Interlock system for process chamber exhaust assembly

Abstract

An exemplary semiconductor processing system may include a gas source coupled with a number of processing chambers. The gas source may include a controller. Each chamber may include an exhaust assembly having a foreline and a pump. The system may include at least one emission reduction system coupled with each pump. The system may include a plurality of exhaust lines extending between each pump and the abatement system. The system may include a dilution gas source coupled with each exhaust line. The system may include a mass flow controller coupled between the dilution gas source and each exhaust line. The system may include a temperature sensor coupled with each exhaust line between the pump and the abatement system. The temperature sensor may be communicatively coupled with a controller of the gas source that may control the flow of gas to the chamber based on measurements from the temperature sensor.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 17 / 883,368, filed on August 8, 2022, entitled “INTERLOCK SYSTEM FOR PROCESSING CHAMBER EXHAUST ASSEMBLY,” the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] The present technology relates to components and devices used in semiconductor manufacturing. More specifically, the present technology relates to gas delivery and exhaust systems and other semiconductor processing equipment. Background Art

[0003] Integrated circuits are made possible by processes that produce complex patterned layers of material on a substrate surface. Producing patterned materials on a substrate requires controlled methods for forming and removing materials. Precursors are typically delivered to a processing area and distributed to uniformly deposit or etch material on the substrate. During and after the processing operation, these precursors and / or other gases are exhausted from the processing area for disposal. In the case of toxic and / or flammable gases, the disposal of the gas may involve burning the toxic gas in an abatement system. Such disposal requires diluting the toxic gas with other gases before abatement, and requires the use of an abatement gas (such as an oxidizing gas) that helps provide fuel for the abatement system.

[0004] Therefore, there is a need for improved systems and methods that can be used to abate toxic and / or flammable gases while reducing the volume of diluent and / or abatement gases consumed. The present technology addresses these and other needs. Summary of the invention

[0005] An exemplary semiconductor processing system may include at least one gas source fluidly coupled to one or more processing chambers. The at least one gas source may include a controller. Each processing chamber may include an exhaust assembly having a foreline and a pump fluidly coupled to the foreline. The system may include at least one abatement system fluidly coupled to a downstream end of each pump. The system may include a plurality of gas exhaust lines. Each gas exhaust line may extend between a respective pump and an abatement system. The system may include at least one dilution gas source fluidly coupled to each gas exhaust line. The system may include at least one mass flow controller coupled between the at least one dilution gas source and each gas exhaust line. The system may include at least one temperature sensor coupled to each gas exhaust line at a location between the respective pump and the abatement system. The at least one temperature sensor may be communicatively coupled to the controller of the at least one gas source. The controller may control the flow of gas to at least one of the one or more processing chambers based on measurements from the at least one temperature sensor.

[0006] In some embodiments, at least one temperature sensor may be communicatively coupled to at least one mass flow controller. The at least one mass flow controller may control the flow of dilution gas to at least one of the gas exhaust lines based on measurements from the at least one temperature sensor. When the temperature measured by the at least one temperature sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold, the at least one mass flow controller may increase the flow of dilution gas to at least one of the gas exhaust lines. When the temperature measured by the at least one temperature sensor exceeds a first threshold, the at least one mass flow controller may increase the flow of dilution gas to at least one of the gas exhaust lines. When the temperature measured by the at least one temperature sensor exceeds a second threshold greater than the first threshold, the controller may cut off the flow of gas to at least one of the one or more processing chambers. When the temperature measured by the at least one temperature sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold, the controller may cut off the flow of gas to at least one of the one or more processing chambers. Each temperature sensor may be coupled to an outer surface of a corresponding one of the gas exhaust lines. The system may include a plurality of heater jackets. Each heater jacket may cover a corresponding one of the temperature sensors. At least one gas source may independently control the flow of gas to each of the one or more processing chambers. At least one mass flow controller may independently control the flow of dilution gas to each of the gas exhaust lines.

[0007] Some embodiments of the present invention may include methods of reducing gas emissions from a processing chamber. The method may include flowing a processing gas to a processing chamber. The method may include exhausting the processing gas from the processing chamber via an exhaust assembly. The exhaust assembly may include a foreline and a pump fluidly coupled to the foreline. The method may include flowing a dilution gas into a gas exhaust line downstream of the pump. A dilution system may mix with the processing gas in the gas exhaust line. The method may include measuring a temperature of the gas exhaust line. The method may include reducing a flow rate of the processing gas to the processing chamber when the temperature exceeds a predetermined threshold.

[0008] In some embodiments, the method may include adjusting the flow rate of the dilution gas when the temperature exceeds a preset threshold that is below a predetermined threshold. The method may include flowing the dilution gas and the process gas into an abatement system. The method may include adjusting the flow of one or more abatement gases based on a chemical recipe used within the process chamber. Reducing the flow rate of the process gas may include completely shutting off the supply of the process gas to the process chamber.

