Apparatus and method for downstream pressure control and sub-atmospheric reactive gas abatement

A downstream pressure control method, comprising controlling a flow of process gas into a process chamber;

• said method further comprising:
• providing a flow of gas into a pressure control chamber (PCC) connected in serial fluidic communication downstream from said process chamber;
• controlling fluid flow with a first flow restricting element (FRE) located in serial fluidic communication downstream from said process chamber and upstream from said PCC;
• and
• controlling the pressure at said process chamber by adjusting the pressure in said PCC to impact the pressure gradient over said first flow restricting element.

A method for sub-atmospheric reactive gas abatement, further comprising:

• providing a substantial pressure gradient at an inlet to an abatement space;
• providing a substantial pressure gradient at an outlet from said abatement space;
• flowing a reactive abatement gas into said abatement space;
• reacting with process gas exhaust effluents to produce substantially stable and inert solid;
• and
• substantially localizing said substantially stable and inert solid within said abatement chamber.

A method for sub-atmospheric reactive gas abatement of process gas exhaust effluent, said method further comprising:

• providing a substantial pressure gradient at an inlet to an abatement space;
• providing a substantial pressure gradient at an outlet from said abatement space;
• flowing a reactive abatement gas into said abatement space;
• reacting said reactive abatement gas with said process gas exhaust effluent to produce a substantially volatile effluent gas;
• and
• transporting said substantially volatile effluent gas through a pump foreline and pump substantially without further reaction and substantially without growth of film deposits.

A wall-protected process chamber, comprising:

• an external enclosure;
• a gas permeable internal enclosure disposed within said external metallic enclosure and enclosing said process chamber;
• a seal between said internal enclosure and said external metallic enclosure, said internal enclosure and said external enclosure defining a substantially sealed space between the outer wall of said internal enclosure and the inner wall of said external metallic enclosure;
• and
• a source of a pressurized inert gas in fluid communication with said sealed space;
• whereby said pressurized inert gas flows through said gas permeable internal enclosure to protect said process chamber wall.