American Air Liquide, Inc.

Other

Air Liquide America, L.p.

Air Liquide Electronics Chemicals & Services, Inc.

Hwa-Chi Wang

Richard J Udischas

Benjamin J Jurcik, Jr

James J McAndrew

Mindi Xu

Benjamin Jurcik

Joseph E Paganessi

Robert G Irwin

Herve E Dulphy

Horng-Yuan Wen

Benjamin J Jurcik

Shinji Tomita

Tracey Jacksier

Joe G Hoffman

R Scot Clark

Kazuo Yokogi

John P Borzio

Wallace I Yuan

Derong Zhou

Gerhard Kasper

Stephen Chesters

Tran Vuong

Donnel Montgomery

Rashid Mavliev

An ammonia purification system includes a hydrocarbon removal station that removes hydrocarbons from gaseous ammonia via adsorption, a moisture removal station that removes water from gaseous ammonia via adsorption, and a distillation station including a distillation column connected with a condenser to facilitate removal of impurities from ammonia and condensation of gaseous ammonia to form a purified liquid ammonia product. The system further includes a storage tank to receive purified ammonia, a remote station connected with the storage tank, and a vaporizer connected with the storage tank. The vaporizer is configured to receive and vaporize liquid ammonia from the storage tank and deliver gaseous ammonia back to the storage tank so as to facilitate pumping of the ammonia to the remote station based upon a vapor pressure established within the storage tank.

Purification and transfilling of ammonia

Apparatus and processes are presented to contact a dry, preferably high purity inert gas with a chemical composition in a pressure vessel, or a wetting composition, to form a wet inert gas, which is then used to pressurize the chemical composition out of the pressure vessel. No additional space is needed for an external humidifier. Since a very small amount of vapor is needed to form a wet inert gas, the composition of chemical composition will not be significantly affected.

Pressure vessel systems and methods for dispensing liquid chemical compositions

Provided is a novel chamber effluent monitoring system. The system comprises a chamber having an exhaust line connected thereto. The exhaust line includes a sample region, wherein substantially all of a chamber effluent also passes through the sample region. The system further comprises an absorption spectroscopy measurement system for detecting a gas phase molecular species. The measurement system comprises a light source and a main detector in optical communication with the sample region through one or more light transmissive window. The light source directs a light beam into the sample region through one of the one or more light transmissive window. The light beam passes through the sample region and exits the sample region through one of the one or more light transmissive window. The main detector responds to the light beam exiting the sample region. The system allows for in situ measurement of molecular gas impurities in a chamber effluent, and in particular, in the effluent from a semiconductor processing chamber. Particular applicability is found in semiconductor manufacturing process control and hazardous gas leak detection.

Chamber effluent monitoring system and semiconductor processing system comprising absorption spectroscopy measurement system, and methods of use

A method and apparatus for quickly detecting the surface characteristics of a surface, such as features, anomalies or contaminants are disclosed. The method and apparatus use heterogeneous condensation of a vapor on a surface and evaporation to reveal the surface characteristics of the surface and thereby enable the detection of such features.

Method and apparatus for the fast detection of surface characteristics

Provided is a novel system and method for delivery of gas from a liquefied state. The system includes (a) a delivery vessel holding a bulk quantity of liquefied gas therein; (b) a heat exchanger disposed on the delivery vessel to provide or remove energy from the liquefied gas only; and (c) a pressure controller for monitoring and adjusting the energy delivered to the vessel. The system and method allow for controlled delivery of liquefied gas from a delivery vessel at a predetermined flow rate. Particular applicability is found in the delivery of gases to semiconductor process tools.

System and method for controlled delivery of liquefied gases from a bulk source

Provided is a novel on-site system and method for providing ultra-high-purity nitric acid to a point of use. The system includes a source of nitric acid at a concentration greater than 68 wt %; a reflux distillation column having an inlet in communication with the nitric acid source for introducing nitric acid into the column, a reboiler, and a condensate outlet to provide a flow of nitric acid condensate from the column; a reservoir in communication with the condensate outlet for receiving the flow of nitric acid condensate; and piping for delivering nitric acid from the reservoir to a point of use. The system and method can be used as an on-site subsystem, in a semiconductor device fabrication facility for supplying the nitric acid condensate to points of use in the semiconductor device fabrication facility.

On-site manufacture of ultra-high-purity nitric acid

Provided is a novel system for delivery of a gas from a liquefied state. The system includes: (a) a cabinet having a first and second panel disposed therein; (b) at least one compressed liquefied gas cylinder corresponding to each panel disposed in the cabinet; (c) temperature and/or pressure sensors disposed on each the cylinder; and (d) a controller for monitoring and adjusting the energy input into each of the cylinders based on the temperature and/or pressure in each of the cylinders sensed by the temperature and/or pressure sensors.

System and method for controlled delivery of liquefied gases including control aspects

Chamber effluent monitoring system and semiconductor processing system

Provided are a novel system and method for delivery of a vapor phase product to a point of use, as well as a novel on-site chemical distribution system and method. The system for delivery of a vapor phase product includes a storage vessel containing a liquid chemical under its own vapor pressure, a column connected to receive the chemical in liquified state from the storage vessel, wherein the chemical is fractionated into a contaminated liquid heavy fraction and a purified light vapor fraction and a conduit connected to the column for removing the purified light vapor fraction therefrom. The system is connected to the point of use for introducing the purified vapor fraction thereto. Particular applicability is found in semiconductor manufacturing in the delivery of electronic specialty gases to one or more semiconductor processing tools.

System and method for delivery of a vapor phase product to a point of use

Provided is a novel system and method for delivery of a gas from a liquified state. The system includes: (a) a compressed liquified gas cylinder having a gas line connected thereto through which the gas is withdrawn; (b) a gas cylinder cabinet in which the gas cylinder is housed; and (c) means for increasing the heat transfer rate between ambient and the gas cylinder without increasing the temperature of the liquid in the gas cylinder above ambient temperature. The apparatus and method allow for the controlled delivery of liquified gases from gas cabinets at high flowrates. Particular applicability is found in the delivery of gases to semiconductor process tools.

System and method for controlled delivery of liquified gases

Provided are a novel system and method for delivery of a vapor phase product to a point of use, as well as a novel on-site chemical distribution system and method. The system for delivery of a vapor phase product includes a storage vessel containing a liquid chemical under its own vapor pressure, a column connected to receive the chemical in liquified state from the storage vessel, wherein the chemical is fractionated into a contaminated liquid heavy fraction and a purified light vapor fraction and a conduit connected to the column for removing the purified light vapor fraction therefrom. The system is connected to the point of use for introducing the purified vapor fraction thereto. Particular applicability is found in semiconductor manufacturing in the delivery of electronics specialty gases to one or more semiconductor processing tools.

A system and a method for analyzing impurities in compressed gas, a method for controlling the particle growth in the monitored gas and a method for determining the optimum monitoring temperature for an individual gas are disclosed.

Growing community of inventors

Naperville, IL, United States of America

Hwa-Chi Wang