Method, apparatus and system for semiconductor manufacturing

Abstract

This invention relates to a process comprising providing a reactor containing a SiOx compound, wherein 0x2, and receiving a fluorinated gas at the reactor. The process also includes obtaining a gaseous mixture formed in the reactor at a high temperature and removing silicon tetrafluoride from the gaseous mixture. An apparatus includes: a reactor containing a SiOx compound, wherein 0x2; a component for receiving the fluorinated gas at the reactor; a heating element for heating the SiOx compound and the fluorinated gas in the reactor; and a separation component for removing silicon tetrafluoride from the gaseous mixture formed in the reactor. A semiconductor manufacturing process includes using the process to defluorinate waste gas. A system for semiconductor manufacturing includes a set of components for performing the process.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the reaction of halogenated compounds, and more specifically, to the reduction of fluorinated gas emissions. Prior Technology

[0002] In semiconductor manufacturing, fluorinated and other process gases provide selectivity and specificity in processes such as etching, deposition, and chamber cleaning. Fluorinated gases are used to pattern semiconductor wafers that primarily contain silicon or silicon compounds and multiple material layers thereon. The resulting exhaust gas contains a small portion of silicon tetrafluoride (SiF4) and a larger portion of unreacted or partially reacted fluorinated compounds. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Various embodiments pertain to a process comprising receiving fluorinated gas at a reactor containing a SiOx compound, wherein 0 ≤ x ≤ 2. The process also includes obtaining a gaseous mixture formed in the reactor at a high temperature and removing silicon tetrafluoride from the gaseous mixture.

[0004] Additional embodiments are directed to an apparatus comprising: a reactor containing a SiOx compound, wherein 0 ≤ x ≤ 2; an assembly for receiving fluorinated gas at the reactor; a heating element for heating the SiOx compound and the fluorinated gas in the reactor; and a separation assembly for removing silicon tetrafluoride from the gaseous mixture formed in the reactor.

[0005] Other embodiments relate to a system with an apparatus comprising: a reactor containing a SiOx compound, wherein 0 ≤ x ≤ 2; an assembly for receiving fluorinated gas at the reactor; a heating element for heating the SiOx compound and the fluorinated gas in the reactor; and a separation assembly for removing silicon tetrafluoride from the gaseous mixture formed in the reactor.

[0006] An additional embodiment relates to a semiconductor manufacturing process involving the defluorination of waste gas. The process includes receiving fluorinated gas at a reactor containing a SiOx compound, where 0 ≤ x ≤ 2. The process also includes obtaining a gaseous mixture formed in the reactor at a high temperature and removing silicon tetrafluoride from the gaseous mixture.

[0007] Other embodiments relate to a system for semiconductor manufacturing, comprising a set of components configured to perform a fluoride gas emission reduction process. This process includes receiving fluoride gas at a reactor containing a SiOx compound, where 0 ≤ x ≤ 2. The process also includes obtaining a gaseous mixture formed in the reactor at a high temperature and removing silicon tetrafluoride from the gaseous mixture. Simple Explanation of the Diagram

[0008] The drawings included in this application are incorporated into and form part of the specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with the specification, serve to explain the principles of the present disclosure. The drawings illustrate only certain embodiments and do not limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0009] Figure 1A is a flowchart illustrating a fluorinated gas emission reduction process according to some embodiments.

[0010] Figure 1B is a flowchart illustrating a computer-implemented method for optimizing fluorinated gas emission reduction according to some embodiments.

[0011] Figure 2A is a block diagram illustrating a system for reducing fluorinated gas emissions using metal vapor and silicon dioxide according to some embodiments.

[0012] Figure 2B is a block diagram illustrating a system for reducing fluorinated gas emissions using elemental silicon, according to some embodiments.

[0013] Figure 2C is a block diagram illustrating a system for reducing fluoride gas emissions during semiconductor processing according to some embodiments.

[0014] Figures 3A and 3B are cross-sectional views illustrating examples of metal vapor sources for fluoride gas emission reduction according to some embodiments.

[0015] Figures 4A and 4B are cross-sectional views illustrating an apparatus for reducing fluorinated gas emissions according to some embodiments.

[0016] Figure 5 is a block diagram illustrating a computing environment according to some embodiments.

[0017] While the invention allows for various modifications and alternatives, its details have been shown in the drawings by way of example and will be described in detail. However, it should be understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to the specific embodiments described. Rather, it is intended to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives that fall within the spirit and scope of the invention. Implementation

[0018] The embodiments of the present invention are generally directed toward the reaction of halogenated compounds, and more specifically, relate to the reduction of fluorinated compound emissions in exhaust gases. While this disclosure is not necessarily limited to such applications, various aspects of the disclosure can be understood by discussing various examples in this context.

[0019] Although the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to these examples, and many variations of these embodiments will be readily conceived by those skilled in the art upon reading this disclosure. Therefore, the invention can be further described by way of the following embodiments without limitation and by way of example only.

[0020] Example 1: A process comprising: receiving a fluorinated gas in a reactor containing a SiOx compound, wherein 0 ≤ x ≤ 2, obtaining a gaseous mixture formed in the reactor at a high temperature, and removing silicon tetrafluoride (SiF4) from the gaseous mixture. This process may have the technical benefit of self-washing the fluorinated compound from the gas in a manner that allows for the capture and use of the SiF4 formed during washing.

[0021] Example 2: The process is the same as in Example 1, where 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.1. This formula indicates that the compound SiOx is essentially elemental silicon, which advantageously acts as a detergent for fluorinated compounds in gases.

[0022] Example 3: The process is the same as in Example 1 or 2, wherein the high temperature is between approximately 960°C and 1100°C. These temperatures optimize the reactivity of the fluorinated compound with the SiOx compound.

[0023] Example 4: A process as described in any of Examples 1 to 3, wherein removing SiF4 involves wet washing. Using wet washing to remove SiF4 can be advantageous when integrating this process into an existing system.

[0024] Example 5: A process as described in any of Examples 1 to 3, wherein removing SiF4 involves passing a gaseous mixture through sodium bicarbonate or sodium fluoride to form sodium fluorosilicate. The advantage of this approach is that relatively low-cost materials can be used to reduce the toxicity of SiF4 and convert it into synthetically useful compounds.

[0025] Example 6: The process of Example 5 further includes the use of sodium fluorosilicate to generate fluorides. This advantageously recovers fluorine from fluorinated compounds and forms fluorides that are suitable for a wide variety of applications.

[0026] Example 7: The process of Example 5 further includes the use of sodium fluorosilicate to produce high-purity silicon. The advantage of this is that SiOx can be recycled to form silicon for use in the semiconductor industry.

[0027] Example 8: A process as described in Examples 1 and 3 to 7, wherein the SiOx compound comprises silicon dioxide. Advantages of silicon dioxide may include its low cost and versatility.

[0028] Example 9: The process is the same as in Example 8, wherein the reactor also contains zinc vapor. Zinc vapor can promote the conversion of fluorinated compounds and silicon dioxide into SiF4.

[0029] Example 10: The process of any one of Examples 1 to 9 further includes using at least one sensor to monitor the emission reduction of fluorinated gas, generating a machine learning model for modeling emission reduction, and generating instructions for optimizing emission reduction based on the monitoring and machine learning model.

