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US 9,057,388 B2Granted
Vacuum trap
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsJoseph K. Comeau, David Crawford, Robert E. Desrosiers, Tracy C. Hetrick, Mousa H. Ishaq
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vacuum trap, a plasma etch system using the vacuum trap and a method of cleaning the vacuum trap. The vacuum trap includes a baffle housing; and a removable baffle assembly disposed in the baffle housing, the baffle assembly comprising a set of baffle plates, the baffle plates spaced along a support rod from a first baffle plate to a last baffle plate, the baffle plates alternately disposed above and below the support rod and alternately disposed in an upper region and a lower region of the baffle housing.
Claims40
A system comprising:
- a plasma etch tool and a vacuum pump;
- a vacuum trap disposed between an exhaust port of said plasma etch tool and a pumping port of a vacuum pump, said vacuum trap comprising:
- a baffle housing;
- a removable baffle assembly disposed in said baffle housing, said baffle assembly comprising a set of baffle plates, said baffle plates spaced along a support rod from a first baffle plate to a last baffle plate, said baffle plates alternately disposed above and below said support rod and alternately disposed in an upper region and a lower region of said baffle housing;
- a first end cap having a circular second bore, said first end cap removeably mounted to said first end of said baffle housing, said second bore of said first end cap aligned with said upper region of said first bore and facing a first baffle plate of said set of baffle plates;
- a second end cap having a circular third bore, said second end cap removeably mounted to said second end of said baffle housing, said third bore of said second end cap aligned with said upper region of said first bore and facing a last baffle plate of said set of baffle plates;
- and
- wherein said baffle housing is a cylinder having a circular first bore open at said first and second ends and said baffle plates have respective flat edges and curved edges.
5 more elements
A method, comprising:
- providing a system comprising a plasma etch tool and a vacuum pump;
- placing a vacuum trap in a pumping line between an exhaust port of said plasma etch tool and a pumping port of said vacuum pump, said vacuum trap comprising:
- a baffle housing;
- a removable baffle assembly disposed in said baffle housing, said baffle assembly comprising a set of baffle plates, said baffle plates spaced along a support rod from a first baffle plate to a last baffle plate, said baffle plates alternately disposed above and below said support rod and alternately disposed in an upper region and a lower region of said baffle housing;
- a first end cap having a circular second bore, said first end cap removeably mounted to said first end of said baffle housing, said second bore of said first end cap aligned with said upper region of said first bore and facing a first baffle plate of said set of baffle plates;
- a second end cap having a circular third bore, said second end cap removeably mounted to said second end of said baffle housing, said third bore of said second end cap aligned with said upper region of said first bore and facing a last baffle plate of said set of baffle plates;
- and
- wherein said baffle housing is a cylinder having a circular first bore open at said first and second ends and said baffle plates have respective flat edges and curved edges
- removable polymeric seals on edges of said baffle plates adjacent to internal walls of said baffle housing, said polymer seals touching said internal walls of said baffle housing;
- periodically removing said baffle housing and said baffle assembly from said pumping line and removing said baffle assembly from said baffle housing;
- cleaning said baffle housing and said baffle assembly;
- and
- after said cleaning, re-inserting said baffle assembly into said baffle housing and re-inserting said baffle housing into said pumping line.
10 more elements
A system comprising:
- a plasma etch tool and a vacuum pump;
- a vacuum trap disposed between an exhaust port of said plasma etch tool and a pumping port of a vacuum pump, said vacuum trap comprising:
- a baffle housing;
- and
- a removable baffle assembly disposed in said baffle housing, said baffle assembly comprising a set of baffle plates, said baffle plates spaced along a support rod from a first baffle plate to a last baffle plate, said baffle plates alternately disposed above and below said support rod and alternately disposed in an upper region and a lower region of said baffle housing;
- wherein said baffle housing is a cylinder having a circular first bore open at first and second ends and said baffle plates have respective flat edges and curved edges;
- and
- removeable polymeric seals on said curved edges of said baffle plates, said seals touching the sidewall of said first bore.
5 more elements
A method, comprising:
- providing a system comprising a plasma etch tool and a vacuum pump;
- placing a vacuum trap in a pumping line between an exhaust port of said plasma etch tool and a pumping port of said vacuum pump, said vacuum trap comprising:
- a baffle housing;
- a removable baffle assembly disposed in said baffle housing, said baffle assembly comprising a set of baffle plates, said baffle plates spaced along a support rod from a first baffle plate to a last baffle plate, said baffle plates alternately disposed above and below said support rod and alternately disposed in an upper region and a lower region of said baffle housing;
- wherein said baffle housing is a cylinder having a circular first bore open at said first and second ends and said baffle plates have respective flat edges and curved edges;
- removable polymeric seals on curved edges of said baffle plates adjacent to internal walls of said baffle housing, said polymer seals touching said internal walls of said baffle housing;
- periodically removing said baffle housing and said baffle assembly from said pumping line and removing said baffle assembly from said baffle housing;
- cleaning said baffle housing and said baffle assembly;
- and
- after said cleaning, re-inserting said baffle assembly into said baffle housing and re-inserting said baffle housing into said pumping line.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.