IP Library Granted Patent US 12680920
Granted Patent B2
US 12680920 · App. 18/037,205 · Granted Jul 14, 2026

Measurement system for process monitoring

Inventor: Jung Hwan Seo (Seoul, KR)
Assignee: Hongik University Industry-Academia Cooperation Foundation
G01N1/24G01N21/33G01N2001/245
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12680920
App. No.
18/037,205
Granted
Jul 14, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A measurement system for measuring a status of a process of a treatment apparatus for treating a component in a chamber to generate a gas mixture including gaseous phase materials includes a sampling unit configured to selectively communicate an exhaust pipe for discharging the gas mixture including the gaseous phase materials from the chamber to sample the gas mixture from the exhaust pipe as much as a predetermined time or a predetermined volume; and a detection unit configured to separate and detect the gaseous phase materials included in the gas mixture sampled by the sampling unit into substances.

Claims (51)

1 . A measurement system for measuring a status of a process of a treatment apparatus for treating a component in a chamber to generate a gas mixture including gaseous phase materials, the measurement system comprising:

a sampling unit configured to selectively fluidically communicate with an exhaust pipe for discharging the gas mixture including the gaseous phase materials from the chamber to sample a predetermined volume of the gas mixture or to sample the gas mixture from the exhaust pipe for a predetermined time; and

a detection unit configured to separate and detect the gaseous phase materials included in the gas mixture sampled by the sampling unit into substances;

wherein the exhaust pipe connects to a bypass pipe branching off from the exhaust pipe at a first branch point and reconnects to the exhaust pipe at a second branch point, and

wherein the sampling unit is configured to selectively fluidically communicate with the bypass pipe and to selectively fluidically communicates the exhaust pipe.

2 . The measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein the bypass pipe includes an upstream bypass pipe and a downstream bypass pipe connected through a multi-port valve, and

wherein the multi-port valve is configured to:

perform a sampling connection operation to shut off fluid communication between the upstream bypass pipe and the downstream bypass pipe, and to communicate the upstream bypass pipe with an inlet of the sampling unit and the downstream bypass pipe with an outlet of the sampling unit, and

perform a sampling shutoff operation enabling the upstream bypass pipe to fluidically communicate with the downstream bypass pipe, and to enable the bypass pipe to fluidically disconnect from the sampling unit.

3 . The measurement system according to claim 2 , wherein the multi-port valve is configured to perform a gas transfer operation to communicate the outlet of the sampling unit with the detection unit after the sampling shutoff operation or at a same time with the sampling shutoff operation.

4 . The measurement system according to claim 3 , wherein during the gas transfer operation, the multi-port valve is configured to:

communicate the sampling unit with a carrier gas tank, and

allow the gas mixture to flow to the detection unit by a carrier gas from the carrier gas tank.

5 . The measurement system according to claim 4 , wherein the multi-port valve is configured to communicate the carrier gas tank with the detection unit, apart from the gas transfer operation.

6 . The measurement system according to claim 2 , wherein a portion of a front end of the upstream bypass pipe is inserted into the exhaust pipe to guide some of the gas mixture flowing in the exhaust pipe into the upstream bypass pipe.

7 . The measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein the sampling unit includes a sampler module configured to store the predetermined volume of the gas mixture.

8 . The measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein the detection unit includes:

a separation module to separate the gaseous phase materials included in the gas mixture into substances, wherein the separation module includes a separation path in which the gaseous phase materials move at different movement speeds according to substances, to separate the gaseous phase materials into substances and discharge at time intervals, and

a sensor module to detect the gaseous phase materials from the separation module, wherein the sensor module is configured to measure a time and concentration at which the gaseous phase materials from the separation path are detected.

9 . The measurement system according to claim 8 , wherein the separation path has a shape of a column bent in a maze pattern within a set space.

10 . The measurement system according to claim 9 , wherein a porous material is coated on an inner surface of the separation path, and

wherein the gaseous phase materials repeatedly attach to and separate from the porous material while flowing along the separation path.

