Abstract:
In the fabrication of semiconductor integrated circuits, a ventilation system is disclosed which includes a sleeve device, a ventilator and a sensor. The sleeve device has at least one aperture thereon for gas transfer. The ventilator is coupled to the sleeve device. The sensor is coupled to the sleeve device. A method of ventilation is also disclosed, which includes a step of sensing a relative movement between a sleeve having at least aperture for gas transfer and a gas outlet connected to a pipeline, and a step of generating a signal to control a ventilator when the relative movement between the sleeve and the gas outlet is sensed.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to a system and a method for fabrication of semiconductor integrated circuits; more particularly, the present invention relates to a system and a method of ventilation for fabrication of semiconductor integrated circuits. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   The leakage of reacting gas through an gas outlet of a gas cabinet is often a problem in the fabrication of semiconductor integrated circuits when disconnection of a pipeline and the gas outlet of the gas cabinet is required. The gas leakage can cause safety issues and comprise fabrication of semiconductor integrated circuits. 
     FIG. 1  illustrates a schematic configuration showing a conventional gas supply apparatus. The gas supply apparatus includes a gas cabinet  100  having a gas outlet  110 . A pipeline  120  is connected to the gas outlet  110  through a gasket  130 . The gasket is adapted to seal the gas outlet  110  and prevent gas leakage from the gas outlet  110 . When disconnection of the pipeline  120  and the gas outlet  110  is required, residual reacting gas may leak from the pipeline  120  to the atmosphere. The gas leakage may result in the manufacturing lines in a semiconductor factory being adversely affected. 
   U.S. patent application Ser. No. 2002/0108711 discloses a gas distribution apparatus of semiconductor equipment for preventing gas leakage. The apparatus includes a body having a plurality of gas inducing inlets on a downward grooved side of its plate and an injection plate screwed with the bottom surface of the body. The injection plate has small and large diameters of ring-shaped grooves on its upper surface to connect the gas inducing inlets. The grooves have injection holes formed at a predetermined interval for downward penetration, so as to completely prevent gas leakage outside. 
   Therefore, it is desirable to provide a system or a method to resolve the issues within the fabrication of semiconductor integrated circuits noted above. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   A ventilation system is provided. The ventilation system includes a sleeve device, a ventilator and a sensor. The sleeve device has at least one aperture thereon for gas transfer. The ventilator and sensor are both coupled to the sleeve device. 
   A method of ventilation is also provided. The method of ventilation comprises a step of sensing a relative moving between a sleeve having at least aperture for gas transfer and a gas outlet connected to a pipeline, and a step of generating a signal to control a ventilator when the relative moving between the sleeve and the gas outlet is sensed. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a schematic configuration showing a conventional gas supply apparatus. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a schematic configuration of an exemplary ventilation system in accordance with the present invention. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a schematic configuration of an exemplary sleeve device in accordance with the invention. 
       FIG. 4A  illustrates a schematic cross-sectional configuration of an exemplary embodiment showing the ventilation system in accordance with the invention. 
       FIG. 4B  illustrates a schematic cross-sectional configuration of an exemplary embodiment showing the ventilation system in operation in accordance with the present invention. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     FIG. 2  illustrates a schematic configuration of an exemplary ventilation system. The ventilation system includes a sleeve device  200  having at least one aperture thereon for gas transfer, a ventilator  210  coupled to the sleeve device  200  and a sensor  220  coupled to the sleeve device  200 . The sleeve device  200  includes at least one sleeve. In these embodiments shown in  FIG. 2 , the sleeve device  200  comprises a first sleeve  201  and a second sleeve  202  connected thereto. In some embodiments, the at least one aperture not shown is on the inner wall of the sleeve device  200 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the pipeline  240  connects the sleeve device  200  and a gas cabinet  230 . In these embodiments, the sleeve device  200  is adjacent to a gas outlet  235  of the gas cabinet  230 . Moreover, the sleeve device  200  and the pipeline  240  are substantially coaxial. In some embodiments, the ventilator  210  is coupled to the outer wall of the sleeve device  200 . 
   The sleeve device  200  is adapted to transfer gas through the aperture thereon and between the inner and outer walls thereof. Moreover, the design of the sleeve device  200  is adapted to connect with the physical feature of the gas outlet  235  of the gas cabinet  230 . The sleeve device  200  can be, for example, cylindrical, rectangular or any other shape that is suitable for connecting the sleeve device  200  to the gas outlet  235  of the gas cabinet  230 . The ventilator  210  is adapted to vent the gas flowing through the sleeve device  200 . In some embodiments, the ventilator  210  can be, for example, a vacuum generator. The term “couple to” describing the relationship between the ventilator  210  and the sleeve device  200  means that the ventilator  210  and the sleeve device  200  can be, e.g., directly connected, connected through another device, such as a pipeline, or connected by any other method that can substantially perform the function of transferring gas from the sleeve device  200  to the ventilator  210 , or vice versa. The sensor  220  can be, for example, a sensor that can sense a relative moving between two objects, such as the sleeve device  200  and the gas outlet  235  of the gas cabinet  230 , or the first sleeve  201  and the second sleeve  202 . In some embodiments, the sensor  220  includes a switch coupled to the sleeve device  200  for sensing a relative movement between the first sleeve  201  and the second sleeve  202 . The sensor  220  will then generate a signal to control the ventilator  210  when sensing a relative movement between the sleeve device  200  and the gas outlet  235  of the gas cabinet  230 , or the first sleeve  201  and the second sleeve  202 , for example. The signal transfer can be accomplished by a standard industrial interface, such as RS232, RS486 or IEEE488.2. The term “couple to” describing the relationship between the sensor  220  and the sleeve device  200  means that the sensor  220  and the sleeve device  200  can be, e.g., directly connected, connected through the other device, such as a signal cable, or connected by any other method that can substantially perform the function of sensing a relative movement between two objects. 