[0030] Example 11: An apparatus comprising: a reactor containing a SiOx compound, wherein 0 ≤ x ≤ 2; a component for receiving fluorinated gas at the reactor; a heating element for heating the SiOx compound and the fluorinated gas in the reactor; and a separation component for removing silicon tetrafluoride (SiF4) from the gaseous mixture formed in the reactor. This apparatus may have the technical benefit of self-washing fluorinated compounds from the gas in a manner that allows for the capture and use of SiF4 formed during washing.

[0031] Example 12: The apparatus as in Example 11, wherein 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.1. This formula indicates that the compound SiOx is essentially elemental silicon, which advantageously acts as a detergent for fluorinated compounds in gases.

[0032] Example 13: The apparatus as in Example 11 or 12, wherein the high temperature is between approximately 960°C and 1100°C. These temperatures optimize the reactivity of the fluorinated compound with the SiOx compound.

[0033] Example 14: The apparatus of any one of Examples 11 to 13, wherein the separation component includes a scrubber containing sodium bicarbonate or sodium fluoride. The advantage of this is that relatively low-cost materials can be used to reduce the toxicity of SiF4 and convert SiF4 into synthetically useful compounds.

[0034] Example 15: An apparatus as described in any of Examples 11 to 14, wherein 1.5 ≤ x ≤ 2. This formula indicates that the compound SiOx is essentially silicon dioxide. Advantages of silicon dioxide may include its low cost and versatility.

[0035] Example 16: The device as in Example 15 further includes a metal vapor source.

[0036] Example 17: The apparatus of Example 16 further includes a mixing component for mixing metal vapor with fluorinated gas.

[0037] The technical benefits of Examples 16 and 17 may be that zinc vapor can promote the conversion of fluorinated compounds and silicon dioxide into SiF4.

[0038] Example 18: An apparatus as described in any of Examples 11 to 17, wherein the fluorinated gas is waste gas from semiconductor processing. Semiconductor processing is the primary source of fluorinated gas, and the apparatus offers the technical benefit of reducing emissions of this gas.

[0039] Example 19: A device as described in any of Examples 11 to 18, wherein the device is monitored by at least one sensor communicating with a computing device. This may have the technical benefit of allowing greater control over the manufacturing process of the device.

[0040] Example 20: The device as described in Example 19, wherein the computing unit is configured to generate a machine learning model for modeling a fluoride gas emission reduction process, and based on the monitoring and machine learning model, generates instructions for the device. This can have the technical benefits of applying machine learning to optimize the use of the device for fluoride gas emission reduction.

[0041] Example 21: A system comprising an apparatus including: a reactor containing a SiOx compound, wherein 0 ≤ x ≤ 2; an assembly for receiving fluorinated gas at the reactor; a heating element for heating the SiOx compound and the fluorinated gas in the reactor; and a separation assembly for removing silicon tetrafluoride (SiF4) from the gaseous mixture formed in the reactor. This apparatus may have the technical benefit of self-washing fluorinated compounds from the gas in a manner that allows for the capture and use of SiF4 formed during washing.

[0042] Example 22: A semiconductor manufacturing process comprising defluorinating exhaust gas using a process comprising receiving fluorinated gas at a reactor containing a SiOx compound, wherein 0 ≤ x ≤ 2, obtaining a gaseous mixture formed in the reactor at a high temperature, and removing silicon tetrafluoride (SiF4) from the gaseous mixture. This process may have the technical benefit of scrubbing fluorinated compounds from exhaust gas in a manner that allows for the capture and use of SiF4 formed during scrubbing.

[0043] Example 23: The process is the same as in Example 22, wherein removing SiF4 involves passing a gaseous mixture through sodium bicarbonate or sodium fluoride. The advantage of this approach is that relatively low-cost materials can be used to reduce the toxicity of SiF4 and convert it into synthetically useful compounds.

[0044] Example 24: A system for semiconductor manufacturing, comprising a set of components configured to perform a fluoride gas emission reduction process. The fluoride gas emission reduction process includes: providing a reactor containing a SiOx compound, wherein 0 ≤ x ≤ 2; receiving fluoride gas at the reactor; obtaining a gaseous mixture formed in the reactor at a high temperature; and removing silicon tetrafluoride (SiF4) from the gaseous mixture. This process may have the technical benefit of scrubbing fluoride compounds from waste gas in a manner that allows for the capture and use of SiF4 formed during scrubbing.

[0045] Example 25: The system of Example 24 further includes a computing device configured to generate instructions for at least one component of the group of components based on a machine learning model used for modeling the fluorinated gas emission reduction process. This can have the technical benefit of applying machine learning to optimize fluorinated gas emission reduction.

[0046] Various embodiments of this disclosure are described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numbers refer to like components. Alternative embodiments may be designed without departing from the scope of this disclosure. It should be noted that different connections and positional relationships (e.g., above, below, adjacent, etc.) are described between the elements in the following description and drawings. Unless otherwise specified, such connections and / or positional relationships may be direct or indirect, and this disclosure is not intended to be restrictive in this regard. Thus, coupling of entities may refer to direct or indirect coupling, and positional relationships between entities may be direct or indirect positional relationships. As an example of an indirect positional relationship, referring to the present description, a layer "A" is formed above layer "B" including one or more intermediate layers (e.g., layer "C") located between layer "A" and layer "B," provided that the relevant characteristics and functionality of layers "A" and "B" are not substantially altered by one or more intermediate layers.

[0047] The following definitions and abbreviations are used to explain the scope of the patent application and the specification. As used herein, the terms "comprises," "comprising," "includes," "including," "has," "having," "contains," or "containing," or any other variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a composition, mixture, process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited to those elements, but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such composition, mixture, process, method, article, or apparatus.

[0048] For the purposes of the description below, the terms “upper,” “lower,” “right,” “left,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” “top,” “bottom,” and their derivatives shall be oriented as shown in the accompanying drawings and relating to the structures and methods described. The terms “overlying,” “atop,” “on top,” “over,” “positioned on,” or “positioned atop” mean that a first element, such as in a first structure, exists on a second element, such as in a second structure, wherein an intervening element, such as in an interface structure, may exist between the first and second elements. The term “direct contact” means that the first element, such as in the first structure, and the second element, such as in the second structure, are connected at the interface between the two elements without any intermediate conductive, insulating, or semiconductor layer. It should be noted that the term “selective to,” such as (for example) “the first element is selective to the second element,” means that the first element can be etched, and the second element can act as an etch stop.

[0049] As used herein, the articles “a” and “an” preceding an element or component are intended to be non-restrictive regarding the number of instances (i.e., occurrences) of the element or component. Therefore, “a” or “an” should be understood to include one or at least one, and the singular form of an element or component also includes the plural unless the number clearly indicates a singular.

[0050] As used herein, the terms "invention" or "present invention" are non-limiting terms and are not intended to refer to any single aspect of a particular invention, but to cover all possible aspects as described in the specification and claims.

[0051] Unless otherwise indicated, the ranges indicated herein (e.g., time, concentration, temperature, etc.) include the endpoints and all numbers between the endpoints. Unless otherwise specified, the tilde (~) or terms (such as "about," "substantially," "approximately," "slightly less than") and variations thereof are used to include the degree of error associated with measuring a particular quantity based on the equipment available at the time of filing this application. For example, "about" may include a range of ±8%, 5%, or 2% of a given value, a range of values, or the endpoints of one or more ranges of values. Unless otherwise indicated, the use of terms (such as those relating to ranges) applies to both ends of the range (e.g., "about 1 g to 5 g" should be interpreted as "about 1 g to about 5 g"), and terms relating to a list of ranges apply to each range in the list (e.g., "about 1 g to 5 g, 5 g to 10 g, etc." should be interpreted as "about 1 g to about 5 g, about 5 g to about 10 g, etc.").

