Applied Materials, Inc.

Shivaram Chandrashekar

Kumaresan Nagarajan

Pallab Karmakar

Giridhar Kamesh

Amit Sahu

A cooling system includes a coolant source to cool down components of a processing chamber and a return line for the coolant coupled between the processing chamber and the coolant source. The return line has a valve, which includes a flow compartment having a first inlet and an outlet that support a default flow rate of the coolant, the flow compartment also having a second inlet. The valve has a plunger with a tip to variably open and close the second inlet to vary a flow rate of the coolant from the default flow rate. The valve has a shape memory alloy (SMA) spring positioned on the plunger between a side of the valve and the tip, the SMA spring attached to the tip to variably withdraw the tip from the second inlet in response to a rise in temperature of the coolant above a threshold temperature value.

Self-sensing and self-actuating valve for modulating process coolant flow

Disclosed herein is a temperature actuated valve, including a stationary member and a movable member, wherein the stationary member is configured to receive the movable member. A first flow path is defined between an outer surface of the stationary member and an inner surface of a housing and a second flow path defined by and within the movable member. The temperature actuated valve further includes at least one temperature actuated member having a first end seated against a base of the stationary member and a second end seated against a base of the movable member. The temperature actuated valve further includes a bias member having a first end connected to the base of the stationary member and a second end connected to the base of the movable member, the at least one temperature actuated member configured to compress at a first temperature and expand at a second temperature.

Temperature actuated valve and methods of use thereof

A valve includes a first inline compartment to attach to a first return line exiting a processing chamber and a second inline compartment to attach to a second return line entering a coolant source. A flow compartment is attached between the first inline compartment and the second inline compartment and through which a coolant is to return to the coolant source. A first inlet orifice and a second inlet orifice positioned between the first inline compartment and the flow compartment. A plunger has a tip to variably open and close the second inlet orifice. A shape memory alloy (SMA) spring is positioned on the plunger and attached to the tip, the SMA spring to variably increase or decrease a flow rate of the coolant through the second inlet orifice according to a temperature of the coolant.

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Bengaluru, India

Shivaram Chandrashekar