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  Methods and apparatus for preventing deposition of reaction products in process abatement reactorsUSPTO Application #: 20070190469Title: Methods and apparatus for preventing deposition of reaction products in process abatement reactors Abstract: In certain embodiments, methods, systems, and apparatus are provided for use in removing pollutants from a gas stream. The invention includes a thermal reaction unit formed from a plurality of stacked porous ceramic rings. The porous rings include perforations adapted to allow fluid to be flowed into the thermal reaction unit. By flowing fluid through the porous rings, deposition of waste effluent and/or by-products on the interior of the thermal reaction unit is prevented. Numerous other aspects are provided. (end of abstract) Agent: Dugan & Dugan, PC - Tarrytown, NY, US Inventors: Daniel O. Clark, Sebastien Raoux, Robert M. Vermeulen, Shaun W. Crawford USPTO Applicaton #: 20070190469 - Class: 431005000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Combustion, Process Of Combustion Or Burner Operation, Burning Waste Gas, E.g., Furnace Gas, Etc. The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070190469. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
[0001] The present application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/731,719, filed Oct. 31, 2005, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to improved systems and methods for the abatement of industrial effluent fluids, such as effluent gases produced in semiconductor manufacturing processes, while reducing the deposition of reaction products in the abatement systems. BACKGROUND [0003] The gaseous effluents from the manufacturing of semiconductor materials, devices, products and memory articles involve a wide variety of chemical compounds used and produced in the process facility. These compounds include inorganic and organic compounds, breakdown products of photo-resist and other reagents, and a wide variety of other gases that must be removed from the waste gas before being vented from the process facility into the atmosphere. [0004] Semiconductor manufacturing processes utilize a variety of chemicals, many of which have extremely low human tolerance levels. Such materials include gaseous hydrides of antimony, arsenic, boron, germanium, nitrogen, phosphorous, silicon, selenium, silane, silane mixtures with phosphine, argon, hydrogen, organosilanes, halosilanes, halogens, organometallics and other organic compounds. [0005] Halogens, e.g., fluorine (F.sub.2) and other fluorinated compounds, are particularly problematic among the various components requiring abatement. The electronics industry uses perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in wafer processing tools to remove residue from deposition steps and to etch thin films. PFCs are recognized to be strong contributors to global warming and the electronics industry is working to reduce the emissions of these gases. The most commonly used PFCs include, but are not limited to, CF.sub.4, C.sub.2F.sub.6, SF.sub.6, C.sub.3F.sub.8, C.sub.4H.sub.8, C.sub.4H.sub.8O and NF.sub.3. In practice, these PFCs are dissociated in a plasma to generate highly reactive fluoride ions and fluorine radicals, which do the actual cleaning and/or etching. The effluent from these processing operations include mostly fluorine, silicon tetrafluoride (SiF.sub.4), hydrogen fluoride (HF), carbonyl fluoride (COF.sub.2), CF.sub.4 and C.sub.2F.sub.6. [0006] Improved methods and apparatus for abating such effluent streams are desired. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0007] In certain embodiments, a thermal reactor is provided for use during the abatement of a semiconductor manufacturing process. The thermal reactor includes a thermal reaction unit having (a) an interior porous wall that defines a central chamber, the interior porous wall formed from a plurality of stacked porous sections; (b) at least one waste gas inlet in fluid communication with the central chamber and adapted to introduce a gaseous waste stream to the central chamber; (c) a thermal mechanism positioned within the central chamber and adapted to decompose the gaseous waste stream within the central chamber, thereby forming reaction products; and (d) a fluid delivery system adapted to provide a fluid to the central chamber through the interior porous wall at a sufficient force to reduce deposition of reaction products on an inner surface of the interior porous wall of the central chamber. At least one of the porous sections has one or more of (i) a property that varies within the porous section; and (ii) a property that differs from a property of at least one other porous section of the interior porous wall. [0008] In certain embodiments, a replacement part is provided for use in an abatement system. The replacement part includes a stackable and replaceable porous chamber section having a plurality of features that allow the porous chamber section to be stacked with other porous chamber sections so as to form a porous wall that defines a central chamber for use during decomposition of gaseous waste from a semiconductor manufacturing process. The porous chamber section has sufficient porosity to allow transfer of fluid from outside the porous chamber section through the porous chamber section