[0052] As described herein, the compounds disclosed herein may be substituted with one or more substituents, or as illustrated by the specific class, subclass, and species of this disclosure. As described herein, any of the foregoing or hereinafter described portions may be substituted with one or more substituents as described herein.

[0053] In the context of this disclosure, the term "substituted" means that one or more hydrogen atoms of a specified radical or group are independently replaced by one or more identical or different substituents. Additionally, the term "substituted" specifically refers to one or more, such as two, three, or more substituents, commonly used in this technique. However, it is generally known that substituents should be selected such that they do not adversely affect the useful properties of the compound or its function.

[0054] For the sake of brevity, known techniques related to the manufacture of semiconductor devices and integrated circuits (ICs) may or may not be described in detail herein. Furthermore, the various tasks and process steps described herein may be incorporated into more comprehensive processes or fabrications with additional steps or functionalities not described in detail herein. Specifically, the various steps involved in manufacturing semiconductor devices and semiconductor-based ICs are well-known, and therefore, for the sake of brevity, many known steps will only be briefly mentioned herein or will be omitted entirely without providing well-known process details.

[0055] Turning to a more specific technical overview relevant to the present disclosure, generally speaking, in semiconductor manufacturing, fluorinated and other process gases provide selectivity and specificity in processes such as etching, deposition, and chamber cleaning. Fluorinated compounds (e.g., tetrafluoromethane (CF4), trifluoromethane (CHF3), perfluorinated and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), etc.) are used to pattern semiconductor wafers primarily containing silicon or silicon compounds and multiple material layers thereon. The resulting exhaust gas contains a small portion of silicon tetrafluoride (SiF4) and a larger portion of unreacted or partially reacted fluorinated compounds. The concept of "hot electrons" explains the advantageous action of plasma in converting silicon (Si) or Si compounds into SiF4, where electrons behave as if the process were carried out at high temperatures.

[0056] Fluorinated gases are a major component of direct (Category 1) and indirect (Category 2) greenhouse gas emissions from semiconductor manufacturing plants (“Fab”). Some of these fluorinated compounds (e.g., NF3) are reactive and can be reliably scrubbed from the exhaust gas of manufacturing equipment. However, many fluorinated compounds used in large quantities (e.g., fluorocarbons such as CF4, CHF3, etc.) are relatively inert and therefore difficult to capture or recover. Scrubbing systems for SiF4 are currently essential in most industrial applications, with wet scrubbing being the norm.

[0057] Specific obstacles to reducing the emissions of gaseous fluorocarbons (PFAS) and other fluorinated compounds include their high escape pressure, high stability, low polarity, and low water solubility. Furthermore, the reuse of captured fluorinated gases in semiconductor manufacturing can be hampered by the industry's extreme purity requirements. For example, the release of contaminants during wafer processing and the low volume of gases recovered using existing technologies can limit the effectiveness of on-site purification and reuse facilities.

[0058] Therefore, destructive methods are commonly used to eliminate fluorinated gases and other waste gases (e.g., chlorinated gases). Given the toxicity and flammability of byproducts in semiconductor waste gas mixtures, these byproducts are typically incinerated, followed by washing away soluble species. This process aims to convert the waste gas mixture into smaller species that are easily washed away with water or alkaline solutions.

[0059] While chlorinated compounds can be converted in this process, the high stability of the carbon-fluorine (CF) bond makes it difficult to decompose fluorocarbons using this method. CF4 is considered particularly resilient to incineration, requiring temperatures exceeding 1400°C. This resilience to emissions reduction stems from the fact that the CF bond is the strongest in organic chemistry and is further strengthened by additional fluorine atoms (4 being the maximum value). Therefore, in most cases, attempts to reduce emissions of larger PFAS molecules through industry-standard incineration methods result in the formation of CF4 as a byproduct. Fluorocarbon decomposition using plasma and / or catalyst-assisted methods has been proposed, but these require significant investments in equipment and energy, further increasing the carbon footprint of the manufacturing plant.

[0060] Other methods may include separating fluorinated species from waste gases, followed by further refining, for example, at a waste treatment facility. Separation techniques may include cryogenic liquefaction and distillation of the fluorinated components, continuous chromatography, membrane separation, and solid-state adsorption. Other separation techniques may include absorption into a carrier liquid or adsorption into a porous carbon or metal-organic framework. A disadvantage of these absorption strategies is that fluorination can impart solution properties significantly different from those of typical hydrocarbons. To facilitate the adsorption of fluorocarbons, the absorbent medium itself may need to be chemically fluorinated to enhance the interaction energy between the target gas and the medium.

[0061] The embodiments disclosed herein overcome these and other disadvantages of current technologies for reducing emissions from fluorinated gases. In some embodiments, a gas comprising a fluorinated compound (“fluorinated gas”) can be mixed with elemental silicon or a silicon compound (such as silicon dioxide) at high temperatures (e.g., about 960°C to 1100°C). Hereinafter, silicon, silicon dioxide, and mixtures thereof are collectively referred to by the formula SiOx, where x is greater than or equal to zero (e.g., 0 ≤ x ≤ 2). The reaction between the fluorinated compound and SiOx can form SiF4 and carbon (e.g., nanoparticles, graphene, amorphous materials, etc.). After condensation, the carbon can be removed by filtering the defluorinated gas. SiF4 can react with sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) or sodium fluoride (NaF) to form sodium fluorosilicate (Na2SiF6), but other washing methods can also be used to remove SiF4. Na₂SiF₆ can be used to generate high-purity SiF₄, which can then be converted into fluorides and / or silicon (e.g., high-purity polycrystalline silicon for semiconductor applications). This allows for the recovery of fluorine from semiconductor waste gases. In some embodiments, substantially all fluorine can be recovered.

[0062] In other embodiments, the fluorinated gas can be mixed with metal vapors other than SiOx. For example, gaseous fluorocarbons can react with zinc (e.g., zinc vapor) and silicon dioxide to form zinc oxide (ZnO), carbon, and SiF4. ZnO and carbon can be separated as solids, and SiF4 can be removed by washing as described above. Due to the high reactivity of alkali metals and alkaline earth metals, metals such as Zn are more suitable for defluorination than alkali metals and alkaline earth metals. High reactivity can lead to excessive condensation of the metal in the reaction products, and makes the safe (especially on a large scale) disposal of alkali metals and alkaline earth metals difficult and expensive.

[0063] Referring now to the figures, where the same numbers denote the same or similar elements, Figure 1A is a flowchart illustrating a fluorination gas emission reduction process 100 according to some embodiments. A reactor containing SiOx may be provided. This is illustrated at operation 110. In some embodiments, the reactor contains substantially pure elemental silicon (e.g., SiOx where x = 0 to 0.1) or predominant elemental silicon (e.g., SiOx where x = 0.1 to 0.5). In other embodiments, the reactor may contain a mixture of silicon dioxide (e.g., SiOx where x = about 2) and metal (e.g., zinc) vapor from a metal vapor source (see Figures 3A and 3B). However, any suitable combination of SiOx and, where appropriate, metal vapor may be provided in the reactor. SiOx may be in any suitable form having sufficient surface area (e.g., particles with an average size in the range of 1 nm to 1 mm). In some embodiments, the SiOx in the reactor may include silicon particles, silicon nanoparticles, silicon powder, silicon pellets, silicon wool, silicon sponge, silicon shavings, etc. In other embodiments, such as when using metal vapor, the SiOx in the reactor may be materials such as silica sand, silica nanoparticles, silica powder, porous or mesoporous silica, etc.

