Vacuum processing apparatus and oxidizing gas removal method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12406862-B2
Application number	US-202318499667-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 1, 2023
Priority date	Jun 17, 2021
Publication date	Sep 2, 2025
Grant date	Sep 2, 2025

Abstract

A vacuum processing apparatus includes a decompressable process container; a supply port configured to supply, to the process container, an ionic liquid that absorbs an oxidizing gas; and a discharge port configured to discharge the ionic liquid supplied to the process container. A recess is provided at a joint portion between members constituting the process container. The supply port is configured to supply the ionic liquid to the recess, and the discharge port is configured to discharge the ionic liquid supplied to the recess.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vacuum processing apparatus comprising:
a decompressable process container;
the process container including a support member and a side wall of the process container, wherein the support member is provided on the side wall of the process container and is configured to support a dielectric window;
a tank storing an ionic liquid that absorbs an oxidizing gas;
a supply port connected to the tank and configured to supply the ionic liquid from the tank to the process container; and
a discharge port configured to discharge the ionic liquid supplied to the process container,
wherein a recess is annularly provided at a joint portion between the support member and the side wall of the process container,
wherein the supply port is configured to supply the ionic liquid to the recess, and the discharge port is configured to discharge the ionic liquid supplied to the recess,
wherein the vacuum processing apparatus further comprises a sealing material configured to seal the joint portion from an outside of the process container,
wherein the recess is provided on a vacuum side of the sealing material at the joint portion and that is in communication with the supply port and an inside of the process container, and the ionic liquid supplied from the supply port flows through the recess along the sealing material,
wherein the discharge port is provided in communication with the recess, the discharge port being located at a bottom of the recess,
wherein a top surface of an inner annular rim of the side wall of the process container is higher than a bottom surface of the support member, and
wherein the ionic liquid flowing through the recess is in contact with the sealing material and the bottom surface of the support member, but not the top surface of the inner annular rim of the side wall of the process container.

2. The vacuum processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the ionic liquid is MEMP (N-(2-methoxyethyl)-N-methyl-pyrrolidinium)-TFSI(bis(tri-fluoro-methane-sulfonyl)imide).

3. A method for removing an oxidizing gas in a vacuum processing apparatus including:
a decompressable process container;
the process container including a support member and a side wall of the process container, wherein the support member is provided on the side wall of the process container and is configured to support a dielectric window;
a tank storing an ionic liquid that absorbs an oxidizing gas;
a supply port connected to the tank and configured to supply the ionic liquid from the tank to the process container; and
a discharge port configured to discharge the ionic liquid supplied to the process container,
wherein a recess is annularly provided at a joint portion between the support member and the side wall of the process container,
wherein the supply port is configured to supply the ionic liquid to the recess, and the discharge port is configured to discharge the ionic liquid supplied to the recess,
wherein the vacuum processing apparatus further comprises a sealing material configured to seal the joint portion from an outside of the process container,
wherein the recess is provided on a vacuum side of the sealing material at the joint portion and that is in communication with the supply port and an inside of the process container, and the ionic liquid supplied from the supply port flows through the recess along the sealing material,
wherein the discharge port is provided in communication with the recess, the discharge port being located at a bottom of the recess,
wherein a top surface of an inner annular rim of the side wall of the process container is higher than a bottom surface of the support member, and
wherein the ionic liquid flowing through the recess is in contact with the sealing material and the bottom surface of the support member, but not the top surface of the inner annular rim of the side wall of the process container, the method comprising:
supplying the ionic liquid that absorbs the oxidizing gas to the recess from the supply port, thereby absorbing the oxidizing gas remaining in the process container by the ionic liquid; and
discharging the ionic liquid supplied to the recess.

Assignees

• Tokyo Electron Ltd

Inventors

• Ueda Hirokazu
• Iizuka Yoji
• Iwashita Mitsuaki
• Rotondaro Antonio
• Aryal Dipak
• Nakano Takeo
• Asako Ryuichi
• Sekiguchi Kenji
• Akiyama Koji
• Umeshita Naoki
• Hayakawa Takashi

Classifications

• H10P72/0411

  for wet cleaning or washing · CPC title

• H10P72/0414 Primary

  using mainly spraying means, e.g. nozzles · CPC title

• C23C16/26 Primary

  Deposition of carbon only · CPC title

• C23C16/45587

  Mechanical means for changing the gas flow · CPC title

• C23C16/50

  using electric discharges {(generation and control of plasma in discharge tubes for surface treatment H01J37/32, H01J37/34)} · CPC title