Methods and apparatus for conserving electronic device manufacturing resources

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11049735-B2
Application number	US-201715598243-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 17, 2017
Priority date	Mar 25, 2008
Publication date	Jun 29, 2021
Grant date	Jun 29, 2021

Abstract

A method for operating an electronic device manufacturing system is provided that includes introducing an inert gas into a process tool vacuum pump at a first flow rate while the process tool is operating in a process mode, and introducing the inert gas into the process tool vacuum pump at a second flow rate while the process tool is operating in a chamber clean mode. Numerous other embodiments are provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for operating an electronic device manufacturing system comprising: introducing an inert gas into an effluent stream at a mixing junction at a first flow rate prior to the effluent stream entering a vacuum pump coupled to a processing tool while the process tool is operating in a process mode; introducing the inert gas into the effluent stream at the mixing junction at a second flow rate prior to the effluent stream entering the vacuum pump while the process tool is operating in a chamber clean mode; and introducing the inert gas into the mixing junction at a third flow rate when the vacuum pump is not operating.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the inert gas is introduced into the mixing junction at or below ambient temperature while the process tool is operating in the process mode.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first flow rate causes a viscosity of an effluent of the process tool to increase to a predetermined viscosity.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second flow rate causes a dilution of cleaning chemistry passing through the vacuum pump such that a detrimental effect of the cleaning chemistry on the vacuum pump or a vacuum pump lubricant is reduced.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the third flow rate is a rate sufficient to prevent ambient air from entering the vacuum pump and a conduit connecting the vacuum pump to the process tool.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the inert gas is nitrogen.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving at a controller from a process tool a first signal indicating an operating mode of the process tool; and
sending from the controller to an inert gas supply a second signal indicating:
the first flow rate in response to the first signal indicating the process mode, or the second flow rate in response to the first signal indicating the chamber clean mode.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising sending from the controller to the inert gas supply the second signal indicating a third flow rate in response to the first signal indicating an off mode.

9. A controller for operating an electronic device manufacturing system, the controller configured to communicate with a process tool of the electronic device manufacturing system and with an inert gas supply of the electronic device manufacturing system, the controller configured to command the inert gas supply to: introduce an inert gas into an effluent stream at a mixing junction of the electronic device manufacturing system at a first flow rate prior to the effluent stream entering a vacuum pump coupled to the process tool, while the process tool is operating in a process mode; introduce the inert gas into the effluent stream at the mixing junction at a second flow rate prior to the effluent stream entering the vacuum pump while the process tool is operating in a chamber clean mode; and to introduce the inert gas into the mixing junction at a third flow rate when the vacuum pump is not operating.

10. The controller of claim 9 , further configured to receive from the process tool a first signal indicating an operating mode of the process tool, the operating mode including the process mode, the chamber clean mode, and an off mode.

11. The controller of claim 10 , further configured to send from the controller to the inert gas supply a second signal indicating a third flow rate in response to the first signal indicating the off mode.

12. The controller of claim 11 , wherein the controller is configured to introduce the inert gas into the mixing junction at the third flow rate to prevent ambient air from entering the vacuum pump and a conduit connecting the pump to the process tool.

13. The controller of claim 10 , further configured to send from the controller to the inert gas supply a second signal indicating the first flow rate in response to the first signal indicating the process mode.

14. The controller of claim 10 , further configured to send from the controller to the inert gas supply a second signal indicating the second flow rate in response to the first signal indicating the chamber clean mode.

15. The controller of claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to introduce the inert gas into the mixing junction at or below ambient temperature while the process tool is operating in the process mode.

16. The controller of claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to introduce the inert gas into the mixing junction at the first flow rate to cause a viscosity of an effluent of the process tool to increase to a predetermined viscosity.

17. The controller of claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to introduce the inert gas into the mixing junction at the second flow rate to cause a dilution of cleaning chemistry passing through the vacuum pump such that a detrimental effect of the cleaning chemistry on the vacuum pump or a vacuum pump lubricant is reduced.

18. The controller of claim 9 , wherein the inert gas is nitrogen.

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Clark Daniel O
• Chandler Phil
• Jung Jay J

Classifications

• H10P72/0402 Primary

  Apparatus for fluid treatment (H10P72/0441, H10P72/0448 take precedence) · CPC title

• Y10T137/0318

  Processes · CPC title

• B01D53/38

  Removing components of undefined structure · CPC title

• C23C16/4412 Primary

  Details relating to the exhausts, e.g. pumps, filters, scrubbers, particle traps · CPC title

• C23C14/56 Primary

  Apparatus specially adapted for continuous coating; Arrangements for maintaining the vacuum, e.g. vacuum locks · CPC title