Plasma abatement technology utilizing water vapor and oxygen reagent

Abstract

Implementations of the present disclosure relate to systems and techniques for abating F-gases present in the effluent of semiconductor manufacturing processes. In one implementation, a water and oxygen delivery system for a plasma abatement system is provided. The water and oxygen delivery system comprises a housing that includes a floor and a plurality of sidewalls that define an enclosed region. The water and oxygen delivery system further comprises a cylindrical water tank positioned on the floor, wherein a longitudinal axis of the cylindrical water tank is parallel to a plane defined by the floor and a length of the water tank is 1.5 times or greater than the diameter of the cylindrical water tank. The water and oxygen delivery system further comprises a flow control system positioned within the housing above the cylindrical water tank.

1 . A water and oxygen delivery system for a plasma abatement system, comprising:
 a housing that includes a floor and a plurality of sidewalls that define an enclosed region;   a cylindrical water tank positioned on the floor, wherein a longitudinal axis of the cylindrical water tank is parallel to a plane defined by the floor and a length of the water tank is 1.5 times or greater than the diameter of the cylindrical water tank; and   a flow control system positioned within the housing above the cylindrical water tank.   
     
     
         2 . The water and oxygen delivery system of  claim 1 , wherein the flow control system comprises:
 an oxygen mass flow controller; and   a water vapor mass flow controller.   
     
     
         3 . The water and oxygen delivery system of  claim 1 , wherein the water tank is a low-pressure boiler for producing water vapor. 
     
     
         4 . The water and oxygen delivery system of  claim 3 , wherein the cylindrical water tank includes:
 a cylindrical sidewall;   a first circular wall; and   an opposing second circular wall, wherein the cylindrical sidewall, the first circular wall, and the second circular wall define an enclosed region.   
     
     
         5 . The water and oxygen delivery system of  claim 4 , further comprising a liquid level sensor positioned in the water tank for measuring the liquid level in the water tank. 
     
     
         6 . The water and oxygen delivery system of  claim 5 , further comprising a vacuum pressure gauge positioned in the water tank for measuring the pressure within the water tank. 
     
     
         7 . The water and oxygen delivery system of  claim 6 , further comprising an electronic controller positioned in the housing for controlling and monitoring the generation of water vapor from the water tank, the vacuum pressure gauge, the liquid level sensor, and the flow control system. 
     
     
         8 . An abatement system, comprising:
 a water and oxygen delivery system, comprising:
 a housing the includes a floor and a plurality of sidewalls that define an enclosed region; 
 a cylindrical water tank positioned on the floor, wherein a longitudinal axis of the cylindrical water tank is parallel to a plane defined by the floor and a length of the water tank is 1.5 times or greater than the diameter of the cylindrical water tank; and 
 a flow control system positioned within the housing above the cylindrical water tank; and 
   a plasma source coupled with the water and oxygen delivery system via a conduit.   
     
     
         9 . The abatement system of  claim 8 , wherein the flow control system comprises:
 an oxygen mass flow controller; and   a water vapor mass flow controller.   
     
     
         10 . The abatement system of  claim 8 , wherein the water tank is a low-pressure boiler for producing water vapor. 
     
     
         11 . The abatement system of  claim 8 , wherein the cylindrical water tank includes:
 a cylindrical sidewall;   a first circular wall; and   an opposing second circular wall, wherein the cylindrical sidewall, the first circular wall, and the second circular wall define an enclosed region.   
     
     
         12 . The abatement system of  claim 11 , further comprising a liquid level sensor positioned in the water tank for measuring the liquid level in the water tank. 
     
     
         13 . The abatement system of  claim 12 , further comprising a vacuum pressure gauge positioned in the water tank for measuring the pressure within the water tank. 
     
     
         14 . The abatement system of  claim 13 , further comprising an electronic controller positioned in the housing for controlling and monitoring the generation of water vapor from the water tank, the vacuum pressure gauge, the liquid level sensor, and the flow control system. 
     
     
         15 . A vacuum processing system, comprising:
 a processing chamber;   a vacuum source;   a foreline coupling the processing chamber with the vacuum source; and   an abatement system coupled with the foreline via a conduit, wherein the abatement system comprises:
 a water and oxygen delivery system, comprising:
 a housing the includes a floor and a plurality of sidewalls that define an enclosed region; 
 a cylindrical water tank positioned on the floor, wherein a longitudinal axis of the cylindrical water tank is parallel to a plane defined by the floor and a length of the water tank is 1.5 times or greater than the diameter of the cylindrical water tank; and 
 a flow control system positioned within the housing above the cylindrical water tank; and 
 
 a plasma source coupled with the water and oxygen delivery system via a conduit. 
   
     
     
         16 . The vacuum processing system of  claim 15 , wherein the flow control system comprises:
 an oxygen mass flow controller; and   a water vapor mass flow controller.   
     
     
         17 . The vacuum processing system of  claim 15 , wherein the water tank is a low-pressure boiler for producing water vapor. 
     
     
         18 . The vacuum processing system of  claim 15 , wherein the cylindrical water tank includes:
 a cylindrical sidewall;   a first circular wall; and   an opposing second circular wall, wherein the cylindrical sidewall, the first circular wall, and the second circular wall define an enclosed region.   
     
     
         19 . The vacuum processing system of  claim 18 , further comprising a liquid level sensor positioned in the water tank for measuring the liquid level in the water tank. 
     
     
         20 . The vacuum processing system of  claim 19 , further comprising a vacuum pressure gauge positioned in the water tank for measuring the pressure within the water tank.