Liquid Flow Controllers (LFCs) are critical for delivering liquid precursors with the accuracy required for these advanced manufacturing methods. However, conventional LFCs present a significant challenge: slow response times.
Waste and Throughput Bottlenecks as the Challenge
Legacy LFCs take anywhere from 4 to 9 seconds to stabilize at ±1% of their setpoint. This lag creates two major issues:
Until stabilization is reached, liquid or vapor is diverted to the exhaust, resulting in wasted precursor material, increased load on pumps, and higher costs for remediation systems. This leads to increased liquid waste.
For longer processes, a few seconds of stabilization might seem minor, but for short-cycle processes like short pulse CVD or ALD, the impact of reduced throughput is significant. In a 6-second deposition process, a 3-second stabilization delay adds a staggering 50% to the cycle time.
How MSP’s Turbo™ LFC Technology May Help-2950V.jpg?width=400&height=266)
The Turbo™ Liquid Flow Controller (Turbo™ LFC) is engineered to address these problems head-on. It boasts a response time of as low as 0.3 seconds—up to 30 times faster than traditional LFCs. This breakthrough is achieved using a high-speed sensor, which improves not only the response time but also overall process control.
Key Benefits of Turbo™ LFC
The Turbo™ LFC offers a range of key benefits, including drastically reduced liquid waste thanks to its ultra-fast stabilization time, which minimizes the diversion of liquid to exhaust. This not only lowers precursor costs but also reduces environmental impact. Enhanced throughput is another advantage, as short process cycles can be completed without delays caused by long stabilization times, significantly boosting productivity. With its high-speed sensor, the Turbo™ LFC ensures tighter process control by enabling a rapid feedback loop, leading to more consistent flow and deposition quality. Additionally, it provides real-time mass flow measurement of vapor pulses—ranging from 0.05 to over 1 second—offering greater precision and reliability compared to traditional ALD valves that lack feedback capability.
Performance and Design Highlights
Engineered for ultra-fast stabilization, the Turbo™ LFC achieves ±1% of setpoint in as low as 0.3 seconds. It is designed to deliver high accuracy and repeatability, meeting the stringent requirements of semiconductor manufacturing. Furthermore, it maintains stable performance under varying ambient temperatures and line pressures, ensuring reliable operation in diverse process conditions.
Ready to take your CVD and ALD processes to the next level?
With its rapid response time and advanced feedback capabilities, the Turbo™ LFC is set to revolutionize CVD and ALD processes. By cutting waste, boosting throughput, and improving control, it addresses key challenges in modern semiconductor manufacturing. For industries where every second counts, adopting high-speed flow controllers like the Turbo™ LFC can translate into significant cost savings, higher yields, and reduced environmental impact.
Discover how the Turbo™ LFC can transform your operations.