公开(公告)号：US12235144B2

公开(公告)日：2025-02-25

申请号：US17475296

申请日：2021-09-14

Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.

Inventor： Nir Merry ,  Ming Xu

IPC: G01F1/684 ,  G01P5/12

Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments of a sensor device, systems incorporating the same, and methods of fabricating the same. In one embodiment, a sensor device comprises a free-standing sensing element, such as a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) device. The sensor device further comprises a metallic band to facilitate mounting the MEMS device to a mounting plate. The sensor device further comprises a conformal coating on a least a portion of a sensor region of the sensor device.

公开(公告)号：US20240369389A1

公开(公告)日：2024-11-07

申请号：US18772701

申请日：2024-07-15

Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.

Inventor： Srikanth Krishnamurthy ,  Ming Xu ,  Ashley M. Okada ,  Ramachandra Murthy Gunturi ,  Vijay Parkhe

IPC: G01F1/20 ,  C23C16/40 ,  C23C16/455 ,  H01J37/244 ,  H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H05K3/30

Abstract: A sensor assembly includes a substrate including an outer region, an inner region, and a middle region positioned between the outer region and the inner region, the substrate further including electrical contact pads on at least the inner region. The sensor assembly further includes a housing coupled to the substrate at the outer region to provide a hermetic seal. The sensor assembly further includes a sensor device coupled to the substrate, via the electrical contact pads, at the inner region.

公开(公告)号：US11841715B2

公开(公告)日：2023-12-12

申请号：US17496654

申请日：2021-10-07

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Ashley Okada ,  Ming Xu

IPC: G05D11/13 ,  G05B17/02 ,  G05D7/06

CPC classification number: G05D11/13 ,  G05B17/02 ,  G05D7/0635

Abstract: A method includes receiving, for a first pipe, first pressure values corresponding to first valve positions of a first valve coupled to the first pipe. The method further includes receiving, for a second pipe routed in parallel with the first pipe, second pressure values corresponding to second valve positions of a second valve coupled to the second pipe. The method further includes generating a fluid conductance map based on the first valve positions, the first pressure values, the second valve positions, and the second pressure values. The method further includes causing, by a processing device based on a recipe and the fluid conductance map, the first valve to be in a first valve position and the second valve to be in a second valve position for a process of the recipe.

公开(公告)号：US11772958B2

公开(公告)日：2023-10-03

申请号：US17475294

申请日：2021-09-14

Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.

Inventor： Nir Merry ,  Paul Wirth ,  Ming Xu ,  Sushant Koshti ,  Raechel Chu-Hui Tan

IPC: B81B3/00 ,  G01F1/684 ,  G01F1/72 ,  G01F1/86 ,  G05D7/06

CPC classification number: B81B3/0018 ,  G01F1/6845 ,  G01F1/72 ,  G01F1/86 ,  G05D7/0623 ,  G05D7/0647 ,  B81B2201/0292 ,  B81B2203/01 ,  B81B2203/0315 ,  B81B2203/0338 ,  B81B2207/11

Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments of a mass flow control apparatus, systems incorporating the same, and methods using the same. In one embodiment, a mass flow control apparatus comprises a flow modulating valve configured to modulate gas flow in a gas flow channel, a sensor device, such as a micro-electromechanical (MEMS) device, configured to generate a signal responsive to a condition of the gas flow, and a processing device operatively coupled to the flow modulating valve and the sensor device to control the flow modulating valve based on a signal received from the sensor device.

公开(公告)号：US11520358B2

公开(公告)日：2022-12-06

申请号：US17521469

申请日：2021-11-08

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Michael Rice ,  Joseph AuBuchon ,  Sanjeev Baluja ,  Ashley M. Okada ,  Alexander Fernandez ,  Ming Xu ,  Marcel E. Josephson ,  Sushant Suresh Koshti ,  Kenneth Le ,  Kevin M. Brashear

IPC: G05D7/06 ,  G01F25/00 ,  G01F25/17

Abstract: Gas distribution apparatus to provide uniform flows of gases from a single source to multiple processing chambers are described. A regulator is positioned at an upstream end of a shared volume having a plurality of downstream ends. A flow controller is positioned at each downstream end of the shared volume, the flow controller comprising an orifice and a fast pulsing valve. Methods of using the gas distribution apparatus and calibrating the flow controllers are also described.

公开(公告)号：US20210026380A1

公开(公告)日：2021-01-28

申请号：US16522614

申请日：2019-07-25

Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.

