Abstract: An apparatus to induce very small bubbles of gas into a stream of deionized water without allowing large bubbles to be entrained is disclosed for use in Chemical Mechanical Polishing for semiconductor manufacture. The apparatus includes a cylinder possessing a central axis positioned vertically, a gas inlet, a deionized water inlet positioned essentially above the gas inlet, a deionized water with gas outlet positioned essentially above the deionized water inlet and a vent outlet positioned essentially above the deionized water with gas outlet. The apparatus introduces an essentially gaseous composition into the cylinder through the gas inlet into deionized water in the cylinder. The gas travels through the deionized water inlet to a level in the cylinder above the position of the deionized water with gas outlet, wherein the gaseous composition is further constrained to enter as bubbles with a predetermined size range in the deionized water through the deionized water inlet.

Abstract: Semiconductor wafers are processed in a semiconductor diffusion furnace. During processing, the semiconductor wafers are placed in a quartz tube. Also during processing, a laser beam is transmitted below a top surface of the quartz tube. While the quartz tube is not sagging, the laser beam is detected with a detector. When the top surface of the quartz tube sags so that the laser beam is obstructed by the top surface, the laser beam is no longer detected by the detector. At this point the detector will alert an operator of the system that the top surface of the quartz tube is sagging so that the laser beam is obstructed by the top surface. The operator of the semiconductor diffusion furnace then may replace the quartz tube before damage is done to the semiconductor wafers.

Abstract: A semiconductor deposition system with thermal trap characterized by a processing chamber, a source of process gas coupled to an inlet of the processing chamber, a thermal trap coupled to an outlet of the processing chamber, and a pump mechanism operative to pump a gas from the process chamber and into the thermal trap. The thermal trap preferably includes an enclosure defining a trap chamber, where an inlet to the trap chamber is coupled to the outlet of the processing chamber, a condensable-solid collection surface located within the trap chamber, a mechanism for maintaining the temperature of the collection surface at or below the temperature at which a gas flowing into the chamber condenses into a solid form, and a mechanism for maintaining the temperature of an inner surface of the enclosure at a temperature above which the gas condenses into a solid form.