Optimize semiconductor HVAC filtration through evaluation

摘要

Chemical air filtration combined with on-site analytical evaluation of filtered area and filter solution provides cost reduction by optimizing filter lifetime. Airborne molecular contamination (AMC) control in semiconductor manufacturing process bays has historically been applied to unique problems such as unwanted doping or corrosion control on metal films. With the advent of the 65- and 45-nm technology nodes and their highly energetic ultraviolet (UV) light, the impact of AMC on exposure and metrology tool optics and photomasks has increased with decreasing exposure wavelengths. Increasing beam intensity at each node drives sensitivity to contaminants, causing issues such as yield, reduction, optics degradation, and reticle haze. As a result, AMC control has increasingly become necessary for photolithography cleanrooms, but until recently most of these chemical filtration solutions were targeted to individual tools or tool clusters.