[0009] Some embodiments of the present technology may encompass a method of abating gas from at least one processing chamber. The method may include flowing at least one processing gas to a plurality of processing chambers. The method may include exhausting processing gas from each of the plurality of processing chambers via an exhaust assembly of each respective processing chamber. Each exhaust assembly may include a foreline, a pump fluidly coupled to the foreline, and a gas exhaust line extending between the pump and the abatement system. The method may include flowing a dilution gas into each gas exhaust line downstream of each respective pump. The dilution gas may mix with the processing gas within the gas exhaust line. The method may include measuring a temperature of each gas exhaust line. The method may include adjusting a flow rate of one or more gases when a temperature within a corresponding gas exhaust line exceeds a predetermined threshold.

[0010] In some embodiments, at least one process gas flowing to one of the plurality of process chambers may be different from at least one process gas flowing to another of the plurality of process chambers. Adjusting the flow rate of one or more gases may include shutting off the supply of at least one process gas to a corresponding process chamber of the plurality of process chambers while enabling the at least one process gas to flow to continue to flow to at least one other process chamber of the plurality of process chambers. Adjusting the flow rate of one or more gases may include adjusting the flow rate of a dilution gas to a particular one of the gas exhaust lines when a temperature of the particular one of the gas exhaust lines exceeds a preset threshold value that is lower than a predetermined threshold value. Each gas exhaust line may be coupled to a different inlet of the abatement system. The method may include adjusting the flow of one or more abatement gases at an inlet of the abatement system based on a chemical formula used in a particular process chamber associated with a corresponding one of the gas exhaust lines coupled to the inlet of the abatement system.

[0011] Such techniques may provide numerous benefits over conventional systems and techniques. For example, embodiments of the present technology may reduce the volume of dilution and / or abatement gases used when disposing of toxic process gases. For example, embodiments may enable the flow rates of dilution and / or abatement gases to be tuned to accurately or closely match the needs of a particular chemical formulation. Additionally, in embodiments where exhaust and / or abatement equipment is shared across multiple chambers, embodiments may enable independent control of the flow of process gases, dilution gases, and / or abatement gases to each chamber. These and other embodiments, along with their many advantages and features, are described in more detail in conjunction with the description below and the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] A further understanding of the nature and advantages of the disclosed technology may be realized by reference to the remainder of the specification and drawings.

[0013] Figure 1 A top plan view of an exemplary processing system in accordance with some embodiments of the present technology is shown.

[0014] Figure 2 A schematic top plan view of an exemplary processing system in accordance with some embodiments of the present technology is shown.

[0015] Figure 3 Operations of an exemplary method of flowing a gas to one or more processing chambers in accordance with some embodiments of the present technology are shown.

[0016] Several drawings are included as schematic diagrams. It will be understood that the drawings are for illustrative purposes and are not to be considered to scale unless specifically stated to be to scale. Furthermore, as schematic diagrams, the drawings are provided to aid understanding and may not include all aspects or information compared to realistic representations and may include exaggerated material for illustrative purposes.

[0017] In the accompanying drawings, similar components and / or features may have the same reference numeral. In addition, various components of the same type may be distinguished by a letter following the reference numeral to distinguish between similar components. If only the first reference numeral is used in this specification, the description applies to any of the similar components having the same first reference numeral, regardless of the letter. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] Semiconductor processing operations often involve the use of plasma-generating precursors and / or other processing gases to form deposition, etching, and / or other processing operations. Some processing operations may involve the use of toxic and / or flammable gases that must be disposed of after being exhausted from the processing chamber. Typically, the disposal of exhaust gases may involve delivering the exhaust gases to an abatement system that subsequently burns the exhaust gases. Although these gases are generally stable during processing operations because the pressure within the exhaust assembly increases relative to the vacuum maintained within the processing chamber, problems may arise during the ventilation process. The increased pressure within the exhaust assembly may cause an exothermic reaction of the flammable gases within the exhaust line.

[0019] To prevent these exothermic reactions from occurring, conventional exhaust / abatement systems introduce dilution gas into the exhaust line to dilute the discharged process gas. However, conventional systems do not include any feedback loop for determining when and / or how much dilution gas should be used to dilute the discharged process gas. As a result, current systems typically set the flow rate of the dilution gas to a sufficiently high rate that is sufficient to dilute the highest volume of process gas discharged through the chamber for any chemical formulation that can be utilized in the chamber. In addition, conventional systems typically over-dilute by 20% to 50% to provide an additional safety factor to ensure that exothermic reactions do not occur. Although effective in preventing exothermic reactions upstream of the abatement system, this operation results in a large amount of waste due to the high volume of dilution gas (often much higher than the volume required for a particular process operation). In addition, conventional abatement systems flow a constant amount of abatement gas, regardless of the chemical formulation flowing in the process chamber. This also results in unnecessary gas waste.

