Method and apparatus for disposing dust produced during amorphous silicon film-forming process

Claim 1

A system for disposing of dust produced during a process of forming an amorphous silicon film by decomposing a starting material gas containing silane gas as its principal component, comprising: a unit for collecting the dust including: vacuum suction means coupled to a film-forming section to discharge the dust produced within said film-forming section to the outside of this section; a dust-capturing section coupled to said vacuum suction means; a dust hopper connected to said dust-capturing section to receive the captured dust; and dumping means, provided at a bottom portion of said dust hopper, for dumping dust received in the dust hopper, said dumping means being adapted to receive a detachable mixing means; and heat-distilling means, adapted to receive a detachable mixing means, for heating said mixing means; and mixing means, adapted for detachably coupling to said dumping means and said heat-distilling means and including a heat-distillable liquid therein, for receiving dust from said dumping means when coupled to said dumping means and mixing said dust with said liquid to transform said dust to a slurry-form and for heating and distilling said liquid when coupled to said heating means to convert the slurry-form dust therein into a final disposal product comprising a solidified mass or pellets of dust.

Claim 2

A system for disposing of dust produced during a process of forming an amorphous silicon film by decomposing a starting material gas containing silane gas as its principal component, comprising: a unit for collecting the dust including: vacuum suction means coupled to a film-forming section to discharge the dust produced within said film-forming section to the outside of this section; a dust-capturing section coupled to said vacuum suction means; a dust hopper connected to said dust-capturing section to receive the captured dust; and dumping means, provided at a bottom portion of said dust hopper, for dumping dust received in the dust hopper, said dumping means being adapted to receive a detachable mixing means; and heat-distilling means, adapted to receive a detachable mixing means, for heating said mixing means; and mixing means, adapted for detachably coupling to said dumping means and said heat-distilling means and including a heat-distillable liquid therein, for receiving dust from said dumping means when coupled to said dumping means and mixing said dust with said liquid to transform said dust to a slurry-form and for heating and distilling said liquid when coupled to said heating means to convert the slurry-form dust therein into a final disposal product comprising a solidified mass or pellets of dust.

Claim 5

A system for disposing of dust produced during a process of forming within a reaction chamber an amorphous silicon film by decomposing a starting material gas containing silane gas as its principal component, comprising: a unit for collecting the dust including: cleaning means, detachably coupled to the reaction chamber, for discharging dust adhering to inner surfaces of walls of said reaction chamber to the outside of the reaction chamber; a dust hopper connected to said cleaning means to receive the dust discharged from said reaction chamber; and dumping means provided at a bottom portion of said dust hopper for dumping dust received in the dust hopper, said dumping means being adapted for coupling a detachable mixing means thereto; heat-distilling means, adapted to receive a detachable mixing means containing a heat-distillable liquid, for heating the mixing means to distill said liquid; and mixing means, adapted for detachably coupling to said dumping means and said heat-distilling means and including a heat-distillable liquid therein, for mixing dust received from said dumping means to transform said dust to a slurry-form, when coupled to said dumping means with said liquid, and for distilling said liquid and converting the slurry-form dust therein into a final disposal product comprising a solidified mass or pellets of dust, when coupled to said heat-distilling means.

Claim 6

A system for disposing of dust produced during a process of forming within a reaction chamber an amorphous silicon film by decomposing a starting material gas containing silane gas as its principal component, comprising: a unit for collecting the dust including: cleaning means, detachably coupled to the reaction chamber, for discharging dust adhering to inner surfaces of walls of said reaction chamber to the outside of the reaction chamber; a dust hopper connected to said cleaning means to receive the dust discharged from said reaction chamber; and dumping means provided at a bottom portion of said dust hopper for dumping dust received in the dust hopper, said dumping means being adapted for coupling a detachable mixing means thereto; heat-distilling means, adapted to receive a detachable mixing means containing a heat-distillable liquid, for heating the mixing means to distill said liquid; and mixing means, adapted for detachably coupling to said dumping means and said heat-distilling means and including a heat-distillable liquid therein, for mixing dust received from said dumping means to transform said dust to a slurry-form, when coupled to said dumping means with said liquid, and for distilling said liquid and converting the slurry-form dust therein into a final disposal product comprising a solidified mass or pellets of dust, when coupled to said heat-distilling means.

Claim 10

A system for disposing of dust produced during a process of forming an amorphous silicon film by decomposing a starting material gas containing silane gas as its principal component, comprising: a unit for collecting the dust including: suction nozzle means for sucking the dust, said suction nozzle means being movably provided with a tightly closed chamber to discharge dust adhering to a film-forming unit housed in said closed chamber to the outside of this latter chamber; a dust hopper connected to said suction nozzle means to receive the dust discharged from said closed chamber; and dumping means provided at a bottom portion of said dust hopper for dumping the received dust, said dumping being adapted for coupling a detachable mixing means thereto; heat-distilling means, adapted to receive a detachable mixing means having a heat-distillable liquid therein, for distilling said liquid; and mixing means, adapted for detachably coupling to said dumping means and said heat-distilling means and including a heat-distillable liquid therein, for receiving dust from said dumping means when coupled to said dumping means and mixing said dust with said liquid to transform said dust to a slurry-form and for transforming the slurry-form dust therein into a final disposal product comprising a solidified mass or pellets of dust when coupled to said heat-distilling means.

Claim 11

A system for disposing of dust produced during a process of forming an amorphous silicon film by decomposing a starting material gas containing silane gas as its principal component, comprising: a unit for collecting the dust including: suction nozzle means for sucking the dust, said suction nozzle means being movably provided with a tightly closed chamber to discharge dust adhering to a film-forming unit housed in said closed chamber to the outside of this latter chamber; a dust hopper connected to said suction nozzle means to receive the dust discharged from said closed chamber; and dumping means provided at a bottom portion of said dust hopper for dumping the received dust, said dumping being adapted for coupling a detachable mixing means thereto; heat-distilling means, adapted to receive a detachable mixing means having a heat-distillable liquid therein, for distilling said liquid; and mixing means, adapted for detachably coupling to said dumping means and said heat-distilling means and including a heat-distillable liquid therein, for receiving dust from said dumping means when coupled to said dumping means and mixing said dust with said liquid to transform said dust to a slurry-form and for transforming the slurry-form dust therein into a final disposal product comprising a solidified mass or pellets of dust when coupled to said heat-distilling means.