Precision Pump With Multiple Heads

Abstract

A high purity, high precision pump capable of pumping more than one type of chemistry or process fluid without requiring cleaning or changing of surfaces contacting the processing fluid. The pump employs a single drive mechanism coupled in parallel with multiple pumping chambers, each capable of handling a different type of manufacturing fluid. The pump can be utilized as part of a single stage or multi-stage pump system.

1 . A pump system for use in selectively dispensing a plurality of different process fluids, comprising:
 a plurality of process fluid displacement mechanisms;   one or more actuation mechanisms coupled with the plurality of displacement mechanisms for actuating each of the plurality of process fluid displacement mechanisms, the number of process fluid displacement mechanisms being greater than the number of actuation mechanisms; and   valves in fluid communication with the plurality of process fluid displacement mechanisms operable for controlling flow of process fluid from the plurality of fluid displacement mechanisms during dispensing and for permitting flow of process fluids into each of the plurality of fluid displacement mechanisms during recharging of pumping means.   
   
   
       2 . The pump system of  claim 1 , further comprising a controller for operating the valves to permit flow of process fluid from only one of the plurality of fluid displacement mechanisms at a time during dispensing. 
   
   
       3 . The pump system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of fluid displacement mechanisms receives process fluid from a different one of a plurality of fluid sources. 
   
   
       4 . The pump system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of fluid displacement mechanisms is in fluid communication with a different one of a plurality of nozzles. 
   
   
       5 . The pump system of  claim 1 , wherein more than one of the plurality of dispense points is located at a single dispense point. 
   
   
       6 . The pump system of  claim 1 , wherein the actuating mechanism includes a hydraulic actuating mechanism. 
   
   
       7 . A pump system for use in handling a plurality of different process fluids in applications imposing constraints on handling process fluid, comprising:
 an actuation mechanism for pumping actuating fluid;   a plurality of pump chambers, each including at least one process fluid inlet and at least one process fluid outlet to the pumping chamber;   a diaphragm for dividing each pump chamber and for separating process fluid from actuation fluid; and   each pump chamber in fluid communication with the actuation mechanism through at least one channel permitting unrestricted flow into the pump head of substantially incompressible actuation fluid, the at least one process fluid outlet coupled to at least one valve for selectively preventing and allowing the flow of process fluid through the pump head;   whereby operation of the hydraulic actuating mechanism to displace actuating fluid causes actuating fluid to flow only into each of the plurality pump chambers coupled with opened at least one valve, resulting in pumping.   
   
   
       8 . The pump system of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one fluid channel permits unrestricted flow from the pump chamber and into the actuating mechanism of actuation fluid. 
   
   
       9 . The pump system of  claim 7 , wherein actuation mechanism is comprised of a displacement mechanism for moving actuation fluid coupled with an incremental advancement mechanism. 
   
   
       10 . The pump system of  claim 7 , wherein the displacement mechanism is comprised of a piston translated by a screw turned by a stepper motor. 
   
   
       11 . The pump system of  claim 7 , further comprising a controller for selectively operating the at least one valve to which each of the plurality of pump heads is coupled to selectively allow and stop flow of process fluids. 
   
   
       12 . The pump system of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one valve includes a controllable valve for selectively opening and closing a line coupled with the outlet. 
   
   
       13 . The pump system of  claim 12 , further comprising a one-way check-valve coupled with the process fluid outlet of each of the plurality of pump chambers for allowing fluid to flow only in one direction out of the pump head, and a one-way check valve coupled with the process fluid inlet of each of the plurality of pump chambers for allowing fluid to flow only in one direction into the pump head. 
   
   
       14 . The pump system of  claim 7 , wherein each of the plurality of pump chambers is coupled with a process fluid nozzle for dispensing process fluid. 
   
   
       15 . The pump system of  claim 14 , wherein the process fluid nozzles coupled to plurality of pump chambers are located and arranged on a processing line for dispensing process fluids onto the same semiconductor substrate. 
   
   
       16 . The pump system of  claim 7 , wherein the outlet of each of the plurality of pump chambers is in fluid communication with a filter for filtering the process fluid. 
   
   
       17 . The pump system of  claim 7 , wherein the actuating mechanism is mounted within a central structure, and the plurality of pump chambers is at least partially formed by at least one removable pump head structure supported on the central structure. 
   
   
       18 . The pump system of  claim 12 , further comprising a plurality of pump head structures, the plurality of pump head structures being arrayed around the support structure. 
   
   
       19 . The pump system of  claim 7  comprised of a plurality of actuation mechanisms, wherein the number of the plurality of pump chambers exceeds the number. 
   
   
       20 . A pump for use in concurrently handling a plurality of different process fluids in applications imposing constraints on handling process fluid, comprising:
 a structure forming a central reservoir for storing substantially incompressible actuation fluid, in which a displacement member is disposed for moving actuating fluid into and out of the central reservoir;   a plurality of pump chambers, each pump chamber including at least one process fluid inlet and at least one process fluid outlet to a pumping chamber;   each of the plurality of pump chambers including at least a portion of a diaphragm dividing the pump chamber and separating actuation fluid from process fluid from within the pump chamber;   at least one channel permitting unrestricted flow between the pump chamber and the reservoir of substantially incompressible actuation fluid; and   at least one valve coupled with the at least one process fluid outlet coupled for preventing and allowing the flow of process fluid through the pump chamber;   whereby operation of the hydraulic actuating mechanism to displace actuating fluid causes fluid to flow only into pump chambers with outlets coupled with at least one valve that is opened.   
   
