An exemplary method and apparatus for abating reaction products from a vacuum
processing chamber includes a reaction chamber in fluid communication with the
vacuum processing chamber, a coil disposed about the reaction chamber, and a power
source for supplying RF energy to the coil. The coil creates a plasma in the reaction
chamber which effectively breaks down stable reaction products from the vacuum
processing chamber such as perfluorocarbons (PFCs) and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)
which significantly contribute to global warming. According to alternative embodiments,
the plasma may be generated with grids or coils disposed in the reaction chamber
perpendicular to the flow of reaction products from the vacuum processing chamber.