11 . The measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein the detection unit includes:

a separation module to separate the gaseous phase materials included in the gas mixture into substances; and

a sensor module to detect the gaseous phase materials from the separation module,

wherein the sensor module is configured to detect a concentration of the gaseous phase materials by measuring a voltage change by electrons released from the gaseous phase materials by applying UV to the gaseous phase materials from the separation module.

12 . The measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein the measurement system comprises a concentration module to extract the gaseous phase materials included in the gas mixture sampled by the sampling unit and concentrate and store the gaseous phase materials.

13 . The measurement system according to claim 12 , wherein the concentration module is disposed in one of the sampling unit and the detection unit.

14 . The measurement system according to claim 12 , wherein the concentration module includes:

a concentration chamber; and

an adsorbent to trap the gaseous phase materials filled in the concentration chamber.

15 . The measurement system according to claim 14 , wherein the concentration chamber has a plurality of pillars to support the adsorbent.

16 . The measurement system according to claim 12 , wherein the detection unit is portable.

17 . The measurement system according to claim 1 , wherein the exhaust pipe is connected to a pump to form a pressure for discharging the gas mixture from the chamber, and

wherein the bypass pipe has an entry and an exit connected to the exhaust pipe between the chamber and the pump.

18 . A system comprising the measurement system according to claim 1 and the treatment apparatus, wherein the treatment apparatus is a semiconductor treatment apparatus for etching or cleaning the component, wherein the component is a semiconductor component.

19 . A measurement system for measuring a status of a process of a treatment apparatus for treating a component in a chamber to generate a gas mixture including gaseous phase materials, the measurement system comprising:

a sampling unit configured to selectively fluidically communicate with an exhaust pipe for discharging the gas mixture including the gaseous phase materials from the chamber to sample a predetermined volume of the gas mixture or to sample the gas mixture from the exhaust pipe for a predetermined time; and

a detection unit configured to separate and detect the gaseous phase materials included in the gas mixture sampled by the sampling unit into substances;

wherein the exhaust pipe includes an upstream exhaust pipe and a downstream exhaust pipe connected through a multi-port valve, and

wherein the multi-port valve is configured to:

perform a sampling connection operation to shut off fluid communication between the upstream exhaust pipe and the downstream exhaust pipe, and to communicate the upstream exhaust pipe with an inlet of the sampling unit and the downstream exhaust pipe with an outlet of the sampling unit, and

perform a sampling shutoff operation enabling the upstream exhaust pipe to fluidically communicate with the downstream exhaust pipe, and to enable the exhaust pipe to fluidically disconnect from the sampling unit.

20 . The measurement system according to claim 19 , wherein the measurement system comprises a concentration module to extract the gaseous phase materials included in the gas mixture sampled by the sampling unit and concentrate and store the gaseous phase materials.

21 . The measurement system according to claim 19 , wherein the detection unit includes:

a separation module to separate the gaseous phase materials included in the gas mixture into substances, wherein the sensor module is configured to detect a concentration of the gaseous phase materials by measuring a voltage change by electrons released from the gaseous phase materials by applying UV to the gaseous phase materials from the separation module.

22 . A measurement system for measuring a status of a process of a treatment apparatus for treating a component in a chamber to generate a gas mixture including gaseous phase materials, the measurement system comprising:

a sampling unit configured to selectively fluidically communicate with an exhaust pipe for discharging the gas mixture including the gaseous phase materials from the chamber to sample a predetermined volume of the gas mixture or to sample the gas mixture from the exhaust pipe for a predetermined time; and

a detection unit configured to separate and detect the gaseous phase materials included in the gas mixture sampled by the sampling unit into substances;

wherein the exhaust pipe is connected to a pump to form a pressure for discharging the gas mixture from the chamber, and

wherein an inlet and an outlet of the sampling unit selectively fluidically communicate with the exhaust pipe between the chamber and the pump.