   
       21 . The pump of  claim 20 , further comprising, for each pump chamber, a one-way check-valve coupled with the process fluid outlet for allowing fluid to flow only in one direction out of the pump chamber, and a one-way check valve coupled with the process fluid inlet of each of the pump heads for allowing fluid to flow only in one direction into the pump chamber. 
   
   
       22 . The pump of  claim 20 , wherein the displacement mechanism is coupled with an incremental advancement mechanism. 
   
   
       23 . The pump of  claim 20 , wherein the central structure has formed thereon a plurality of faces, to which a plurality of pump heads are respectively mounted, each face cooperating with one of a plurality of the pump heads in order to form one of the plurality of pump chambers, the diaphragm for each pump chamber being mounted between respective ones of the plurality of pump heads and the central structure. 
   
   
       24 . The pump of  claim 20  wherein the plurality of pump chambers are integrated with, and arrayed around, the structure forming the reservoir. 
   
   
       25 . In a pump comprised of an actuation mechanism for pumping actuating fluid and a plurality of pump chambers, each in fluid communication with the actuation mechanism through at least one fluid communication channel permitting unrestricted flow of actuating fluid between the pump chamber and actuating mechanism, each of the plurality of pump chambers including at least one process fluid outlet coupled to at least one outlet valve, a method comprising:
 charging each of the plurality of pump chambers with process fluid;   displacing a predetermined amount of actuating fluid from the actuating mechanism;   selectively opening for process fluid flow at least one outlet for one or more of the plurality of pump chambers; and   closing the at least one outlet for each of the other ones of the plurality of pump chambers in order to create back-pressure with the process fluid in the pump chambers that tends to prevent actuation fluid from flowing into the pump chamber;   whereby actuating fluid flows only into the ones of the plurality of pump chambers with the at least one outlet opened, resulting in displacement of process fluid from the pumping chamber.   
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein each pump chamber includes a diaphragm separating process fluid from actuation fluid. 
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the actuation mechanism is comprised of a displacement mechanism for moving actuation fluid coupled with an incremental advancement mechanism. 
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the displacement mechanism is comprised of a piston translated by a screw turned by a stepper motor. 
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the pump further comprises a one-way check-valve coupled with the process fluid outlet for each pump head for allowing fluid to flow only in one direction out of the pump head, and a one-way check valve coupled with the process fluid inlet of each of the pump heads for allowing fluid to flow only in one direction into the pump head. 
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the actuating mechanism is mounted within a central structure, and each of the pumping chambers is formed at least in part by a pump head structure supported on the central structure. 
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the plurality of pump heads are arrayed around the support structure. 
   
   
       32 . The pump of  claim 30 , wherein the central structure has formed thereon a plurality of faces, to which the pump head structure is mounted, each face cooperating with the pump head in order to form one of the plurality of pump chambers; and wherein each pump chamber includes a diaphragm for each pump chamber mounted between respective ones of the pump head and the central structure. 
   
   
       33 . A substrate with structures formed in part by using a pump, the pump being comprised of an actuation mechanism for pumping actuating fluid and a plurality of pump chambers, each in fluid communication with the actuation mechanism through at least one fluid communication channel permitting unrestricted flow of actuating fluid between the pump chamber and actuating mechanism, each of the plurality of pump chambers including at least one process fluid outlet coupled to at least one outlet valve; wherein using the pump comprises:
 charging each of the plurality of pump chambers with process fluid;   selectively opening at least one outlet for one or more of the plurality of pump chambers;   closing the at least one outlet for each of the other ones of the plurality of pump chambers in order to create back-pressure with the process fluid in the pump chambers that tends to prevent actuation fluid from flowing into the pump chamber;   displacing a predetermined amount of actuating fluid from the actuating mechanism for delivery to a dispense point near the substrate;   whereby actuating fluid flows only into the ones of the plurality of pump chambers with the at least one outlet opened, resulting in displacement of process fluid from the pumping chamber.   
   
   
       34 . The substrate of  claim 33 , wherein each pump chamber includes a diaphragm separating process fluid from actuation fluid. 
   
   
       35 . The substrate of  claim 33 , wherein the actuation mechanism is comprised of a displacement mechanism for moving actuation fluid coupled with an incremental advancement mechanism. 
   
   
       36 . The substrate of  claim 33 , wherein the displacement mechanism is comprised of a piston translated by a screw turned by a stepper motor. 
   
   
       37 . The substrate of  claim 33 , wherein the pump further comprises a one-way check-valve coupled with the process fluid outlet for each pump head for allowing fluid to flow only in one direction out of the pump head, and a one-way check valve coupled with the process fluid inlet of each of the pump heads for allowing fluid to flow only in one direction into the pump head. 
   
   
       38 . The substrate of  claim 33 , wherein the actuating mechanism is mounted within a central structure, and each of the pumping chambers is formed at least in part by a pump head structure supported on the central structure. 
   
   
       39 . The substrate of  claim 38 , wherein the plurality of pump heads are arrayed around the support structure. 
   
   
       40 . The substrate of  claim 38 , wherein the central structure has formed thereon a plurality of faces, to which the pump head structure is mounted; each face cooperating with the pump head in order to form one of the plurality of pump chambers; and wherein each pump chamber includes a diaphragm for each pump chamber mounted between respective ones of the pump head and the central structure. 
   
   
       41 . The substrate of  claim 33 , wherein each of the plurality of pump chambers is in fluid communication with a separate one of a plurality of nozzles oriented for dispensing process fluid onto the substrate.