Dry Media Backup Reactor for Semiconductor Abatement Faults
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Solution Overview
Problem
Semiconductor manufacturing processes often experience abatement faults in gas abatement systems, leading to operational downtime and potential damage to silicon wafers due to ineffective removal of hazardous and toxic gas species.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising an abatement apparatus with a combustion or water-based chamber, a vacuum pump, and a media canister with dry media in a reaction chamber, which can be used to divert and treat the emission stream in case of an abatement fault, utilizing a bypass valve and sensors to detect and respond to faults.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a combustion chamber or water-based chamber is used for abatement, then hazardous gases can be removed, but abatement faults occur during operation causing downtime and wafer damage
Solution Approach 1:
The abatement system is divided into separate functional modules: a combustion chamber for primary abatement, a water-based chamber for secondary treatment, and a media canister with dry media as backup. This segmentation allows each component to be independently monitored and replaced, improving overall system reliability while maintaining effective hazardous gas removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary abatement actions through the combustion chamber and water-based chamber before emissions are released. Sensors detect abatement faults before they cause wafer damage, and the media canister serves as a pre-configured backup that can immediately take over treatment function when primary abatement fails.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If abatement faults are detected and the system shuts down to prevent wafer damage, then wafer safety is improved, but manufacturing process efficiency decreases due to operational downtime
Solution Approach 1:
The media canister is pre-filled with dry media capable of abating hazardous gases, serving as a cushioning backup system. When abatement faults are detected in the primary system, the media canister immediately activates to continue gas treatment, cushioning against process interruption and preventing wafer damage without requiring shutdown.
Solution Approach 2:
The media canister acts as an intermediary backup system between the primary abatement apparatus and the emission stream. When sensors detect abatement faults, the media canister mediates by taking over the abatement function, allowing continuous operation and maintaining productivity while still protecting wafers from harmful gases.
3Reliability
If a media canister with dry media is added as backup abatement, then system reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The media canister uses disposable dry media that can be easily replaced. This approach improves reliability by providing a simple, fail-safe backup abatement system without the complexity of maintaining sophisticated primary abatement equipment. The media canister serves as a straightforward, replaceable component that enhances system reliability while adding minimal structural complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively mitigates abatement faults by diverting the emission stream to a media canister for treatment with dry media, ensuring continuous operation and preventing damage to silicon wafers by effectively removing hazardous gases.
Implementation Method 1
a dry media disposed within the reaction chamber and configured to abate the emission stream therein
Implementation Method 2
dry media disposed within the reaction chamber and configured to abate the emission stream therein
Implementation Method 3
a vacuum pump coupled to the abatement apparatus and configured to transmit the emission stream from the semiconductor manufacturing process through the abatement apparatus
Implementation Method 4
an abatement apparatus having at least one of a combustion chamber and a water-based chamber configured to abate an emission stream
Implementation Method 5
an abatement apparatus having at least one of a combustion chamber and a water-based chamber configured to abate an emission stream
Data Source
AI summary
A system to abate an emission stream from a semiconductor manufacturing process is disclosed. The system includes a media canister to abate the emission stream in response to an abatement fault in an abatement apparatus. The media canister includes a reaction chamber configured to receive the emission stream in response to the abatement fault, and a dry media disposed within the reaction chamber to abate the emission stream. The dry media includes at least one reactive and/or absorbent material which catalyzes at least one chemical reaction to remove at least one pollutant from the emission stream and yield exhaust substantially free of the at least one pollutant.