Microelectronics
Following ESD Materials Validation Protocols - Part 1
By Bob Vermillion
Comparing Antistats versus Inherently Conductive Polymer Coated Type I Moisture Barrier Bags for Humidity Dependence & Charge Generation at Low RH
Purge Micro-Environment With Ionized Air to Reduce Chances of ESD Damages to Wafers
By Mike Cisewski, Huaping Wang
The problem of electrostatic discharge (ESD) resulting from charges on wafers is a serious concern in IC manufacturing processes.
ESD Garments for Cleanrooms and Controlled Environments
By Jan Eudy
We are looking to improve our ESD control with static control garments. What are our options?
Validation Readiness, Part I
By Barbara Kanegsberg, Ed Kanegsberg
Plan twice; validate once is a prudent variant of the adage. Cleaning validation is a hurdle in many applications, including aerospace, microelectronics, pharmaceuticals, and medical device manufacture.
Airborne Molecular Contamination, Part 1: Silent Poison
By Barbara Kanegsberg, Ed Kanegsberg
Airborne Molecular Contamination (AMC) can be a "silent poisoner" of your process and product. AMC is any unwanted organic or inorganic molecule that is carried by the air to the surface of the product.
Green Cleaning
By Barbara Kanegsberg
Green, environmentally-preferred, sustainable, biobased, safe — the terms are sometimes used interchangeably. However, their meaning and interpretation really depend on one’s viewpoint.
Case Study: Benchmarking Helps Medical Device Manufacturer Develop World Class Static Control Program
By Tim Jarrett
Electronic components in medical devices, like those in aerospace and military applications, are highly sensitive to electrostatic discharge (ESD) during manufacturing.
How Low?
By Barbara Kanegsberg, Ed Kanegsberg
Understanding and respecting the lower limits of the method is essential for regulatory compliance as well as to evaluate, validate, and monitor critical cleaning and contamination control protocols.
Point of View: Future Trends in ESD
By David E. Swenson
The explosion of electronic related technology in recent years has rekindled interest in electrostatic discharge (ESD). The ESD Association released an ESD Technology Roadmap in 2005 that paints a less than rosy picture for ESD protection and ESD susceptibility.
ESD Cleanrooms Materials Test Methods To Verify Supplier Conformance: Part III
By Bob Vermillion
The procedures and results of testing static shielding and moisture barrier bags made up Part I of this article followed in Part II by an evaluation of ESD gloves and ICP vacuum formed trays. In this final article, we discuss static decay.
ESD Cleanrooms Materials Test Methods To Verify Supplier Conformance: Part II
By Bob Vermillion
A discussion of the testing of cleanroom gloves for both surface and static resistance.
Installing ESD Flooring in an Operational Cleanroom
By David Long
Options for installing ESD flooring in an existing operational facility withminimal impact on contamination and production.
ESD Cleanrooms Materials Test Methods to Verify Supplier Conformance: Part I
By Bob Vermillion
This article discusses ESD standards and industry evaluation practices for measuring the effectiveness of selected products used to protect electrostatic sensitive devices from ESD related hazards.
Case Study: Using An Air Knife To Clean Medical Devices
By Dan VanderPyl
How an air knife and ionizing bar removed particles and eliminated static attraction.
ESD Considerations for Cleanrooms
By Carl Resurreccion, Bob Vermillion
As electrostatic discharge (ESD) thresholds increase, knowledge of ESD standards and control in cleanrooms is a major concern in both microelectronics and medical device manufacturing.
Class 0 ESD Trends: Implications for Back and Front End Processes
By Terry L. Welsher, G. Theodore Dangelmayer
While there have been improvements in materials and methods of ESD control over this period and some factories have done a better job than others in implementing them, the fundamental capability of the methods has not changed appreciably.
Point of View: Assessing the Role of Static Electricity
By John Chubb
The need to control, and in some cases to take advantage of, static electricity, requires a better understanding of the surface characteristics of materials.
Microelectronics: Modular, Portable, and Easily Simulated
By Michael Stockinger, Cynthia A Torres, James C. Weldon, James W. Miller, Matthew D Akers, Michael G Khazhinski
How a network of small rail clamps distributed in every I/O pad cell offers significant advantages in ESD performance as compared to large, remotely placed rail clamp circuits.
Modular Portable, and Easily Simulated ESD Protection Networks for Advanced CMOS Technologies Part I
By Michael Stockinger, Cynthia A Torres, James C. Weldon, James W. Miller, Matthew D Akers, Michael G Khazhinski
In CMOS integrated circuits the lateral NPN (LNPN) bipolar transistor parasitic to the NMOSFET output buffer has historically served as the dominant ESD clamping device. However, as process technologies have scaled below 0.25µm design rules, the LNPN device has become increasingly fragile, process sensitive, and less suitable for use in ESD protection.
Are You Practicing Good Design of Experiments? Part 4: Using CUSUM
By John B. Durkee, Ph.D., P.E.
In this series, we have emphasized statistical experiment design in cleaning operations. We have observed that many who would value this approach don’t use it, used the t-test to learn with what level of confidence two groups of cleaned parts are the same or different, and identified dynamic surface tension as a useful process variable.
Biological Organism Reduction With Hydrogen Peroxide
By Ralph Sias
Hydrogen Peroxide is a strong oxidizer used for high-level disinfection and sterilization. It produces reactive hydroxyl free radicals and ions that can attack membrane lipids, DNA and other essential cell components.
Measuring Sonics, Part 2
By Barbara Kanegsberg, Ed Kanegsberg
Ultrasonics and megasonics have become mainstays for the removal of contaminants from critical product. As we discussed last month, ultrasonics metrics is in its infancy, with the most widely used test for ultrasonic functionality still observation of the visual erosion of aluminum foil.
Electrical Properties of Static Control Vinyl Floor Tile
By
Vinyl is today the predominant plastic used in ESD floors. This success is based on its long record of performance, ease of installation, durability, chemical resistance, retention of static control properties, and aesthetics, all of which result in good cost/performance value.
Are You Practicing Good Design of Experiments? Part 3: Dynamic Surface Tension
By John B. Durkee, Ph.D., P.E.
As explained in our November column, with the aid of a little humor, good experiment design doesn’t require intricate equations and abstruse nomenclature. It can be as easy as answering three simple questions: What do you want to know? With what confidence do you want to know it? and How can it best be done at the least cost?