Abstract: The axial distance between opposing conductors of a capacitance pressure transducer can depend, in part, upon the thickness of a seal that is disposed between a housing and a diaphragm of the capacitance pressure transducer. The present invention utilizes spacer elements and sealing beads to form a seal that is disposed between the housing and the diaphragm of a capacitance pressure transducer. The sealing beads have a melting temperature that is lower than the melting temperature of the spacer elements. The sealing beads are melted so that they flow around and surround the unmelted spacer elements. Upon solidifying, the sealing beads and the spacer elements thus form the seal. The thickness of the seal can be established accurately and uniformly by controlling the height of the spacer elements.

Abstract: The present invention is directed at methods and apparatuses for facilitating the establishment of a reference pressure within a reference chamber of a pressure transducer. The transducer has a housing and a cover, the housing defining a reference chamber and an aperture. A meltable sealing material is disposed on at least one of the cover and the housing. The apparatus includes a pressure chamber that is rotatable between a first position and a second position, a pressure source that is connected to the pressure chamber, a guide that is attachable to the transducer near the aperture, and a heater for selectively heating the pressure chamber to a temperature sufficiently high to melt the sealing material. The cover is positioned in an internal space of the guide. The guide is attached to the transducer near the aperture.

Abstract: A pressure-sensing device and method for making and using such device having a temperature differential between two portions of the device is disclosed. A solid-state heat pump, such as a thermo-electric cooler (TEC), is used to pump heat from a cold portion to a hot portion of the device. A pressure sensor sensing the pressure of a hot fluid is disposed in the hot portion of the device, and sensor electronics are disposed in the cold portion of the device.

Abstract: A system and method are described that control the amount of precursor that is delivered to a process chamber by precisely measuring the mole fraction of the gas mixture being delivered. A gas delivery system includes a delivery chamber, a precursor inlet valve, a carrier inlet valve, an outlet valve, and a controller. The controller controls the opening and closing of the precursor inlet valve, the carrier inlet valve, and the outlet valve, so as to introduce a desired amount of a precursor gas and a carrier gas into the delivery chamber, to generate a gas mixture having a desired mole fraction of the precursor gas, and to deliver to the process chamber the gas mixture having the desired mole fraction of the precursor gas.

Abstract: A system for dividing a single mass flow, including an inlet adapted to receive the single mass flow and at least two flow lines connected to the inlet. Each flow line includes a flow meter and a valve. The system also includes a controller programmed to receive a desired ratio of flow through a user interface, receive signals indicative of measured flow from the flow meters, calculate an actual ratio of flow through the flow lines based upon the measured flows, and compare the actual ratio to the desired ratio. The controller is also programmed to calculate the desired flow through at least one of the flow lines if the actual ratio is unequal to the desired ratio, and provide a signal indicative of the desired flow to at least one of the valves.

Abstract: A mass flow controller includes an electronic controller that provides a web server that allows access to the web server through such interworking networks as the Internet.

Abstract: A system for and method of compensating for attitude sensitivity of at least two thermal sensor coils mounted on a tube through which a fluid flows along a common axis of flow for use in generating a flow measurement signal representative of the flow of fluid through the tube is disclosed. One of the coils is adapted in provide thermal energy to the fluid flowing through the tube at an upstream location so as to establish and measure the upstream temperature of the fluid at the upstream location, and one of the coils is adapted to measure the downstream temperature of the fluid at a downstream location. The flow measurement signal is a function of the difference between the measured upstream and downstream temperatures. The system includes structure for, and the method includes the steps of measuring the force of gravity in the direction of the common axis; and modifying the flow measurement signal as a function of the measured force of gravity.

Abstract: A mass flow rate sensor uses a Reynolds number correction function to compensate for errors in a bypass ratio of the sensor for all gases, based on the fact that all bypass errors are functions of Reynolds number. The sensor includes a sensor tube and a bypass tube dividing flow, wherein a bypass ratio of the sensor equals a total flow rate through the sensor divided by a flow rate through just the sensor tube. Heater elements heat an upstream portion and a downstream portion of the sensor tube, and a circuit is connected to the heater elements for producing a voltage based upon a difference in resistance between the heater elements. The voltage is calibrated based on known flow rates of a reference gas, and the flow rate through the sensor is based upon the calibrated voltage multiplied by a multi-gas correction function and a Reynolds number correction function.

Abstract: A pressure transducer assembly including a sensor enclosure, a pressure sensor received in the sensor enclosure, a tube connected to the pressure sensor and extending out of the sensor enclosure for connection to a source of fluid, an electronics circuit board electrically connected to the pressure sensor, and an electronics enclosure containing the electronics board and secured to the sensor enclosure. The electronics enclosure includes an external housing constructed of thermally conductive material, and a heat transfer plate constructed of thermally conductive material. The heat transfer plate is in physical contact with heat-generating elements of the electronics circuit board and in physical contact with the external housing, such that heat from the heat-generating elements can be dissipated through the external housing. This arrangement allows the circuit board to remain cool even as the sensor is heated.