and into the central chamber during a decomposition process performed within the central chamber so as to reduce movement of reaction products toward an interior surface of the porous chamber section. The porous chamber section has a shape selected from the group consisting of round, elliptical, triangular, square, rectangular, polygonal, pentagonal, hexagonal and octagonal. Further, the porous chamber section has one or more of (a) a property that varies within the porous chamber section; and (b) a property that differs from a property of at least one other porous chamber section of the porous wall. [0009] In certain embodiments, an apparatus is provided for use in removing pollutants from a gas stream. The apparatus includes a thermal reaction unit formed from a plurality of stacked porous ceramic rings. A first of the porous ceramic rings has a first coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) and a second of the porous ceramic rings has a second CTE. [0010] In certain embodiments, an apparatus is provided for use in removing pollutants from a gas stream. The apparatus includes a thermal reaction unit formed from a plurality of stacked porous ceramic rings. A first of the porous ceramic rings has a first purity level and a second of the porous ceramic rings has a second purity level. [0011] In certain embodiments, an apparatus is provided for use in removing pollutants from a gas stream. The apparatus includes a thermal reaction unit formed from a plurality of stacked porous ceramic rings. A first of the porous ceramic rings has a first dopant level and a second of the porous ceramic rings has a second dopant level. [0012] In certain embodiments, an apparatus is provided for use during the abatement of a semiconductor manufacturing process. The apparatus includes a thermal reaction unit having (a) an exterior wall having a plurality of perforations adapted to pass of a fluid therethrough; (b) an interior porous wall that defines a central chamber, the interior porous wall formed from a plurality of stacked porous sections; (c) at least one waste gas inlet in fluid communication with the central chamber and adapted to introduce a gaseous waste stream to the central chamber; (d) a thermal mechanism positioned within the central chamber and adapted to decompose the gaseous waste stream within the central chamber, thereby forming reaction products; and (e) a fluid delivery system adapted to provide a fluid through the perforations of the exterior wall and to the central chamber through the interior porous wall at a sufficient force to reduce deposition of reaction products on an inner surface of the interior porous wall of the central chamber. The perforations in the exterior wall provide a pressure drop across the thermal reaction unit of about 0.1 to about 5 psi. [0013] In certain embodiments, an apparatus is provided for use during the abatement of a semiconductor manufacturing process. The apparatus includes a thermal reaction unit having (a) an exterior wall having a plurality of perforations adapted to pass of a fluid therethrough; (b) an interior porous wall that defines a central chamber, the interior porous wall formed from a plurality of stacked porous sections; (c) at least one waste gas inlet in fluid communication with the central chamber and adapted to introduce a gaseous waste stream to the central chamber; (d) a thermal mechanism positioned within the central chamber and adapted to decompose the gaseous waste stream within the central chamber, thereby forming reaction products; and (e) a fluid delivery system adapted to provide a fluid through the perforations of the exterior wall and to the central chamber through the interior porous wall at a sufficient force to reduce deposition of reaction products on an inner surface of the interior porous wall of the central chamber. The fluid deliver system is adapted to provide at least one of water, steam, air, clean dry air, clean enriched air, oxygen enriched air, oxygen depleted air, inert gas, a reagent, an oxidizer and depleted air. The fluid delivery system also is adapted to provide a fluid at a pressure of about 600 psig or less. [0014] In certain embodiments, a method is provided for use during the abatement of a semiconductor manufacturing process. The method includes providing a thermal reaction unit having (a) an exterior wall having a plurality of perforations adapted to pass of a fluid therethrough; (b) an interior porous wall that defines a central chamber, the interior porous wall formed from a plurality of stacked porous sections; (c) at least one waste gas inlet in fluid communication with the central chamber and adapted to introduce a gaseous waste stream to the central chamber; (d) a thermal mechanism positioned within the central chamber and adapted to decompose the gaseous waste stream within the central chamber, thereby forming reaction products; and (e) a fluid delivery system adapted to provide a fluid through the perforations of the exterior wall and to the central chamber through the interior porous wall at a sufficient force to reduce deposition of reaction products on an inner surface of the interior porous wall of the central chamber. The perforations in the exterior wall provide a pressure drop across the thermal reaction unit of about 0.1 to about 5 psi. The method also includes employing the thermal