Atmospheric pressure plasma enhanced abatement of semiconductor process effluent species

• US 6,576,573 B2
• Filed: 02/09/2001
• Issued: 06/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Advanced Technology Materials, Inc. (Entegris Incorporated)
• Inventors: Arno, Jose I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zarabian, Amir
• Assistant Examiner(s): PERKINS, PAMELA E
• Application Number:
  US09/781,037
• Publication Number:
  US 20020111045A1
• Time in Patent Office: 851 Days
• Field of Search: 438/798, 438/905, 422/168, 422/172, 422/186.04
• US Class Current: 438/798
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/32 by electrical effects other than those provided for in group B01D61/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 438/905 Cleaning of reaction chamber

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and system for non-thermal abatement of effluent species generated in a semiconductor processing unit. In the method, an effluent stream is introduced into a discharge reactor wherein the components of the effluent stream are subjected to a corona discharge and maintained therein for a sufficient time to detoxify and/or dissociate the harmful components of the effluent stream. The discharge reactor, maintained at approximately atmospheric pressure, is positioned after the low-pressure semiconductor processing chamber and connecting vacuum pump system to limit interference with the semiconductor plasma processing tool.

Claims

1. A non-thermal plasma method for abatement of effluent species generated in a semiconductor processing unit, said method comprising:

withdrawing an effluent stream from said semiconductor processing chamber by a vacuum pump;

introducing the effluent stream from the vacuum pump into a corona discharge reactor at approximately atmospheric pressure;

subjecting the effluent stream to a corona discharge in the corona discharge reactor; and

maintaining the effluent stream in the corona discharge reactor for a sufficient time to destroy effluent species.

2. The non-thermal plasma method according to claim 1 wherein the corona discharge is generated by applying a high electrical voltage between electrodes in the discharge reactor.

3. The non-thermal plasma method according to claim 1 wherein the discharge reactor is positioned as a point of use abatement reactor.

4. The non-thermal plasma method according to claim 1 wherein the discharge reactor is combined with a further abatement system selected from the group consisting of a dry scrubber, wet scrubber and a thermal decomposition reactor.

5. The non-thermal plasma method according to claim 2 wherein the electrodes are at least a single pair of electrodes and the voltage applied across the electrodes is about 10,000 to about 30,000 volts.

6. The non-thermal plasma method according to claim 1 wherein the discharge reactor is located downstream of the semiconductor processing chamber.

7. The non-thermal plasma method according to claim 1 further comprising the addition of an oxidizing or reducing agent to the effluent stream.

8. The non-thermal plasma method according to claim 1 wherein the effluent stream comprises gaseous and solid compounds.

9. The non-thermal plasma method according to claim 2 wherein the electrodes are a high voltage electrode and a ground electrode.

10. The non-thermal plasma method according to claim 9 wherein the discharge reactor further comprises a dielectric or ferroelectric material positioned between the high voltage electrode and ground electrode.

11. The non-thermal plasma method according to claim 10 further comprising at least one transpirational tube comprising a porous material to reduce deposition of solid by-products generated by a dielectric reaction.

12. The non-thermal plasma method according to claim 9 wherein the discharge reactor further comprises insulators.

13. The non-thermal plasma method according to claim 2 wherein the high voltages are DC or AC.

14. The non-thermal plasma method according to claim 2 wherein the voltage is applied by a voltage regime selected from the group consisting of pulsed voltage regimes and continuous voltage regimes.

15. A non-thermal plasma method for abatement of effluent species generated in a semiconductor processing unit, the method comprising:

a) withdrawing an effluent gas stream from the semiconductor processing unit by a vacuum pump;

b) introducing a gas mixture into a corona discharge reactor at approximately atmospheric pressure, the gas mixture comprising the effluent gas stream from the vacuum pump and a reactive partner;

c) subjecting the gas mixture to a corona discharge zone in the discharge reactor; and

d) maintaining the gas mixture in the corona discharge reactor for a sufficient time to allow components of the effluent gas stream to react with energized electrons and reactive partners to destroy and/or convert effluent species in the effluent gas stream.

16. The non-thermal plasma method according to claim 15 wherein the corona discharge is generated by applying a high electrical voltage between electrodes in the discharge reactor, the electrodes comprising a high voltage electrode and a ground electrode.

17. The non-thermal plasma method according to claim 15 wherein the discharge reactor is combined with a further abatement system selected from the group consisting of a dry scrubber, wet scrubber and a thermal decomposition reactor.

18. The non-thermal plasma method according to claim 15 wherein the discharge is located downstream of the semiconductor processing chamber.

19. The non-thermal plasma method according to claim 16 wherein the discharge reactor further comprises a dielectric or ferroelectric material positioned between the high voltage electrode and ground electrode.

20. The non-thermal plasma method according to claim 15 wherein the reactive partner is an easily ionizable gas.

21. A non-thermal plasma abatement method comprising:

a) removing an effluent gas stream from a semiconductor processing chamber by a connecting vacuum system and introducing the effluent gas stream from the connecting vacuum system into an abatement chamber; and

b) subjecting the effluent gas stream to a corona discharge at approximately atmospheric pressure in the abatement chamber for a sufficient time to render harmless the components of the effluent stream while concurrently subjecting the gas stream and harmless components to a secondary abatement method for separation of gaseous and solid components.

22. The non-thermal plasma method according to claim 21 wherein the corona discharge is generated by applying a high electrical voltage between electrodes in the discharge reactor.

23. The non-thermal plasma method according to claim 21 wherein the secondary abatement method is selected from dry scrubbing, wet scrubbing and thermal decomposition.

24. The non-thermal plasma method according to claim 21 further comprising the addition of an oxidizing or reducing gas to the effluent gas stream.