US 11,860,016 B2
MEMS-based Coriolis mass flow controller
Dennis Smith, San Jose, CA (US); Peter Reimer, San Jose, CA (US); and Sudhakar Gopalakrishnan, San Jose, CA (US)
Assigned to LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION, Fremont, CA (US)
Appl. No. 17/042,059
Filed by LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION, Fremont, CA (US)
PCT Filed Mar. 28, 2019, PCT No. PCT/US2019/024583
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 25, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/191428, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 3, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/650,657, filed on Mar. 30, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0096011 A1, Apr. 1, 2021
Int. Cl. G01F 1/84 (2006.01); G01F 15/00 (2006.01); G01F 15/12 (2006.01); G01N 9/32 (2006.01); H01L 21/67 (2006.01); G05D 7/06 (2006.01)
CPC G01F 1/8445 (2013.01) [G01F 1/8422 (2013.01); G01F 1/8427 (2013.01); G01F 1/8431 (2013.01); G01F 15/005 (2013.01); G01F 15/125 (2013.01); G01N 9/32 (2013.01); H01L 21/67253 (2013.01); G05D 7/0688 (2013.01)] 23 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A mass flow controller assembly comprising:
a housing defining a cavity, a plurality of internal passages, a first inlet, a first outlet, a second inlet, and a second outlet;
a valve connected to the housing, having an inlet fluidly coupled to the second outlet of the housing and an outlet fluidly coupled to the second inlet of the housing, wherein the valve is configured to control fluid flow from the second outlet of the housing to the second inlet of the housing; and
a microelectromechanical (MEMS) Coriolis flow sensor arranged in the cavity, including an inlet fluidly coupled by at least one of the plurality of internal passages to the first inlet of the housing and configured to measure at least one of a mass flow rate and density of fluid flowing through the MEMS Coriolis flow sensor,
wherein an outlet of the MEMS Coriolis flow sensor is fluidly coupled by at least one of the plurality of internal passages to the second outlet of the housing,
wherein the second inlet of the housing is fluidly coupled by at least one of the plurality of internal passages to the first outlet of the housing; and
wherein the housing includes:
a first housing portion;
a second housing portion connected to the first housing portion; and
a third housing portion connected to the second housing portion,
wherein the cavity is defined between the second housing portion and the third housing portion;
wherein the valve is connected to the third housing portion; and
wherein the mass flow controller assembly further comprises a printed circuit board connected to the third housing portion adjacent to the valve.