Residual oxygen reduction system
US6635116B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 29, 2000 |
| Grant date | Oct 21, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 5, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01L21/67017
- WIPO fieldSurface technology, coating
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
An apparatus for reducing residual oxygen content from a processing chamber of an atmospheric reactor after the processing chamber of the atmospheric reactor has been exposed to an oxygen environment. The processing chamber of the atmospheric reactor has an inert gas purge, including an inert gas source, for reducing a residual oxygen level within the processing chamber of the atmospheric reactor at a rate of reduction. A venturi vacuum system is enabled by the inert gas source. The venturi vacuum system draws a vacuum on the processing chamber of the atmospheric reactor and supplements the inert gas purge, thereby accelerating the rate at which the residual oxygen level is reduced within the processing chamber of the atmospheric reactor. In this manner, the vacuum created by the venturi vacuum system increases the efficiency of the inert gas purge by reducing by some moderate degree the pressure within the processing chamber of the atmospheric reactor. This provides additional gas flow within the processing chamber to physically remove the residual oxygen from the processing chamber. However, the vacuum provided by the venturi vacuum system is not high enough to cause damage to th…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.