[0064] The reactor can receive fluorinated gas from a fluorinated gas source. This is illustrated at operation 120. The fluorinated gas can be waste gas from semiconductor processing. In some embodiments, the fluorinated waste gas can be treated, for example, by removing other components of the waste gas before it enters the reactor. The reaction occurring in the reactor can be carried out at high temperatures (e.g., about 960°C to 1100°C). When the reactor contains silicon as the primary element (e.g., SiOx where x = 0 to 0.5), the fluorinated compounds in the fluorinated gas can react with SiOx to form SiF4 and carbon. When metal vapor and silicon dioxide as the primary element (e.g., SiOx where x = 1 to 2) are used, the fluorinated compounds in the waste gas can react with the metal vapor and SiOx to form metal oxides, carbon, and SiF4. In some embodiments, these products can be passed through substantially pure silicon to convert any unreacted fluorinated compounds into SiF4.

[0065] SiF4 can be removed (washed) from the gaseous mixture formed in the reactor. This is illustrated at operation 130. The gaseous mixture formed in the reactor may include the products of the reaction between the fluorinated compounds received at operation 120, SiOx, and, if appropriate, metal vapor. In some embodiments, the gaseous mixture formed in the reactor may travel from the reactor to a cryogenic component (e.g., a cooling and / or separation component) that allows products such as carbon and fluorides to be condensed during or before washing.

[0066] Various SiF4 detergents / techniques can be used at operation 130. For example, a gaseous mixture formed in the reactor can be passed through NaHCO3 or NaF, which can convert SiF4 into Na2SiF6. SiF4 can be absorbed by solid NaF at or below about 300°C (e.g., about 100°C to 300°C). Desorption can occur at or above about 600°C. In some embodiments, particularly when using NaF, this washing process can be performed under vacuum, if applicable.

[0067] Na₂SiF₆ can be used to generate high-purity SiF₄, which can then be converted into fluoride (F⁻) compounds (e.g., hydrogen fluoride, sodium fluoride, metal fluorides, etc.). For example, fluorides can be produced via hydrolysis in either the liquid or gas phase. The fluorides can be of high purity (e.g., at least 99.99% to 99.999% purity). This allows for the recovery of fluorine from semiconductor waste gases. Na₂SiF₆, or SiF₄ generated from its thermal decomposition, can also be used to generate silicon (e.g., high-purity polycrystalline silicon for semiconductor applications).

[0068] In some embodiments, other washing methods known in this art can be used to remove SiF4. For example, a wet washing method can be used to treat the gaseous mixture. Wet washing may include using hydrofluoric acid to convert SiF4 into hexafluorosilicic acid (H2SiF6), which may be used for water fluorination or to produce fluorine derivatives, such as HF in cyclic processes in the semiconductor industry, if appropriate.

[0069] The defluorinated waste gas can then be released or further treated (e.g., to remove other components of the waste gas). This is illustrated at operation 140. Hereinafter, "defluorinated gas" and "defluorinated waste gas" refer to gases (including gaseous mixtures) in which the concentration of fluorinated compounds is reduced relative to their concentration prior to fluorinated gas reduction (e.g., operations 110 to 130). In some embodiments, the percentage reduction in fluorinated gas is greater than about 50%. In other embodiments, the defluorinated gas may be substantially free of fluorinated compounds, for example, wherein the percentage reduction is about 95% to 99%, 98% to 99%, 99% to 99.99%, or higher.

[0070] Figure 1B is a flowchart illustrating process 145 of a computer-implemented method for optimizing fluorinated gas emission reduction according to some embodiments. The fluorinated gas emission reduction process (e.g., process 100) can be monitored. This is illustrated at operation 150. A machine learning model of the emission reduction process can be generated. This is illustrated at operation 160. Based on the monitoring and model, suggestions, insights, and / or instructions for, for example, to perform the process more efficiently can be generated. This is illustrated at operation 170. Process 145 is discussed in more detail below with reference to Figure 2C.

[0071] Figure 2A is a block diagram illustrating a system 201 for reducing fluorinated gas emissions using metal vapor and silicon dioxide according to some embodiments. Figure 2B is a block diagram illustrating a system 215 for reducing fluorinated gas emissions using elemental silicon according to some embodiments. Where the components of systems 201 and 215 are substantially similar, the same reference numerals are used.

[0072] System 201 includes a thermally insulating assembly 202, comprising a metal vapor source 203, a mixing assembly 206, a reactor 209, and a heat source 211. The metal vapor source 203 introduces metal (e.g., zinc) vapor into the mixing assembly 206, where the metal vapor can be mixed with a fluorinated gas at a high temperature (e.g., at operation 120 of process 100). In some embodiments, the mixing assembly 206 has a geometry similar to that of a device for gas combustion (e.g., a gas torch mixer). However, any suitable mixing assembly can be used, such as a high-speed injector, a vortex mixer, etc. In system 201, the mixing assembly 206 can receive fluorinated gas.

[0073] The fluorinated gas may originate from a fluorinated gas source (not shown in Figures 2A and 2B), which may include semiconductor processing equipment. This scenario is discussed in more detail with reference to Figure 2C. The fluorinated gas / metal vapor mixture from mixing assembly 206 may enter reactor 209 at a high temperature. In some embodiments, this is facilitated by reduced pressure within reactor 209. Reactor 209 may contain silicon dioxide (e.g., in sand form). In some embodiments, the reaction mixture may be passed through elemental silicon (not shown in Figure 2A) after the silicon dioxide to remove any potentially unreacted fluorinated compounds.

[0074] System 215 includes a thermal isolation component 202, comprising a reactor 209 and a heat source 211. In system 215, fluorinated gas from a fluorinated gas source can be received via reactor 209, where the fluorinated gas is combined with elemental silicon (e.g., SiOx where x = 0 to 0.5) at high temperature (e.g., at operation 120 of process 100).

[0075] Any suitable reactor 209 may be used in systems 201 and 215, such as a homogeneous volumetric reactor, a packed bed reactor containing a catalyst or consumable reagent, etc. Any suitable heat source 211 may be used to heat the thermal insulation components 202 of systems 201 and 215. Examples of usable heat sources 211 may include direct resistance, inductive, and / or microwave heating. In some embodiments, more than one heat source is used. For example, the metal vapor source 203 of system 201 may have its own heat source, such as a graphite boiler, a tubular / crucible furnace, an electric melting boiler, etc.

[0076] Systems 201 and 215 may each include a separation assembly 213 for separating self-defluorinating gas products and other materials. Separation assembly 213 may include one or more chambers, filters, reagents, etc. For example, solids such as zinc oxide, zinc fluoride, excess zinc, and carbon may condense in the cooling chamber of the separation assembly in system 201. In system 215, a cooling assembly may be used to condense carbon. In some embodiments, separation assembly 213 uses a coolant to promote condensation in the cooling chamber, reaction chamber, filter assembly, etc. In other embodiments, the deposition chamber and / or other portions of separation assembly 213 may be at ambient temperature. The deposition chamber may include other components such as a carbon filter (see, for example, Figures 4A and 4B).