     FIG. 3  illustrates a schematic configuration of an exemplary sleeve device. As shown in  FIG. 3 , the sleeve device  200  includes the first sleeve  201  and the second sleeve  202 . The pipeline  240  connects the first sleeve  201  and the second sleeve  202 . Items in  FIG. 3  that are the same as items in  FIG. 2  are indicated by the same reference numerals. Detailed descriptions of each of these items are not repeated. In these embodiments shown in  FIG. 3 , at least one aperture  203  is on the inner wall of the first sleeve  201 . 
   As mentioned in  FIG. 2 , the sleeve device  200  can have any physical feature suitable for connecting the sleeve device  200  to the gas outlet  235  of the gas cabinet  230 . In these embodiments shown in  FIG. 3 , the sleeve device  200  including the first and second sleeves  201  and  202  respectively is cylindrical. Moreover, the first sleeve  201  can move on the second sleeve  202  along the pipeline  240  toward a gas outlet. The at least one aperture  203  on the inner wall of the first sleeve  201  can be any shape, for example, round or square. There is no requirement as to how many apertures may be on the inner wall of the first sleeve  201 . However, it is more advantageous that the number of the apertures  203  are enough for efficiently transferring gas. In the embodiments shown in  FIG. 3 , the sensor  220  is coupled to the second sleeve  202  and is adapted to sense the relative moving between the first sleeve  201  and the second sleeve  202 . The ventilator  210  is coupled to the outer wall of the first sleeve  201 . It may be readily understood that the sensor  220  can be coupled to the first sleeve  201 , the second sleeve  202  or both, and that the ventilator  210  can coupled to the first sleeve  201 , the second sleeve  202  or both. 
     FIG. 4A  illustrates a schematic cross-sectional configuration of an exemplary embodiment showing a non-operational situation of the ventilation system. Items in  FIG. 4A  that are the same as items in  FIGS. 2 and 3  are indicated by the same reference numerals. They include the gas cabinet  230 , the gas outlet  235  of the gas cabinet  230 , the first sleeve  201 , the second sleeve  202 , the apertures  203 , the ventilator  210 , the sensor  220  and the pipeline  240 . Detailed descriptions of these items are not repeated. The first sleeve  201  has an inner wall  205  and an outer wall  207 . 
   As noted in  FIG. 2 , the sleeve device  200  including the first and second sleeves  201  and  202  respectively is adjacent to the gas outlet  235  of the gas cabinet  230 . In these embodiments shown in  FIG. 4A , a gasket  236  connects to the gas outlet  235  of the gas cabinet  230  for sealing the gas outlet  235  and preventing gas leakage therefrom. When the sleeve device  200  does not create a relative movement to the gas outlet  235  of the gas cabinet  230 , or the first sleeve  201  does not create a relative movement to the second sleeve  202 , the sensor does not create a signal and sent to the ventilator  210 . Therefore, no ventilation occurs under this situation. 
     FIG. 4B  illustrates a schematic cross-sectional configuration of an exemplary embodiment showing the ventilation system in operation. Items in  FIG. 4B  that are the same as items in  FIG. 4A  are indicated by the same reference numerals. 
   For disconnection of the pipeline  240  and the gas outlet  235  of the gas cabinet  230 , the gasket  236  is released from its connection to the gas outlet  235  of the gas cabinet  230 . The first sleeve  201  then moves toward the gas outlet  235  of the gas cabinet  230  along the pipeline  240 , and creates a relative movement between the first sleeve  201  and the second sleeve  202 , or between the sleeve device  200  and the gas outlet  235  of the gas cabinet  230 . The sensor  220  can sense the relative movement and generate a signal to control the ventilator  210 . In embodiments, the ventilator  210  starts venting gas leaked from the gas outlet  235  of the gas cabinet  230 . The leakage gas will flow through the aperture  203  of the first sleeve  201  and between the inner and outer walls of the first sleeve  201  to the ventilator  210 . 
   Although the present invention has been described in terms of exemplary embodiments, it is not limited thereto. Rather, the appended claims should be constructed broadly to include other variants and embodiments of the invention which may be made by those skilled in the field of this art without departing from the scope and range of equivalents of the invention.