US-12624770-B2 - Gas panel enclosure

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a gas panel enclosure including a divider plate for separating various components of the gas panel. In one example, a gas panel assembly may include an enclosure defining first, second, and third chambers, wherein the first and third chambers are separated from the second chamber by a divider, wherein the first chamber is connected to an exhaust, and wherein the divider comprises openings permitting fluid flow between the second and first chambers. The assembly may include electrical components within the third chamber, wherein the third and first chambers are separated by an internal wall. The gas panel assembly may further include a gas sticks within the second chamber, wherein the electrical components are separated from the gas stick assembly by the divider and by the internal wall to prevent fluid flow from the second chamber to the third chamber.

Inventors

• Mingle Tong

Assignees

• APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20240725

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A gas panel assembly, comprising: an enclosure defining a first chamber, a second chamber, and a third chamber, wherein the first and third chambers are separated from the second chamber by a divider, wherein the first chamber is connected to an exhaust, and wherein the divider comprises a first plurality of openings permitting fluid flow between the second chamber and the first chamber; a plurality of electrical components within the third chamber, wherein the third chamber is separated from the first chamber by an internal wall; and a gas stick assembly within the second chamber, wherein the plurality of electrical components is operable to control gas flow from the gas stick assembly to a substrate processing chamber, and wherein the plurality of electrical components is separated from the gas stick assembly by the divider and by the internal wall to prevent fluid flow from the second chamber to the third chamber.
2. 2 . The gas panel assembly of claim 1 , wherein the internal wall extends between the divider and a plurality of perimeter walls defining the enclosure.
3. 3 . The gas panel assembly of claim 2 , wherein the enclosure comprises: the plurality of perimeter walls surrounding the first, second, and third chambers, wherein the exhaust extends through a first wall of the plurality of perimeter walls; and a second plurality of openings through a second wall of the plurality of perimeter walls, wherein the second plurality of openings is operable to receive a fluid from an exterior of the enclosure.
4. 4 . The gas panel assembly of claim 3 , wherein a third plurality of openings is provided through a third wall of the plurality of perimeter walls, wherein the third wall partially defines an upper section of the second chamber.
5. 5 . The gas panel assembly of claim 4 , further comprising a seal connector coupled to an inlet conduit, wherein the seal connector extends into the upper section of the second chamber, wherein the gas stick assembly is coupled to the seal connector, and wherein the gas stick assembly is positioned within a main section of the second chamber.
6. 6 . The gas panel assembly of claim 1 , the plurality of electrical components comprising a manifold and a power source for supplying power to the manifold.
7. 7 . The gas panel assembly of claim 6 , wherein the manifold comprises one or more electrical valves operable to control a flow of air delivered to one or more supply lines, and wherein the gas stick assembly comprises one or more pneumatic valves operable to control the flow of air received via the one or more supply lines.
8. 8 . The gas panel assembly of claim 1 , wherein the gas stick assembly is coupled to the divider by a supporting plate.
9. 9 . A gas panel assembly of a semiconductor processing system, the gas panel assembly comprising: an enclosure defining a first chamber, a second chamber, and a third chamber, wherein the first and third chambers are separated from the second chamber by a divider, wherein the first chamber is connected to an exhaust, and wherein the divider comprises a first plurality of openings permitting fluid flow between the second chamber and the first chamber; a plurality of electrical components within the third chamber, wherein the third chamber is separated from the first chamber by an internal wall; and a gas stick assembly within the second chamber, wherein the plurality of electrical components is operable to control gas flow from the gas stick assembly to a substrate processing chamber, and wherein the plurality of electrical components is separated from the gas stick assembly by the divider and by the internal wall to prevent fluid flow from the second chamber to the third chamber.
10. 10 . The gas panel assembly of claim 9 , wherein the enclosure comprises: a plurality of perimeter walls surrounding the first, second, and third chambers, wherein the exhaust extends through a first wall of the plurality of perimeter walls; a second plurality of openings through a second wall of the plurality of perimeter walls, wherein the second plurality of openings is operable to receive a fluid from an exterior of the enclosure; and a third plurality of openings provided through a third wall of the plurality of perimeter walls, wherein the third wall partially defines an upper section of the second chamber.
11. 11 . The gas panel assembly of claim 10 , further comprising a seal connector coupled to an inlet conduit, wherein the seal connector extends into the upper section of the second chamber, wherein the gas stick assembly is coupled to the seal connector, and wherein the gas stick assembly is positioned within a main section of the second chamber.
12. 12 . The gas panel assembly of claim 9 , the plurality of electrical components comprising a manifold and a power source for supplying power to the manifold.
13. 13 . The gas panel assembly of claim 12 , wherein the manifold comprises one or more electrical valves operable to control a flow of air delivered to one or more supply lines, and wherein the gas stick assembly comprises one or more pneumatic valves operable to control the flow of air received via the one or more supply lines.
14. 14 . The gas panel assembly of claim 9 , wherein the gas stick assembly is coupled to the divider by a supporting plate.
15. 15 . An apparatus for delivering gases to a substrate processing chamber, the apparatus comprising: an enclosure defining a first chamber, a second chamber, and a third chamber, wherein the first and third chambers are separated from the second chamber by a divider, wherein the third chamber is separated from the first chamber by an internal wall, wherein the first chamber is connected to an exhaust, and wherein the divider comprises a first plurality of openings permitting fluid flow between the second chamber and the exhaust; and a plurality of electrical components within the third chamber and a gas stick assembly within the second chamber, wherein the plurality of electrical components is operable to control gas flow from the gas stick assembly to the substrate processing chamber, and wherein the plurality of electrical components is separated from the gas stick assembly by the divider and by the internal wall to prevent fluid flow from the second chamber to the third chamber.
16. 16 . The gas panel assembly of claim 15 , wherein the enclosure comprises: a plurality of perimeter walls surrounding the first, second, and third chambers, wherein the exhaust extends through a first wall of the plurality of perimeter walls; a second plurality of openings through a second wall of the plurality of perimeter walls, wherein the second plurality of openings is operable to receive a fluid from an exterior of the enclosure; and a third plurality of openings provided through a third wall of the plurality of perimeter walls, wherein the third wall partially defines an upper section of the second chamber.
17. 17 . The gas panel assembly of claim 16 , further comprising a seal connector coupled to an inlet conduit, wherein the seal connector extends into the upper section of the second chamber, wherein the gas stick assembly is coupled to the seal connector, and wherein the gas stick assembly is positioned within a main section of the second chamber.
18. 18 . The gas panel assembly of claim 15 , the plurality of electrical components comprising a manifold and a power source for supplying power to the manifold.
19. 19 . The gas panel assembly of claim 18 , wherein the manifold comprises one or more electrical valves operable to control a flow of air delivered to one or more supply lines, and wherein the gas stick assembly comprises one or more pneumatic valves operable to control the flow of air received via the one or more supply lines.
20. 20 . The gas panel assembly of claim 15 , wherein the gas stick assembly is coupled to the divider by a supporting plate.