[0077] Separation assembly 213 may include filters, cyclone separators, chemical absorbents, physical absorbents, and / or other components for isolating, reacting, and / or purifying condensed material. For example, a cyclone separator and / or sleeve filter may be used to assist in the separation of condensed material from self-defluorinating gases. Separation assembly 213 may be integrated with a commercially available stainless steel bag filter housing. In some embodiments, additional reagents in solid (e.g., silicon dioxide or silicon), gaseous, or liquid phases, as well as chemical absorbents (e.g., NaHCO3 or NaF) and / or physical absorbents, may be used to facilitate effective PFAS emission reduction and / or separation of reaction products to obtain defluorinated waste gas. In system 201, the separation assembly may also be used to remove excess metals. For example, excess condensed Zn may be removed by evaporation at approximately 907°C. Zinc may be collected and, if appropriate, recovered.

[0078] In both systems 201 and 215, separation component 213 may use NaHCO3 or NaF to wash away SiF4 produced by the reaction with SiOx. The reaction with NaHCO3 or NaF can form Na2SiF6. Using NaF instead of NaHCO3 prevents the generation of carbon dioxide (CO2) as a washing byproduct and allows washing to be performed under vacuum. Although NaHCO3 and NaF are illustrated herein, any suitable compound for reacting with SiF4 to form Na2SiF6 may be used in system 201 or 215.

[0079] In some embodiments, other washing methods known in this art may be used to remove SiF4. For example, wet washing, gas dilution, or other techniques known in this art may be used to remove SiF4 before gas release. These may be used as alternatives to or supplements to the reactants used to form Na2SiF6. The defluorination gas may be released or further processed (e.g., at operation 140 of process 100).

[0080] Figure 2C is a block diagram illustrating a system 220 for fluoride gas emission reduction during semiconductor processing according to some embodiments. In Figure 2C, dashed arrows indicate the movement of material between components of system 220, and solid arrows indicate the movement of data between components of system 220. Wafer batches 221 from a semiconductor manufacturing plant can be provided for wafer processing equipment 223 to generate integrated circuits. Wafer processing equipment 223 may include tools for plasma etching. Plasma etching may use fluorinated compounds (e.g., CF4, PFAS, etc.) to pattern a semiconductor wafer primarily containing SiOx and other material layers thereon. Fluoride exhaust gases may be transferred to systems 201 or 215 (Figures 2A and 2B, respectively). More specifically, fluoride exhaust gases may be transferred to reactor 209 of mixing component 206 of system 201 or 215. The exhaust gases may be treated by system 201 or 215, for example, according to process 100 (Figure 1), to remove fluoride gases. The defluorinated waste gas can then be released or further treated.

[0081] In some embodiments, system 220 may also include an artificial intelligence (AI) based controller (“AI controller”) 226. In other embodiments, AI controller 226 may be omitted. AI controller 226 may be used in process 100 to facilitate a desired reaction, for example by generating instructions for adjusting the composition of fluorinated gas, reagents, and / or adsorbent towers. In some embodiments, AI controller 226 may facilitate process 100 by performing worldwide literature searches, monitoring the process and operation of system 220, and generating experimental adjustments for process 100.

[0082] AI controller 226 may include sensor module 229 that receives data from sensors at wafer processing equipment 223 and / or system 201 or 215 (e.g., at operation 150 of process 145). Examples of sensors that may be used may include in-line flow meters, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy analysis modules, mass spectrometers, temperature sensors, digital cameras, microscopes, optical sensors, and / or current sensors. Sensors are not shown in Figure 2C.

[0083] Sensor data can be input into a machine learning (ML) model 233 generated to simulate the emissions reduction process (e.g., at operation 160 of process 145). In some embodiments, the ML model 233 receives real-time sensor data (from sensor module 229) or material and energy flow values ​​derived from AI, which can be compiled into a digital twin (not shown) of system 220 or system 201 / 215. For example, AI controller 226 can use the digital twin to optimize process 100 to reduce chemical, water, and energy consumption based on process flow learned operations. Based on sensor data and / or other input information (see below), the ML model 233 can predict actions that may benefit the emissions reduction process. Instructions based on these predictions can be provided via instruction module 236 to the semiconductor manufacturing plant, wafer processing equipment 223, and / or system 201 / 215 (e.g., at operation 170 of process 145).

[0084] Depending on the situation, systems 220 and / or 201 or 215 may be equipped with a variety of modules (not shown), such as multiple gas (e.g., metal vapor, oxygen, hydrogen, water, natural gas, etc.), solid (e.g., sand, metal, etc.) and / or liquid reagent and adsorbent (e.g., water, NaOH washing solution, etc.) sources, and multiple reactors or separation units (e.g., boilers, nozzles, packed beds, wet scrubbers, etc.). AI controller 226 can be used to select these modules individually or in different combinations and / or sequences. In some embodiments, automatic adjustments can be made via these modules in response to instructions from instruction module 236 (see below).

[0085] In some embodiments, the predictions made by ML module 233 are based on data from the semiconductor manufacturing plant. For example, this information may be based on data from sensor module 229 (e.g., FTIR or mass spectrometry) and / or on information from the semiconductor manufacturing plant (e.g., which tools, materials, and / or processes are being used). In some embodiments, the information may indicate variations in exhaust gas composition. Running chamber cleaning and validation tests with different manufacturing tools and various PFAS-based formulations at the semiconductor manufacturing plant can result in a wide variety of manufacturing exhaust gas compositions in system 220. For example, introducing different amounts of additional elements for optimal plasma processes at wafer processing equipment 223 can cause such variations.

[0086] Different exhaust gas compositions may require different emission reduction methods. Therefore, the AI ​​controller 226 can use information about the manufacturing plant's exhaust gas composition to optimize the emission reduction parameters at system 201 or 215. In some embodiments, the AI ​​controller 226 can implement these different methods by adjusting system 220 settings (e.g., airflow, temperature, etc.) via the instruction module 236. For example, the ML model 233 can predict, based on the composition of the generated exhaust gas, that intentionally adding oxygen to the fluorinated exhaust gas flow will improve the efficiency of the fluorinated gas emission reduction reaction. In response to this prediction, the instruction module 236 can instruct the gas source module (see above) to add oxygen to the exhaust gas flow traveling from the wafer processing equipment 223 to system 201 or 215.

[0087] In another example, ML model 233 can determine that insufficient metal vapor is being introduced into mixing component 206. ML model 233 can also diagnose the potential cause of this deficiency (e.g., based on data from sensor module 229). In response, command module 236 can instruct one or more components of system 201 to take appropriate action. For example, command module 236 may instruct (e.g., via heating element 211) to raise the temperature of metal vapor source 203 to ensure sufficient evaporation of the metal, divert the waste gas flow to a mixing component connected to a second metal vapor source (not shown), or instruct to replenish the metal in metal vapor source 203.

[0088] The AI ​​controller 226 can also use the predictions of the ML model 233 to generate suggestions for novel reaction pathways, such as those involving one or more co-reagents and / or one or more adsorbents. These suggestions can be output via a user interface for review by human experts. Predicting numerous side reactions and potential ways to mitigate them can be computationally intensive and benefit from interaction between human experts and the AI ​​controller 226, for example, using Bayesian optimization.

