Brooks Instrument has released its new GF120xHT Series high-temperature thermal mass flow controller. This is the company’s first high-temperature mass flow controller in the GF family and is specifically designed to support solid and liquid precursors required in semiconductor manufacturing.
Mass flow controllers (MFCs) are the most important component in the gas delivery systems used to produce an integrated circuit. The GF120xHT Series MFC flow module can operate between 45°C and 150°C. In comparison, traditional thermal MFCs can only operate up to 50°C. By offering a greater operating range than conventional thermal MFCs, the GF120xHT Series can precisely deliver vapor to the process chamber, even when that material is a liquid or a solid at room temperature.
The GF120xHT is unique in its capability to support upgrades from Brooks Instrument’s legacy heated 9861 and VC4900 MFC series. With ultrafast EtherCAT communication, programmable alarms and warnings developed specifically for advanced process control, and fault detection and classification (FDC) tracking, it’s also an optimum choice for next-generation platforms.
“Our high-temperature GF120xHT MFC will solve customer pain points by delivering precursors for critical processes, such as selective atomic layer deposition (ALD), in advanced logic and memory applications,” said Dr. Mohamed Saleem, chief technology officer, semiconductor platform, at ITW, the parent company of Brooks Instrument. “The GF120xHT will deliver these critical precursors reliably, accurately and without particle contamination.”
The new MFC features a variety of user-friendly qualities that support advancements in semiconductor manufacturing, including:
High-Temperature Capabilities: In a typical thermal MFC, the mechanical components can be heated to high temperatures, but the electronic components cannot. To support high-temperature applications, the electronics are remotely connected to the mechanical flow module of the GF120xHT Series. The flow module can operate at temperatures up to 150°C, while the remote electronics are mounted in a cooler location (<50°C).
Calibrated to Customer Conditions: To ensure optimal performance, Brooks Instrument GF120xHT devices are sized and calibrated to each customer’s configuration based on their operating temperature, pressures and mounting orientation.
Easy Drop-In: The GF120xHT Series was designed to easily drop in to all customer applications. The remote electronics are offered with a range of communication protocols (analog, DeviceNet® and EtherCAT®), along with a standard din rail for ease in mounting. The flow module also supports a variety of fitting options, ensuring compatibility with current and future equipment designs. In addition, three cable lengths are available for connecting the remote electronics to the flow module to support various applications.
The GF120xHT Series leverages more than a decade of flow technology and capitalizes on the proven modeling and design of Brooks Instrument’s reliable GF100 Series MFCs. Customers get all the benefits of GF100 Series, but with a wide operating temperature range.
