Abatement system targeting a by-pass effluent stream of a semiconductor process tool

1. A process for reducing the concentration of a toxic and/or hazardous component in a diluent waste stream deriving from a by-pass line of a semiconductor process tool, said process comprising, contacting the diluent gas stream with a dry resin sorbent material having an affinity for the toxic and/or hazardous component, to effect the removal of at least a portion of the toxic and/or hazardous component by a chemisorbent or physisorbent reaction between the sorbent material and the toxic gas component in the process diluent waste stream to below TLV, wherein said semiconductor process tool is in gas flow communication with an abatement system distinct from said dry resin sorbent material, for treatment for semiconductor process tool effluent produced by said semiconductor process tool.

2. A point-of-use scrubber for treating a toxic and/or hazardous component in an effluent waste stream deriving from a by-pass line of a semiconductor process tool, said scrubber comprising a canister having:

an inlet in gas flow communication with the process tool's by-pass line;

an outlet; and

a sorbent bed therebetween;

wherein said sorbent bed contacts the toxic and/or hazardous component in the effluent waste stream to effectively reduce the concentration therein of the toxic and/or hazardous component, and wherein said semiconductor process tool is in gas flow communication with an abatement system distinct from said point-of-use scrubber, for treatment of semiconductor process tool effluent produced by said semiconductor process tool.

3. The scrubber of claim 2 , wherein said canister is of an up-flow design.

4. The scrubber of claim 3 , wherein said up-flow canister further comprises at least a lower plenum space section and an upper plenum space section.

5. The scrubber of claim 4 , wherein said sorbent bed resides in a section that is between said lower and upper plenum space sections.

6. The scrubber of claim 4 , wherein said lower plenum space section is in gas flow communication with said canister inlet.

7. The scrubber of claim 4 , wherein said upper plenum space is in gas flow communication with said canister outlet.

8. The scrubber of claim 2 , wherein said canister is of a cubic geometry.

9. The scrubber of claim 2 , wherein said canister has a volume that is between 0.1 to 1000 liters.

10. The scrubber of claim 2 , wherein said canister has a volume that is between 4 and 50 liters.

11. The scrubber of claim 2 , having a zero footprint.

12. The scrubber of claim 2 , wherein said canister is of an up-flow design and of a cubic geometry.

13. The scrubber of claim 2 , wherein said by-pass line comprises a mass flow controller.

14. The scrubber of claim 13 , wherein said mass flow controller is upstream of said semiconductor process tool.

15. The scrubber of claim 2 , wherein said by-pass line is coupled to at least one of: a point-of-use house abatement system comprising said abatement system distinct from said point-of-use scrubber, atmosphere, a vent and a roof of a semiconductor facility.

16. The scrubber of claim 2 , wherein said toxic and/or hazardous component is selected from the group consisting of arsine, phosphine and germane.

17. The scrubber of claim 2 , wherein said effluent waste stream further comprises a diluent gas.

18. The scrubber of claim 2 , wherein said sorbent bed is of a dry resin material.

19. The scrubber of claim 18 , wherein said dry resin material comprises at least one metal oxide.

20. The scrubber of claim 18 , wherein said dry resin material comprises at least one component selected from the group consisting of: carbon, CuSO 4 , Cu(OH 2 ), CuO, CuCO 3 , CuCO 3 .Cu(OH) 2 , Cu 2 O, MnO x , wherein x is from 1 to 2 inclusive, AgO, Ag 2 O, CoO, Co 3 O 4 , Cr 2 O 3 , CrO 3 , MoO 2 , MoO 3 , TiO 2 , NiO, LiOH, Ca(OH) 2 , CaO, NaOH, KOH, Fe 2 O 3 , ZnO, Al 2 O 3 , K 2 CO 3 , KHCO 3 , Na 2 CO 3 , NaHCO 3 , NH 3 OH, Sr(OH) 2 , HCOONa, BaOH, KMnO 4 , SiO 2 , ZnO, MgO, Mg(OH) 2 , Na 2 O 3 S 2 , SiO 2 , triethylenediamine (TEDA) and mixtures thereof.

21. The scrubber of claim 18 , wherein said dry resin material comprises at least one component selected from the group consisting of: CuSO 4 , Cu(OH 2 ), CuO, CuCO 3 , CuCO 3 .Cu(OH) 2 , Cu 2 O, MnO x , wherein x is from 1 to 2 inclusive, Ca(OH) 2 , and CaO.

22. The scrubber of claim 2 , further comprising at least one of: an end point monitor, a pressure sensor and a temperature sensor.

23. An abatement apparatus for reducing the concentration of a toxic and/or hazardous component, in a by-pass line of an epitaxial deposition reactor, the apparatus comprising an up-flow canister containing material for reducing the concentration of a toxic and/or hazardous component, wherein said epitaxial deposition reactor is in gas flow communication with an abatement system distinct from said up-flow canister containing said material, for treatment of epitaxial deposition reactor effluent produced by said epitaxial deposition reactor.

24. A point-of-use scrubber for treating an effluent waste stream comprising a toxic and/or hazardous component, said waste stream deriving from a by-pass line of a semiconductor process, said scrubber comprising:

an up-flow canister comprising:

lower section plenum space;

an upper section plenum space;

at least one dry resin sorbent bed layer therebetween;

an inlet in gas flow communication with the by-pass process line; and

an outlet,

arranged such that the process effluent waste stream flows in an upward direction to effectively reduce the concentration of the toxic/and or hazardous component from the effluent waste stream, wherein said semiconductor process is in gas flow communication with an abatement system distinct from said point-of-use scrubber, for treatment of semiconductor process effluent produced by said semiconductor process.