[0020] The present technology overcomes these challenges by including one or more temperature sensors that enable detection of temperature increases that occur during exothermic reactions. For example, the temperature sensor may be positioned downstream of the pump of the exhaust assembly, since the area downstream of the pump is typically where the pressure in the exhaust assembly is high enough to cause an exothermic reaction. Based on the temperature within the exhaust assembly, the flow rate of the dilution gas may be adjusted to help prevent the concentration of the exhaust gas from rising to a level that is prone to reaction. If the temperature within the exhaust assembly exceeds a threshold level, the delivery of the treatment gas to the chamber may be reduced and / or completely cut off to prevent any further concentration of combustible gases within the exhaust assembly, thereby mitigating and or preventing any exothermic reaction from occurring. In embodiments where a single exhaust assembly and / or abatement system is shared across multiple chambers, adjusting the flow of the dilution gas and / or treatment gas may be performed independently for each chamber, which may enable different chemical formulations to flow in each chamber and / or may enable flow to continue to one chamber while being cut off at another chamber. In addition, embodiments may enable the flow of the abatement gas to be customized for a given chemical formulation delivered to a particular chamber. Thus, the present techniques may reduce the amount of dilution and / or abatement gases used and wasted during handling and / or cleaning operations.

[0021] Although the remaining disclosure will conventionally identify specific exhaust processes utilizing the disclosed techniques, it will be readily appreciated that the systems and methods are equally applicable to other deposition and cleaning chambers and processes such as may occur in the described chambers. Thus, the techniques should not be considered limited to use with these specific deposition processes or individual chambers. Prior to describing additional variations and adjustments to this system in accordance with embodiments of the present technology, the present disclosure will discuss one possible system and chamber that may include a cover stack component in accordance with embodiments of the present technology.

[0022] Figure 1 A schematic partial cross-sectional view of an exemplary processing chamber 100 according to some embodiments of the present technology is shown. The chamber 100 can be used to perform semiconductor processing operations, including depositing hard mask materials as previously described, as well as other deposition, removal, and cleaning operations. The chamber 100 can show a partial view of the chamber components discussed and can be integrated into a semiconductor processing system, and can show a view across the center of a panel, which can additionally have any size and include any number of holes. As will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art, any aspect of the chamber 100 can also be integrated with other processing chambers or systems.

[0023] The chamber 100 may include a processing chamber including a panel 105 through which a precursor may be delivered for processing, and the panel may be coupled to a power source for generating a plasma within a processing region of the chamber. For example, precursors, cleaning gases, and / or other gases may be delivered to the panel 105 from one or more gas sources (such as a gas panel) via one or more gas delivery components (e.g., a gas box, a blocking plate, etc.). The chamber may also include a chamber body 110, which may include sidewalls and a base as shown. A pedestal or substrate support 115 may extend through the base of the chamber as previously described. The substrate support 115 may include a support plate 120, which may support a semiconductor substrate. The support plate 120 may be coupled to a shaft 125, which may extend through the base of the chamber.

[0024] The panel 105 may be supported directly or indirectly by the chamber body 110. As just one example, the panel 105 may be supported atop a pumping pad 130 and / or an isolator or other pad 135. For example, the pumping pad 130 may be seated on a support formed by the top of the chamber body 110, with additional pads 135 and / or the panel 105 seated atop the pumping pad 130. The pumping pad 130 may define one or more exhaust ports 140 that enable gas to flow from the processing region to one or more forelines 150 coupled to the processing chamber. For example, each exhaust port 140 may be fluidly coupled to a top end of one or more exhaust lumens 145 formed in a sidewall and / or base of the chamber body 110. The bottom end of the exhaust lumen 145 may be coupled to a respective one of the forelines 150. Each foreline 150 may define a fluid conduit for flowing process gases out of the processing chamber and direct the process gases through a throttle valve 155, which may control fluid conductance through the foreline 150. A pump 160 may be coupled to the throttle valve 155 and / or the downstream end of the foreline 150 for pumping gases out of the chamber body 110.

[0025] Although shown as a side pumping chamber with a pumping liner 130, it will be appreciated that other configurations are possible. For example, the chamber 100 may be a bottom pumping chamber, where gas is exhausted from the chamber via one or more exhaust holes formed in or near the bottom of the chamber body 110. The exhaust holes may be coupled to the foreline 150, the throttle valve 155, and / or the pump 160. Other configurations of exhaust components may exist in various embodiments.

[0026] Figure 2A schematic diagram of an exemplary substrate processing system 200 showing deposition, etching, baking, and curing chambers according to some embodiments of the present technology. The system 200 may include one or more gas sources 205, each of which delivers one or more gases to one or more processing chambers 210. For example, each gas source 205 may be a gas panel that delivers one or more processing gases (such as plasma-generating precursors, inert gases, cleaning gases, and / or other gases) to some or all of the chambers 210. As shown, the system 200 includes four chambers 210, however, there may be any number of chambers 210 in various embodiments. For example, the system 200 may include one or more chambers, two or more chambers, three or more chambers, four or more chambers, five or more chambers, six or more chambers, seven or more chambers, eight or more chambers, or more. Here, each of the chambers 210 shares a single gas source 205 (e.g., a gas panel) with one or more controllers that operate a number of valves, mass flow controllers, and / or other flow control devices for controlling the flow of any gas for a particular chemical formulation to each chamber 210. The controller of the gas source 205 can independently control the flow of gas to each chamber 210 so that the chemical formulation delivered to each chamber 210 can be the same or different.