[0089] Figures 3A and 3B are cross-sectional views illustrating devices 301 and 302 for reducing fluorinated gas emissions using metal vapors, according to some embodiments. Devices 301 and 302 may be examples of the system 201 illustrated in Figure 2A. Specifically, devices 301 and 302 illustrate examples of thermal isolation components 202 with different types of zinc vapor sources 203. The thermal isolation components 202 may be heated by a heat source 211 to at least the boiling point of zinc, which may include an inductive or resistive heating coil (represented by gray cylinders in Figures 3A to 4B). Bubbles are represented by gray rectangles containing white circles in Figures 3A and 3B, indicating molten zinc 309. Dashed arrows indicate the movement of gases in Figures 3A to 4B.

[0090] In Figure 3A, apparatus 301 uses a boiler-type metal vapor source 203, which may include a crucible containing molten zinc 309. In Figure 3B, apparatus 302 uses a bubbler-type metal vapor source 203, which may include a crucible containing molten zinc 309 and a carrier gas entering the crucible via a carrier gas passage 316. The carrier gas may be an inert gas, such as nitrogen (N2). The carrier gas promotes the evaporation of the molten metal 309.

[0091] In some embodiments, the amount of usable zinc 309 in any vapor source 203 may be continuously supplied by any technique known to those skilled in the art (e.g., molten metal injection, wire feeding, or particulate (powder or granular) metal feeding). In some embodiments, unreacted zinc vapor is condensed, collected from separation component 213, and used to supply molten zinc 309.

[0092] In both devices 301 and 302, gaseous zinc generated in metal vapor source 203 can travel through channel 310 to mixing assembly 206 (see Figure 2A). Fluorinated gases and other waste gases, if present, from fluorinated gas sources (such as wafer processing equipment 223 shown in Figure 2C) can enter mixing assembly 206 through fluorinated gas channel 314. In some embodiments, waste gases from wafer processing equipment 223 or other sources may be collected and / or treated before entering fluorinated gas channel 314.

[0093] Fluorinated gas and zinc vapor can enter reactor 209. In reactor 209, the fluorinated gas and zinc vapor react to form zinc fluoride (ZnF2) and carbon. Reactor 209 may also include silicon dioxide, which can react with ZnF2 to form SiF4. The gaseous mixture of unreacted material and products formed in reactor 209 can proceed to separation component 213. The defluorination waste gas can be separated from the material condensed in separation component 213. Reactor 209 and separation component 213 are discussed in more detail with reference to Figures 1 to 2B.

[0094] Figures 4A and 4B are cross-sectional views illustrating apparatuses 401 and 402 for reducing fluorinated gas emissions using elemental silicon, according to some embodiments. The two apparatuses 401 and 402 are similar, differing in that apparatus 402 has a more compact configuration than apparatus 401. Each apparatus 401 / 402 may include a reactor 209 containing SiOx (e.g., where x = 0 to 0.1 or x = 0.1 to 0.5) and a heat source 211. Each apparatus 401 / 402 may receive fluorinated gas from, for example, wafer processing equipment / fluorinated gas source 223. The fluorinated gas may enter reactor 209 via fluorinated gas channel 314. The fluorinated compound may react with the SiOx in reactor 209 to form SiF4.

[0095] The resulting gaseous mixture of product and unreacted material can be transferred from reactor 209 to separation assembly 213, which may include a carbon filter 415 having a cooling assembly 417 (represented by a white cylinder) for condensing carbon. In some embodiments, a channel 412 may exist between the reactor and separation assembly 213. In other embodiments, a separate condensation chamber (not shown) may be present. Additionally, the carbon filter 415 and / or cooling assembly 417 may be omitted as appropriate.

[0096] Separation assembly 213 may also include a washing material 418 for reacting with SiF4 to form Na2SiF6. The washing material 418 may be, for example, NaF or NaHCO3. Na2SiF6 can be used in subsequent processes to generate higher purity SiF4 (e.g., by thermal decomposition) that can be used to produce fluorides and / or high-purity silicon. As discussed above with respect to Figures 2A and 2B, separation assembly 213 may also use other washing techniques or materials as a substitute or supplement to passing through NaHCO3 or NaF. Other elements of separation assembly 213 that may be included in apparatus 401 / 402 are discussed in more detail above. Defluorinated gases may exit from separation assembly 213 through outlet 425.

[0097] The following section discusses experimental examples of CF4 emission reduction:

[0098] Example 1: A small quartz tube (10 mm inner diameter (ID)) was inserted into a 1-inch diameter quartz tube, and 5 g of Zn powder was placed directly into the smaller tube along the heated length (the portion of the tube directly positioned in the hot zone of the boiler). The quartz tube was purged with nitrogen (N2, 50 cm3) for 30 minutes. After purging, a gas mixture of 5% CF4 / 95% N2 was allowed to flow through the smaller tube at a rate of 50 cm3. The furnace temperature was gradually increased to 1100°C at maximum rate over approximately 30 minutes. After exceeding the boiling point of Zn (>907°C), the CF4 concentration detected by residual gas analysis (RGA) at the exhaust gas rapidly decreased to 1.06% of the original concentration (98.9% emission reduction efficiency). Once the zinc source was depleted, the CF4 concentration rapidly increased, eventually returning to the original concentration.

[0099] Products were analyzed on the surface of a smaller quartz tube using secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). SIMS analysis indicated the presence of zinc oxide (ZnOx, where x ≥ 1) on the surface of the hot zone of the tube. Black carbonaceous deposits were found between the hot zone and the tube outlet. Additionally, full RGA spectral analysis showed a mass 85 peak (SiF3+), indicating the presence of SiF4, which could be a product of a side reaction between ZnF2 and the quartz tube (silicon dioxide). Blank tests performed in the absence of Zn produced neither CF4 emission reduction nor solid products.

[0100] Example 2: Using essentially the same method as the first experimental example, except that the defluorinated gas / product was passed through NaHCO3 before leaving the quartz tube. RGA analysis of the exhaust gas did not show a SiF3+ peak, indicating that NaHCO3 acted as a solid adsorbent for SiF4. Furthermore, energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirmed the conversion of NaHCO3 to Na2SiF6. This second experimental example resulted in a 98.1% reduction in CF4 emissions.

[0101] Example 3: A 6 mm ID quartz tube filled with Si microparticles was inserted into a 1-inch diameter quartz tube. Si microparticles were obtained by pulverizing approximately half of an 8-inch intrinsic Si wafer to <1 mm particles in an agate mortar. The Si microparticles were held in place using two quartz wool packings. The smaller quartz tube was purged with nitrogen (N2, 50 cm3) for 30 minutes. After purging, a gas mixture of 5% CF4 / 95% N2 was passed through the smaller tube at a rate of 50 cm3. The furnace temperature was gradually increased to 1100°C at maximum rate over approximately 30 minutes. Similar to Example 2, the gas / product passed through NaHCO3 before exiting the quartz tube. The CF4 concentration detected at the exhaust gas by residual gas analysis (RGA) indicated a >95% CF4 emission reduction at 1000°C and a >99% CF4 emission reduction at 1100°C. When NaHCO3 is not used, a strong SiF3+ peak is detected by RGA, while when NaHCO3 is used as in Example 2, no SiF3+ peak is detected. NaHCO3 acts as a solid adsorbent for SiF4, thereby causing its conversion to Na2SiF6.