Inventor： Ming Xu ,  Kenneth Le ,  Ashley M. Okada

IPC: G05D7/06

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus for controlling a flow rate of a gas including a flow restriction element configured to restrict a flow rate of a gas; a pressure regulator coupled to an inlet of the flow restriction element, wherein the pressure regulator is configured to control a pressure of the gas between the pressure regulator and the flow restriction element; a flow meter coupled to an outlet of the flow restriction element, wherein the flow meter is configured to measure the flow rate of the gas at an outlet of the flow restriction element; and a controller operatively coupled to the pressure regulator and the flow meter, wherein the controller is to receive a measurement of the flow rate by the flow meter, determine a pressure setting associated with a target flow rate, and cause the pressure regulator to have the pressure setting.

公开(公告)号：US20180188748A1

公开(公告)日：2018-07-05

申请号：US15396619

申请日：2016-12-31

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Ming Xu ,  Sushant S. Koshti ,  Michael R. Rice ,  Steven E. Babayan ,  Jennifer Y. Sun

IPC: G05D7/06 ,  G01F1/696 ,  C23C16/455 ,  C23C16/40

Abstract: An electronic device manufacturing system includes a mass flow controller (MFC) that has a thermal flow sensor. The thermal flow sensor may measure a mass flow rate and may include a sensor tube having an inner surface coated with a material to form an inner barrier layer. The inner barrier layer may prevent or substantially reduce the likelihood of a corrosive reaction from occurring on the inner surface, which may prevent or reduce the likelihood of the MFC drifting beyond the MFC's mass flow rate accuracy specifications. This may improve the repeatability of flow detection by the MFC. Methods of measuring and controlling a mass flow rate in an electronic device manufacturing system are also provided, as are other aspects.

公开(公告)号：US12031885B2

公开(公告)日：2024-07-09

申请号：US18190418

申请日：2023-03-27

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Yen-Kun Wang ,  Alex J. Tom ,  Ming Xu ,  Ashley Okada ,  Kenneth Le

IPC: G01M3/28 ,  H01L21/67

CPC classification number: G01M3/2815 ,  H01L21/67253

Abstract: A method and system for monitoring and detecting a gas leak in a gas stick assembly is provided. The method includes measuring a pressure in a mass flow controller of the gas stick assembly at different time points and determining whether there is a difference in pressure at the different time points that exceeds a difference threshold.

公开(公告)号：US11835974B2

公开(公告)日：2023-12-05

申请号：US17175313

申请日：2021-02-12

Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.

Inventor： Ming Xu ,  Kenneth Le ,  Ashley M. Okada

IPC: G05D7/06

CPC classification number: G05D7/0635 ,  G05D7/0623

Abstract: A manufacturing system includes a processing chamber, an gas supply, and a mass flow control apparatus coupled to the gas supply and the processing chamber. The mass flow control apparatus includes a flow restriction element configured to restrict a flow rate of a gas, a bypass flow element configured to control the flow rate of the gas in parallel to the flow restriction element, and a pressure regulator configured to control a pressure of the gas between the pressure regulator and the flow restriction element and/or a pressure of the gas between the pressure regulator and the flow restriction element. The manufacturing system further includes a controller that is configured to flow gas from the gas supply to the processing chamber via the mass flow control apparatus in view of a first pressure setting. The controller further determines to modify the flow of the gas from a first flow rate associated with the first pressure setting to a second flow rate. The controller further determines a second pressure setting associated with the second flow rate and causes the pressure regulator to modify the pressure of the gas between the pressure regulator and the flow restriction element and/or the pressure regulator and the bypass flow element in view of the second pressure setting.

公开(公告)号：US20220357187A1

公开(公告)日：2022-11-10

申请号：US17316622

申请日：2021-05-10

Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.

Inventor： Srikanth Krishnamurthy ,  Ming Xu ,  Ashley M. Okada ,  Ramachandra Murthy Gunturi ,  Vijay Parkhe

IPC: G01F1/20 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H05K3/30 ,  H01J37/32 ,  H01J37/244 ,  C23C16/40 ,  C23C16/455

Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments of a sensor assembly, methods of manufacturing the same, and methods of using the same. In one embodiment, a sensor assembly comprises a substrate comprising an outer region, an inner region, and a middle region positioned between the outer region and the inner region, the substrate further comprising electrical contact pads on at least the inner region. The sensor assembly further comprises a housing coupled to the substrate at the outer region or at the middle region to form a hermetic seal. The sensor assembly further comprises a sensor device coupled to the substrate, via the electrical contact pads, at the inner region. In certain embodiments, the sensor assembly further comprises a conformal coating deposited on at least a portion of the sensor assembly.