System and method of monitoring contamination

Abstract

The present invention provides passive sampling systems and methods for monitoring contaminants in a semiconductor processing system. In one embodiment, that passive sampling system comprises a collection device in fluid communication with a sample line that provides a flow of gas from a semiconductor processing system. The collection device is configured to sample by diffusion one or more contaminants in the flow of gas.

1 . A method for sampling a contaminant in a semiconductor processing system, comprising the steps of: 
 delivering a gas stream from the semiconductor processing system to a collection device, the processing system having an optical system; and    collecting a contaminant from the gas stream in the collection device for a duration exceeding a saturation capacity of the collection device.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising determining a contaminant concentration in the semiconductor processing system from a sample collected with the collection device.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising collecting a sample from a photolithography tool.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising collecting a lower molecular weight contaminant and a higher molecular weight contaminant and continuing to collect the higher molecular weight contaminant the saturation capacity for the lower molecular weight contaminant.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising collecting a sample in the collection device with an adsorptive material.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising providing an adsorptive material including Tenax.  
     
     
         7 . A method for monitoring and removing a contaminant in a photolithography system having an optical path, comprising the steps of: 
 delivering a gas stream from a photolithography system to a collection device;    collecting a contaminant from the gas stream with the collection device;    analyzing a collected sample of the contaminant; and    actuating a membrane to remove the contaminant from the optical path.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein collecting a contaminant comprises collecting at least one of refractory compounds, high molecular weight compounds and low molecular weight compounds.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising collecting a low molecular weight compound and a high molecular weight compound past a saturation capacity of the device.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising analyzing the collected sample to determine a contaminant concentrate.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising flowing the gas stream through a contaminant removal device including the membrane.  
     
     
         12 . A method for cleaning a contaminated surface in a semiconductor processing system, comprising the steps of: 
 delivering a gas stream to the contaminated surface in the processing system in the presence of light, the gas stream having an additive gas and the gas stream combining with a contaminant on the contaminated surface to form a volatile product; and    removing the volatile product from the processing system.    
     
     
         13 . The method for cleaning of  claim 12 , wherein the step of removing the volatile product includes using a purge gas.  
     
     
         14 . The method of cleaning of  claim 12 , wherein steps of delivering a gas stream to the contaminated surface further comprises delivering a gas stream to an optical system surface.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the step of removing further comprising filtering the volatile product from the gas stream with a filter.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising monitoring a concentration of the volatile product.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising removing the volatile product from a photolithography tool.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising removing an organic compound.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising removing an inorganic compound.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising removing a refractory compound.