Abstract: A ring-shaped gasket for making high-purity fluid pathway connections between opposing fluid delivery apparatus elements having at least one simple flat surface in contact with the gasket. The face of at least one apparatus element typically has a circular counterbore depression to receive the gasket, but is not required. The gasket has a body, pierced through by a hole creating a fluid pathway and defining a radial inner surface, and additionally having a radial outer surface, a first axial end surface and a second axial end surface. At least one of the first and second axial end surfaces has a stress concentration feature radially adjacent to a gasket sealing region, the sealing region constructed to be in contact with a face surface of a corresponding fluid conduit port. The stress concentration feature may be a groove or a plurality of cavities disposed adjacent the gasket axial end surface sealing region.

Abstract: A gasket retainer that is absent sharp corners, has apertures of reasonable dimensional tolerance, and may be conveniently made by a variety of manufacturing processes. The retainer is made from thin flat springy material that readily returns to form after slight bending. Representative gasket capturing apertures are of smoothly non-convex outline with major dimension sufficiently large to allow passage of a ring shaped gasket turned on edge and minor dimension sufficiently small to engage, on approximately opposite circular segments that each engage along less than one third of a gasket circumference, a cavity or groove on the outside diameter periphery of the gasket turned flat parallel to the retainer material sheet. Fasteners may be retained by similar apertures.

Abstract: A ring-shaped gasket for making high-purity fluid pathway connections between opposing fluid delivery apparatus elements having at least one simple flat surface in contact with the gasket. The face of at least one apparatus element typically has a circular counterbore depression to receive the gasket, but is not required. The gasket has a body, pierced through by a hole creating a fluid pathway and defining a radial inner surface, and additionally having a radial outer surface, a first axial end surface and a second axial end surface. At least one of the first and second axial end surfaces has a stress concentration feature radially adjacent to a gasket sealing region, the sealing region constructed to be in contact with a face surface of a corresponding fluid conduit port. The stress concentration feature may be a groove or a plurality of cavities disposed adjacent the gasket axial end surface sealing region.

Abstract: A high purity fluid control valve includes a moveable control plate having a flow-through passage to enhance fluid sweep of the internal valve volume. The valve is of jet and seat type using nested orifice ridges to achieve high conductance with small actuator movement. The flow-through control plate is especially useful in fast acting proportional control applications such as gas delivery in semiconductor manufacturing.

Abstract: A flow substrate mounting structure comprising a fastener aperture and an alignment feature, wherein the alignment feature comprises at least one of an alignment pin removably coupled with the flow substrate mounting structure, an alignment slot, and an alignment step. A structure for coupling a plurality of flow substrates comprising a flow substrate mounting structure comprising a first fastener aperture, and a second fastener aperture, wherein the first fastener aperture is configured to couple with a first fastener and the second fastener aperture is configured to couple with a second fastener, wherein an alignment fixture is used to align the flow substrate mounting structure with the plurality of flow substrates.

Abstract: A ring-shaped gasket for making high-purity fluid pathway connections between opposing fluid delivery apparatus elements having at least one simple flat surface in contact with the gasket. The face of at least one apparatus element typically has a circular counterbore depression to receive the gasket, but is not required. The gasket has a body, pierced through by a hole creating a fluid pathway and defining a radial inner surface, and additionally having a radial outer surface, a first axial end surface and a second axial end surface. At least one of the first and second axial end surfaces has a stress concentration feature radially adjacent to a gasket sealing region, the sealing region constructed to be in contact with a face surface of a corresponding fluid conduit port. The stress concentration feature may be a groove or a plurality of cavities disposed adjacent the gasket axial end surface sealing region.

Abstract: A control plate for effecting superior shut-off in a proportional control valve comprises a moveable disk-shaped element that has a flat surface, generally perpendicular to the valve axis of symmetry when closed, and translates toward or away from an orifice surrounded by a narrow lip or orifice ridge. Enhanced leak tightness in the valve shut-off condition is achieved by selectively incorporating into the control plate materials that are softer than the material comprising the orifice ridge.

Abstract: A gasket retainer that is absent sharp corners, has apertures of reasonable dimensional tolerance, and may be conveniently made by a variety of manufacturing processes. The retainer is made from thin flat springy material that readily returns to form after slight bending. Representative gasket capturing apertures are of smoothly non-convex outline with major dimension sufficiently large to allow passage of a ring shaped gasket turned on edge and minor dimension sufficiently small to engage, on approximately opposite circular segments that each engage along less than one third of a gasket circumference, a cavity or groove on the outside diameter periphery of the gasket turned flat parallel to the retainer material sheet. Fasteners may be retained by similar apertures.