[0027] Each chamber 210 may be similar to the chamber 100 described above and may include any of the features described with respect to the chamber 100. For example, each chamber 210 may define a processing region in which one or more processing operations may be performed, such as deposition processes, including cyclic layer deposition, atomic layer deposition, chemical vapor deposition, physical vapor deposition, as well as etching, pre-cleaning, annealing, plasma treatment, degassing, orientation, and other substrate processes. Each chamber 210 may include a substrate support that may receive a semiconductor (or other substrate) during a processing operation. Gas from a gas source 205 may be delivered to the processing region via a gas delivery assembly that may include, but is not limited to, a gas box, a baffle, and / or a faceplate. Gas flowing into the chamber 210 may be exhausted from the chamber 210 via an exhaust assembly 215 that may include, but is not limited to, a pumping liner, a foreline 220, a throttle valve, a pump 225, and / or a gas exhaust line 230. As shown, the exhaust assembly 215 includes a foreline 220 that is fluidly coupled to the chamber 210 (such as via a pumping pad), and a pump 225 that is fluidly coupled to a downstream end of the foreline 220. The downstream end of the pump 225 may be fluidly coupled to an abatement system 235, wherein a gas exhaust line 230 extends between and fluidly couples the pump 225 to the abatement system 235.

[0028] In some embodiments, each chamber 210 may be coupled to a dedicated abatement system 235. However, in many embodiments, multiple (and possibly all) chambers 210 may share a single abatement system 235. In such embodiments, the exhaust assembly 215 of each chamber 210 may be coupled to a separate inlet of the abatement system 235. This may enable the flow of abatement gases to the abatement system 235 to be customized based on the chemical formulation flowing into and exhausted from each chamber 210.

[0029] Prior to reaching the abatement system 235, the exhaust process and / or cleaning gas from the chamber 210 may be diluted to help prevent the exhaust gas from reacting. For example, a dilution gas source 240 may be coupled to the exhaust assembly 215 downstream of the pump 225. In some embodiments, this may require providing a dilution line 245 extending between the dilution gas source 240 and the corresponding gas exhaust line 230. To control the flow rate of the dilution gas, a mass flow controller 250 and / or other flow control device may be coupled between the dilution gas source 240 and the gas exhaust line 230. In some embodiments, each gas exhaust line 230 may have a dedicated dilution gas source 240 and / or mass flow controller 250, while in other embodiments, multiple gas exhaust lines 230 may share a single dilution gas source 240 and / or mass flow controller 250.

[0030] One or more temperature sensors 255 may be coupled to each gas exhaust line 230 so that the temperature downstream of the pump 225 (e.g., between the pump 225 and the abatement system 235) may be monitored. The temperature sensor 255 may be coupled to an outer surface of the gas exhaust line 230, positioned within an interior lumen of the gas exhaust line 230, and / or otherwise coupled to the gas exhaust line 230 to enable monitoring of the temperature of the gas exhaust line 230 and / or the gas passing therethrough. In some embodiments, one or more heater jackets 260 may be positioned about an outer surface of the gas exhaust line 230 and / or the temperature sensor 255. Although shown as a single temperature sensor 255, it will be appreciated that any number of temperature sensors may be coupled to a respective gas exhaust line 230. For example, each gas exhaust line 230 may include one or more temperature sensors, two or more temperature sensors, three or more temperature sensors, four or more temperature sensors, or more.

