# US 2020/0399755 A1 · Processing apparatus

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- Number: US 2020/0399755 A1
- Document ID: US20200399755A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/011,069
- Filed: 2020-09-03
- Published: 2020-12-24
- Earliest claimed: 2018-03-26
- Assignees: Kokusai Electric Corporation
- Applicants: Kokusai Electric Corporation
- Inventors: Masanori OKUNO; Toshihiko YONEJIMA
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20200399755A1

## CPC

- C23C 16/52: Controlling or regulating the coating process {(C23C16/45557, C23C16/279 take precedence)}
- B01D 53/38: Removing components of undefined structure
- B01D 53/76: Gas phase processes, e.g. by using aerosols
- C23C 16/4412: {Details relating to the exhausts, e.g. pumps, filters, scrubbers, particle traps}
- C23C 16/45544: {characterized by the apparatus}
- F23G 7/06: of waste gases or noxious gases, e.g. exhaust gases (exhaust apparatus for engines with means for rendering the exhaust innocuous, e.g. by thermal or catalytic conversion, F01N3/08; combustion of uncombusted material from primary combustion within apparatus for combustion of solid or fluent fuel F23B {, of non combusted material from primary combustion of solid fuels; of gases produced by primary combustion of solid fuels F23B90/04}, F23C)
- H10P 14/60: of insulating materials
- H10P 72/0402: {Apparatus for fluid treatment (H10P72/0441, H10P72/0448 take precedence)}
- H10P 72/0434: {mainly by convection}
- H10P 72/12: {Vertical boat type carrier whereby the substrates are horizontally supported, e.g. comprising rod-shaped elements}
- H10P 95/00: Generic processes or apparatus for manufacture or treatments not covered by the other groups of this subclass
- C23C 16/345: {Silicon nitride}
- F23G 2209/142: Halogen gases, e.g. silane
- H10P 14/6334: {using decomposition or reaction of gaseous or vapour phase compounds, i.e. chemical vapour deposition (deposition by physical ablation of a target H10P14/6329)}
- H10P 14/6339: {deposition by cyclic CVD, e.g. ALD, ALE or pulsed CVD}
- H10P 14/6682: {the compound being a silane, e.g. disilane, methylsilane or chlorosilane}
- H10P 14/69433: {the material being a silicon nitride not containing oxygen, e.g. SixNy or SixByNz}
- C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04)
- B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28)
- F23G: CREMATION FURNACES; CONSUMING WASTE PRODUCTS BY COMBUSTION
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

Described herein is a technique capable of improving an operation rate of an apparatus using a plurality of detoxification apparatuses by removing by-products adhered thereto. According to one aspect of the technique, a processing apparatus includes a controller configured to perform a process recipe of forming a film on a substrate, The controller performs: (a) when an operation state of the first detoxification apparatus is an operation-in-progress state, checking an operation state of the second detoxification apparatus; (b) when the operation state of the second detoxification apparatus is not a maintenance-in-progress state, starting an operation of the second detoxification apparatus and switching the operation state of the first detoxification apparatus to the maintenance-in-progress state; and (c) when the operation state of the second detoxification apparatus is the maintenance-in-progress state, continuing an operation of the first detoxification apparatus.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A processing apparatus comprising:
a process chamber provided in a process furnace;
an exhaust system connected to a plurality of detoxification apparatuses at least comprising a first detoxification apparatus and a second detoxification apparatus, and configured to exhaust a gas from the process chamber; and
a controller configured to perform a process recipe of forming a film on a substrate loaded into the process chamber,
wherein the controller is further configured to perform:
(a) when an operation state of the first detoxification apparatus is an operation-in-progress state, checking an operation state of the second detoxification apparatus;
(b) when the operation state of the second detoxification apparatus is not a maintenance-in-progress state, starting an operation of the second detoxification apparatus and switching the operation state of the first detoxification apparatus from the operation-in-progress state to the maintenance-in-progress state; and
(c) when the operation state of the second detoxification apparatus is the maintenance-in-progress state, continuing an operation of the first detoxification apparatus without changing the operation state thereof.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The processing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a memory configured to store an operation state of each of the detoxification apparatuses,
wherein the operation state comprises at least one selected from the group of an initialization completed state, the operation-in-progress state, the maintenance-in-progress state, a maintenance completed state, a standby state and an abnormal stop state.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to control each of the detoxification apparatuses such that an operation thereof and a maintenance thereof are repeatedly performed.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to control at least one among the detoxification apparatuses to be in the operation-in-progress state even during a standby time of the process recipe.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to control the second detoxification apparatus such that, when a maintenance of the second detoxification apparatus in the maintenance-in-progress state is terminated during execution of the process recipe, the operation state of the second detoxification apparatus is changed to a standby state.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to control the first detoxification apparatus such that, when a standby time of the process recipe exceeds a predetermined time, the operation of the first detoxification apparatus in the operation-in-progress state is stopped.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the exhaust system further comprises a switch configured to switch a supply destination of the gas exhausted from the process chamber,
wherein the controller is configured to control the switch during execution of the process recipe such that the gas is supplied to one of the detoxification apparatuses by a signal indicating the start of the process recipe or the end of the process recipe.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to control the plurality of the detoxification apparatuses such that, when an execution time of performing the process recipe is longer than a maintenance time of performing a maintenance of each of the detoxification apparatuses, the operation state of the first detoxification apparatus and the operation state of the second detoxification apparatus are switched at the end of the process recipe.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to control the plurality of the detoxification apparatuses such that, when an execution time of performing the process recipe is shorter than a maintenance time of performing a maintenance of each of the detoxification apparatuses, the operation state of the first detoxification apparatus and the operation state of the second detoxification apparatus are switched at the start of the process recipe.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to control the plurality of the detoxification apparatuses to perform:
(d) rendering the gas harmless by burning the gas exhausted from the process chamber by a combustor provided at each of the detoxification apparatuses; and
(f) when the operation state of the first detoxification apparatus is switched from the operation-in-progress state to the maintenance-in-progress state, removing deposits adhered to an inner wall of the first detoxification apparatus.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the exhaust system further comprises:
an exhaust pipe; and
an exhauster connected to the exhaust pipe, and
wherein the process furnace and at least a part of the exhaust system are provided on a same floor, and the plurality of the detoxification apparatuses are provided on another floor.