reaction unit to abate the semiconductor device manufacturing process. [0015] In certain embodiments, a method is provided for use during the abatement of a semiconductor manufacturing process. The method includes providing a thermal reaction unit having (a) an exterior wall having a plurality of perforations adapted to pass of a fluid therethrough; (b) an interior porous wall that defines a central chamber, the interior porous wall formed from a plurality of stacked porous sections; (c) at least one waste gas inlet in fluid communication with the central chamber and adapted to introduce a gaseous waste stream to the central chamber; (d) a thermal mechanism positioned within the central chamber and adapted to decompose the gaseous waste stream within the central chamber, thereby forming reaction products; and (e) a fluid delivery system adapted to provide a fluid through the perforations of the exterior wall and to the central chamber through the interior porous wall at a sufficient force to reduce deposition of reaction products on an inner surface of the interior porous wall of the central chamber. The fluid deliver system is adapted to provide at least one of water, steam, air, clean dry air, clean enriched air, oxygen enriched air, oxygen depleted air, inert gas, a reagent, an oxidizer and depleted air. The fluid delivery system also is adapted to provide a fluid at a pressure of about 600 psig or less. The method also includes employing the thermal reaction unit to abate the semiconductor device manufacturing process. [0016] In certain embodiments, a system is provided for manufacturing electronic devices. The system includes (a) a plurality of processing tools; (b) an abatement system for abating pollutants from the processing tools and having a plurality of inlet ports; and (c) a manifold for coupling pollutant outlet ports of the plurality of processing tools to the plurality of inlet ports of the abatement system. [0017] In certain embodiments, a system is provided for manufacturing electronic devices. The system includes (a) a processing tool; (b) an abatement system for abating pollutants from the processing tool and including a plurality of chambers, each chamber including a plurality of inlet ports; and (c) a manifold for coupling a pollutant outlet port of the processing tool to the plurality of inlet ports of the abatement system. [0018] In certain embodiments, a system is provided for manufacturing electronic devices. The system includes (a) a plurality of processing tools; and (b) an abatement system for abating pollutants from the processing tools. The abatement system includes a plurality of chambers, each including a plurality of inlet ports. The system also includes a manifold for selectively coupling pollutant outlet ports of the plurality of processing tools to the plurality of inlet ports of the chambers of the abatement system. [0019] In certain embodiments, an apparatus is provided for use during the abatement of a semiconductor manufacturing process. The apparatus includes (a) a plurality of chambers, each chamber including a plurality of waste stream inlet ports; and (b) a manifold for selectively coupling pollutant outlet ports of a plurality of processing tools to the plurality of waste stream inlet ports of the chambers. [0020] In certain embodiments, an apparatus is provided for use during the abatement of a semiconductor manufacturing process. The apparatus includes a thermal reaction unit having (a) an interior porous wall that defines a central chamber and formed from a plurality of stacked ceramic sections; (b) at least one waste gas inlet in fluid communication with the central chamber and adapted to introduce a gaseous waste stream to the central chamber; (c) a thermal mechanism positioned within the central chamber and adapted to decompose the gaseous waste stream within the central chamber, thereby forming reaction products; and (d) a fluid delivery system adapted to provide a fluid to the central chamber through the interior porous wall with sufficient pressure to reduce deposition of reaction products on an inner surface of the interior porous wall of the central chamber. At least one of the stacked ceramic sections is adapted to allow sensing of a characteristic of contents of the central chamber [0021] In certain embodiments, an apparatus is provided for use during the abatement of a semiconductor manufacturing process. The apparatus includes a thermal reaction unit having (a) an interior porous wall that defines a central chamber, the interior porous wall formed from a plurality of stacked ceramic sections; (b) at least one waste gas inlet in fluid communication with the central chamber, adapted to introduce a gaseous waste stream to the central chamber, and disposed so as to direct the gaseous waste stream away from the interior porous wall of the chamber; (d) a thermal mechanism positioned within the central chamber and adapted to decompose the gaseous waste stream within the central chamber, thereby forming reaction products; and (e) a fluid delivery system adapted to provide a fluid to the central chamber through the interior porous wall with sufficient pressure to reduce deposition of reaction products on an inner surface of the interior porous wall of the central chamber. Continue reading... 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