[0102] Figure 5 is a block diagram illustrating a computing environment 500 according to some embodiments. The computing environment 500 contains instances of program logic 509 for executing at least some of the computer program code involved in carrying out the methods of the present invention, such as using an AI-based controller 226 (Figure 2B) for fluoride gas emission reduction. The program logic 509 can also monitor and generate instructions for fluoride gas emission reduction in a semiconductor processing environment. In addition to block 509, the computing environment 500 includes, for example, a computer 501, a wide area network (WAN) 502, an end-user device (EUD) 503, a remote server 504, a public cloud 505, and a private cloud 506. In this embodiment, computer 501 includes processor set 510 (including processing circuitry 520 and cache memory 521), communication mesh architecture 511, volatile memory 512, persistent storage 513 (including operating system 522 and the block 509 identified above), peripheral device set 514 (including user interface (UI), device set 523, storage 524 and Internet of Things (IoT) sensor set 525), and network module 515. Remote server 504 includes remote database 530. Public cloud 505 includes gateway 540, cloud orchestration module 541, host physical machine set 542, virtual machine set 543, and container set 544.

[0103] Computer 501 may take the form of: desktop computer, laptop computer, tablet computer, smartphone, smartwatch or other portable computer, mainframe computer, quantum computer, or any other known or future-developed form of computer or mobile device capable of running programs, accessing networks, or querying databases, such as remote database 530. As is fully understood in the field of computer technology, and depending on the technology, the performance of a computer implementation method can be distributed across multiple computers and / or multiple locations. On the other hand, in this presentation of computing environment 500, the detailed discussion focuses on a single computer, specifically computer 501, to keep the presentation as simple as possible. Computer 501 may reside in the cloud, even if it is not shown in the cloud in Figure 1. On the other hand, except to any extent that can be definitively indicated, computer 501 does not need to be in the cloud.

[0104] Processor set 510 includes one or more computer processors of any type known or to be developed in the future. Processing circuitry system 520 may be distributed over multiple packages, such as multiple coordinated integrated circuit chips. Processing circuitry system 520 may implement multiple processor threads and / or multiple processor cores. Cache memory 521 is memory located within one or more processor chip packages and is typically used for data or code that should be readily accessible by threads or cores running on processor set 510. Cache memory is typically organized into multiple tiers depending on its relative proximity to the processing circuitry system. Alternatively, some or all of the cache memory used in the processor set may be located "off-chip". In some computing environments, processor set 510 may be designed to utilize quantum mechanics and perform quantum operations.

[0105] Computer-readable program instructions are typically loaded onto computer 501 to cause the processor set 510 of computer 501 to perform a series of operational steps and thereby implement the computer-implemented method, such that the instructions executed thereby instantiate the methods specified in the flowcharts and / or descriptions of the computer-implemented method included herein (collectively, the "method of the invention"). These computer-readable program instructions are stored in various types of computer-readable storage media, such as cache memory 521 and other storage media discussed below. The program instructions and associated data are accessed by processor set 510 to control and direct the execution of the method of the invention. In computing environment 500, at least some of the instructions for performing the method of the invention may be stored in persistent storage 513 in block 509.

[0106] The communication mesh architecture 511 is a signal transmission path that allows the various components of computer 501 to communicate with each other. Typically, this mesh architecture consists of switches and conductive paths, such as switches and conductive paths forming buses, bridges, physical input / output ports, and the like. Other types of signal communication paths, such as fiber optic communication paths and / or wireless communication paths, can be used.

[0107] Volatile memory 512 is any type of volatile memory known or to be developed in the future. Examples include dynamic random access memory (RAM) or static RAM. Typically, volatile memory is characterized by random access, but this is not essential unless explicitly indicated. In computer 501, volatile memory 512 is located in a single package and inside computer 501, but alternatively or additionally, volatile memory may be distributed across multiple packages and / or located externally relative to computer 501.

[0108] Persistent storage 513 is any form of non-volatile storage for a computer, known or to be developed in the future. The non-volatile nature of this storage means that the stored data is maintained regardless of whether power is supplied to the computer 501 and / or directly to the persistent storage 513. Persistent storage 513 may be read-only memory (ROM), but typically at least a portion of persistent storage allows data to be written, deleted, and rewritten. Some familiar forms of persistent storage include magnetic disks and solid-state storage devices. Operating system 522 may take several forms, such as various known proprietary operating systems or open-source portable operating system interfaces using a kernel. The code included in block 509 typically includes at least some of the computer code involved in carrying out the methods of the present invention.

[0109] Peripheral device set 514 includes a collection of peripheral devices for computer 501. Data communication connections between peripheral devices and other components of computer 501 can be implemented in various ways, such as Bluetooth connectivity, Near Field Communication (NFC) connectivity, cable connections (such as Universal Serial Bus (USB) cables), plug-in connections (e.g., Secure Digital (SD) cards), connections via local area networks, and even connections via wide area networks such as the Internet. In various embodiments, UI device set 523 may include components such as a display screen, speakers, microphones, wearable devices (such as goggles and smartwatches), keyboards, mice, printers, touchpads, game controllers, and haptic devices. Storage 524 is external storage such as an external hard drive, or insertable storage such as an SD card. Storage 524 may be persistent and / or volatile. In some embodiments, storage 524 may be in the form of a quantum computing storage device for storing data in the form of qubits. In embodiments requiring computer 501 to have a large amount of storage (e.g., where computer 501 locally stores and processes large databases), this storage can then be provided by peripheral storage devices designed for storing large amounts of data, such as a storage area network (SAN) shared by multiple geographically distributed computers. The IoT sensor set 525 consists of sensors that can be used in IoT applications. For example, one sensor may be a thermometer, and another sensor may be a motion detector.

[0110] Network module 515 is a collection of computer software, hardware, and firmware to allow computer 501 to communicate with other computers via WAN 502. Network module 515 may include: hardware, such as a modem or Wi-Fi transceiver; software for encapsulating and / or decapsulating data for transmission over a communication network; and / or web browser software for transmitting data over the Internet. In some embodiments, network control and forwarding functions of network module 515 are performed on the same physical hardware device. In other embodiments (e.g., embodiments utilizing Software Defined Networking (SDN), the control and forwarding functions of network module 515 are performed on separate devices, such that the control functions manage several different network hardware devices. Computer-readable process instructions for performing the methods of the present invention can typically be downloaded to computer 501 from an external computer or external storage device via a network adapter card or network interface included in network module 515.

[0111] WAN 502 refers to any wide area network (e.g., the Internet) capable of transmitting computer data over non-local distances using any technology known or to be developed in the future for transmitting computer data. In some embodiments, a WAN may replace and / or supplement a local area network (LAN) designed to transmit data between devices located in a local area such as a Wi-Fi network. WANs and / or LANs typically include computer hardware such as copper transmission cables, optical fiber transmissions, wireless transmissions, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers, and edge servers.

[0112] End-user device (EUD) 503 is any computer system used and controlled by an end-user (e.g., a customer of the enterprise operating computer 501), and may take any of the forms described above in connection with computer 501. EUD 503 typically receives helpful and useful information from the operation of computer 501. For example, if computer 501 is designed to provide recommendations to the end-user, these recommendations will typically be communicated to EUD 503 via WAN 502 from network module 515 of computer 501. In this way, EUD 503 may display or otherwise present recommendations to the end-user. In some embodiments, EUD 503 may be a user terminal device, such as a lightweight client, a heavy-duty client, a mainframe computer, a desktop computer, etc.

[0113] Remote server 504 is any computer system that provides at least some data and / or functionality to computer 501. Remote server 504 can be controlled and used by the same entity operating computer 501. Remote server 504 refers to one or more machines that collect and store helpful and useful data for use by other computers (such as computer 501). For example, in a hypothetical situation where computer 501 is designed and programmed to provide recommendations based on historical data, this historical data can be provided to computer 501 from a remote database 530 of remote server 504.

