METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING DEPOSITION OF REACTION PRODUCTS IN PROCESS ABATEMENT REACTORS

• US 20070190469A1
• Filed: 10/31/2006
• Published: 08/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Clark, Daniel, Raoux, Sebastien, Crawford, Shaun, Vermeulen, Robert
• Application Number:
  US11/555,087
• Publication Number:
  US 20070190469A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 431/5
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2251/104 Ozone
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2251/106 Peroxides
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2251/2062 Ammonia
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2258/0216 from CVD treatment or semi-conductor manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/38 Removing components of undefined structure
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/68 Halogens or halogen compounds
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/74 General processes for purification of waste gases; Apparatus or devices specially adapted therefor B01D53/92 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/79 Injecting reactants
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/8659 Removing halogens or halogen compounds
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/8662 Organic halogen compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4412 Details relating to the exhausts, e.g. pumps, filters, scrubbers, particle traps
• CPC Class Codes: F23C 7/02 Disposition of air supply not passing through burner to obtain a cyclonic tapering flame when burning pulverulent fuel F23C5/32
• CPC Class Codes: F23D 2900/00016 Preventing or reducing deposit build-up on burner parts, e.g. from carbon
• CPC Class Codes: F23G 7/065 using gaseous or liquid fuel
• CPC Class Codes: F23M 5/00 Casings; Linings; Walls

Abstract

In certain embodiments, methods, systems, and apparatus are provided for use in removing pollutants from a gas stream. The invention includes a thermal reaction unit formed from a plurality of stacked porous ceramic rings. The porous rings include perforations adapted to allow fluid to be flowed into the thermal reaction unit. By flowing fluid through the porous rings, deposition of waste effluent and/or by-products on the interior of the thermal reaction unit is prevented. Numerous other aspects are provided.

Claims

1. An apparatus for use during the abatement of a semiconductor manufacturing process comprising:

a thermal reaction unit having;

an exterior wall having a plurality of perforations adapted to pass of a fluid therethrough;

an interior porous wall that defines a central chamber, the interior porous wall formed from a plurality of stacked porous sections;

at least one waste gas inlet in fluid communication with the central chamber and adapted to introduce a gaseous waste stream to the central chamber;

a thermal mechanism positioned within the central chamber and adapted to decompose the gaseous waste stream within the central chamber, thereby forming reaction products; and

a fluid delivery system adapted to provide a fluid through the perforations of the exterior wall and to the central chamber through the interior porous wall at a sufficient force to reduce deposition of reaction products on an inner surface of the interior porous wall of the central chamber;

wherein the perforations in the exterior wall provide a pressure drop across the thermal reaction unit of about 0.1 to about 5 psi.

2. An apparatus for use during the abatement of a semiconductor manufacturing process comprising:

a thermal reaction unit having;

an exterior wall having a plurality of perforations adapted to pass of a fluid therethrough;

an interior porous wall that defines a central chamber, the interior porous wall formed from a plurality of stacked porous sections;

at least one waste gas inlet in fluid communication with the central chamber and adapted to introduce a gaseous waste stream to the central chamber;

a thermal mechanism positioned within the central chamber and adapted to decompose the gaseous waste stream within the central chamber, thereby forming reaction products; and

a fluid delivery system adapted to provide a fluid through the perforations of the exterior wall and to the central chamber through the interior porous wall at a sufficient force to reduce deposition of reaction products on an inner surface of the interior porous wall of the central chamber;

wherein the fluid deliver system is adapted to provide at least one of water, steam, air, clean dry air, clean enriched air, oxygen enriched air, oxygen depleted air, inert gas, a reagent, an oxidizer and depleted air;

wherein the fluid delivery system is adapted to provide a fluid at a pressure of about 600 psig or less.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the fluid delivery system is adapted to provide at least one of ozone, hydrogen peroxide and ammonia.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the fluid delivery system is adapted to provide only water or only air.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the fluid delivery system is adapted to provide a fluid under periodic pulsing.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the fluid delivery system is adapted to provide fluid using a pulse duration of from about 3 ms to 1 second.

7. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the fluid delivery system is adapted to provide a fluid at a pressure of less than to about 100 psig.

8. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the fluid delivery system is adapted to provide a fluid at a pressure of about 50 psig to about 100 psig.

9. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the fluid delivery system is adapted to provide a fluid at a pressure of about 5 psig to about 50 psig.

10. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the fluid delivery system is adapted to provide a fluid at a pressure of about 1/10 psig to about 5 psig.

11. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the thermal reaction unit includes at least one oxidant inlet positioned to introduce an oxidant to the central chamber.

12. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the thermal reaction unit includes at least one additional gas inlet for introducing a combustible fuel to the central chamber.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the combustible fuel comprises at least one of oxygen, city gas, LPG, propane, methane, hydrogen, butane, ethanol, 13A and natural gas.

14. A method for use during the abatement of a semiconductor manufacturing process comprising:

providing a thermal reaction unit having;

an exterior wall having a plurality of perforations adapted to pass of a fluid therethrough;

an interior porous wall that defines a central chamber, the interior porous wall formed from a plurality of stacked porous sections;

at least one waste gas inlet in fluid communication with the central chamber and adapted to introduce a gaseous waste stream to the central chamber;

a thermal mechanism positioned within the central chamber and adapted to decompose the gaseous waste stream within the central chamber, thereby forming reaction products; and

a fluid delivery system adapted to provide a fluid through the perforations of the exterior wall and to the central chamber through the interior porous wall at a sufficient force to reduce deposition of reaction products on an inner surface of the interior porous wall of the central chamber;

wherein the perforations in the exterior wall provide a pressure drop across the thermal reaction unit of about 0.1 to about 5 psi; and

employing the thermal reaction unit to abate the semiconductor device manufacturing process.

15. A method for use during the abatement of a semiconductor manufacturing process comprising:

providing a thermal reaction unit having;

an exterior wall having a plurality of perforations adapted to pass a fluid therethrough;

an interior porous wall that defines a central chamber, the interior porous wall formed from a plurality of stacked porous sections;

at least one waste gas inlet in fluid communication with the central chamber and adapted to introduce a gaseous waste stream to the central chamber;

a thermal mechanism positioned within the central chamber and adapted to decompose the gaseous waste stream within the central chamber, thereby forming reaction products; and

a fluid delivery system adapted to provide a fluid through the perforations of the exterior wall and to the central chamber through the interior porous wall at a sufficient force to reduce deposition of reaction products on an inner surface of the interior porous wall of the central chamber;

wherein the fluid deliver system is adapted to provide at least one of water, steam, air, clean dry air, clean enriched air, oxygen enriched air, oxygen depleted air, inert gas, a reagent, an oxidizer and depleted air;

wherein the fluid delivery system is adapted to provide a fluid at a pressure of about 600 psig or less; and

employing the thermal reaction unit to abate the semiconductor device manufacturing process.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising employing the fluid delivery system to provide at least one of ozone, hydrogen peroxide and ammonia during abatement.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising employing the fluid delivery system to provide only water or only air during abatement.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising employing the fluid delivery system to provide a fluid under periodic pulsing during abatement.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising employing the fluid delivery system to provide fluid using a pulse duration of from about 3 ms to 1 second.

20. The method of claim 15 further comprising employing the fluid delivery system to provide a fluid at a pressure of less than to about 100 psig.

21. The method of claim 15 further comprising employing the fluid delivery system to provide a fluid at a pressure of about 50 psig to about 100 psig.

22. The method of claim 15 further comprising employing the fluid delivery system to provide a fluid at a pressure of about 5 psig to about 50 psig.

23. The method of claim 15 further comprising employing the fluid delivery system to provide a fluid at a pressure of about 1/10 psig to about 5 psig.

24. The method of claim 15 wherein the thermal reaction unit includes at least one oxidant inlet positioned to introduce an oxidant to the central chamber.

25. The method of claim 15 wherein the thermal reaction unit includes at least one additional gas inlet for introducing a combustible fuel to the central chamber.

26. The method of claim 15 further comprising introducing at least one of oxygen, city gas, LPG, propane, methane, hydrogen, butane, ethanol, 13A and natural gas to the central chamber during abatement.