Recirculation System for Semiconductor Precursor Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
The semiconductor industry faces challenges in recycling expensive and hazardous precursors, such as molybdenum chloride and oxychloride, which result in significant waste and environmental impact due to inefficient gas delivery systems and lack of chemical recovery systems, leading to high costs and environmental concerns.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor manufacturing processing chamber with a recirculation system that includes a piston pump and heated gas transmission lines, allowing for the capture and recycling of unreacted metal precursors, reducing chemistry consumption by over 75% and enabling the gas supply to be located at the chamber, thereby minimizing waste and environmental impact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If conventional gas delivery systems are used with multiple ampoules, then precursor storage capacity is sufficient, but system complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple ampoule functions into a single recirculation system where unreacted precursor gas is captured, condensed, and returned to the ampoule. This merges storage, transport, and recycling functions into one integrated system, reducing overall complexity while maintaining sufficient precursor availability.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of discarding unreacted precursor gas through exhaust systems, the patent recovers it via condensation in a cold trap and returns it to the ampoule. This recovery approach eliminates the need for multiple ampoules and complex delivery systems while maintaining precursor storage capacity.
2Reliability
If excess precursor is used to ensure complete reactions, then reaction completeness is improved, but chemical waste and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent captures unreacted precursor gas from the exhaust stream and recycles it back to the ampoule through condensation and vaporization. This ensures that precursor not consumed in the reaction is recovered and reused, dramatically reducing waste while maintaining reaction completeness.
Solution Approach 2:
The recirculation system creates a feedback loop where unreacted precursor is continuously monitored, captured, and returned to the reaction system. This feedback mechanism ensures optimal precursor utilization without requiring excessive amounts, maintaining reliable reactions while minimizing waste.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If exhaust gases are sent to scrubber for abatement, then environmental compliance is achieved, but expensive chemicals are lost and greenhouse gases are released
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of sending all exhaust gases directly to the scrubber for abatement, the patent first captures unreacted precursor through condensation in a cold trap. This separates recoverable precursor from gases requiring abatement, allowing chemical recovery before environmental treatment and reducing both chemical loss and greenhouse gas emissions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts what would be harmful waste exhaust containing unreacted precursor into a beneficial resource by capturing and recycling it. The condensation system transforms the potentially harmful unreacted gas into recoverable liquid precursor, turning an environmental liability into an economic and environmental asset.
4Stability of the object's composition
If temperature controlled gas connections are implemented for reliability, then precursor delivery stability is improved, but system complexity and reliability issues increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges temperature control requirements into the recirculation system itself, using the cold trap and heating elements already present in the recycling apparatus. This eliminates the need for separate temperature control systems on gas connections, reducing overall complexity while maintaining precursor delivery stability through controlled condensation and vaporization.
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 solution effectively recycles unreacted precursors, reducing chemistry consumption by 75% and minimizing environmental impact by keeping the chemistry in the gas phase throughout the recycling process, allowing for consistent recovery of unreacted precursor, and reducing the complexity and cost of gas delivery systems.
Implementation Method 1
A recirculation system that includes a piston pump... allowing for the capture and recycling of unreacted metal precursors
Implementation Method 2
heated gas transmission lines, allowing for the capture and recycling of unreacted metal precursors, keeping the chemistry in the gas phase throughout the recycling process
Data Source
AI summary
Semiconductor manufacturing processing chambers with recycling capability and methods of recycling a chemical precursor are described. The processing chamber comprises a chamber body with a substrate support. The substrate support is spaced form the chamber lid to create a process region. A gas inlet provides a flow of gas to the process region and a recirculation plenum is in fluid communication with the process region. At least one fast-acting valve is connected to the recirculation plenum with a recirculation inlet line. A recirculation housing is in fluid communication with the recirculation inlet line and a recirculation outlet line. A recirculation piston valve allows a gas within the process chamber to be recycled into the original precursor container or into a different container for reuse.