[0031] The temperature sensor 255 may be communicatively coupled to the gas source 205, the dilution gas source 240, and / or the mass flow controller 250, which may enable temperature measurements from the temperature sensor 255 to be used to provide feedback for controlling the flow of process / cleaning gases to a particular chamber 210 and / or controlling the flow of dilution gases to a particular gas exhaust line 230. For example, the controller of the gas source 205 may control and / or otherwise adjust the flow of one or more process and / or cleaning gases to one or more process chambers 210 based on measurements from the temperature sensor 255. In certain embodiments, the controller of the gas source 205 may reduce the flow rate and / or completely shut off the supply of one or more process and / or cleaning gases to the process chamber 210 (e.g., a flow rate of 0 lpm) when the temperature of the gas exhaust line 230 associated with the process chamber 210 exceeds a predetermined threshold. The threshold may be set below the reaction temperature of the gas exhausted from the chamber 210 and / or set to a temperature that indicates the start of a small exothermic reaction within the gas exhaust line 230. In some embodiments, the threshold value can be at least or about 5°C, at least or about 10°C, at least or about 15°C, at least or about 20°C, at least or about 25°C, at least or about 50°C, or more degrees less than the reaction temperature. In certain embodiments, depending on the gas flowing through the chamber 210 and the exhaust assembly 215, the threshold value can be less than or about 210°C, less than or about 205°C, less than or about 200°C, less than or about 195°C, less than or about 190°C, less than or about 185°C, less than or about 180°C, less than or about 175°C, or less. In some embodiments, multiple threshold values ​​can be used, with lower threshold temperatures resulting in throttling or otherwise reducing gas flow, while a final (i.e., highest) threshold value similar to that described above can result in completely shutting off gas flow using one or more valves of the gas source 205. In some embodiments, if no dilution gas flows to a particular gas exhaust line 230, the valve of the gas source 205 may be closed to ensure that no toxic and / or flammable gases can flow into and be exhausted from the chamber 210 in the absence of sufficient dilution gas. In some embodiments, detecting the dilution gas flow rate may be based on a signal from a mass flow controller 250, a temperature measurement from a temperature sensor 255 (such as the temperature of the gas exhaust line 230 or the temperature within the gas exhaust line 230 is lower than the known temperature of the dilution gas), and / or using one or more flow sensors and / or flow sensor switches 280 interfaced with the gas exhaust line 230 and / or the dilution line 245. The flow sensor and / or flow sensor switch 280 may measure the flow rate of the dilution gas and ensure that the flow rate meets a minimum threshold flow rate in order to flow the process / cleaning gas. If the flow rate is below this threshold, the flow sensor and / or flow sensor switch 280 may cause the flow of the process / cleaning gas to be suspended.This ensures that a minimum flow rate / volume of dilution gas flows into the gas exhaust line 230 to dilute the exhaust gas.

[0032] In some embodiments, each mass flow controller 250 may control the flow of dilution gas to at least one of the gas exhaust lines 230 based on measurements from a temperature sensor 255 associated with the gas exhaust line 230. For example, a default flow rate of dilution gas may be flowed for a given chemical as long as the temperature measurement remains below a certain preset threshold (which may be less than a predetermined threshold used by the controller of the gas source 205), wherein the mass flow controller 250 increases the flow rate of the dilution gas when the temperature exceeds the default threshold. The flow rate of the dilution gas may increase in proportion to the temperature and / or may increase in a stepwise manner. In some embodiments, multiple temperature thresholds may be utilized such that each time a higher temperature threshold is exceeded, the flow rate of the dilution gas is increased by a certain amount and / or to a certain level. In some embodiments, the flow rate of the dilution gas may be controlled independently for each chamber / gas exhaust line 230. In some embodiments, the amount of dilution gas flowing to each gas exhaust line 230 may be set based on the recipe flowing through a particular chamber 210. For example, empirical data may be used to generate tables, formulas, etc., which may be used to determine how much of a given dilution gas needs to flow for each step of a given recipe to adequately dilute the exhausted gas. In the event that more dilution is needed for a given step, the temperature sensor 255 may detect an increase in temperature that triggers the mass flow controller 250 to increase the amount of dilution gas flowing to a particular one of the gas exhaust lines 230. Thus, some embodiments may enable further supplementation of recipe-based control of dilution gas by providing a dynamic tuning knob based on the temperature within the gas exhaust line 230. For example, an initial flow rate of dilution gas may be set based on a recipe, wherein the flow rate is adjusted if the temperature within the gas exhaust line 230 exceeds a predetermined threshold.

[0033] By using the temperature of the gas exhaust line 230 of each processing chamber as a feedback loop variable to control the flow rate of the process / cleaning gas and / or dilution gas, embodiments can enable the flow of gas to be tailored based on conditions within the exhaust assembly to prevent exothermic reactions of combustible gases while reducing the use of dilution gas. For example, when the measured temperature of the gas exhaust line 230 and / or the gas flowing therein exceeds a predetermined threshold, the gas source 205 can reduce and / or shut off the supply of process / cleaning gas to the chamber 210, which subsequently reduces the volume of gas exhausted from the chamber 210. This in turn can reduce the concentration of exhaust gas within the gas exhaust line 230 associated with the chamber 210, and can reduce the likelihood of undesirable exothermic reactions within the gas exhaust line 230. By enabling the gas supply to each chamber 210 to be controlled independently of each other, the flow of gas to a subset (e.g., one or more) of the chambers 210 can be reduced or suspended while enabling the flow of gas to another subset of the chambers 210 to be unaffected. Furthermore, by tuning the flow rate of the dilution gas based on the temperature of the gas exhaust line 230 and / or the gas flowing therein, it is possible to reduce dilution gas usage and waste while still enabling the flow rate to be increased as the temperature increases to prevent exothermic reactions from occurring within the gas exhaust line 230. This enables the flow rate of the dilution gas to be tailored to the specific needs of the application via a feedback loop to ensure that the processing system operates safely while reducing dilution gas usage.

