Emission control for perfluorocompound gases by microwave plasma torch

摘要

The surface cleaning of various components of high-tech devices, including computers and/or semiconductors, is performed during manufacturing. This surface cleaning is performed within a reduced pressure chamber by making use of perifluorocompound industrial gases, which eventually contaminate the atmosphere. These contaminant gases are emitted with nitrogen gas, which is used in operation of a dry pump. Under certain conditions, microwave radiation generates an atmospheric plasma torch. This plasma-torch device is attached to the vacuum pump, which emits the nitrogen gas with contaminants. The oxidation mechanism in the torch flames eliminates these contaminants. Additional reaction gases are mixed with the waste gas to improve efficiency of the contaminant elimination. Reference Cited as of interest: U.S. Patent Documents 1 5,137,701  8/1992 Mundt 5,468,356 11/1995 Uhm 5,505,909  4/1996 Dummersdorf et al. 5,830,328 11/1998 Uhm The surface cleaning of various components of high-tech devices, including computers and/or semiconductors, is performed during manufacturing. This surface cleaning is performed within a reduced pressure chamber by making use of perfluorocompound industrial gases, which eventually contaminate the atmosphere. These contaminant gases are discharged with nitrogen gas. Under certain conditions, microwave radiation generates an atmospheric plasma torch. This plasma-torch device is attached to the vacuum pump, which transfers the nitrogen gas with contaminants. The oxidation mechanism in the torch flames eliminates these contaminants. Additional reaction gases are mixed with the waste gas to improve efficiency of the contaminant elimination.