New High-Speed EtherCAT Mass Flow Controllers from Brooks Instrument
Part of the company's overall family of semiconductor products, the industry-leading GF100 Series features several enhancements to help maximize the use of its EtherCAT capabilities, as well as to boost process yields and productivity for next-generation tools and fabs:
- Embedded diagnostics that leverage real-time EtherCAT data acquisition capabilities for advanced fault detection and classification
- An ultra-stable flow sensor (≤ 0.15 percent of S.P. drift per year) that enables tighter low set point accuracy and reduces maintenance requirements
- Improved valve shutdown that reduces valve leak-by to minimize potential first wafer effects
- Lowered pressure transient insensitivity to less than one percent of S.P. with five PSI per second pressure perturbations, which reduces crosstalk sensitivity for consistent mass flow delivery
The GF100 Series MFCs enhanced with the EtherCAT interface are ideal for several key applications:
- Semiconductor etch tools
- Thin-film chemical vapor deposition systems (CVD, MOCVD, PECVD, ALD)
- Physical vapor deposition (PVD) systems
- Epitaxial process systems
"EtherCAT is the fastest Industrial Ethernet technology in use today, and it is also engineered to synchronize with nanosecond accuracy," said Alexandra Liso, product manager at Brooks Instrument. "That makes it the perfect enhancement to our GF100 Series, the semiconductor industry's fastest and most accurate mass flow controller."
Designed for semiconductor processes that demand fast response and repeatable delivery of process gases with high- and ultra-high levels of purity, the GF100 Series exceeds the semiconductor industry standard for reliability, ensuring precise and highly stable process gas flow control over time.
Every model in the GF100 Series has an all-metal, corrosion-resistant flow path with reduced surface area and unswept volumes that ensure faster dry-down during purge steps. In addition, the GF100 Series features advanced MultiFlo™ technology, available exclusively from Brooks Instrument. MultiFlo enables the MFC to support and switch between thousands of gas and flow range combinations without removing it from the gas line or compromising accuracy.
Liso added that the company's experience developing proven, robust instrumentation for high-speed tools and networks enabled Brooks Instrument to integrate the EtherCAT interface into its existing GF100 Series platform for maximum responsiveness and control.
The EtherCAT interface will be available on the GF Series low-flow models (GF100/120/125); the high-flow devices (GF101/121/126); and safe delivery system (SDS) models GF120 XSL and GF120 XSD.
