Reactor gas panel common exhaust

Abstract

A substrate processing system is described that has a reactor and a gas panel, and a common exhaust for the reactor and the gas panel. An exhaust conduit from the reactor is routed to the gas panel, and exhaust gases from the reactor are used to purge the gas panel. Gases from the reactor may be cooled before flowing to the gas panel.

1 . A method of operating a semiconductor processing reactor, comprising:
 disposing the semiconductor processing reactor in a reactor enclosure;   coupling a gas panel to the semiconductor processing reactor to supply process gases to the semiconductor processing reactor;   flowing an ambient gas mixture through the reactor enclosure to a reactor enclosure exhaust;   flowing the ambient gas mixture from the reactor enclosure exhaust to the gas panel; and   flowing the ambient gas mixture through the gas panel to a gas panel exhaust.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising measuring a pressure in the reactor enclosure and controlling a flow rate of the ambient gas mixture based on the pressure. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the controlling a flow rate of the ambient gas mixture comprises operating a damper that restricts flow of the ambient gas mixture. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the damper is disposed within a chamber exhaust handler, a conduit, or the gas panel. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising cooling the ambient gas mixture prior to flowing the ambient gas mixture through the gas panel. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the flowing an ambient gas mixture through the reactor enclosure comprises disposing a chamber exhaust handler in the reactor enclosure. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the chamber exhaust handler is oriented to flow gas in either direction. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the processing reactor is exhausted by gases flowing into the processing reactor from the gas panel. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the cooling the ambient gas mixture comprises using a cooler that includes a liquid collector. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising using a single exhaust pathway for the semiconductor processing reactor and the gas panel. 
     
     
         11 . A method of exhausting a semiconductor processing reactor, comprising:
 flowing a process gas from a gas panel to a semiconductor processing reactor, the semiconductor processing reactor disposed in a reactor enclosure;   flowing an ambient gas mixture through the reactor enclosure to a reactor enclosure exhaust;   flowing the ambient gas mixture from the reactor enclosure exhaust through the gas panel; and   flowing the ambient gas mixture through the gas panel to a gas panel exhaust.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising measuring a pressure in the reactor enclosure and controlling a flow rate of the ambient gas mixture based on the pressure. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein controlling the flow rate of the ambient gas mixture comprises operating a damper that restricts flow of the ambient gas mixture. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the damper is disposed within a chamber exhaust handler, a conduit, or the gas panel. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising cooling the ambient gas mixture prior to flowing the ambient gas mixture through the gas panel. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the flowing an ambient gas mixture through the reactor enclosure comprises disposing a chamber exhaust handler in the reactor enclosure. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the chamber exhaust handler is oriented to flow gas in either direction. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the semiconductor processing reactor is exhausted by gases flowing into the semiconductor processing reactor from the gas panel. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the cooling the ambient gas mixture comprises using a cooler that includes a liquid collector. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising using a single exhaust pathway for the semiconductor processing reactor and the gas panel.