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

Abstract

A sub-atmospheric downstream pressure control apparatus includes a first flow restricting element (FRE); a pressure control chamber (PCC) located in serial fluidic communication downstream from the first FRE; a second FRE located in serial fluidic communication downstream from the PCC; a gas source; and a flow controlling device in serial fluidic communication downstream from the gas source and upstream from the PCC.

1 - 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . 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.   
     
     
         13 . 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.   
     
     
         14 . 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.   
     
     
         15 . 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.