Microelectronics
Validation Readiness, Part 2
By Barbara Kanegsberg, Ed Kanegsberg
Planning and pre-testing are keys to successful validation.
Science Is Foiled Again
By John B. Durkee, Ph.D., P.E.
This column is about understanding how and why sonic transducers perform as they do in cleaning operations.
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.
Keep Product Clean In and Out of the Cleanroom, Part 2: The Program
By Kevina O’Donoghue, Barbara Kanegsberg, Ed Kanegsberg
The first step in developing an effective precision cleaning process for the product is to determine where cleaning can be avoided. Keeping the product clean, particularly during transfer and storage, is an important part of your contamination control program.
Cavitation in Ultrasonic Cleaning and Cell Disruption
By Lawrence Azar
It is important to quantify the cavitation energy in all applications ranging from ultrasonic cleaners to cell disruptors.
Ultrasonics: Cleaning ? Surface Modification? Both?
By Ed Kanegsberg, Barbara Kanegsberg
"What do you mean by plasma cleaning?" Bill Moffat, CEO of Yield Engineering Systems, Inc. in Livermore, CA, a manufacturer of plasma cleaning systems, poses this reasonable question.
Are the Cleaning Agents Clean Enough? Part I
By Barbara Kanegsberg, Ed Kanegsberg
Since cleaning is the removal of undesired material, it is important that the cleaning agents are sufficiently pure so that they are not contributing to contamination that would compromise product performance or, in the case of medical devices or pharmaceuticals, compromise the recipient or host.
Efficient Cleaning Of Silicon Wafers Using Ultrasonic Technology
By Rugved Nakade, Anthony Sayka, Dhiraj K. Sardar, Ph.D.,, Raylon M. Yow
The surface contamination of wafers, especially by particle contaminants, has been one of the major problems in the semiconductor industry. It is imperative to find an effective way to remove particles from wafers with efficiency and without damage to the wafers.
The Synergism of an AFM with Megasonics
By John B. Durkee, Ph.D., P.E.
This is a match constructed around information — the need for it andthe recent cost-efficient availability of it.
Ultrasonic Parameters: Part 2
By Barbara Kanegsberg, Ed Kanegsberg
While suggestions and recommendations abound, independent, comprehensive, and systematic studies of the impact of ultrasonic parameters (equipment, chemical, and physical parameters) on soil removal, surface quality, and structural integrity are limited.
Ultrasonic Parameters: Part 1
By Barbara Kanegsberg, Ed Kanegsberg
Optimizing ultrasonic effectiveness involves removal of undesirable contaminants. Because ultrasonic cleaning generates significant force, effectiveness also involves minimizing the potential for substrate damage.
Single Wafer Megasonic Cleaning
By Paul Nesdore
This month, we takl to Dr. Kevin McLaughlin, Technical Marketing Manager, at SCP Global Technologies about a new single-wafer cleaning tool.
Contamination Control in Photolithography of SAW Filter Wafers
By Jason P.G. Gao
In the photolithography of surface acoustic wave (SAW) filter devices in a wafer fab, some defects are related to contamination problems in the line. Discussed here are systematic analyses that were conducted in order to increase production yield and improve product quality. Three types of contaminants are discussed: particle, atomic, and organic.
Continuing Developments in Ultrasonic Technology
By F. John Fuchs
Ultrasonics, the sound you cannot hear, has emerged as a valuable tool in achieving the cleanliness required by todayís ever-advancing technology. Disc drives, silicon wafers and chips, medical implants, and all sorts of critical hardware require ultrasonic cleaning to function properlyóor at all.
Precision Cleaning and Verification: A Practical Guide
By Charles A Osborn
The last several years have seen a ground swell trend among large manufacturers toward flowing down cleanliness requirements on parts and assemblies to their sub-tier suppliers.
The Development of Ultrasonic Cleaning
By Edward W. Lamm
As we moved into the new millennium, we brought with us the technology of cleaning, the details of which could fill a book. In order to keep this discussion to a manageable size, I am going to confine the discussion to ultrasonics and follow its path through the 20th century, showing some of the twists and turns that have brought us to the present day’s technology.
Advanced Immersion Processing Equipment for Improved Front-End-of-Line Cleans
By William Amstutz
A new cleaning platform for the IC and wafer manufacturing sections of the semiconductor industry, has been designed for advanced-front-end-of-line (AFeOL), FeOL, pre-gate, pre-epi, etc., cleans.
Measuring Sonics, Part 3: Sonoluminescence
By Barbara Kanegsberg, Ed Kanegsberg
In the previous two columns we discussed the importance of characterizing and comparing ultrasonic and megasonic (u/m) systems, including influence of critical variables: the tank, chemistry, and temperature. In addition to aluminum foil erosion and partition of a slurry, a metric probe which quantifies energy was reviewed.
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.
Laser Cleaning Methods for Sub-ym Particle Removal
By R. Vanderwood, C. Cetinkaya, J. Lin
As device features shrink, the maximum particle size that is tolerable in its manufacturing and operation phases will also shrink. It is estimated that over 50% of the yield losses in semiconductor industry are due to microcontamination.
Manufacturing Qualification of an All-Dry Via De-veil Plasma Process
By Richard Bersin, Han Xu
A new dry de-veil process has been developed for via etch de-veil.
Debunking Cleaning Mythology: Part 3
By John B. Durkee, Ph.D., P.E.
This month, we’ll discuss the commonly held idea that aqueous cleaning is significantly more friendly to humans and to the environment than is solvent cleaning. There’s a great deal of partisanship around that idea.
Photresist Removal Using Aqueous Foam
By Robert Small, PH.D., Bob Patel, Mihaela A. Cernat, Paul Kittle, Ph.D.
Aqueous foam is generally recognized as the medium of choice for cleaning tasks ranging from household tasks to large industrial applications.
Cleaning with CO2 and Dry Ice Particles
By Stuart A. Hoenig, PE, PH.D
Cleaning is one of the most important steps in the manufacturing of semiconductors. As the devices grow smaller, their sensitivity to dust, bacteria, and certain gasses increases.