Entegris, Inc.

John C Gaudreau

Thomas Leblanc

Jürgen Michael Lobert

Tyler Moulton

Marc Venet

William M Goodwin

Evan Warniers

James Joseph Britto

Devon A Kinkead

Oleg P Kishkovich

David Ruede

John E Sergi

Joe Wildgoose

Tom Leblanc

Carly Shellhammer

Jeff Halperin

Edward J Washington

Jürgen M Lobert

William Goodwin

System and method for removing molecular contaminants from an air stream are disclosed. The system includes first, second and third filter. The first filter removes organic contaminants from an air stream passing through the first filter. The second filter is downstream of the first filter, is physically and chemically exchangeable with the first filter and removes organic contaminants from the air stream output of the first filter. The third filter, downstream of the second filter, is not exchangeable with the first filter or the second filter. The first position filter can be replaced by the second filter in the second position when the first filter in the first position becomes depleted as detected. A new filter in the second filter position is inserted. Replacing the depleted first filter with the second downstream filter reduces costs and waste while inserting the new filter in the second position ensures removing organic contaminants.

System and method for removing airborne molecular contaminants from gas streams

A media sample holder includes a base and a plurality of retention assemblies including retaining tabs and opposing flexible release lever arms, configured to allow attachment of the base to an attachment adapter. The media sample holder can attach a media sample on or near a filter. The media sample holder held in the media sample holder can have a different removal efficiency curve than a removal efficiency curve of the filter. The media sample can be placed at or near the filter for a period of time, then tested to determine the status and/or life of the filter based on the relationship between the remaining life, exposure, or removal efficiency of the filter and the exposure or removal efficiency of the tested media sample.

Filter life indicator media and holder

An active wet scrubbing filtration system for decontamination of a gas stream comprises components including one or more of: a) a vortexing apparatus which induces a contaminant-bearing gas into a helical flow; b) an initial scrubbing fluid spray section configured so as to project a spray of scrubbing fluid into the contaminant-bearing gas stream; c) an absorption structure; d) a condenser; and e) first and second scrubbing fluid decontamination systems that may be engaged or disengaged independently of each other. In some embodiments, the worksite comprises a clean room or one or more a semiconductor processing tools, which may include photolithography tools or photolithography tool clusters. In some embodiments, the active wet scrubbing filtration system may be useful in cleaning and recycling air or other process gasses for use in clean rooms or semiconductor processing tools.

Active wet scrubbing filtration system

Filters for semiconductor tool and clean room applications to control airborne molecular contamination. The filter cartridge system includes a filter cartridge having a non-woven fiber and at least one adsorbent. In some embodiments, the filter cartridge is constructed of substantially combustible materials to support its end of service destruction.

Airborne molecular contamination filter cartridge system with combustible filter cartridge and reusable frame

Described herein are liquid-free traps for trace levels of an acidic or basic airborne molecular contaminant in a gas. In one version of the invention described herein, the liquid-free trap comprises a housing, comprising an inlet and an outlet; a flow path between the inlet and the outlet; and a rigid sintered hydrophilic material situated in the flow path between the inlet and the outlet and sealed in the housing. The rigid sintered hydrophilic material is functionalized with from about 0.05 molar milliequivalents to about 10 molar milliequivalents of a basic species for trapping an acidic airborne molecular contaminant in the gas or from about 0.05 molar milliequivalents to about 10 molar milliequivalents of an acidic species for trapping a basic airborne molecular contaminant in the gas. Methods of using the liquid-free traps to detect or measure trace levels of an acidic or basic airborne molecular contaminant are also described.

Liquid-free sample traps and analytical method for measuring trace level acidic and basic AMC

Liquid-free trap for trace level acidic and basic AMC and components thereof

The invention provides a system and method comprising an apparatus for removing contaminants from a gas in a semiconductor processing device, which can include a filter unit having at least two parallel filter stages located therein. The filter stages are designed to remove a least a portion of the contaminants present in the gas flowing through them. The apparatus can also include a flow controller for distributing the gas flow among the filter stages. In one embodiment, the controller may consist of a diffuser plate. The invention also provides a sampling tube orifice for gas flow control in a system or method of the invention. In another embodiment, an apparatus for removing contaminants from a gas in a clean room comprises a filter unit having at least two parallel filter stages, which are used to remove a portion of the contaminants in the gas as it passes through the apparatus.

System and method for removing contaminants

In preferred embodiments, the invention provides a gas filter for a reactive gas used in semiconductor processing tools and processes that are sensitive to molecular contamination. The reactive gas filter of the invention have improved pressure drop and can supply an output gas stream having concentrations of less than about 1 ppbv for both ammonia and sulfur dioxide for an input gas stream with ammonia and sulfur dioxide concentrations, respectively, of no greater than about 10 ppbv and 5 ppbv. In one aspect the invention provides a reactive gas filter with an improved pressure drop that can supply an output gas stream having concentrations of less than about 1 ppbv for both ammonia and sulfur dioxide for an input gas stream with ammonia and sulfur dioxide concentrations, respectively, of no greater than about 10 ppbv and 5 ppbv, using a filter media volume of no greater than about 0.5 liters.

Reactive gas filter

Growing community of inventors

Chepachet, RI, United States of America

John C Gaudreau