Abstract: A radiant burner for treating an effluent gas stream from a manufacturing process tool may include: a combustion chamber having a porous sleeve through which combustion materials pass for combustion proximate to a combustion surface of the porous sleeve; and a plenum surrounding the porous sleeve supplying the combustion materials to the porous sleeve, the plenum being configured to provide the combustion materials with varying stoichiometry along a length of the porous sleeve. This approach of varying the stoichiometric ratios of the combustion materials correspondingly varies the heat generated by those combustion materials along the length of the porous sleeve. By varying the stoichiometry of the combustion materials to compensate for variations in the heat generated within the combustion chamber along the length of the porous sleeve, a more uniform temperature can be achieved along the length of the porous sleeve within the combustion chamber.

Abstract: A head assembly for a radiant burner, an inlet assembly and a method are disclosed. The head assembly is for a radiant burner. The head assembly may include a housing defining a plurality of identical housing apertures extending therethrough, an insulator received by the housing and defining a corresponding plurality of identical, complimentarily-located insulator apertures extending therethrough, and at least one inlet assembly configured to be received by one of the identical housing apertures. Each inlet assembly may include a housing portion configured to be received by the one of the identical housing apertures, and an insulator portion configured to fill the complimentarily-located insulator aperture. In this way, a head assembly is provided which has a number of apertures, any of which may receive an inlet assembly.

Abstract: To lengthen the service period on DC plasma abatement devices a modified DC plasma torch is provided with an electrically conductive cathode and an electrically conductive anode spaced apart from one another to form a gap therebetween; a metal swirl bush at least partially located within the gap and comprising a channel adapted to permit, in use, a gas to flow through the gap; and a ceramic element interposed between any one or more of: the cathode and the swirl bush; and the anode and the swirl bush.

Abstract: A radiant burner and method are disclosed. The radiant burner is for treating an effluent gas stream from a manufacturing process tool and comprises: a combustion chamber having a porous sleeve through which combustion materials pass for combustion proximate to a combustion surface of the porous sleeve; at least one effluent nozzle for ejecting the effluent gas stream into the combustion chamber; and a perforated liner proximate to the combustion surface. Providing a perforated liner controls the combustion materials passing into the combustion chamber to treat the effluent gas stream and also provides a surface onto which residual combustion deposits may be received. Accordingly, the liner can both improve the efficiency of the treatment of the effluent gas stream and can act as a sacrificial surface which may be replaced or cleaned either in accordance with a maintenance regime or when the performance of the radiant burner reduces.

Abstract: An inlet assembly for a burner includes a manifold having an inlet aperture and a coaxially aligned outlet aperture, the manifold having a nozzle bore extending along a longitudinal axis between the inlet aperture and the outlet aperture for conveying an effluent gas from an inlet pipe coupleable with the inlet aperture to the outlet aperture for delivery to a combustion chamber of the burner. A nozzle bore scraper is housed within the nozzle bore. An actuator is operable to reciprocate the nozzle bore scraper relative to the nozzle bore, the nozzle bore scraper reciprocating along the longitudinal axis within the nozzle bore between a rest position and an actuated position to reduce effluent gas deposits within the nozzle bore.

Abstract: In a method of operating a microwave plasma abatement apparatus comprising a microwave generator, and a gas chamber for receiving microwave energy from the microwave generator and within which a plasma is generated using the microwave energy, the amount of microwave energy that is not absorbed within the gas chamber is monitored, and the power of the microwave energy generated by the microwave generator is adjusted in dependence on the monitored microwave energy.

Abstract: Apparatus for treating gas comprises a casing (100) containing a gas scrubber section (118) and an electrostatic precipitator section (120) located above the scrubber section. A partition (136) may be located within the casing (100) to separate the precipitator section (120) from the scrubber section (118). The casing has a gas inlet (102) for supplying gas to the scrubber section, a gas outlet (104) for exhausting gas from the precipitator section, a scrubbing liquid inlet (106) for supplying scrubbing liquid to the precipitator section, and a scrubbing liquid outlet (126) for draining scrubbing liquid from the scrubber section. In one embodiment the partition comprises a set of apertures (138) through which scrubbing liquid drains from the precipitator section into the scrubber section, and a set of gas passages (140) for conveying gas from the scrubber section to the precipitator section.

Abstract: A microwave plasma reactor (10) comprises a reactor chamber, a microwave resonant cavity (14) located within the reactor chamber, a waveguide (16) for conveying microwave radiation to the resonant cavity, the waveguide having a convergent tapered portion, means for forming an electromagnetic standing wave within the resonant cavity from the microwave radiation for initiating and sustaining a plasma within the resonant cavity, the resonant cavity having a gas inlet and a gas outlet, and conduit means extending from the gas outlet for containing a plasma conveyed from the resonant cavity with a gas flowing from the gas inlet to the gas outlet.

Abstract: Apparatus is described for treating an effluent gas stream from a semiconductor manufacturing process tool. The apparatus comprises a plasma torch for generating a glow discharge from an inert, ionisable gas. The gas stream is conveyed to the glow discharge to ignite a plasma. A source of electromagnetic radiation supplies electromagnetic radiation to the effluent gas stream to sustain the plasma. The apparatus is particularly suitable for treating perfluorinated and hydroflurocarbon compounds in the effluent gas stream.

