Trap apparatus

A trap apparatus for use with a vacuum process chamber for processing a substrate, said trap apparatus to be disposed downstream of the vacuum process chamber and being operable to trap a component having a low vapor pressure contained in a gas discharged from the vacuum process chamber, said trap apparatus comprising:

• a trap container, having a first chamber and a second chamber, for receiving the gas discharged from the vacuum process chamber, said trap container having a vacuum therein;
• a solvent storage, provided in said trap container connecting said first and second chamber of said trap container, for storing a solvent in a liquid condition, wherein the solvent is a material that tends to resist volatilization and remain a liquid under the vacuum in said trap container;
• a first pipe for introducing the gas discharged from the vacuum process chamber into the first chamber of the trap container, said first pipe extending to a location near a liquid level of said solvent in said solvent storage to form a clearance between the liquid level of said solvent and a lower end of said first pipe;
• and
• a second pipe for introducing the gas discharged from the first chamber of the trap container into the second chamber of the trap container, said second pipe extending to a location near the liquid level of said solvent in said solvent storage to form a clearance between the liquid level of said solvent and a lower end of said second pipe;
• wherein the gas discharged from said first pipe and said second pipe collides with said solvent and the component having the lower vapor pressure in the gas is trapped directly by said solvent.

A thin-film vapor deposition apparatus comprising:

• a vaporizer for vaporizing a liquid material;
• a reaction chamber disposed downstream of said vaporizer;
• a vacuum pump disposed downstream of said reaction chamber;
• an evacuation passage extending from said reaction chamber to said vacuum pump;
• and
• a trap apparatus provided in said evacuation passage, said trap apparatus comprising:
• a trap container for receiving a gas discharged from the reaction chamber,
• a solvent supply device for supplying a solvent into said trap container, wherein the solvent traps a component having a low vapor pressure in the gas;
• and
• a solvent cooling device for cooling the solvent.

A thin-film vapor deposition apparatus comprising:

• a vaporizer for vaporizing a liquid material;
• a reaction chamber disposed down stream of said vaporizer;
• a vacuum pump disposed downstream of said reaction chamber;
• an evacuation passage extending from said reaction chamber to said vacuum pump;
• and
• a trap apparatus provided in said evacuation passage, said trap apparatus comprising:
• a trap container, having a first chamber and a second chamber, for receiving a gas discharged from the reaction chamber, said trap container having a vacuum therein;
• a solvent storage, provided in said trap container connecting said first and second chambers of said trap container, for storing a solvent in a liquid condition, wherein the solvent is a material that tends to resist volatilization and remain a liquid under the vacuum in said trap container;
• a first pipe for introducing the gas discharged from the reaction chamber into the first chamber of the trap container, said first pipe extending to a location near a liquid level of said solvent in said solvent storage to form a clearance between the liquid level of said solvent and a lower end of said first pipe;
• and
• a second pipe for introducing the gas discharged from the first chamber of the trap container into the second chamber of the trap container, said second pipe extending to a location near the liquid level of said solvent in said solvent storage to form a clearance between the liquid level of said solvent and a lower end of said second pipe;
• wherein the gas discharged from said first pipe and said second pipe collides with said solvent and a component having a lower vapor pressure in the gas is trapped directly by said solvent.