Applied Materials, Inc.

Phil Chandler

Daniel O Clark

Jay J Jung

Robbert M Vermeulen

Roger M Johnson

Youssef A Loldj

Mehran Moalem

James L Smith

A method for operating an electronic device manufacturing system is provided that includes introducing an inert gas into a process tool vacuum pump at a first flow rate while the process tool is operating in a process mode, and introducing the inert gas into the process tool vacuum pump at a second flow rate while the process tool is operating in a chamber clean mode. Numerous other embodiments are provided.

Methods and apparatus for conserving electronic device manufacturing resources

An electronic device manufacturing system is provided that may reduce the amount of resources used in electronic device manufacturing processes. In some embodiments, unreacted ozone exiting a process tool operating in an ozone mode may be diverted and used as an oxidant in an abatement tool when the process tool is operating in a non-ozone mode. Numerous other embodiments are provided.

Apparatus for conserving electronic device manufacturing resources including ozone

A system for treating flammable effluent gas is provided. The system includes an exhaust conduit to carry the flammable effluent gas to an abatement unit, a control system coupled to the abatement unit to determine an operating parameter of the abatement unit, a bypass valve coupled to the exhaust conduit which is an operative responsive to the monitoring system, and a source of second gas to be mixed with the effluent gas diverted from the abatement unit when the bypass valve is operating in a bypass mode to provide a mixed gas having a flammability lower than the effluent gas. Methods of the invention as well as numerous other aspects are provided.

Systems and methods for treating flammable effluent gases from manufacturing processes

A method for operating an electronic device manufacturing system is provided, including: introducing an inert gas into a process tool vacuum pump at a first flow rate while the process tool is operating in a process mode; and introducing the inert gas into the process tool vacuum pump at a second flow rate while the process tool is operating in a clean mode. Numerous other embodiments are provided.

A method for operating one or more electronic device manufacturing systems is provided, including the steps 1) performing a series of electronic device manufacturing process steps with a process tool, wherein the process tool produces effluent as a byproduct of performing the series of process steps; 2) abating the effluent with an abatement tool; 3) supplying an abatement resource to the abatement tool from a first abatement resource supply; 4) changing an abatement resource supply from the first abatement resource supply to a second abatement resource supply, wherein changing the abatement resource supply comprises: i) interrupting a flow of the abatement resource from the first abatement resource supply; and ii) beginning a flow of the abatement resource from the second abatement resource supply; and 5) continuing to perform the series of process steps with the process tool, while changing, and after changing, the abatement resource supply.

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San Francisco, CA, United States of America

Phil Chandler