Modular-component system for gas delivery
In one embodiment, the disclosed apparatus is at least one gas-primitive substrate for use in a gas-delivery box. Each of the at least one gas-primitive substrates has at least one location on which a gas-delivery component is to be mounted. The at least one location has at least a gas-delivery component inlet port and a gas-delivery component outlet port formed within a body of the gas-primitive substrate. At least one first pair of bore holes comprising a gas-flow path is formed on an upstream side and a downstream side, respectively, of the location of the gas-delivery component. Other apparatuses and systems are disclosed.
1 . A gas-primitive substrate, comprising:
at least one location on which a gas-delivery component is to be mounted on the gas-primitive substrate, the at least one location comprising at least a gas-delivery component inlet port and a gas-delivery component outlet port formed within a body of the gas-primitive substrate, the gas-primitive substrate having a gas-splitting port, a purge port, and an outlet port, each of the gas-splitting port, the purge port, and the outlet port being configured to be coupled to other locations by a top-manifolding interconnection scheme; and
at least one first pair of bore holes comprising a gas-flow path formed on an upstream side and a downstream side, respectively, of the location of the gas-delivery component.
2 . The gas-primitive substrate of claim 1 , wherein:
the gas-primitive substrate inlet port is configured to couple the gas-primitive substrate to a gas-supply line; and
the outlet port is configured to couple the gas-primitive substrate to at least one subsequent component selected from components, including an equipment gas-inlet supply line and a subsequent gas-primitive substrate.
3 . The gas-primitive substrate of claim 1 , wherein each of the at least one first pair of bore holes is formed at an angle and within the gas-primitive substrate.
4 . The gas-primitive substrate of claim 1 , wherein multiple ones of the gas-primitive substrate are configured to be at least partially coupled in series with one another within a gas-delivery box.
5 . The gas-primitive substrate of claim 1 , wherein the at least one first pair of bore holes lies at least partially in a separate cross-sectional plane from a cross-sectional plane of other bore holes, both cross-sectional planes laying within the body of the gas-primitive substrate.
6 . The gas-primitive substrate of claim 1 , wherein the gas-primitive substrate comprises a total of seven gas-primitive substrates from which a gas-delivery box can be assembled.
7 . The gas-primitive substrate of claim 6 , wherein at least some of the seven gas-primitive substrates include a gas-primitive substrate having integrated valves.
8 . The gas-primitive substrate of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of the gas-primitive substrate is configured to assemble gas-delivery boxes used with operations of tools in a semiconductor-fabrication environment.
9 . The gas-primitive substrate of claim 1 , wherein the gas-primitive substrate is configured such that the gas-delivery component is to be mounted from only an uppermost surface of the gas-primitive substrate.
10 . The gas-primitive substrate of claim 1 , wherein the gas-delivery components include at least one component selected from components including two-port gas valves, three-port gas valves, mass-flow controllers, mass-flow meters, regulators, transducers, and filters.
11 . The gas-primitive substrate of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the ports are coupled to at least one of a remaining port and one or more of the gas-delivery components through at least one second pair of bore holes comprising a gas-flow path formed on an upstream side and a downstream side, respectively, of the location of the port.
12 . A gas-primitive substrate, comprising:
at least one location on which a gas-delivery component is to be mounted on the gas-primitive substrate, the at least one location including at least a gas-delivery component inlet port and a gas-delivery component outlet port formed within a body of the gas-primitive substrate, the gas-primitive substrate configured such that the gas-delivery component is to be mounted from only an uppermost surface of the gas-primitive substrate;
at least one first pair of bore holes comprising a gas-flow path formed on an upstream side and a downstream side, respectively, of the location of the gas-delivery component, the at least one pair of bore holes laying at least partially in a separate cross-sectional plane from a cross-sectional plane of other bore holes in the gas-primitive substrate, both cross-sectional planes laying within the body of the gas-primitive substrate; and
at least one port selected from ports including a purge port and a gas-splitting port in the gas-primitive substrate.
13 . The gas-primitive substrate of claim 12 , wherein each of the at least one ports is coupled to at least one of a remaining port and one or more of the gas-delivery components through at least one second pair of bore holes comprising a gas-flow path formed on an upstream side and a downstream side, respectively, of the location of the at least one port.
14 . The gas-primitive substrate of claim 12 , wherein each of the at least one ports is a gas-coupling point that comprises a portion of a top-manifolding system, whereby connections are configured to be made to or from other gas-delivery components, including other gas-primitive substrates, only from an uppermost portion of the gas-primitive substrate on which the at least one port is located.
15 . The gas-primitive substrate of claim 12 , wherein:
the gas-primitive substrate inlet port is configured to couple the gas-primitive substrate to a gas-supply line; and
the outlet port is configured to couple the gas-primitive substrate to at least one subsequent component selected from components, including an equipment gas-inlet supply line and a subsequent gas-primitive substrate.
16 . The gas-primitive substrate of claim 12 , wherein each of the at least one first pair of bore holes is formed at an angle and within the gas-primitive substrate.
17 . A gas-primitive substrate, comprising:
a facility inlet having a gas-fitting component, the gas-primitive substrate being configured to accept gas-delivery components including a two-port lockout/tagout (LOTO) valve, a regulator, a transducer, a filter, an additional two-port valve, and a three-port valve;
the gas-primitive substrate further having at least one first pair of bore holes comprising a gas-flow path formed on an upstream side and a downstream side, respectively, of a location of each of the gas-delivery components, the at least one pair of bore holes laying at least partially in a separate cross-sectional plane from a cross-sectional plane of other bore holes in the gas-primitive substrate, both cross-sectional planes laying within the body of the gas-primitive substrate.
18 . The gas-primitive substrate of claim 17 , wherein the gas-primitive substrate includes a gas-splitting port, a purge port, and an outlet port, each of the gas-splitting port, the purge port, and the outlet port being configured to be coupled to other locations by a top-manifolding interconnection scheme.
19 . The gas-primitive substrate of claim 18 , wherein:
the facility inlet is configured to couple the gas-primitive substrate to a gas-supply line; and
the outlet port is configured to couple the gas-primitive substrate to at least one subsequent component selected from components, including an equipment gas-inlet supply line and a subsequent gas-primitive substrate.
20 . The gas-primitive substrate of claim 17 , wherein each of the at least one first pair of bore holes is formed at an angle and within the gas-primitive substrate.