Systems and methods for improved waste gas abatement

Abstract

The present disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for the combustive abatement of waste gas formed during the manufacture of semiconductor wafers. In particular, the systems described herein are capable of combusting air-polluting perfluorocarbons, including those having high greenhouse gas indexes such as hexafluoroethane (CF) and tetrafluoromethane (CF), as well as particulate-forming silicon dioxide precursors, such as silane (SiH) and tetraethoxysilane (Si(OCH), abbreviated TEOS), with greater efficiency and lower energy usage than prior abatement systems. More particularly, and in one preferred embodiment, the present disclosure is directed to a waste gas abatement system that utilizes a combination of non-combustible and combustible gases (or gas mixtures) for thermal combustion, which are directed through multiple permeable interior surfaces of a reaction chamber, efficiently combusting waste gas and preventing undesirable accumulation of solid particulate matter on the chamber surfaces.