Removal of Fluorinated Compound Gases by an Enhanced Methane Microwave Plasma Burner

Removal of fluorinated compound (FC) gases was experimentally investigated for various gas mixture constituents by making use of an enhanced methane microwave plasma burner. Methane (CH4) as a fuel was injected into the microwave plasma torch for generating an enlarged high-temperature plasma flame. A mixture of nitrogen and FC gases was introduced into the burner flame. Abatement experiments of FC gases were carried out in terms of destruction and removal efficiency (DRE). The plasma burner generated at 1.4 kW microwave power and 15 liters per minute (lpm) CH4 achieved DREs > 99:9% for NF3 in 400 lpm nitrogen and SF6 in 120 lpm nitrogen. Also, the plasma burner removed 94.7% of CF4 concentration in 60 lpm nitrogen. Eventually, the experimental results showed that the microwave plasma burner can significantly eliminate FCs from the semiconductor industries. (C) 2010 The Japan Society of Applied Physics