THREE-WAY VALVE AND METHOD FOR USING THE SAME
A three-way valve includes a sample port acting as a dual port, a sensor port and a purge port. The purge port selectively provides the sample port with a purge gas when an etching chamber is idle and the sensor port is not in use.
1 . A three-way valve, comprising:
a valve joint;
a sample port acting as a dual port and directly connected to said valve joint;
a sensor port directly connected to said valve joint; and
a purge port directly connected to said valve joint to selectively provide said sample port with a purge gas when said sensor port is disconnected.
2 . The three-way valve of claim 1 , wherein said three-way valve is an electro-magnetic valve.
3 . The three-way valve of claim 1 , wherein said sample port is connected to an exhaust pipe comprising a wet etching reagent.
4 . The three-way valve of claim 1 , wherein said sensor port is connected to a pressure sensor.
5 . The three-way valve of claim 4 , wherein said sample port is an inlet when said pressure sensor is in use.
6 . The three-way valve of claim 1 , wherein said sample port is an outlet of said purge gas when said purge port provides said purge gas.
7 . The three-way valve of claim 3 , wherein said purge port is an inlet to provide said purge gas to purge said wet etching reagent in said exhaust pipe.
8 . The three-way valve of claim 4 , wherein said three-way valve is controlled by an automation control system which is electrically connected to said pressure sensor.
9 . The three-way valve of claim 1 , wherein said three-way valve is controlled manually.
10 . The three-way valve of claim 1 , wherein said sensor port is disconnected when said purge port provide said sample port with a purge gas.
11 . A method to use a three-way valve, comprising:
providing a three-way valve of claim 1 ;
disconnecting said purge port when said sample port and said sensor port are connected; and
disconnecting said sensor port when said sample port and said purge port are connected for said purge port to provide said sample port with said purge gas.
12 . The method to use a three-way valve of claim 11 , wherein said sample port is connected to an exhaust pipe comprising a wet etching reagent.
13 . The method to use a three-way valve of claim 12 , wherein said sensor port is connected to a pressure sensor for the detection of said exhaust pipe when said sample port and said sensor port are connected.
14 . The method to use a three-way valve of claim 13 , wherein said sample port serves as an inlet.
15 . The method to use a three-way valve of claim 11 , wherein said sample port serves as an outlet of said purge gas when said purge port provides said purge gas.
16 . The method to use a three-way valve of claim 12 , wherein said purge port is an inlet of said purge gas to purge said wet etching reagent in said exhaust pipe.
17 . The method to use a three-way valve of claim 13 , wherein said three-way valve is controlled by an automation control system which is electrically connected to said pressure sensor.
18 . The method to use a three-way valve of claim 11 , wherein said three-way valve is controlled manually.