Advanced Waste Gas Abatement Concept for Epitaxy Processes
Angela Bayler
(centrotherm clean solutions, Blaubeuren, Germany)
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LoginEpitaxial growth (EPI) of Si, SiGe (strained silicon) and SiC layers has recently gained in importance for the manufacturing of modern semiconductor and power electronic devices. Due to the unique process chemistry, which involves the utilization of high flows of pyrophoric, flammable and corrosive gases (H2, SiH2Cl2, SiHCl3, HCl etc.), these applications can be regarded as very safety-critical and challenging for any waste gas abatement system. In addition to providing for safe and reliable treatment of the process effluents, the waste gas abatement system has also to maintain a constant pressure in the exhaust line in cases where the EPI process is operated at atmospheric pressure. This paper reviews different abatement technologies in terms of their suitability to handle EPI process exhausts and presents an advanced modular abatement concept designed to meet all the unique challenges mentioned above.