US 12,487,015 B2
Semiconductor wafer temperature control apparatus
Kaustubh Kale, Chelmsford, MA (US)
Assigned to Edwards Vacuum LLC, Sanborn, NY (US)
Appl. No. 17/760,500
Filed by Edwards Vacuum LLC, Sanborn, NY (US)
PCT Filed Feb. 10, 2021, PCT No. PCT/IB2021/051070
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Aug. 10, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/161183, PCT Pub. Date Aug. 19, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 2001895 (GB), filed on Feb. 12, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0056446 A1, Feb. 23, 2023
Int. Cl. F25B 49/02 (2006.01); F25B 9/00 (2006.01); F25B 41/20 (2021.01)
CPC F25B 49/02 (2013.01) [F25B 9/006 (2013.01); F25B 41/20 (2021.01); F25B 2600/2515 (2013.01); F25B 2700/2103 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A temperature control apparatus for supplying fluid to control a temperature of at least one semiconductor wafer within a semiconductor processing chamber, said temperature control apparatus comprising:
a mixed refrigerant refrigeration system;
said temperature control apparatus being configured to supply said mixed refrigerant to at least one conditioning circuit within said semiconductor processing chamber and to receive said mixed refrigerant from said at least one conditioning circuit; wherein
said temperature control apparatus comprises temperature control circuitry for controlling a temperature of said at least one conditioning circuit to one of a plurality of predetermined temperatures, at least one of said temperatures being below −100° C.;
said temperature control circuitry being configured to receive a signal indicative of a temperature of said at least one conditioning circuit from at least one temperature sensor and to control said temperature of said at least one conditioning circuit in dependence upon said received signal and said predetermined temperature by controlling a composition of said mixed refrigerant supplied to said at least one conditioning circuit by altering a mass flow rate of liquid phase refrigerants leaving a phase separator to change said temperature of said at least one conditioning circuit.