Patent ID: 7531061

Claim:
A method for etching by operating a temperature controller coupled to an etch process chamber, the method comprising: determining an etch process type; supplying an etch gas to the process chamber through a double helix structure in-line heat exchange assembly, the etch gas being determined from the etch process type, wherein the double helix structure in-line heat exchange assembly includes an inlet side temperature sensor and an outlet side temperature sensor, at least one helically wound heating element and at least one helically wound cooling element separate from the heating element, the helically wound heating element and helically wound cooling element together forming the double helix structure; determining a desired gas temperature for the etch gas using the etch process type; determining the etch gas temperature in the in-line heat exchange assembly by sensing a temperature of the etch gas entering the heat exchange assembly and sensing a temperature of the etch gas exiting the heat exchange assembly; comparing the etch gas temperature to the desired etch gas temperature using a control unit coupled to the in-line heat exchange assembly computing heat to be transferred to or from the gas as a function of power delivered to the heating element or flow rate and temperature of coolant in the cooling element, said computing being based on the sensed temperatures and the desired temperature; and adjusting the etch gas temperature in the in-line heat exchange assembly when the comparison indicates that a temperature adjustment is required, said adjusting based on the computed heat to be transferred including actively heating the etch gas using the at least one heating element and actively cooling the etch gas using the at least one cooling element to provide the desired etch gas temperature.