Air handling and chemical filtration system and method

Abstract

The present invention relates to systems and methods for controlling humidity and temperature in gases or air streams used in semiconductor processing systems. These systems and methods can be used in combination with systems and methods for contaminant detection and removal.

1 . A filtering apparatus for a semiconductor processing tool, comprising:
 an inlet in a first absorption section for receiving a scrubbing liquid;   an absorption structure positioned in the first absorption section such that scrubbing liquid wets a surface of the absorption structure and flows down the absorption structure;   an inlet in the first absorption section for receiving an output gas stream from a semiconductor processing tool, the output gas stream having one or more contaminants; and   the first absorption section configured such that the output gas stream contacts scrubbing liquid on the surface of the absorption structure and the concentration of the one or more contaminants in the gas stream is reduced by sorption in the scrubbing liquid.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor processing tool comprises a photolithography tool or photolithography tool cluster. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the scrubbing liquid comprises water. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the scrubbing liquid comprises de-ionized water having a resistivity in the range from about 100,000 Ωcm to about 18 MΩ cm. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the scrubbing liquid comprises a non-polar solvent. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the scrubbing liquid comprises one or more additives that facilitate reducing the concentration of one or more contaminants in the output gas stream. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the inlet for receiving the scrubbing liquid comprises a liquid atomizer. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the absorption structure comprises a loose packed-bed. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the output gas stream comprises air. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the inlet for receiving the scrubbing liquid and the inlet for receiving the output gas stream of the first absorption section are configured such that the filtering apparatus can be operated as a co-current system. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the inlet for receiving the scrubbing liquid and the inlet for receiving the output gas stream of the first absorption section are configured such that the filtering apparatus can be operated as a counter-current system. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising
 an outlet in the first absorption section for providing an outgoing gas stream   an inlet in a second absorption section for receiving a scrubbing liquid;   an absorption structure positioned in the second absorption section such that scrubbing liquid wets a surface of the absorption structure and flows down the absorption structure;   an inlet in the second absorption section for receiving the outgoing gas stream from the first absorption section, the outgoing gas stream having one or more contaminants; and   the second absorption section configured such that the outgoing gas stream contacts scrubbing liquid on the surface of the absorption structure in the second absorption section and the concentration of the one or more contaminants in the gas stream is reduced by sorption in the scrubbing liquid.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein one of the first absorption section and second absorption section is configured to be operated as a counter-current system and the other of the first absorption section and second absorption section is configured to be operated as a co-current system. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first absorption section comprises:
 an outlet in the first absorption section for removing the scrubbing liquid; and   an outlet in the first absorption section for providing a return gas stream to the semiconductor processing tool, the return gas stream having a reduced concentration of the one or more contaminants in the output gas stream.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the outlet for providing a return gas stream comprises a collection device for the removing droplets of scrubbing liquid from the return gas stream. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the second absorption section comprises:
 an outlet in the second absorption section for removing the scrubbing liquid; and   an outlet in the second absorption section for providing a return gas stream to the semiconductor processing tool, the return gas stream having a reduced concentration of the one or more contaminants in the output gas stream.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the outlet for providing a return gas stream comprises a collection device for the removing droplets of scrubbing liquid from the return gas stream. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the collection device controls the relative humidity of the return gas stream. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the outlet for removing the scrubbing liquid comprises a recirculation unit for the scrubbing liquid, the recirculation unit providing a cleaned scrubbing liquid. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , further comprising a temperature control unit positioned in the flow path of the cleaned scrubbing liquid and positioned to provide a temperature controlled scrubbing liquid to the inlet in the absorption section for receiving scrubbing liquid. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a heat exchanger positioned to exchange heat between the output gas stream and return gas stream. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a gas temperature control unit positioned in the return gas stream, wherein the gas temperature control unit controls the temperature of the return gas stream. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the gas temperature control unit together with the temperature control unit control the temperature and humidity of the return gas stream. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the collection device together with the temperature control unit control the relative humidity of the return gas stream. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a scrubbing liquid supply. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an additive source. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more adsorptive filters placed in the flow path of at least one of the output gas stream from a semiconductor processing tool and the return gas stream. 
     
     
         28 . An air conditioning and chemical filtration apparatus for a semiconductor processing tool, comprising:
 an absorption section, the absorption section comprising: an inlet for receiving a scrubbing liquid;   an absorption structure positioned in the absorption section such that scrubbing liquid wets a surface of the absorption structure and flows down the absorption structure;   an inlet for receiving an output gas stream from a semiconductor processing tool, the output gas stream having one or more contaminants, the absorption section configured such that the output gas stream contacts scrubbing liquid on the surface of the absorption structure and the concentration of the one or more contaminants in the output gas stream is reduced by sorption in the scrubbing liquid to produce an outgoing gas stream;   a temperature control unit configured to provide to the absorption section the scrubbing liquid with a temperature in a first temperature range; and   a collection device to remove droplets of scrubbing liquid from the outgoing gas stream and produce a return gas stream for the semiconductor processing tool with a relative humidity in a first relative humidity range.   
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , further comprising a gas temperature control unit positioned in the return gas stream, wherein the gas temperature control unit controls the temperature of the return gas stream. 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein the gas temperature control unit together with the temperature control unit control the temperature and humidity of the return gas stream. 
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , further comprising one or more adsorptive filters placed in the flow path of at least one of the output gas stream from a semiconductor processing tool and the return gas stream. 
     
     
         32 . An air conditioning and chemical filtration apparatus for a semiconductor processing tool, comprising:
 a first absorption section, the first absorption section comprising:
 an inlet for receiving a scrubbing liquid; 
   an absorption structure positioned in the first absorption section such that scrubbing liquid wets a surface of the absorption structure and flows down the absorption structure;   an inlet for receiving an output gas stream from a semiconductor processing tool, the output gas stream having one or more contaminants, the first absorption section configured such that the output gas stream contacts scrubbing liquid on the surface of the absorption structure and the concentration of the one or more contaminants in the output gas stream is reduced by sorption in the scrubbing liquid to produce an first outgoing gas stream, the first outgoing gas stream having one or more contaminants;   
       a second absorption section, the second absorption section comprising:
 an inlet in the second absorption section for receiving the first outgoing gas stream from the first absorption section; 
 an inlet in the second absorption section for receiving a scrubbing liquid; 
 an absorption structure positioned in the second absorption section such that scrubbing liquid wets a surface of the absorption structure and flows down the absorption structure; and 
 the second absorption section configured such that the outgoing gas stream contacts scrubbing liquid on the surface of the absorption structure in the second absorption section and the concentration of the one or more contaminants in the outgoing gas stream is reduced by sorption in the scrubbing liquid to produce a second outgoing gas stream; 
 a temperature control unit configured to provide to at least the second absorption section the scrubbing liquid with a temperature in a first temperature range; and 
 
       a collection device to remove droplets of scrubbing liquid from the second outgoing gas stream and produce a return gas stream for the semiconductor processing tool with a relative humidity in a first relative humidity range. 
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 32 , further comprising a gas temperature control unit positioned in the return gas stream, wherein the gas temperature control unit controls the temperature of the return gas stream. 
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of  claim 32 , wherein the gas temperature control unit together with the temperature control unit control the temperature and humidity of the return gas stream. 
     
     
         35 . The apparatus of  claim 32 , further comprising one or more adsorptive filters placed in the flow path of at least one of the output gas stream from a semiconductor processing tool and the return gas stream. 
     
     
         36 - 42 . (canceled)