Ultra high purity gas distribution component with integral valved coupling and methods for its use

• Main Authors: EVANS; BRYCE, REBENNE; HELEN E
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 22.09.1998
• Edition: 6
• Subjects: ACTUATING-FLOATS; BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; BLASTING; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; CHEMISTRY; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATIONOR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY IONIMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COCKS; CONTROLLING; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; ELECTRIC SOLID STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRICITY; ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED,LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVEFUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; HEATING; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION INGENERAL; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; LIGHTING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; METALLURGY; PHYSICS; PIPE-LINE SYSTEMS; PIPE-LINES; PIPES; REGULATING; SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; STORING OF DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THESURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES; TAPS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL; VALVES; VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED ORSOLIDIFIED GASES; WEAPONS

Valved couplers and gas processing components particularly suitable for ultra-high purity gas distribution for use in semiconductor manufacturing. In the couplers, a valve stem/bullnose seals the aperture of the coupler immediately adjacent the exterior of the coupler, so that only a minimal amount of the wetted surface of the coupler is exposed to the external environment. A gas processing component (e.g., a filter), or an entire integrated gas stick assembly, may be sealed from the exterior environment at both its inlet and outlet sides, by these valved couplers. As a result, the entire device can be purged after manufacture and left in a controlled environment during shipment and installation, reducing the need for purging after installation.