Comparison Study of Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) and Quadrupole Mass Spectroscopy (QMS) for Point-of-Use (POU) Abatement System Effluent Flow Determination

Hall*, Steven E. ; Benaway, Bryan
(URS Corporation, Austin, TX)

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The recently published “Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Protocol for Measuring Destruction or Removal Efficiency (DRE) of Fluorinated Greenhouse Gas Abatement Equipment in Electronics Manufacturing, Version 1”, March 2010 (EPA Protocol) requires the use of quadrupole mass spectroscopy (QMS) for determination of the total volumetric flow (TVF) of POU abatement device effluents. This study directly compares an alternative approach using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to the required QMS method. Since the EPA Protocol also requires usage of FTIR for emissions characterization, its use for flow determination will provide significant cost savings. A study was performed by URS Corporation in conjunction with International SEMATECH Manufacturing Initiative and Sherer Consulting Services where three POU abatement systems were tested during normal operation. Two of the POU abatement systems were fuel-based thermal oxidation/wet scrubbing systems (burn/wet) and one POU abatement system was an electric heat oxidation/wet scrubbing system (electric heat/wet). Determination of TVF by QMS was performed in strict accordance to EPA Protocol and the FTIR determination of TVF strictly followed the pertinent sections of the 2009 ISMI Guideline for Environmental Characterization of Semiconductor Process Equipment – Revision 2 (2009 ISMI Guideline).

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