Abstract: A trap device includes means for separating a liquid compound from a waste stream exhaust from a process chamber, means for collecting the liquid compound separated from the waste stream, means for selectively isolating the collected liquid compound from the waste stream, and means for evaporating the collected liquid compound to return the compound in gaseous form to the waste stream. This can enable a volatile liquid to be collected at a defined location, isolated from the waste stream, and, when so desired, returned to the waste stream in the form of a gas for subsequent abatement.

Abstract: System for treating an effluent fluid stream from a process tool including a vacuum pump (16) for drawing an effluent stream from the process tool chamber, an abatement device (12) for treating the effluent stream and a liquid ring pump (14) for at least partially evacuating the abatement device (12). During use, the abatement device (12) converts one or more components of the effluent stream, for example F2 or a PFC, into one or more liquid-soluble a compounds, for example HF, that are less harmful to the environment. The liquid ring pump (14) receives the effluent stream and a liquid, and exhausts a solution of the liquid and the liquid-soluble component of the effluent stream. The liquid ring pump (14) thus operates as both a wet scrubber and an atmospheric vacuum pumping stage.

Abstract: To lengthen the service period on DC plasma abatement devices a modified DC plasma torch is provided with an electrically conductive cathode and an electrically conductive anode spaced apart from one another to form a gap therebetween; a metal swirl bush at least partially located within the gap and comprising a channel adapted to permit, in use, a gas to flow through the gap; and a ceramic element interposed between any one or more of: the cathode and the swirl bush; and the anode and the swirl bush.

Abstract: A method is described for treating gas exhaust from a polysilicon etch process, which uses a plasma abatement device to treat the gas. The device comprises a stainless steel gas chamber having a gas inlet for receiving the gas and a gas outlet. As the gas may contain a halocompound and water vapor, the chamber is heated to a temperature that inhibits adsorption of water on the surface within the chamber, thereby inhibiting corrosion of the gas chamber. The gas is then conveyed to the gas chamber for treatment, and the temperature of the chamber is maintained above said temperature during treatment of the gas.

Abstract: A method of measuring the concentration of a halogen in a gas stream using measurement means unsuitable for the direct measurement of halogens in a gas stream includes the step of passing a gaseous conversion compound to the halogen containing gas stream to convert the halogen to a detectable gaseous compound.

Abstract: A plasma reactor (10) comprises a microwave resonant cavity (12) having a gas inlet (18) and a gas outlet (20), a waveguide (14) for conveying microwave radiation to the resonant cavity, and a plasma torch (40) for injecting into the resonant cavity a plasma stream containing ions for reacting with a gas flowing from the gas inlet (18) to the gas outlet (20).

Abstract: A method is described for treating gas exhaust from a polysilicon etch process, which uses a plasma abatement device to treat the gas. The device comprises a stainless steel gas chamber having a gas inlet for receiving the gas and a gas outlet. As the gas may contain a halocompound and water vapour, the chamber is heated to a temperature that inhibits adsorption of water on the surface within the chamber, thereby inhibiting corrosion of the gas chamber. The gas is then conveyed to the gas chamber for treatment, and the temperature of the chamber is maintained above said temperature during treatment of the gas.

Abstract: A method of measuring the concentration of a halogen in a gas stream using measurement means unsuitable for the direct measurement of halogens in a gas stream, comprising the step of passing a gaseous conversion compound to the halogen containing gas stream to convert the halogen to a detectable gaseous compound.

Abstract: At least one gaseous impurity, for example silane, is removed by absorption from a feed gas stream, for example a gas stream comprising nitrogen and hydrogen, the gaseous impurity being less volatile than the feed gas stream. The absorption is effected by a sub-cooled absorbent at a first cryogenic temperature and a first pressure. The absorbent is typically propane. The absorption may be conducted in a liquid-vapour contact column (130). Absorbent containing impurity may be regenerated in a regeneration vessel 150 and returned to the column (130).

Abstract: Apparatus for the combustive destruction of noxious substances comprises an annular combustion zone (C14) surrounded by the exit surface of an inwardly fired foraminous burner (C32) and surrounding the exit surface of an outwardly fired foraminous burner (C42), means (C12) for injecting a gas stream containing at least one noxious substance into the combustion zone, and means for supplying fuel gas and oxidant to the foraminous burners to effect combustion at the exit surfaces.

Abstract: A method is described of treating a gas stream exhausted from an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process chamber to which two or more gaseous precursors are alternately supplied. Between the process chamber and a vacuum pump used to draw the gas stream from the chamber, the gas stream is conveyed to a gas mixing chamber, to which a reactant is supplied for reacting with one of the gaseous precursors to form solid material. The gas stream is then conveyed to a cyclone separator to separate solid material from the gas stream. By deliberately reacting a non-reacted precursor to form solid material upstream from the pump, reaction within the pump of the non-reacted precursor and a second non-reacted precursor subsequently drawn from the chamber by the pump can be inhibited.