Abstract: A fault handling algorithm processes a plurality of fault status signals from a sputtering system in a period of time to generate at least one command signal for affecting the operation of a power generator.

Abstract: The disclosed transducer includes a housing, a diaphragm, an inner conductor, an outer conductor, and a first baffle. The housing defines an interior volume. The diaphragm is disposed in the housing and divides the interior volume into a first chamber and a second chamber. The diaphragm flexes in response to pressure differentials in the first and second chambers. The inner conductor is disposed in the first chamber. The outer conductor is disposed in the first chamber around the inner conductor. The first baffle is disposed in the second chamber and defines an inner region, a middle region, and an outer region. The inner region underlies the inner conductor. The middle region underlies the outer conductor. The outer region underlies neither the inner conductor nor the outer conductor. The first baffle defines apertures in at least two of the inner, middle, and outer regions.

Abstract: The present invention relates to control of and data collection from sensors associated with tools. In particular, it relates to using a controller to mediate communications among a tool, sensors associated with the tool and data users, such as a host system or distributed processors. Particular aspects of the present invention are described in the claims, specification and drawings.

Abstract: A graphical user interface for enabling a user to graphically observe on a displaying mechanism a statistical measure of the process quality of a manufacturing process provides for the display of an icon representing a workpiece. The location and color of the icon on the displaying mechanism indicates the process quality of the manufacturing process for the represented workpiece.

Abstract: A system for controlling fluid flow through i lines, wherein the i lines are connectable through tubing to i zones, respectively, and wherein i=1, 2, . . . , N. The system includes at least one valve and a pressure transducer in each of the i lines, a control device for controlling the valves, and a zone pressure estimator. The zone pressure estimator is connected to the pressure transducers and is programmed to calculate an estimated pressure in each the i zones and provide the estimated pressures to the control device.

Abstract: A capacitive pressure sensor of substantially ceramic material comprises a thick base plate (100), a front plate (140) having the same thickness as the base plate and a movable diaphragm (120) located between the front plate and the base plate. Capacitor electrodes (121b, 121a) are provided at the surface of the diaphragm facing the base plate and form a measurement capacitor. The diaphragm (120) is extremely thin and is produced by sintering a ceramic material such aluminium oxide. Owing to a pressing process used during the sintering a strong, very thin diaphragm is obtained having no mechanical stresses and fracture indications. It can be produced to have a very small thickness in order to provide pressure sensors having a high sensitivity, which can also for high-vacuum applications tolerate to be subjected to the atmospheric pressure. A shielding plate (110) can be inserted between the base plate (100) compensating the measurement capacitor.

Abstract: A system for field substitution of components of a RF metrology system. The system includes a sensor/cable combination and an analysis unit. Parameters of the RF metrology system are determined prior to placing the RF metrology system in the field. From these parameters, either component, the cable/sensor combination or the analysis module, may be substituted in the field by recalibrating the system for the substituted unit. Such recalibration is carried out utilizing the parameters determined prior to placing the RF metrology system in the field.

Abstract: A process for producing a plate for a capacitive sensor element. In one embodiment of the present invention, a method includes forming a plate from a substantially pure aluminum oxide slurry, heating the plate a first time in an oven to sinter the plate, cooling the plate after the heating step, heating the plate a second time to smooth the plate, and cooling the plate after the second heating.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for controlling a plasma used for materials processing feature cooperative action of a resonant circuit and a switch unit coupled to a plasma vessel and a power supply. A sensor for acquiring a signal associated with a state of a plasma in the plasma vessel supports closed-loop control of the switch unit. Undesirable plasma states detected by the sensor can be eliminated by closing the switch unit to shunt the resonant circuit.

Abstract: A system and method for in-situ verification and calibration of flow control devices includes a first network physical layer connecting the flow control devices to a flow verification device. A controller of the flow verification device is programmed to communicate with each of the flow control devices through the first network physical layer, receive gas specific information and a transfer function from each of the flow control devices, and verify the flow of each flow control device. The controller of the flow verification device is further programmed to communicate with each of the flow control devices through the first network physical layer and, if necessary, calibrate the flow control devices. The verification and calibration of the flow control devices is preferably carried out based upon a single command provided through a tool controller connected to a second network physical layer connected to the flow control devices.

Abstract: The present invention relates to control of and data collection from sensors associated with tools. In particular, it relates to using a controller to mediate communications among a tool, sensors associated with the tool and data users, such as a host system or distributed processors. Particular aspects of the present invention are described in the claims, specification and drawings.