Claims
- 1. A method of reducing perfluorocarbon emissions in a semiconductor fabrication process which includes the steps of:(a) providing one of a plasma reactor or thermal chamber downstream from the use of said perfluorocarbon in said semiconductor fabrication process; (b) entering a gaseous perfluorocarbon into said plasma reactor or thermal chamber; (c) altering said perfluorocarbon in said plasma reactor or thermal chamber to a species selected from the group consisting of bromine-containing and iodine-containing carbon species; and (d) expelling said altered perfluorocarbon from said plasma reactor or thermal chamber.
- 2. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of altering comprises the step of entering into said plasma reactor or thermal chamber a species taken from the class consisting of iodine, bromine, hydrogen iodide, hydrogen bromide, bromocarbon compounds and iodocarbon compounds.
- 3. The method of claim 2 wherein said step of altering is in a thermal chamber, the temperature in said thermal chamber being at least about 800° C. and said halogen-containing species being located in said thermal chamber for from about 1 minute to about 3 minutes.
- 4. The method of claim 3 wherein said step of altering is in a plasma reactor and wherein a plasma is provided in said plasma reactor to dissociate said halogen-containing species in said plasma reactor and cause the dissociated halogen-containing species to combine in said plasma reactor with at least one of a bromine-containing or iodine-containing carbon species to form more energetically favorable species which are more environmentally friendly than said gaseous perfluorocarbon.
- 5. The method of claim 2 wherein said step of altering is in a plasma reactor and wherein a plasma is provided in said plasma reactor to dissociate said halogen-containing species in said plasma reactor and cause the dissociated halogen-containing species to combine in said plasma reactor with at least one of a bromine-containing or iodine-containing carbon species to form more energetically favorable species which are more environmentally friendly than said gaseous perfluorocarbon.
- 6. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of altering is in a thermal chamber, the temperature in said thermal chamber being at least about 800° C. and said halogen-containing species being located in said thermal chamber for from about 1 minute to about 3 minutes.
- 7. The method of claim 6 wherein said step of altering is in a plasma reactor and wherein a plasma is provided in said plasma reactor to dissociate said halogen-containing species in said plasma reactor and cause the dissociated halogen-containing species to combine in said plasma reactor with at least one of a bromine-containing or iodine-containing carbon species to form more energetically favorable species which are more environmentally friendly than said gaseous perfluorocarbon.
- 8. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of altering is in a plasma reactor and wherein a plasma is provided in said plasma reactor to dissociate said halogen-containing species in said plasma reactor and cause the dissociated halogen-containing species to combine in said plasma reactor with at least one of a bromine-containing or iodine-containing carbon species to form more energetically favorable species which are more environmentally friendly than said gaseous perfluorocarbon.
- 9. A method of reducing perfluorocarbon emissions in a semiconductor fabrication process which includes the steps of:(a) providing one of a plasma reactor or thermal chamber downstream from the use of said perfluorocarbon in said semiconductor fabrication process; (b) entering a gaseous perfluorocarbon into said plasma reactor or thermal chamber and causing said gaseous perfluorocarbon to break down in said plasma reactor thermal chamber to provide highly reactive free radicals; (c) altering said perfluorocarbon in said plasma reactor or thermal chamber to a species selected from the group consisting of bromine-containing and iodine-containing carbon species by the entry of a trapping agent into said plasma reactor or thermal chamber concurrently with said break down of said gaseous perfluorocarbon with a species selected from the group consisting of bromine-containing and iodine-containing species; and (d) expelling said altered perfluorocarbon from said plasma reactor or thermal chamber.
- 10. The method of claim 9 wherein said step of altering comprises the step of entering into said plasma reactor or thermal chamber a species taken from the class consisting of iodine, bromine, hydrogen iodide, hydrogen bromide, bromocarbon compounds and iodocarbon compounds.
- 11. The method of claim 10 wherein said step of altering is in a thermal chamber, the temperature in said thermal chamber being at least about 800° C. and said halogen-containing species being located in said thermal chamber for from about 1 minute to about 3 minutes.
- 12. The method of claim 11 wherein said step of altering is in a plasma reactor and wherein a plasma is provided in said plasma reactor to dissociate said halogen-containing species in said plasma reactor and cause the dissociated halogen-containing species to combine in said plasma reactor with at least one of a bromine-containing or iodine-containing carbon species to form more energetically favorable species which are more environmentally friendly than said gaseous perfluorocarbon.
- 13. The method of claim 10 wherein said step of altering is in a plasma reactor and wherein a plasma is provided in said plasma reactor to dissociate said halogen-containing species in said plasma reactor and cause the dissociated halogen-containing species to combine in said plasma reactor with at least one of a bromine-containing or iodine-containing carbon species to form more energetically favorable species which are more environmentally friendly than said gaseous perfluorocarbon.
- 14. The method of claim 9 wherein said step of altering is in a thermal chamber, the temperature in said thermal chamber being at least about 800° C. and said halogen-containing species being located in said thermal chamber for from about 1 minute to about 3 minutes.
- 15. The method of claim 14 wherein said step of altering is in a plasma reactor and wherein a plasma is provided in said plasma reactor to dissociate said halogen-containing species in said plasma reactor and cause the dissociated halogen-containing species to combine in said plasma reactor with at least one of a bromine-containing or iodine-containing carbon species to form more energetically favorable species which are more environmentally friendly than said gaseous perfluorocarbon.
- 16. The method of claim 9 wherein said step of altering is in a plasma reactor and wherein a plasma is provided in said plasma reactor to dissociate said halogen-containing species in said plasma reactor and cause the dissociated halogen-containing species to combine in said plasma reactor with at least one of a bromine-containing or iodine-containing carbon species to form more energetically favorable species which are more environmentally friendly than said gaseous perfluorocarbon.
Parent Case Info
This application claims priority under 35 USC 119(e)(1) of provisional application No. 60/154,928 filed Sep. 21, 1999.
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Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60/154928 |
Sep 1999 |
US |