[0034] The abatement system 235 may include a number of inlets 265, each of which is coupled to the gas exhaust line 230 of one of the chambers 210. The abatement system 235 may be coupled to and / or include one or more abatement gas sources 270 that may deliver one or more abatement gases to the abatement system 235. For example, the abatement gas may include methane, O2, hydrogen, and / or other fuels that may be used to power a burner or combustion chamber 275 that heats the exhaust (and dilution) gases to a temperature high enough to combust the exhaust gases and / or cause a reaction that converts the exhaust gases into safe and / or otherwise stable byproducts.

[0035] The abatement system 235 may be communicatively coupled to a controller of the gas source 205, which may enable the flow of an abatement gas (e.g., a fuel source) to be controlled (e.g., set and / or adjusted) based on a chemical recipe flowing to each chamber 210 connected to the abatement system 235. For example, based on the volume, flow rate, timing, and / or other characteristics of a particular recipe, the flow rate and / or type of abatement gas flowing to the combustion chamber 275 may be adjusted to most efficiently heat the exhaust gas present within the combustion chamber 275 while minimizing and / or otherwise reducing the amount of fuel required. For example, a lookup table may be generated that indicates how much of a given abatement gas is required to fuel the combustion chamber 275 for each step in a given recipe. Each step in the recipe may be associated with a given set of one or more gases and timing elements (e.g., start time, end time, duration, etc.). The volume and / or flow rate of the one or more abatement gases required for each step is provided. The abatement system 235 and / or the abatement gas source 270 may communicate with the controller and / or other devices of the gas source 205 to determine what recipe is needed to flow to each connected chamber 210 and use a table to identify the flow rate, timing, volume, selection, and / or other settings of one or more abatement gases for safely and completely abatementing the vented gases. In the case where multiple chambers 210 are in operation, the abatement system 235 and / or the abatement gas source 270 may take into account the recipe and timing of each chamber 210 that discharges gas to the combustion chamber 275 to ensure that there is sufficient abatement gas at any given point in time. This may enable different chambers 210 to utilize different recipes and / or operate asynchronously with each other, because the abatement system 235 and / or the abatement gas source 270 may determine the total flow and concentration of gas present at each inlet 265 and / or combustion chamber 275 based on the recipe used in each chamber 210.

[0036] Figure 3 Operations of an exemplary method 300 for abating gases from one or more processing chambers in accordance with some embodiments of the present technology are shown. The method may be performed in various processing systems, including the processing chamber 100 or the system 200 described above, which may include a gas source, exhaust assembly, or abatement system in accordance with embodiments of the present technology, such as any of the gas sources, exhaust assemblies, or abatement systems previously discussed. The method 300 may include several optional operations that may or may not be specifically associated with some embodiments of methods in accordance with the present technology.

[0037] Method 300 may include a treatment method and / or a cleaning method, which, at operation 305, may involve flowing one or more gases into one or more processing chambers. For example, method 300 may include operations for forming a hard mask film or other deposition operations. The method may include optional operations before initiation of method 300, or the method may include additional operations. For example, method 300 may include operations performed in a different order than shown. Method 300 may include flowing at least one treatment and / or cleaning gas to one or more processing chambers. In various embodiments, the gas and / or gas mixture supplied to each chamber may be the same or different. The flowing gas may include a precursor to generate a plasma, an inert gas, a cleaning gas, and / or other gases. In some embodiments, one or more gases may be flammable and / or toxic and may require careful disposal, such as by using thermal abatement.

[0038] At operation 310, during and / or after a processing and / or cleaning operation, gas may be exhausted from each chamber via a corresponding exhaust assembly, such as exhaust assembly 215. For example, the gas may be pumped through a foreline and a pump and into a gas exhaust line extending between the pump and the abatement system. At operation 315, a dilution gas may flow into each gas exhaust line downstream of the pump, where the dilution gas mixes with the processing and / or cleaning gas exhausted from the chamber. The flow of dilution gas may be used to dilute the processing and / or cleaning gas to prevent the concentration of the exhaust gas from reaching a level that would produce an exothermic reaction when the pressure and / or temperature within the gas exhaust line increases.

[0039] At operation 320, the temperature of each gas exhaust line and / or the gas flowing therethrough may be measured using one or more temperature sensors coupled to each gas exhaust line. Based on the measured temperature, one or more actions may be performed. For example, at operation 325, when the measured temperature exceeds a predetermined threshold, the flow rate of one or more gases may be adjusted. As just one example, if the temperature of a particular gas exhaust line and / or the gas flowing therethrough exceeds a predetermined threshold, the controller of the gas source may reduce the flow rate and / or completely cut off the supply of the process and / or cleaning gas to the chamber associated with the gas exhaust line in which a high temperature is detected. This may reduce the concentration of the process and / or cleaning gas in the gas exhaust line to prevent and / or mitigate any exothermic reaction occurring in the gas exhaust line. The flow rate of the process and / or cleaning gas to each chamber may be controlled independently of each other, so that when the flow rate of the gas to one chamber is reduced or cut off, the flow rate of the gas to other chambers remains unaffected.