Abstract: A high purity fluid control valve includes a moveable control plate having a flow-through passage to enhance fluid sweep of the internal valve volume. The valve is of jet and seat type using nested orifice ridges to achieve high conductance with small actuator movement. Enhanced leak tightness in the valve shut-off condition may additionally be provided by selectively incorporating into the control plate materials softer than the material comprising the orifice ridge. The control plate is especially useful in high conductance, fast acting, and proportional control applications such as gas delivery in semiconductor manufacturing.

Abstract: A high purity fluid control valve includes a moveable control plate having a flow-through passage to enhance fluid sweep of the internal valve volume. The valve is of jet and seat type using nested orifice ridges to achieve high conductance with small actuator movement. Enhanced leak tightness in the valve shut-off condition may additionally be provided by selectively incorporating into the control plate materials softer than the material comprising the orifice ridge. The control plate is especially useful in high conductance, fast acting, and proportional control applications such as gas delivery in semiconductor manufacturing.

Abstract: A compact unitized mechanical linkage, which can be handled as a single piece within a valve top works, transmits force and motion of a piezoelectric actuator stack to a moveable element in a control valve. The linkage has few parts and all may be made at low cost.

Abstract: A high purity fluid control valve includes a moveable control plate having a flow-through passage to enhance fluid sweep of the internal valve volume. The valve is of jet and seat type using nested orifice ridges to achieve high conductance with small actuator movement. The flow-through control plate is especially useful in fast acting proportional control applications such as gas delivery in semiconductor manufacturing.

Abstract: A ring-shaped gasket for making high-purity fluid pathway connections between opposing fluid delivery apparatus elements having at least one simple flat surface in contact with the gasket. The face of at least one apparatus element typically has a circular counterbore depression to receive the gasket, but is not required. The gasket has a body, pierced through by a hole creating a fluid pathway and defining a radial inner surface, and additionally having a radial outer surface, a first axial end surface and a second axial end surface. At least one of the first and second axial end surfaces has a stress concentration feature radially adjacent to a gasket sealing region, the sealing region constructed to be in contact with a face surface of a corresponding fluid conduit port. The stress concentration feature may be a groove or a plurality of cavities disposed adjacent the gasket axial end surface sealing region.

Abstract: A compact unitized mechanical linkage, which can be handled as a single piece within a valve top works, transmits force and motion of a piezoelectric actuator stack to a moveable element in a control valve. The linkage has few parts and all may be made at low cost.

Abstract: A high purity fluid control valve includes a moveable control plate having a flow-through passage to enhance fluid sweep of the internal valve volume. The valve is of jet and seat type using nested orifice ridges to achieve high conductance with small actuator movement. Enhanced leak tightness in the valve shut-off condition may additionally be provided by selectively incorporating into the control plate materials softer than the material comprising the orifice ridge. The control plate is especially useful in high conductance, fast acting, and proportional control applications such as gas delivery in semiconductor manufacturing.

Abstract: A high conductance valve for use in fluid delivery systems is comprised of a flat non-circular orifice ridge adjacent to which a control plate having a planar control surface is proximally positioned to adjust the valve effective opening area and thereby the conductance of the valve. The length of the non-circular orifice ridge periphery is substantially greater than the circumference of a similarly sized circular orifice and therefore the realized effective opening area is also substantially greater despite having a similar footprint.

Abstract: A high purity fluid control valve includes a moveable control plate having a flow-through passage to enhance fluid sweep of the internal valve volume. The valve is of jet and seat type using nested orifice ridges to achieve high conductance with small actuator movement. The flow-through control plate is especially useful in fast acting proportional control applications such as gas delivery in semiconductor manufacturing.

Abstract: A compact unitized mechanical linkage, which can be handled as a single piece within a valve top works, transmits force and motion of a piezoelectric actuator stack to a moveable element in a control valve. The linkage has few parts and all may be made at low cost.

Abstract: A control plate for effecting superior shut-off in a proportional control valve comprises a moveable disk-shaped element that has a flat surface, generally perpendicular to the valve axis of symmetry when closed, and translates toward or away from an orifice surrounded by a narrow lip or orifice ridge. Enhanced leak tightness in the valve shut-off condition is achieved by selectively incorporating into the control plate materials that are softer than the material comprising the orifice ridge.

Abstract: A compact unitized mechanical linkage, which can be handled as a single piece within a valve top works, transmits force and motion of a piezoelectric actuator stack to a moveable element in a control valve. The linkage has few parts and all may be made at low cost.