Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for reducing perfluorocompound gases from substrate processing equipment emissions

US6517913B1 · kind B1 · utility

30Cited by
21References
22Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 3, 2000
Grant dateFeb 11, 2003
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 22, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02P70/50
  • WIPO fieldChemical engineering
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

An apparatus for converting PFC gases exhausted from semiconductor processing equipment to less harmful, non-PFC gases. One embodiment of the apparatus includes a silicon filter and a plasma generation system. The plasma generation system forms a plasma from the effluent PFC gases. Constituents from the plasma react with silicon and/or oxygen in the filter and convert the effluent PFC gases to less harmful, non-PFC gaseous products and byproducts. Another embodiment includes a plasma generation system and a particle trapping and collection system. The particle trapping and collection system traps silicon containing residue from deposition processes that produces such residue, and the plasma generation system forms a plasma from the effluent PFC gases. Constituents from the plasma react with the collected residue to convert the effluent PFC gases to less harmful, non-PFC gaseous products and byproducts.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.