[0040] In some embodiments, regulating the flow rate of one or more gases may include regulating the flow rate of dilution gas to a particular one of the gas exhaust lines when the temperature associated with the gas exhaust line exceeds a default threshold (the preset threshold may be lower than a predetermined threshold associated with regulation of process / cleaning gases). The flow rate of the dilution gas may be increased when the temperature exceeds the default threshold. The flow rate of the dilution gas may increase in proportion to the temperature and / or may be increased in a stepwise manner. In some embodiments, multiple temperature thresholds may be utilized such that each time a higher temperature threshold is exceeded, the flow rate of the dilution gas is increased by a specific amount and / or to a specific level. In some embodiments, the flow rate of the dilution gas may be controlled independently for each chamber / gas exhaust line.

[0041] The dilution gas and the treatment / cleaning gas may flow to the abatement system for thermal treatment. For example, the gas flowing through each gas exhaust line may flow to a separate inlet of one or more abatement systems. In some embodiments, the processor of the abatement system and / or the processor of one or more abatement gas sources (or a mass flow controller coupled thereto) may be communicatively coupled to a gas source that supplies gas to each chamber coupled to the abatement system. This may enable the flow rate, type, timing, and / or other characteristics of the abatement gas to be adjusted based on the chemical substances flowing to and discharged from each chamber, the chamber being coupled to the abatement system. For example, based on the formulation flowing into the abatement system at a given time, the abatement gas may be adjusted to efficiently heat the abatement exhaust gas. For example, based on the volume, flow rate, timing, and / or other characteristics of a particular formulation, the flow rate and / or type of the abatement gas flowing to the combustion chamber of the abatement system may be adjusted to most efficiently heat the exhaust gas present in the combustion chamber while minimizing and / or otherwise reducing the amount of fuel required. For example, a lookup table may be generated indicating how much given abatement gas is needed for each step in a given recipe to provide fuel to the combustion chamber. Each step in the recipe may be associated with a given set of one or more gases and timing elements (e.g., start time, end time, duration, etc.). The volume and / or flow rate of one or more abatement gases required for each step are provided. The abatement system and / or abatement gas source may communicate with a controller and / or other device of the gas source to determine what recipe is needed to flow to each connected chamber and use a table to identify the flow rate, timing, volume, selection, and / or other settings of one or more abatement gases so as to safely and completely abatement the emitted gases. In the case where multiple chambers are in operation, the abatement system and / or abatement gas source may consider the recipe and timing of each chamber that discharges gas to the combustion chamber to ensure that there is enough abatement gas at any given point in time. This may enable different chambers to utilize different recipes and / or operate asynchronously with each other, because the abatement system and / or abatement gas source may determine the total flow and concentration of the gas present at each inlet and / or combustion chamber based on the recipe used in each chamber.

[0042] In the foregoing description, for the purpose of explanation, many details have been set forth in order to provide an understanding of various embodiments of the present technology. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that certain embodiments may be practiced without some of these details or with additional details.

[0043] In the case of several embodiments disclosed, those skilled in the art will recognize that various modifications, alternative configurations, and equivalents may be used without departing from the spirit of the embodiments. In addition, a variety of well-known processes and elements have not been described in order to avoid unnecessary confusion of the present technology. Thus, the above description should not be considered to limit the scope of the technology.

[0044] In the case of providing a range of values, it will be understood that, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the minimum fraction of each intermediate value to the lower limit unit between the upper and lower limits of the range is also specifically disclosed. Any narrower range between any mentioned value or intermediate value not mentioned in the mentioned range and any other mentioned value or intermediate value in the mentioned range is included. The upper and lower limits of those smaller ranges may be independently included in the range or excluded from the range, and each range (wherein any limit, no limit, or two limits are included in the smaller range) is also included in the technology, subject to any specifically excluded limits in the mentioned range. In the case where the mentioned range includes one or two limits, the range excluding any one or both of those included limits is also included.

[0045] As used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to "a region" includes a plurality of such regions and reference to "the well" includes reference to one or more wells and equivalents thereof known to those skilled in the art, and so forth.

[0046] Furthermore, when used in this specification and the following claims, the words “comprise(s),” “comprising,” “contain(s),” “containing,” “include(s),” and “including” are intended to specify the presence of stated features, integers, components, or operations, but these words do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, components, operations, acts, or groups.