[0114] The public cloud 505 is any computer system, particularly data storage (cloud storage) and computing power, available on demand to multiple entities providing computer system resources and / or other computing capabilities without direct user management. Cloud computing typically utilizes resource sharing to achieve harmony and economies of scale. Direct and active management of the computing resources of the public cloud 505 is performed by the computer hardware and / or software of the cloud provisioning module 541. The computing resources provided by the public cloud 505 are typically implemented by virtual computing environments running on various computers constituting the host entity set 542, which is the entirety of the physical computers in and / or available to the public cloud 505. Virtual computing environments (VCEs) typically take the form of virtual machines from virtual machine set 543 and / or containers from container set 544. It should be understood that such VCEs can be stored as images and can be transferred as images or, after individualization of the execution of a VCE, between various physical host machines. The cloud orchestration module 541 manages the transmission and storage of images, deploys new VCE instances, and manages the active instances within the VCE deployment. The gateway 540 is a collection of computer software, hardware, and firmware that allows the public cloud 505 to communicate via WAN 502.

[0115] Here is a further explanation of Virtualized Computing Environments (VCEs). A VCE can be stored as an "image." New examples of VCEs can be instantiated from images. Two common types of VCEs are virtual machines and containers. A container is a VCE that uses operating system-level virtualization. This refers to an operating system feature where the kernel allows multiple isolated user-space execution instances called containers. From the perspective of the program running within it, these isolated user-space execution instances typically behave like a real computer. A computer program running on a typical operating system can utilize all of the computer's resources, such as connectivity, files and folders, network sharing, CPU power, and quantifiable hardware capabilities. However, a program running inside a container can only use the contents of the container and the devices assigned to the container; this feature is called containerization.

[0116] Private cloud 506 is similar to public cloud 505, except that its computing resources are available only to a single enterprise. While private cloud 506 is depicted as communicating with WAN 502, in other embodiments, private cloud may be completely disconnected from the internet and accessible only via a local / private network. A hybrid cloud is typically composed of multiple clouds of different types (e.g., private, group, or public cloud types) implemented by different vendors. Each of the multiple clouds remains a separate and discrete entity, but the larger hybrid cloud architecture is bound together by standardized or proprietary technologies that enable orchestration, management, and / or data / application portability across the multiple constituent clouds. In this embodiment, both public cloud 505 and private cloud 506 are parts of a larger hybrid cloud.

[0117] Various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described for illustrative purposes, but such descriptions are not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the described embodiments. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The terminology used herein has been chosen to best explain the principles, practical applications, or technical improvements to technologies found in the market, or to enable others skilled in the art to understand the embodiments described herein.

[0118] 100: Manufacturing Process 110: Operation 120: Operation 130: Operation 140: Operation 145: Manufacturing Process 150: Operation 160: Operation 170: Operation 201: System 202: Thermal Insulation Components 203: Metal vapor source 206: Hybrid Components 209: Reactor 211: Heat source 213: Separate components 215: System 220: System 221: Wafer Batch 223: Wafer Processing Equipment 226: AI Controller 229: Sensor Module 233: Machine Learning Model 236: Instruction Module 301: Equipment 302: Equipment 309: molten zinc 310: Channel 314: Fluoride gas channel 316: Carrier Gas Channel 401: Equipment 402: Equipment 412: Channel 415: Carbon Filter 417: Cooling components 418: Washing materials 425: Export 500: Computing Environment 501: Computer 502:WAN 503: End User Equipment 504: Remote Server 505: Public Cloud 506: Private Cloud 509: Program Logic 510: Processor Set 511: Communication Mesh Architecture 512: Volatile Memory 513: Persistent Storage 514: Peripheral Device Collection 515: Network Module 520: Processing circuit system 521: Cache memory 522: Operating System 523: UI Device Set 524: Storage 525: Internet of Things Sensor Set 530: Remote Database 540: Gate 541: Cloud-based orchestration module 542: Mainframe Assembly 543: Virtual Machine Set 544:Container set

Claims

1. A semiconductor manufacturing method comprising: receiving a fluorinated gas in a reactor containing a SiOx compound, wherein 0 ≤ x ≤ 2; obtaining a gaseous mixture formed in the reactor at a high temperature; and removing silicon tetrafluoride (SiF4) from the gaseous mixture.

2. As in request item 1, where 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.

1.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the high temperature is between approximately 960°C and 1100°C.

4. The method of request 1, wherein the removal of the SiF4 includes wet washing.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein removing the SiF4 comprises passing the gaseous mixture through sodium bicarbonate or sodium fluoride to form sodium fluorosilicate.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising using sodium fluorosilicate to generate fluoride.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising using sodium fluorosilicate to produce high-purity silicon.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the SiOx compound comprises silicon dioxide.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the reactor also contains zinc vapor.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising: using at least one sensor to monitor the emission reduction of the fluorinated gas; generating a machine learning model for modeling the emission reduction; and generating instructions for optimizing the emission reduction based on the monitoring and the machine learning model.

11. An apparatus for semiconductor manufacturing, comprising: a reactor containing a SiOx compound, wherein 0 ≤ x ≤ 2; an assembly for receiving a fluorinated gas at the reactor; a heating element for heating the SiOx compound and the fluorinated gas in the reactor; and a separation assembly for removing silicon tetrafluoride (SiF4) from a gaseous mixture formed in the reactor.

12. The device as requested in item 11, where 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.

1.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the heating element heats the reactor to a temperature between approximately 960°C and 1100°C.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the separation component includes a washer containing sodium bicarbonate or sodium fluoride.

15. The device as requested in item 11, where 1.5 ≤ x ≤ 2.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 further includes a metal vapor source.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a mixing assembly for mixing the metal vapor source with the fluorinated gas.

18. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the fluorinated gas is exhaust gas from semiconductor processing.

19. The device of claim 11, wherein the device is monitored by at least one sensor communicating with a computing device.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the computing device is configured to: generate a machine learning model for modeling a method for reducing fluorinated gas emissions; and generate instructions for the device based on the monitoring and the machine learning model.

21. A semiconductor manufacturing system comprising: an apparatus comprising: a reactor containing a SiOx compound, wherein 0 ≤ x ≤ 2; an assembly for receiving a fluorinated gas at the reactor; a heating element for heating the SiOx compound and the fluorinated gas in the reactor; and a separation assembly for removing silicon tetrafluoride (SiF4) from a gaseous mixture formed in the reactor.

22. A semiconductor manufacturing method comprising: defluorinating waste gas using a method comprising the following steps: receiving fluorinated gas at a reactor containing a SiOx compound, wherein 0 ≤ x ≤ 2; obtaining a gaseous mixture formed in the reactor at a high temperature; and removing silicon tetrafluoride (SiF4) from the gaseous mixture.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein removing the SiF4 comprises passing the gaseous mixture through sodium bicarbonate or sodium fluoride.

24. A system for semiconductor manufacturing, comprising: a set of components configured to perform a fluoride gas emission reduction method, the fluoride gas emission reduction method comprising: providing a reactor containing a SiOx compound, wherein 0 ≤ x ≤ 2; receiving fluoride gas at the reactor; obtaining a gaseous mixture formed in the reactor at a high temperature; and removing silicon tetrafluoride (SiF4) from the gaseous mixture.

25. The system of claim 24, further comprising: a computing device configured to generate instructions for at least one of the group of components based on a machine learning model for modeling the fluoride gas emission reduction method.

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