The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 11, 2003
Filed:
Jan. 15, 2002
Chin-Tsan Jan, Hsin-Chu, TW;
Chen-Chia Chiu, Tainan, TW;
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd, hsin chu, TW;
Abstract
A method and apparatus for preventing flow rate errors derived from an ultrasonic flow meter utilized in semiconductor fabrication operations. The ultrasonic flow meter is generally configured to include an extension chamber connected to a thin branch tube of the ultrasonic flow meter. A venturi tube can be positioned at an outflow location of the ultrasonic flow meter, such that the thin branch tube is broached into the venturi tube, wherein bubbles contained in a slurry flow are forced directly into the outflow location to thereby prevent inaccurate flow measurements derived from the ultrasonic flow meter. The extension chamber may be configured to reduce an inflow velocity associated with the slurry slow and ensure that the bubbles with not drift with the slurry flow. Additionally, a diameter of the branch tube may be configured such that the diameter is much smaller than a diameter associated with an inflow and/or outflow tube of the ultrasonic flow meter.