A method and system for supplying an ultra-pure fluid to a substrate
process chamber using point-of-use filtration and purification. The
method and system provide ability to automatically monitor and control
contamination levels in fluids in real time and to stop substrate
processing when contamination levels exceed predetermined thresholds. In
one aspect, the invention is a system comprising: a fluid supply line
adapted to supply a fluid to the process chamber; filtration means
operably coupled to the fluid supply line for removing positively and
negatively charged particles from the fluid prior to the fluid passing
into the process chamber; a purifier operably coupled to the fluid supply
line in series with the filtration means for removing ionic contaminants
from the fluid prior to the fluid passing into the process chamber;
sensor means for repetitively measuring particle and ionic impurity
levels in the fluid that has passed through the filtration means and the
purifier, the sensor means producing signals indicative of the measured
particle and ionic impurity levels; a controller electrically coupled to
the sensor means for receiving the signals created by the sensor means,
the controller adapted to respectively compare the measured particle
level and the measured ionic impurity level indicated by the signals to a
predetermined particle threshold and a predetermined ionic impurity
threshold, wherein upon the controller determining that either the
measured particle level is above the predetermined particle threshold
and/or that the measured ionic impurity level is above the predetermined
ionic impurity threshold, the controller further adapted to (1) activate
means to alert a user, (2) cease processing of substrates in the process
chamber, and/or (3) prohibit processing of substrates in the process
chamber.