Description

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a gas panel assembly of a semiconductor processing system and, in particular, to a gas panel enclosure including a divider plate for separating various components of the gas panel. BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE Semiconductor processing utilizes inert, toxic, corrosive, and flammable gases, which require the use of various operative fluid flow control and fluid filtering devices to ensure that the proper quantity of contaminant free gas reaches a semiconductor process chamber. The operative fluid flow control and filtering devices, for example, are assembled in linear clusters of interconnected elements forming individual gas specific flow control channels, which are sometimes referred to as “gas sticks.” Typically, the gas sticks are then mounted to a common manifold, with the entire distribution assembly then mounted to a pallet of a gas panel for handling and maintenance purpose. There has been a continuous push to reduce operating costs and energy consumption of gas panels. Current gas panel designs include electronic devices, such as an EV manifold, power strips, pressure switches, etc., in a same area as the pallet and the gas sticks. The electronic devices, which can act as ignition sources, therefore have a higher chance of contact with a gas leak mixture before the gas leak mixture is able to be removed via the exhaust. To mitigate flammable leak concentrations in the gas panel, current approaches employ a higher exhaust flow rate, which may be expensive. Furthermore, current gas panels are inefficient when dealing with leaks, particularly with respect to air speed around vacuum coupling radius (VCR) connections. That is, air speed is low, and tends to circulate about the VCR connection instead of being quickly exhausted. There remains a need in the art for efficient gas panel leak mitigation. SUMMARY This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. In one aspect, a gas panel assembly may include an enclosure defining a first chamber, a second chamber, and a third chamber, wherein the first and third chambers are separated from the second chamber by a divider, wherein the first chamber is connected to an exhaust, and wherein the divider comprises a first plurality of openings permitting fluid flow between the second chamber and the first chamber. The gas panel assembly may further include a plurality of electrical components within the third chamber, wherein the third chamber is separated from the first chamber by an internal wall. The gas panel assembly may further include a gas stick assembly within the second chamber, wherein the plurality of electrical components is operable to control gas flow from the gas stick assembly to a substrate processing chamber, and wherein the plurality of electrical components is separated from the gas stick assembly by the divider and by the internal wall to prevent fluid flow from the second chamber to the third chamber. In another aspect, a gas panel assembly of a semiconductor processing system may include an enclosure defining a first chamber, a second chamber, and a third chamber, wherein the first and third chambers are separated from the second chamber by a divider, wherein the first chamber is connected to an exhaust, and wherein the divider comprises a first plurality of openings permitting fluid flow between the second chamber and the first chamber. The gas panel assembly may further include a plurality of electrical components within the third chamber, wherein the third chamber is separated from the first chamber by an internal wall. The gas panel assembly may further include a gas stick assembly within the second chamber, wherein the plurality of electrical components is operable to control gas flow from the gas stick assembly to a substrate processing chamber, and wherein the plurality of electrical components is separated from the gas stick assembly by the divider and by the internal wall to prevent fluid flow from the second chamber to the third chamber. In yet another aspect, an apparatus for delivering gases to a substrate processing chamber may include an enclosure defining a first chamber, a second chamber, and a third chamber, wherein the first and third chambers are separated from the second chamber by a divider, wherein the first chamber is connected to an exhaust, wherein the third chamber is separated from the first chamber by an internal wall, and wherein the divider comprises a first plurality of openings permitting fluid flow between the second chamber and the exhaust. The apparatus may further include a plurality of electrical components within the third chamber and a gas stick ass