James V Rinnovatore

53975960, Mar 14, 1995

Dec 3, 1993

8/162811

James V. Rinnovatore - Nazareth PA

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

C23C 1600

4272481

In a chemical-vapor-deposition system, a method of reducing particulate contamination within a reaction chamber. In general, the chemical-vapor-deposition system contains a gas inlet conduit which connects a reaction chamber to a reactive gas source and a gas outlet conduit which connects the reaction chamber to a vacuum pump. The vacuum pump facilitates exhausting gas from the reaction chamber. The method of reducing particulate contamination in the system includes the steps of: filling, via said inlet conduit, the reaction chamber with a reactive gas; exhausting the reactive gas from the reaction chamber using the vacuum pump; isolating the reaction chamber from the vacuum pump to cease exhausting the chamber; backfilling, via the inlet conduit, the reaction chamber with the reactive gas; and preventing, during the backfilling step, generation of eddy currents in a portion of the outlet conduit by providing a particle restrictor within the outlet conduit. To prevent the eddy currents that could cause particulate contaminants to enter the chamber from the outlet conduit, the particle restrictor contains a baffle that extends transversely across the outlet conduit.

53225678, Jun 21, 1994

Oct 24, 1991

7/782147

Paul L. Deaton - Sunnyvale CA
Norma Riley - Pleasanton CA
James V. Rinnovatore - Nazareth PA

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

C23C 1600

118715

In an epitaxial reactor system using a vacuum pump which is connected to the reaction chamber by an exhaust line, particulate contaminants normally deposit in the exhaust line near its juncture with the reaction chamber. When the vacuum pump is isolated from the reaction chamber during a back-filling operation, these contaminants can be entrained in the currents of gas normally produced in the back-filling operation. A removable baffle device having the shape of a truncated cone and including a wafer catching device that holds a disk shaped particulate baffle member is placed in the exhaust line at its juncture with the reaction chamber to prevent these particles from re-entering the reaction chamber.

51886723, Feb 23, 1993

Jun 28, 1990

7/545425

James V. Rinnovatore - Nazareth PA

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

C23C 1600

118715

In an epitaxial reactor system using a vacuum pump which is connected to the reaction chamber by an exhaust line, particulate contaminants normally deposit in the exhaust line near its juncture with the reaction chamber. When the vacuum pump is isolated from the reaction chamber during a back-filling operation, these contaminants can be entrained in the currents of gas normally produced in the back-filling operation. A removable baffle having the shape of a truncated cone is placed in the exhaust line at its juncture with the reaction chamber to prevent these particles from re-entering the reaction chamber.