become one or more second on-stream vessels that distribute gas simultaneously with the one or more first on-stream vessels for a certain period of time before terminating the gas flow from the one or more first on-stream vessels. A gas supply and distribution system in which, before terminating the flow of gas from one or more first on-stream vessels, during the period, the controller increases the flow of gas from one or more second on-stream vessels to a flow rate greater than the preset gas flow rate, and then, after detecting that the flow rate is higher than the preset gas flow rate, reduces the flow rate from one or more second on-stream vessels to the preset gas flow rate.
A gas supply and distribution system according to claim 1, wherein the period provides sufficient time for the one or more first on-stream vessels and the one or more second on-stream vessels to reach equilibrium.
A gas supply and distribution system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, during the period prior to terminating the flow of gas from the one or more first on-stream vessels, the controller increases the flow of gas from the one or more second on-stream vessels at a flow rate greater than the preset gas flow rate.
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A gas supply and distribution system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, before terminating the flow of gas from the one or more first on-stream vessels, during the period, the controller increases the flow of gas from the one or more second on-stream vessels to a flow rate greater than the preset gas flow rate, and then, after detecting that the flow rate is higher than the preset gas flow rate, reduces the flow rate from the one or more second on-stream vessels to the preset gas flow rate and terminates the flow from the one or more first on-stream vessels.
A gas supply and distribution system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the controller further comprises a timer that is activated when a predetermined endpoint is detected to define the time for distributing the gas to one or more second on-stream vessels and one or more first on-stream vessels, and further triggers the system to terminate the flow of gas from one or more first on-stream vessels at the end of said period.
A gas supply and distribution system according to paragraph 3, wherein the controller further comprises a timer activated to define a period during which the flow rate from one or more second on-stream vessels is greater than a preset gas flow rate, and triggers the system to reduce the gas flow rate from one or more second on-stream vessels at the end of the defined time measured by the timer.
A gas supply and distribution system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein one or more sensors are selected from pressure transducers, timers, weight scales, mass flow controllers, and temperature sensors.
A gas supply and distribution system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the one or more predefined endpoints include the predefined endpoint weights of the one or more on-stream vessels.
A gas supply and distribution system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the one or more predefined endpoints include a predefined endpoint pressure of gas distributed from the one or more on-stream vessels.
A gas supply and distribution system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the one or more predefined endpoints include a predefined endpoint flow rate of gas distributed from the one or more on-stream vessels.
A gas supply and distribution system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the one or more predefined endpoints comprise a predefined endpoint cumulative volume of gas distributed from the one or more on-stream vessels.
A gas supply and distribution system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the one or more predefined endpoints include a predefined endpoint change rate of the characteristics of the gas distributed from the one or more on-stream vessels.
A gas supply and distribution system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the one or more predefined endpoints include predefined endpoint distribution times of gas distribution from the one or more on-stream vessels.
A gas supply and distribution system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the manifold comprises one or more pressure transducers for measuring the gas pressure of one or more on-stream vessels.
A gas supply and distribution system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the manifold comprises a process gas supply line and one or more pressure transducers located in the process gas supply line to measure the pressure of the gas flowing in the process gas supply line.
A gas supply and distribution system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the manifold comprises one or more control valves having a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control loop to control the flow of gas.
In paragraph 17, the one or more control valves having a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control loop are operably coupled to a pressure transducer in a gas supply and distribution system.
A gas supply and distribution system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the gas storage and distribution container is disposed within a gas cabinet.
A gas supply and distribution system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the valve comprises a process shut-off valve, and the system is a gas supply and distribution system in which the system reduces pressure fluctuations of the gas distributed by the system, in relation to a gas supply and distribution system in which the one or more first on-stream vessels are crossed to the one or more second standby vessels.

Description

Material supply system Cross-reference regarding related applications This patent application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application No. 63/080,481 filed on September 18, 2020. Technology field The present invention generally relates to any material (solid, liquid, or gas) stored in a dispensing vessel and supplied as a gas from said dispensing vessel, and specifically to a multi-vessel array requiring continuous change-over to continuously supply gas to process unit(s) consuming the gas. In a particular embodiment, the present invention may relate to a gas cabinet or bulk supply system accommodating a plurality of storage and dispensing vessels for supplying gas to semiconductor manufacturing tools in a semiconductor manufacturing facility, or to an auto-crossing system for crossing over the vessels to maintain the continuity of gas dispensing. In particular, materials are supplied to multiple manufacturing processes in semiconductor manufacturing. Some materials are gases, liquids, or solids that are stored in containers and distributed as gases to semiconductor manufacturing equipment or tools, such as deposition chambers, etching chambers, and ion implanters. Typically, process materials are stored in cylinders, but they may also be stored in any storage container, such as Y-cylinders, ampoules, ISO containers, or tanks. These materials may be stored in containers under boosted pressure or at a pressure below atmospheric pressure. In one application for semiconductor manufacturing, gas storage and distribution vessels of the aforementioned type are often placed in a gas cabinet, where multiple vessels form a manifold for a suitable flow circuit or manifold, e.g., piping, valves, flow limiting orifice elements, flow regulators, mass flow controllers, purge loops, instrumentation and monitoring equipment, etc. Such a flow circuit may be associated with an automatic switching system that allows the storage and distribution vessels to be removed from the stream by isolating the depleted or otherwise substantially depleted vessel from the gas supply relationship with the flow circuit, for example, by appropriate switching of a valve from on to off (i.e., from open to closed) when the gas is depleted or otherwise approaches an empty state, thereby facilitating the replacement of the vessels. Subsequently or simultaneously, the buffered gas storage and distribution vessels are switched, for example, by appropriately switching a flow control valve in the manifold from off to on (i.e., from closed to open) to place a new corresponding vessel into the gas supply relationship with the flow circuit. The depleted and separated container can subsequently be separated from the flow circuit and removed from the gas cabinet, thereby enabling the installation of a buffered container for subsequent cross-use of the aforementioned container during subsequent operations when the gas in the previously crossed container is depleted. The hardware and electronics for gas distribution may be programmably configured to perform automatic vessel switching at a preset pressure when the first vessel reaches a point of depletion where it can no longer maintain a preset pressure. For such purposes, the hardware and electronics for gas distribution may be configured and positioned for automated or manual evacuation of the gas flow path, purging, and leak detection. A programmable logic controller (PLC) may be used in the system to provide a pre-programmed sequence for monitoring valve status, system pressure, vessel weight, and temperature, and for controlling the following functions: vessel switching, initiation of gas flow, automatic vessel switching, purge gas control, introduction of process/purge gas, termination after securing process gas flow, and temperature control of a vessel heater, such as a heating blanket. Accordingly, vessels, for example, standard cylinders or adsorbent-based types and/or types equipped with internal pressure regulators, may be arranged in a multi-vessel array in which automatic switching of vessels from a depleted vessel to a buffered vessel occurs when the endpoint of the operating (on-stream) vessel is reached. The endpoint may be determined in various ways, and may be determined by a decrease in the distribution gas pressure and/or flow rate indicating depletion of the vessel contents, by weight loss of the vessel due to continuous distribution of gas from the vessel, by the cumulative volumetric flow of the distributed gas, by a predetermined operating time, or by other appropriate methods. Regardless of the means or mode used to determine the vessel's endpoint, the automatic transition from a depleted vessel to a buffered vessel entails a significant pressure drop and a disruption in gas flow. Due to the pressure drop during this transition, the pressure may fall below the setpoint (preset pressure) limit that triggers the response. Such pressure disruption may trigger an alarm, and