SBIR Phase I: Highly Efficient Exhaust Cleanup Technology for Environmentally Benign Processing

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目将开发一种新型的集成反应减排模块（IRAM），有效地去除沉积和蚀刻制造工艺的废气排放中的固化化学品。日益增长的安全问题和不断上升的成本致力于环境保护是一个驱动力不断迁移到美国以外的半导体制造。 在该项目中，危险化学品将在可移动的高面积过滤元件上反应转化为惰性固体膜。集成的高速下游压力控制将积极抑制IRAM引起的可能影响过程的压力波动。反应过程将应用高效的化学反应将固化化学品转化为稳定的惰性膜。目标包括低压排气歧管和泵的上级可维护性以及设备处理系统的显著提高的安全性，从而以具有竞争力的成本促进安全和无害的半导体制造。更广泛的影响：化学气相沉积（CVD）、原子层沉积（ALD）和反应离子蚀刻（RIE）被认为是半导体制造技术的基石。在过去的十年里，这些制造技术也进入了纳米技术的爆炸性增长领域。这些工艺技术释放出活性、有毒和固化的化学物质，并在低压排气歧管中产生有害和破坏性的残留物，堵塞管道并破坏真空泵。在排气歧管中典型的低压和低温条件下，缓慢且低效的化学反应将反应性排气混合物转化为危险残留物，而不是完全反应的惰性膜。频繁的维护需要将这些含有有害残留物的排气歧管暴露在环境中，这对工人和工作场所都有风险。日益增长的安全问题和不断上升的环境保护成本严重阻碍了半导体行业的发展，降低了其在美国的竞争力。为了克服这一缺陷，IRAM技术将采用环境友好的化学方法，局部生产寿命短的高活性物质，能够从废气流中完全提取固化化学物质，以产生惰性固体膜。这种新的化学方法具有广泛的器件加工应用，并能积极影响制造成本。关键词：CVD，RIE，ALD，减排，半导体制造，LPCVD，前级，EH S，环境健康和安全。E.B.A 5/24/04&

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will develop anovel integrated reactive abatement module (IRAM) that effectively removes solidifyingchemicals from the exhaust effluent of deposition and etch manufacturing processes. Growingsafety concerns and escalating costs dedicated to environmental protection is one of the drivers tocontinuously migrate semiconductor manufacturing outside of the US. In this project,hazardous chemicals will be reactively converted into inert solid films over a removable high-area filtration element. An integrated high-speed downstream pressure control will activelysuppress IRAM-induced pressure fluctuations that may affect the process. The reactive processwill apply highly effective chemical reactions to convert the solidifying chemicals into stableinert films. Objectives include superior maintainability of low-pressure exhaust manifolds andpumps and substantially improved safety of device processing systems, hence promoting safe andenvironmentally benign semiconductor manufacturing at a competitive cost.Broader impact: Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD), Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) andReactive Ion Etching (RIE) are considered the cornerstones of semiconductor manufacturingtechnology. In the last decade these manufacturing-technologies have also migrated into theexplosively growing area of nano-technology. These process techniques emit reactive, toxic andsolidifying chemicals and produce a hazardous and destructive residue in low-pressure exhaustmanifolds that clogs up the conduits and destroys the vacuum pumps. Slow and inefficientchemical reactions, driven by the typically low pressure and low temperature conditions inexhaust manifolds, convert the reactive exhaust mixture into hazardous residue instead ofcompletely reacted inert films. Frequent maintenance requires ambient exposure of thesehazardous-residue-containing exhaust manifolds with risks to the workers and the workplace.Growing safety concerns and escalating cost dedicated to environmental protection severelyhampers the semiconductor industry and reduces its competitiveness in the US. Overcoming thisdeficiency, IRAM technology will apply environmentally benign chemistry with a localizedproduction of short-lived highly reactive species capable to completely extracting the solidifyingchemicals out of exhaust streams to produce inert solid films. This novel chemistry has a broadrange of device processing applications and can positively impact manufacturing costs.Key Words: CVD, RIE, ALD, abatement, semiconductor manufacturing, LPCVD, foreline,EH&S, environmental health and safety.E.B.A 5/24/04