Universal Plasma Abatement System

This microwave atmospheric plasma abatement recombines PFC’s very stable and polluting molecules into molecules that are easier to scrub. This equipment destroys greenhouse gas and toxic gas emissions by helping industries to have more eco-friendly manufacturing processes, thereby reducing their environmental carbon footprint.

Applications 

For industries and semiconductor industries wishing to limit greenhouse gas emissions in their facilities.
Examples of possible manufacturing processes realizing high amount of PFC:
• Silicon Oxide and deep oxide etch : C4F8, CF4, CHF3, CH3F, CH2F2, C5F8
• Silicon and polysilicon etch: SF6, CF4, CH2F2, CHF3, C2F6
• Tungsten etch: WF6, SF6

Advantages

• High PFC destruction rate 

At high temperatures (6,000°C), atmospheric plasma allows more collisions, more dissociation, and more destruction
> Destroys +99% of PFCs* molecules, such as hexafluoroethane (C2F6), octafluoropropane (C3F8), octafluorocyclobutane (C4F8), fluoroform (CHF3), nitrogen trifluoride (NF3), difluoromethane (CH2F2), etc. and +95% of tetrafluoromethane (CF4) and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6).
> Creates new, easy-to-capture molecules 
> Ten times more efficient than a high-power burner (burner technology)
> High flow of up to 120 slpm 

• High reliability and availability

> Mean Time Between Planned Maintenance between 4,000 hours and 20,000 hours depending on the gas composition to be treated
> Easy maintenance thanks to modular design allowing rapid return to operation

• Safety

> Leak detection
> HMI (Human Machine Interface) interfaceable with a supervision system
> Back pressure monitoring

• Cost efficiency 

> Low utility consumption. Adaptable power consumption according to the gas flow and gas composition to be treated
> No fuel or catalyst required
> Multi-inlet management (up to 4 points of use)

• Awarded technology

 > Euro Semi IC Award (Semicon West, July 2005)

• Small footprint and easy integration

*PFC(s): Perfluorinated compounds, considered to be greenhouse gases