Patent ID: 10229840

Abstract:
An ion implantation system is described, including: an ion implanter comprising a housing defining an enclosed volume in which is positioned a gas box configured to hold one or more gas supply vessels, the gas box being in restricted gas flow communication with gas in the enclosed volume that is outside the gas box; a first ventilation assembly configured to flow ventilation gas through the housing and to exhaust the ventilation gas from the housing to an ambient environment of the ion implanter; a second ventilation assembly configured to exhaust gas from the gas box to a treatment apparatus that is adapted to at least partially remove contaminants from the gas box exhaust gas, or that is adapted to dilute the gas box exhaust gas, to produce a treated effluent gas, the second ventilation assembly comprising a variable flow control device for modulating flow rate of the gas box exhaust gas between a relatively lower gas box exhaust gas flow rate and a relatively higher gas box exhaust gas flow rate, and a motive fluid driver adapted to flow the gas box exhaust gas through the variable flow control device to the treatment apparatus; and a monitoring and control assembly configured to monitor operation of the ion implanter for occurrence of a gas hazard event, and thereupon to responsively prevent gas-dispensing operation of the one or more gas supply vessels, and to modulate the variable flow control device to the relatively higher gas box exhaust gas flow rate so that the motive fluid driver flows the gas box exhaust gas to the treatment apparatus at the relatively higher gas box exhaust gas flow rate. Preferably, in a gas hazard event, the shell exhaust discharge from the housing is also terminated, to facilitate exhausting all gas within the housing, outside as well as inside the gas box, to the treatment unit.