Claims
- 1. An apparatus for dynamically blending a semiconductor fluid with a carrier gas for use by a fabrication tool at the fabrication tool site, said apparatus comprising a single enclosure comprising:
a first and second source of semiconductor fluid that supply said semiconductor fluid in alternation to a fluid blender, said first and second sources operating so that one of said first and second sources is providing said semiconductor fluid to said fluid blender while said other one of said first and second sources is in standby; said fluid blender comprising a first and second flow train for passing said semiconductor fluid from said first or second source that is providing said semiconductor fluid, each of said first and second flow trains comprising: a semiconductor fluid flow path having a first output; a carrier gas flow path, coupled to a source of carrier gas, and having a second output; and a mixer for mixing said first and second outputs of into a third output which forms an output flow to the fabrication tool; and wherein said first and second flow trains operate in alternation such that one of said first and second flow trains is providing said output flow while said other one of said first and second flow trains is in standby.
- 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of said first and second sources of semiconductor fluid comprises:
a feed forward line having a first end coupled to a respective semiconductor fluid supply and a second end coupled to a respective port of a multi-port valve; a vent path having a third end coupled to said first end and a fourth end coupled to a vent and a Venturi source; and a purge path having a fifth end coupled to said first end and a sixth end coupled to a purge gas supply.
- 3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said fluid blender further comprises a blender vent path that is coupled to said vent and said Venturi source at one end and which is coupled to said third output of each mixer and coupled to each carrier gas flow path.
- 4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said fluid blender further comprises a blender purge path that is coupled to said purge gas supply at one end and which is coupled to said first and second flow trains and to said carrier gas flow paths at its other end.
- 5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said semiconductor fluid is a liquid.
- 6. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said semiconductor fluid is a gas.
- 7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said carrier gas supply is internal to said enclosure.
- 8. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said purge gas supply is internal to said enclosure.
- 9. A method for dynamically blending a semiconductor fluid with a carrier gas for use by a fabrication tool at the fabrication tool site, said method comprising the steps of:
providing a single enclosure that houses two semiconductor fluid sources; operating said two semiconductor fluid sources such that one of said sources supplies said semiconductor fluid to a downstream fluid blender located in said single enclosure while the other one of said sources is on standby; configuring said fluid blender to provide two semiconductor fluid flow paths, each of said paths being mixed with a carrier gas from a carrier gas supply and forming two mixture outputs; and operating said two semiconductor fluid flow paths such that one of said two mixture outputs supplies said semiconductor fluid blended with said carrier gas to the fabrication tool and wherein the other one of said two mixture outputs is on standby.
- 10. The method of claim 9 wherein said step of providing a single enclosure that houses two semiconductor fluid sources comprises providing a respective feed forward line coupled between a respective semiconductor fluid source and said fluid blender, said method further comprising the steps of:
coupling each of said respective feed forward lines to a vent and a Venturi source; and activating said vent and said Venturi source to vent said feed forward lines.
- 11. The method of claim 9 wherein said step of providing a single enclosure that houses two semiconductor fluid sources comprises providing a respective feed forward line coupled between a respective semiconductor fluid source and said fluid blender, said method further comprising the steps of:
coupling each of said respective feed forward lines to a purge gas supply; and activating said purge gas supply to purge said feed forward lines.
- 12. The method of claim 11 wherein said purge gas supply is located within said single enclosure.
- 13. The method of claim 9 wherein said step of configuring said fluid blender comprises providing a respective carrier gas flow path that is coupled between said carrier gas supply and said respective semiconductor fluid flow paths, said method further comprising the steps of:
coupling said semiconductor fluid flow paths and said carrier gas flow paths to a vent and Venturi source; and activating said vent and Venturi source to vent said semiconductor fluid flow paths and said carrier gas paths.
- 14. The method of claim 9 wherein said step of configuring said fluid blender comprises providing a respective carrier gas flow path that is coupled between said carrier gas supply and said respective semiconductor fluid flow paths, said method further comprising the steps of:
coupling said semiconductor fluid flow paths and said carrier gas flow paths to a purge gas supply; and activating said purge gas supply to purge said semiconductor fluid flow paths and said carrier gas paths.
- 15. The method of claim 11 wherein said purge gas supply is located within said single enclosure.
- 16. The method of claim 9 wherein said semiconductor fluid is a liquid.
- 17. The method of claim 9 wherein said semiconductor fluid is a gas.
- 18. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of positioning said carrier gas source within said single enclosure.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation in part of Ser. No. 09/799,644 filed on Mar. 6, 2001 which in turn is a divisional application of Ser. No. 09/174,196, filed Oct. 16, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,217,659, all of which are assigned to Air Products and Chemical, Inc. and all of whose entire disclosures are incorporated by reference herein.
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09174196 |
Oct 1998 |
US |
Child |
09799644 |
Mar 2001 |
US |
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09799644 |
Mar 2001 |
US |
Child |
10016076 |
Dec 2001 |
US |