Claims

1. A semiconductor processing system comprising: at least one gas source fluidly coupled to one or more processing chambers, the at least one gas source comprising a controller, wherein each processing chamber comprises an exhaust assembly, the exhaust assembly comprising: Foreline; and a pump fluidly coupled to the foreline; at least one abatement system fluidly coupled to the downstream end of each pump; a plurality of gas exhaust lines, each gas exhaust line extending between a respective pump and the abatement system; at least one dilution gas source fluidly coupled to each gas exhaust line; at least one mass flow controller coupled between the at least one dilution gas source and each gas exhaust line; and at least one temperature sensor coupled to each gas exhaust line at a location between the corresponding pump and the abatement system, wherein: The at least one temperature sensor is communicatively coupled to the controller of the at least one gas source; and The controller controls a flow of a gas to at least one of the one or more processing chambers based on measurements from the at least one temperature sensor.

2. The semiconductor processing system of claim 1, wherein: The at least one temperature sensor is communicatively coupled to the at least one mass flow controller; and The at least one mass flow controller controls a flow of dilution gas to at least one of the gas exhaust lines based on measurements from the at least one temperature sensor.

3. The semiconductor processing system of claim 1, wherein: The at least one mass flow controller increases the flow of dilution gas to the at least one of the gas exhaust lines when the temperature measured by the at least one temperature sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold.

4. The semiconductor processing system of claim 1, wherein: the at least one mass flow controller increasing a flow of dilution gas to the at least one of the gas exhaust lines when the temperature measured by the at least one temperature sensor exceeds a first threshold; as well as The controller shuts off flow of gas to the at least one of the one or more processing chambers when the temperature measured by the at least one temperature sensor exceeds a second threshold that is greater than the first threshold.

5. The semiconductor processing system of claim 1, wherein: The controller shuts off flow of gas to the at least one of the one or more processing chambers when the temperature measured by the at least one temperature sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold.

6. The semiconductor processing system of claim 1, wherein: Each temperature sensor is coupled to an outer surface of a corresponding one of the gas exhaust lines.

7. The semiconductor processing system of claim 1, further comprising: A plurality of heater sheaths, each heater sheath covering a corresponding one of the temperature sensors.

8. The semiconductor processing system of claim 1, wherein: The at least one gas source independently controls the flow of the gas to each of the one or more processing chambers.

9. The semiconductor processing system of claim 1, wherein: The at least one mass flow controller independently controls the flow of dilution gas to each of the gas exhaust lines.

10. A method of reducing gas emissions from a processing chamber, comprising: flowing a process gas into the process chamber; exhausting the process gas from the process chamber via an exhaust assembly, the exhaust assembly comprising: Foreline; and a pump fluidly coupled to the foreline; flowing a dilution gas into a gas exhaust line downstream of the pump, wherein the dilution gas mixes with the process gas in the gas exhaust line; measuring the temperature of the gas exhaust line; and When the temperature exceeds a predetermined threshold, a flow rate of the process gas to the process chamber is reduced.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising: When the temperature exceeds a preset threshold value that is lower than the predetermined threshold value, the flow rate of the dilution gas is adjusted.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising: The dilution gas and the process gas are flowed to an abatement system.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising: The flow of one or more abatement gases is adjusted based on a chemical recipe used within the processing chamber.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein: Reducing the flow rate of the process gas includes completely shutting off the supply of the process gas to the process chamber.

15. A method of reducing gas emissions from at least one processing chamber, comprising: flowing at least one process gas to a plurality of process chambers; exhausting the process gas from each of the plurality of process chambers via an exhaust assembly for each respective process chamber, each exhaust assembly comprising: Foreline; a pump fluidly coupled to the foreline; and a gas exhaust line extending between the pump and an abatement system; flowing a dilution gas into each gas exhaust line downstream of each respective pump, wherein the dilution gas mixes with the process gas within the gas exhaust line; measuring the temperature of each gas exhaust line; and The flow rate of one or more gases is adjusted when the temperature within the corresponding gas exhaust line exceeds a predetermined threshold.

16. The method of claim 15 for reducing gas emissions from at least a processing chamber, wherein: The at least one process gas that flows to one of the plurality of process chambers is different from the at least one process gas that flows to another of the plurality of process chambers.

17. The method of claim 15 for reducing gas emissions from at least a processing chamber, wherein: Adjusting the flow rate of the one or more gases includes shutting off the supply of the at least one process gas to the corresponding process chamber of the plurality of process chambers while enabling the at least one process gas to flow to continue to flow to at least one other process chamber of the plurality of process chambers.

18. The method of claim 15 for reducing gas emissions from at least a processing chamber, wherein: Adjusting the flow rate of the one or more gases includes adjusting the flow rate of the dilution gas to the specific one of the gas exhaust lines when the temperature of the specific one of the gas exhaust lines exceeds a preset threshold value that is lower than the predetermined threshold value.

19. The method of claim 15 for reducing gas emissions from at least a processing chamber, wherein: Each gas exhaust line is coupled to a different inlet of the abatement system.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising: The flow of one or more abatement gases at the inlet of the abatement system is adjusted based on a chemical recipe used within a particular processing chamber associated with a respective one of the gas exhaust lines coupled to the inlet of the abatement system.

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