Flow Instrumentation for Semiconductor Manufacturers

• We offer a wide range of flow instrumentation for semiconductor manufacturers and other laboratory and research applications that require highly precise and accurate low flow control.
• Coriolis mass flow meters and controllers generally offer advantages over traditional thermal flow instrumentation by improving accuracy, precision, and repeatability.
• Compared to traditional bubbler systems, our flow instrumentation can be paired with a controlled evaporation mixer to create a vapor generation system for highly uniform and controllable vapor delivery processes.

Coriolis Mass Flow Meters and Controllers

The best flow instrumentation for semiconductor manufacturers are the precise and compact Coriolis mass flow controllers (MFCs). This flow instrumentation works for both gases and liquids and uses the Coriolis measuring principle. Additionally, their design covers the needs of the low flow rate market. These MFCs offer multi-range functionality with factory calibrated ranges that can be rescaled by the user. Thus, they maintain the original accuracy specs.

This flow instrumentation features standard digital communication over RS232, with optional fieldbus communication. For example, PROFIBUS DP, DeviceNetTM, Modbus-RTU, FLOW-BUS. And on the ML120 series, users can also use PROFINET and EtherCAT. We offer a handful of options for Coriolis flow meters and controllers including the Bronkhorst mini CORI-FLOW, the standard CORI-FLOW, and the mini CORI-FLOW ex d.

Coriolis flow meters and controllers are ideal for semiconductor manufacturers and improving wafer cleaning processes with supercritical CO2. They offer zero surface tension (no wafer damage), tunable density. In addition, they are environmentally friendly and create a recyclable process. Furthermore, they offer high accuracy (0.2% reading), great repeatability, a quick response on start, stop, and set-point changes, and do not require (re)calibration.

The CORI-FLOW Series enables easy replacement of traditional thermal mass flow controllers. CORI-FLOW flow controllers have the same footprint so they’re great for replacing old or less accurate instrumentation. Also, they are electrically similar, featuring the same options for analog and ethernet communication as popular competitive alternatives. Comparing them to thermal mass flow controllers, Coriolis based flow controllers are more accurate, faster, and offer independence from fluid properties.

Thermal Mass Flow Meters and Controllers for Semiconductor Manufacturers

Metal seal mass flow controllers (MFCs) for gases are great for use in high purity applications. These MFCs offer multi-fluid and multi-range functionality with factory calibrations. In addition, operators can modify them with the aid of free configuration software. Moreover, they offer standard digital communication over RS232, optional fieldbus communication. This includes PROFIBUS DP, DeviceNetTM, Modbus-RTU, FLOW-BUS, PROFINET, and EtherCAT.

Digital Pressure Meters and Controllers

Digital pressure meters and controllers for gases and liquids are ideal for use with high purity applications for semiconductor manufacturers. Metal seal pressure meters and controllers from Bronkhorst offer unique, patent metal-to-metal seal construction with excellent resealing capability. Also, they offer standard digital communication over RS232, optional fieldbus communication: PROFIBUS DP, DeviceNetTM, Modbus-RTU, FLOW-BUS, PROFINET and EtherCAT.

Also available is the FLEXI-FLOW, which offers all-in-one functionality as a digital pressure meter, flow meter, and flow controller. The FLEXI-FLOW Series is suited for accurate measurement of flow ranges between 0-500 mln/min and 0-20 ln/min. They operate at pressures between vacuum and 17 bar(a). This flow instrument combines a swift and stable thermal mass flow sensor based on capillary MEMS technology with a precise and proven by-pass construction.

Due to its unique TCS Technology (Through Chip Sensor), it offers accurate mass flow measurement and virtual independence of variations in temperature and line pressure. In combination with integrated temperature and upstream and downstream pressure sensors, the embedded database for 22 gases allows accurate, on-board conversion.

Vapor Generation Solutions for Semiconductor Manufacturers

A vapor generation system consists of a (thermal or Coriolis) liquid flow controller, an MFC for carrier gas, and a temperature controlled mixing and evaporation device. Additionally, these components can integrate into a ready to use Vapor Generation System.

These controlled evaporation systems can generate (saturated) vapor flows within the range of 100 mln/min up to 10 ln/min and offers built-in control functions. As an option, the unit offers local or remote trace heating temperature control. The VDM Series can be applied for atmospheric or vacuum processes. And it’s capable of evaporating mixtures and even solids, dissolved in solvents.

For layer deposition processes, Coriolis flow instrumentation is great option. They are superior for spray coating, laser dicing, FPD and solar cell coating, and other chemical vapor deposition processes. This includes metalorganic chemical layer deposition and atomic layer deposition. For these processes, the CORI-FLOW Series can offer excellent reproducibility: < (0.1% +zero stability) variation over 24 hours. Also, they offer quick dosing due to very fast response time: <0.5 seconds. These flow meters and controllers are liquid and gas independent since they measure mass instead of volume, and do not require (re)calibration during operation or after changing fluids or gases.