Optimising operating conditions in an abatement apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12392486-B2
Application number	US-202017773745-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 3, 2020
Priority date	Nov 5, 2019
Publication date	Aug 19, 2025
Grant date	Aug 19, 2025

Abstract

A method of optimising operating conditions in an abatement apparatus configured to treat an effluent stream from a processing tool and an abatement apparatus are disclosed. The method of optimising operating conditions in an abatement apparatus configured to treat an effluent stream from a processing tool comprises: determining a concentration of carbon monoxide produced by the abatement apparatus when treating the effluent stream; and adjusting an operating parameter of the abatement apparatus in response to the concentration of carbon monoxide. In this way, the performance of the abatement device can be controlled by simply adjusting the operating parameters of the abatement device in response to the amount of carbon monoxide being produced to create conditions within the abatement apparatus which improve the removal of compounds being treated within the abatement device, while reducing undesirable by-products and without requiring advanced knowledge of the content of the effluent stream.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of optimising operating conditions in an abatement apparatus configured to treat an effluent stream from a semiconductor processing tool, said method comprising:
measuring a concentration of carbon monoxide produced by said abatement apparatus when treating said effluent stream; and
adjusting an operating parameter of said abatement apparatus in response to said concentration of carbon monoxide, wherein adjusting the operating parameter comprises:
repeating steps of:
modifying a supply of oxidant, and
measuring the concentration of carbon monoxide in an exhaust of the abatement apparatus,

to arrive at a supply of oxidant at which an increase in the supply of oxidant causes an increase in the concentration of carbon monoxide and a decrease in the supply of oxidant causes an increase in the concentration of carbon monoxide.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein measuring the concentration of carbon monoxide comprises measuring the concentration of carbon monoxide with an infrared spectrometer.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein modifying the supply of oxidant alters a fuel/oxidant ratio.

4. An apparatus for optimising/adjusting operating conditions in an abatement apparatus configured to treat an effluent stream from a semiconductor processing tool, said apparatus comprising:
a sensor configured to determine a concentration of carbon monoxide produced by said abatement apparatus when treating said effluent stream; and
a controller operable to adjust an operating parameter of said abatement apparatus in response to said concentration of carbon monoxide through steps comprising:
repeating steps of:
modifying a supply of oxidant, and
measuring the concentration of carbon monoxide using the sensor,

to arrive at a supply of oxidant at which an increase in the supply of oxidant causes an increase in the concentration of carbon monoxide and a decrease in the supply of oxidant causes an increase in the concentration of carbon monoxide.

Assignees

• Edwards Ltd

Inventors

• Price Duncan Michael
• Graham Michael Colin

Classifications

• F23G2900/55003

  Sensing for exhaust gas properties, e.g. O2 content · CPC title

• F23G2209/142

  Halogen gases, e.g. silane · CPC title

• F23G2207/30

  Oxidant supply · CPC title

• F23G2207/104

  for CO or CO2 · CPC title

• F23G2204/103

  gaseous or liquid fuel · CPC title