Plasma Gas Abatement with Staged Reducing and Oxidizing Reactants
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing plasma abatement apparatuses for semiconductor processing tools have lower-than-required abatement effectiveness and produce undesirable by-products due to the simultaneous introduction of reducing and oxidizing reactants, which leads to unwanted oxide formation.
Innovation Solution
A plasma abatement apparatus that introduces a reducing reactant into a hotter region and an oxidizing reactant into a cooler region of the plasma stream, optimizing the abatement process by limiting oxide formation and enhancing the efficiency of compound breakdown.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If reducing and oxidizing reactants are introduced simultaneously into the plasma stream, then the abatement process is simplified, but unwanted oxide by-products are generated in undesirable quantities
Solution Approach 1:
The introduction of reactants is segmented into two separate stages: first introducing the reducing reactant into the hot plasma region, then introducing the oxidizing reactant into the cooler downstream region. This segmentation prevents simultaneous interaction that would generate unwanted oxides while maintaining process effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the plasma stream are assigned different qualities/conditions: the upstream region maintains high temperature for reducing reactions, while the downstream region is cooler and suitable for oxidizing reactions. This local quality differentiation enables selective chemical reactions in different zones.
2Productivity
If reducing reactant is introduced into hot plasma region, then compound breakdown efficiency is enhanced, but thermal oxide generation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The reducing reactant is introduced first into the hot plasma region to perform the compound breakdown operation. After this preliminary action is complete, the oxidizing reactant is then introduced in the cooler region to handle the breakdown products, preventing oxide formation from the reducing reactant.
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
This approach improves abatement performance by reducing unwanted by-products and NOx emissions, achieving higher efficiency in breaking down fluorinated compounds while minimizing thermal oxide generation.
Implementation Method 1
a plasma device configured to generate a plasma stream from a plasma gas
Implementation Method 2
a first aperture positioned to deliver a reducing reactant to a first region of the plasma stream
Implementation Method 3
a second aperture positioned to deliver an oxidising reactant to a second region of the plasma stream
Data Source
AI summary
A plasma abatement apparatus includes: a plasma device configured to generate a plasma stream from a plasma gas; an effluent stream aperture configured to convey the effluent stream into the plasma stream for treatment by the plasma stream; a first aperture positioned to deliver a reducing reactant to a first region of the plasma stream; and a second aperture positioned to deliver an oxidising reactant to a second region of the plasma stream, wherein the second region is located at a position of the plasma stream which is cooler than the first region.