Hot-trap assembly for trapping unreacted gas by-products

1. A vapor deposition hot-trap device ( 1 ) comprising:

an enclosure ( 2 ) comprising at least one inlet ( 3 ) and at least one outlet ( 5 );

at least one heating means ( 7 ); and

at least two collector means ( 10 ) for the conversion of reaction by-products into products that are deposited on the collector means ( 10 ) and/or the inner surface of the enclosure ( 2 ), wherein

the collector means ( 10 ) are arranged within the enclosure ( 2 ) between the inlet ( 3 ) and the outlet ( 5 ),

the collector means ( 10 ) have a diameter that substantially matches the diameter of the enclosure ( 2 ) and has at least one opening ( 18 ),

the collector means ( 10 ) are arranged in a way so that their openings ( 18 ) are staggered, and

the surface area of the collector means ( 10 ) increases in the direction from inlet ( 3 ) to outlet ( 5 ), wherein

the hot-trap device ( 1 ) further comprises a heating rod ( 8 ), and wherein the heating rod ( 8 ) is configured such that the temperature for the collector means ( 10 ) increases in the direction from inlet ( 3 ) to outlet ( 5 ).

2. The hot-trap device ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , comprising at least two collector means ( 10 ) wherein the temperature of the collector means ( 10 ) increases in the direction from inlet ( 3 ) to outlet ( 5 ).

3. The hot-trap device ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , comprising at least three collector means ( 10 ) wherein the distance between two consecutive collector means ( 10 ) decreases in the direction from inlet ( 3 ) to outlet ( 5 ).

4. The hot-trap device ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , comprising a central internal heating means ( 8 ) thermally coupled to the collector means ( 10 ) and optionally comprising an external heating means ( 9 ).

5. The hot-trap device ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the collector means ( 10 ) comprises silicon, silica, aluminum, aluminum oxide, copper, sodium oxide or combinations thereof.

6. The hot-trap device ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one means for the measurement of the temperature ( 16 ).

7. A vacuum processing system ( 31 ) comprising at least one processing module ( 19 ) connected to at least one evacuation means ( 28 ) and at least one hot-trap device ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the hot-trap device ( 1 ) is arranged upstream of the evacuation means.

8. The vacuum processing system ( 31 ) according to claim 7 , wherein ≧2 hot-trap devices are present of which at least 2 are connected in parallel.

9. The vacuum processing system ( 31 ) according to claim 8 , wherein at least one processing module ( 19 ) is connected to ≧2 hot-trap devices that are connected in parallel.

10. The vacuum processing system ( 31 ) according, to claim 7 further comprising ≧2 valves, wherein ≧1 valve is positioned upstream to the hot-trap device ( 1 ) and ≧1 valve is positioned downstream to the hot-trap device.

11. The vacuum processing system ( 31 ) according to claim 7 further comprising at least one venting line ( 30 ) arranged to vent the hot-trap device ( 1 ) to an atmospheric pressure level.

12. The vacuum processing system ( 31 ) according to claim 7 further comprising a scrubbing-system connected to the evacuation means.

13. A method for the removal of reaction by-products in a vacuum processing system ( 31 ) according to claim 7 , comprising the step of forcing process gas comprising the reaction by-products through the at least one hot-trap device ( 1 ).