INLET ASSEMBLY

Abstract

An inlet assembly includes an inlet nozzle configured to deliver an effluent stream into a combustion chamber of an abatement apparatus; and a reagent nozzle configured to deliver a reagent into the combustion chamber of the abatement apparatus, the reagent nozzle being located concentrically with respect to the inlet nozzle, the reagent nozzle being configured to deliver the reagent in different quantities at different positions around its perimeter.

Claims

1. An inlet assembly for an abatement apparatus for treating an effluent stream from a semiconductor processing tool, said inlet assembly comprising: an inlet nozzle configured to deliver said effluent stream into a combustion chamber of said abatement apparatus; and a reagent nozzle configured to deliver a reagent into said combustion chamber of said abatement apparatus, said reagent nozzle being located concentrically with respect to said inlet nozzle, said reagent nozzle being configured to deliver said reagent in different quantities at different positions around its perimeter.

2. The inlet assembly of claim 1, wherein said inlet nozzle and said reagent nozzle are configured to deliver said reagent into said combustion chamber concentrically with respect to said effluent stream.

3. The inlet assembly of claim 1, comprising an upstream gallery configured to feed said perimeter of the reagent nozzle with said reagent.

4. The inlet assembly of claim 1, wherein said inlet nozzle and said reagent nozzle are configured to deliver said reagent into said combustion chamber, surrounding said effluent stream.

5. The inlet assembly of claim 1, wherein said reagent nozzle is at least one of: configured to deliver more of said reagent in a vicinity of a first region of said effluent stream than in a vicinity a second region of said effluent stream; and configured to deliver more of said reagent within a first portion of said reagent nozzle than within a second portion of said reagent nozzle.

6. The inlet assembly of claim 1, wherein said inlet nozzle has an obround cross-section and said reagent nozzle has an annular obround cross-section and said reagent nozzle is configured to deliver more of said reagent within a vicinity of a circular portion of said annular obround than within a linear portion of said annular obround.

7. The inlet assembly of claim 1, wherein an inner surface of said reagent nozzle is spaced away from an outer surface of said inlet nozzle and a clearance distance between said inner surface of said reagent nozzle and said outer surface of said inlet nozzle differs around said perimeter to deliver said reagent in different quantities at different positions around said perimeter.

8. The inlet assembly of claim 16, wherein said clearance distance is at least one of: greater at positions which require more of said reagent to be delivered than at positions which require less of said reagent to be delivered; and greater within a vicinity of a circular portion of said annular obround than within a linear portion of said annular obround.

9. The inlet assembly of claim 1, wherein said reagent is supplied to said reagent nozzle via apertures positioned around said perimeter configured to deliver said reagent in different quantities at different positions around said perimeter.

10. The inlet assembly of claim 9, wherein said apertures extend radially.

11. The inlet assembly of claim 9, wherein at least one of a size and a density of said apertures differs at different positions around said perimeter.

12. The inlet assembly of claim 9, wherein at least one of a size and a density of said apertures is at least one of: greater at positions which require more of said reagent to be delivered than at positions which require less of said reagent to be delivered; and greater within a vicinity of a circular portion of an annular obround than within a linear portion of said annular obround.

13. The inlet assembly of claim 1, wherein said reagent is supplied to said reagent nozzle via a porous material positioned around said perimeter, said porous material having differing porosities to deliver said reagent in different quantities at different positions around said perimeter.

14. An abatement apparatus comprising the inlet assembly of claim 1.

15. A method, comprising: delivering an effluent stream into a combustion chamber of an abatement apparatus with an inlet nozzle; locating a reagent nozzle concentrically with respect to said inlet nozzle; configuring said reagent nozzle configured to deliver a reagent in different quantities at different positions around its perimeter.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0046] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described further, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0047] FIG. 1 is a cross-section through an inlet assembly for an abatement apparatus according to one embodiment;

[0048] FIG. 2 illustrates the inlet assembly with the effluent stream inlet removed;

[0049] FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing the clearance between the effluent stream inlet and the reagent nozzle in more detail;

