Systems and methods for cooling and removing reactants from a substrate processing chamber

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9453614-B2
Application number	US-201414215910-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 17, 2014
Priority date	Mar 17, 2014
Publication date	Sep 27, 2016
Grant date	Sep 27, 2016

Abstract

A cooling and reactant removal system includes first and second gate valves. An outlet of the first gate valve is arranged in fluid communication with the process volume of the processing chamber. A filter is arranged in fluid communication with an inlet of the first gate valve. An inlet of the second gate valve is arranged in fluid communication with the process volume of the processing chamber. A gas amplifier has a first inlet, a second inlet, an outlet and at least one Coanda surface. Compressed gas received at the first inlet of the gas amplifier is directed across the Coanda surface. The second inlet of the gas amplifier is in fluid communication with the outlet of the second gate valve. The outlet of the gas amplifier is in fluid communication with a scrubbed exhaust system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cooling and reactant removal system for a semiconductor processing system, comprising:
a processing chamber defining a process volume and comprising one or more pedestals configured to support one or more substrates, respectively, for processing;
a first gate valve having an inlet and an outlet,
wherein the outlet of the first gate valve is arranged in fluid communication with the process volume of the processing chamber;
a filter arranged in fluid communication with the inlet of the first gate valve;
a second gate valve having an inlet and an outlet,
wherein the inlet of the second gate valve is arranged in fluid communication with the process volume of the processing chamber;
a gas amplifier having a first inlet, a second inlet, an outlet and at least one Coanda surface;
a source of compressed gas,
wherein the first inlet of the gas amplifier is in fluid communication with the compressed source of gas and wherein the compressed gas received at the first inlet is directed across the Coanda surface,
wherein the second inlet of the gas amplifier is in fluid communication with the outlet of the second gate valve; and
a scrubbed exhaust system, wherein the outlet of the gas amplifier is in fluid communication with the scrubbed exhaust system.

2. The cooling and reactant removal system of claim 1 , further comprising a vent system to vent the processing chamber.

3. The cooling and reactant removal system of claim 1 , further comprising a humidity system to selectively supply fluid to the filter during operation of the gas amplifier.

4. The cooling and reactant removal system of claim 3 , wherein the humidity system comprises:
a fluid supply;
a valve in fluid communication with the fluid supply; and
a nozzle in fluid communication with the valve and arranged to spray fluid from the fluid supply onto the filter.

5. The cooling and reactant removal system of claim 1 , wherein the source of compressed gas supplies at least one of clean dry air, inert gas, atmospheric air and molecular nitrogen.

6. The cooling and reactant removal system of claim 5 , wherein the source of compressed fluid operates between 50 and 100 psig.

7. The cooling and reactant removal system of claim 1 , wherein the source of compressed gas operates at approximately 65 psig.

8. The cooling and reactant removal system of claim 7 , wherein the gas amplifier operates at an amplification ratio between 8:1 and 37:1.

9. The cooling and reactant removal system of claim 1 , further comprising:
one or more heaters to heat the one or more pedestals, respectively;
a controller configured to:
turn off the heaters;
vent the processing chamber;
open the second gate valve;
supply the compressed gas to the first inlet of the gas amplifier; and
open the first gate valve.

10. The cooling and reactant removal system of claim 9 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
compare a temperature of the processing chamber to a predetermined temperature;
based on the comparing:
turning off the compressed gas to the gas amplifier; and
closing the first and second gate valves.

11. A method for cooling and removing reactants from a semiconductor processing system including a processing chamber defining a process volume and including one or more pedestals configured to support one or more substrates, respectively, for processing, comprising:
connecting an outlet of a first gate valve to the process volume of the processing chamber;
connecting a filter to an inlet of the first gate valve;
connecting an inlet of a second gate valve to the process volume of the processing chamber;
connecting a first inlet of a gas amplifier to a source of compressed gas, wherein the compressed gas received at the first inlet is directed across a Coanda surface of the gas amplifier;
connecting a second inlet of the gas amplifier to the outlet of the second gate valve; and
connecting an outlet of the gas amplifier to a scrubbed exhaust system.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising selectively venting the processing chamber.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising selectively supplying liquid to the filter during operation of the gas amplifier.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the source of compressed gas supplies at least one of clean dry air, inert gas, atmospheric air and molecular nitrogen.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the source of compressed gas operates between 50 and 100 psig.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the source of compressed gas operates at approximately in a range between 60 psig to 100 psig.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the gas amplifier operates at an amplification ratio between 8:1 and 37:1.

18. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
turning off heat to the pedestals;
venting the processing chamber;
opening the second gate valve;
supplying the compressed gas to the first inlet of the gas amplifier; and
opening the first gate valve.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
comparing a temperature of the processing chamber to a predetermined temperature; and
based on the comparing:
turning off the compressed gas to the gas amplifier; and
closing the first and second gate valves.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:
pumping to base pressure; and
venting the processing chamber.

Assignees

• Lam Res Corp

Inventors

• Smith Colin F

Classifications

• H10P72/0461

  characterised by the presence of two or more transfer chambers · CPC title

• H10P72/0454

  surrounding a central transfer chamber · CPC title

• H10P72/0402

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

• H10P72/0462

  characterised by the construction of the processing chambers, e.g. modular processing chambers · CPC title

• H10P72/0434

  mainly by convection · CPC title