Liquid filter apparatus for gas/solid separation for semiconductor processes

A liquid filter apparatus for gas/solid separation for a semiconductor processing system, the semiconductor processing system including a semiconductor processing chamber and a vacuum pump, said filter apparatus comprising:

• a housing having a filter chamber, a semiconductor process gas inlet configured for fluid communication to a waste output of the semiconductor processing chamber, and a process gas outlet configured for fluid communication with the vacuum pump, said filter chamber forming a liquid reservoir, and said semiconductor process gas inlet and said process gas outlet in communication with said filter chamber wherein said filter chamber is under a vacuum, and wherein said housing includes a gas exhaust chamber;
• a filter liquid inlet and a filter liquid outlet in fluid communication with said liquid reservoir for delivering and removing filter fluid, respectively, to and from said liquid reservoir;
• and
• a feed tube, said feed tube being in communication with said semiconductor process gas inlet and extending into said liquid reservoir to directly inject a process gas flowing through said semiconductor process gas inlet into the filter fluid in the liquid reservoir,
• wherein said housing includes an internal conduit extending through the liquid reservoir in fluid communication with said filter chamber and said gas exhaust chamber to direct a flow of a filtered process gas from said filter chamber to said gas exhaust chamber.