[0050] FIG. 4 illustrates a top-sectional view (A) and a side-sectional view (B) of an inlet assembly of an abatement apparatus, according to one embodiment; and

[0051] FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate an arrangement of an inlet assembly of an abatement apparatus with the effluent stream inlet removed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0052] Before discussing embodiments in any more detail, first an overview will be provided. Some embodiments provide an arrangement where an effluent stream nozzle which delivers an effluent stream into a combustion chamber of an abatement apparatus is provided with a co-located reagent nozzle which delivers a reagent into the combustion chamber to assist in the abatement of the effluent stream. The reagent nozzle is configured to provide for a non-uniform delivery of the reagent across the reagent nozzle. In particular, some parts, portions, locations or areas of the reagent nozzle are configured to deliver more reagent than others. This enables the flow rate or the amount of reagent delivered at different locations within the combustion chamber to be selected to match the flow rates or amounts of effluent stream at those locations within the combustion chamber. For example, some inlet nozzles deliver the effluent stream into the combustion chamber in non-uniform flow rates or amounts. In particular, the flow rates of effluent stream delivered by the inlet nozzle at some positions within the combustion chamber can be higher than at other positions. The reagent nozzle can therefore be configured to deliver a greater flow of reagent proximate those regions which have a greater flow of effluent stream compared to the flow of reagent provided proximate regions of lower effluent stream flow. This enables the amount of reagent used to be optimized, since otherwise a uniform flow of reagent may be required to match the highest flow of the effluent stream which results in an over-supply of the reagent in order to achieve a required abatement performance. By using this approach, the abatement performance can be maintained with a reduced supply of reagent.

Inlet Assembly1.SUP.st .Arrangement

[0053] FIG. 1 is a cross-section through an inlet assembly for an abatement apparatus 10 according to one embodiment. A mount 50 is provided which attaches on its downstream surface 55 with a housing 40 of a combustion chamber module 30. The combustion chamber module 30 contains a foraminous sleeve 90 housed within the housing 40. A foraminous sleeve 90 within the housing 40 defines a combustion chamber 120. The mount 50 has a wall 800 which defines an inlet aperture which receives an effluent stream inlet 60. In this embodiment, the effluent stream inlet 60 has an obround cross-section. However, it will be appreciated that other shape effluent stream inlets 60 are possible, such as those with circular or other cross-sections. A gallery 810 is formed between a radially outer surface 65 of the effluent stream inlet 60 and a radially inner surface 805 of the wall 800. The housing 40 defines an aperture in its upstream surface which receives a reagent nozzle 830. As will be explained in more detail below, a radially inner surface 835 of the reagent nozzle 830 is spaced away from the radially outer surface 65 of the effluent stream inlet 60.

[0054] FIG. 2 illustrates the inlet assembly with the effluent stream inlet 60 removed. As can be seen, a reagent inlet 850 is provided which supplies reagent into the gallery 810. Although in this embodiment a single reagent inlet 850 is provided, it will be appreciated that more than one reagent inlet and reagent inlets 850 of different shape are envisaged.

[0055] Returning now to FIG. 1, a radially extending flange 820 provided towards an upstream end of the effluent stream 60 cooperates with the mount 50 to fluidly seal the upstream end of the gallery 810. Hence, reagent supplied through the reagent inlet 50 flows into the gallery 810 and travels towards the reagent nozzle 830. The reagent travels between the radially inner surface 835 of the reagent nozzle 830 and the radially outer surface 65 of the effluent stream inlet 60 and discharges into the combustion chamber 120, surrounding the effluent stream discharging from the effluent stream inlet 60.

[0056] FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing the clearance between the effluent stream inlet 60 and the reagent nozzle 830 in more detail. As can be seen, the clearance between the radially inner surface 835 of the reagent nozzle 830 and the radially outer surface 65 of the effluent stream inlet 60 differs at different locations around the reagent nozzle 830. In particular, along linear perimeter regions 845 of the reagent nozzle 830, the distance between the radially inner surface 835 and the radially outer surface 65 is smaller than along curved perimeter regions 860. This causes more reagent to be delivered at the curved perimeter regions 860 than at the linear perimeter regions 845. This means that more reagent is present proximate the curved perimeter regions 860 than proximate the linear portion perimeter 850, which matches the requirement of the effluent stream which tends to split generally into two flows exiting the effluent stream inlet 60, towards its two ends near the curved perimeter regions 860. Less effluent stream is present towards the middle part of the effluent stream inlet 60 in the linear region, and so less reagent is supplied at that location.

Inlet Assembly2.SUP.nd .Arrangement

[0057] FIG. 4 illustrates a top-sectional view (A) and a side-sectional view (B) of an inlet assembly of an abatement apparatus 10A, according to one embodiment. This arrangement is similar to that shown above but has a gallery 810A supplied from a reagent inlet 850A. Walls 800A extend from a floor 870 to surround the effluent stream inlet 60. As can best be seen in FIG. 4A, the available volume of the reagent nozzle 830A is larger in the vicinity of the curved portions of the effluent stream inlet 60 compared to the linear portions of the effluent stream inlet 60. This helps to supply a greater amount of reagent at the curved portions, in the vicinity of the two main flows of the effluent stream as it exits the effluent stream inlet 60 into the combustion chamber 120A.

[0058] This arrangement is particularly suited to some semiconductor manufacturing process exhausts requiring abatement which contain high flows of hydrogen. Examples include epitaxial and polycrystalline silicon growth using either silane or dichlorosilane as the silicon source. Hydrogen flows may be of the order of 50 to 200 l/min per inlet. To aid the combustion of this hydrogen, additional air is supplied by the reagent nozzle 830A around the effluent stream inlet 60. Due to the shape of the effluent stream inlet 60 and the effect this has on the flow of the effluent stream, the reagent nozzle 830A is shaped to form a passage such that the flow distribution of the reagent is non-uniform, giving more flow at either end and less in the middle. This matches the flow pattern of effluent stream discharging from the distal end of the effluent stream inlet 60.

Inlet Assembly3.SUP.rd .Arrangement

[0059] FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate an arrangement of an inlet assembly of an abatement apparatus 10B with the effluent stream inlet 60 removed. Radially extending apertures 880 are provided which communicate with a gallery 810B which supplies the reagent. The reagent passes from the gallery 810B through the apertures 880 to surround the effluent stream inlet 60 (not shown). The size, location and density of the apertures 880 can be varied to vary the amount of reagent delivered at different positions around the periphery of the effluent stream inlet 60.

[0060] A similar effect can be achieved by providing a material with a varying porosity in fluid communication with the supply of the reagent and through which the reagent passes into the reagent nozzle.

[0061] Slot nozzle structures for abatement systems may comprise an inner nozzle and an outer nozzle with a gap in between. This gap can be used to supply reagent gases such as fuel, oxygen. It may also be used to supply an inert purge gas.

[0062] Hence, it can be seen that gases are supplied to the internal space between two obround nozzles via a port. Flow distribution means are provided to distribute the flow. In one embodiment, the gas flows into a gallery around the top of the outer nozzle. Notches may be cut in the top of the outer nozzle, through which the gas passes. The separate streams from the notches merge and coalesce to give uniform flow at the distal end of the internal space between the nozzles.

[0063] In one embodiment, the gas is supplied through a port in the sidewall of the outer nozzle. A septum below this port forms a gallery. An aperture cut in the septum allows the inner nozzle to pass through. The difference between the profiles of the aperture and the outside of the inner nozzle give a shaped passage through which the gas is distributed. This passage may be uniform or non-uniform. A non-uniform passage may be advantageous as it can shape the flow distribution giving, for example, more flow towards the axes and less in the centre, matching the discharge of process gas from the inner nozzle.

[0064] It will be appreciated that other aperture shapes are possible such as, for example, a concentric dog-bone shape, an eccentric dog-bone shape and a ?-shape, etc.

[0065] Although illustrative embodiments of the invention have been disclosed in detail herein, with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is understood that the invention is not limited to the precise embodiment and that various changes and modifications can be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0066] Although elements have been shown or described as separate embodiments above, portions of each embodiment may be combined with all or part of other embodiments described above.

[0067] Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described above are described as example forms of implementing the claims.