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Materials & Gases

News

Soitec enters production with high-resistivity SOI substrate

17 February 2010
The shift to multi-band, multi-mode radio functionality in today's handsets and the growth of Wi-Fi based-applications has enabled Soitec to develop and bring to market a high-resistivity (HR) silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate using 200mm wafers. Soitec's HR SOI substrate is claimed to offer >1kOhm.cm resistivity and is available in custom silicon and box thickness, according to the company. Read more >>

Silicon revenues declined 41% in 2009: Shipments down 18%

15 February 2010
Worldwide silicon wafer area shipments hit rock bottom in the first quarter of 2009, but a strong recovery was noted in each subsequent quarter of 2009, according to new figures from the SEMI Silicon Manufacturers Group (SMG). Shipments decreased by 18% in 2009 when compared to 2008 area shipments. Read more >>

Linde’s new dopant gas range lowers ion implantation costs by 20%

05 February 2010
LindeLinde North America has launched its new sub-atmospheric dopant gas source for the semiconductor and related industries. The Genii Sub-Atmospheric Gas Sources are used for ion implantation and use chemical complexing or electrochemical generation to deliver a high performance as required by IC manufacturers. Read more >>

Product Briefings

New Product: New GORE ePTFE filters improve liquid filtration performance

26 November 2009
Product Briefing Outline: W. L. Gore & Associates has announced an addition to their line of high-performance cartridge filters for semiconductor applications. The new 40nm-rated filter, intended for use with chemicals in wet processes and distribution systems, provides 40nm retention while maintaining the flow of next-best-in-class 50nm filters. Incorporating a new high-flow ePTFE (expanded polytetrafluoroethylene) filtration media that allows a drop-in retention upgrade from 100nm to 30nm, enables cleaner recirculation baths, reduced processing times and significant savings in cost of ownership. Read more >>

New Product: Dow’s new copper polishing pad offers reduced chatter and micro-scratch defectivity

01 October 2009
Product Briefing Outline: Dow Electronic Materials has introduced the Optivision 4540 CMP Polishing Pad designed to deliver low defectivity and low cost of ownership (CoO) over the pad lifetime. The new pad is formulated with a unique, surfactant-free, polymer chemistry and pore structure to help minimize defectivity and provide higher dielectric film rates in copper barrier polishing. The pad has a dual pore structure that accurately controls polishing while providing a consistent polishing surface over the life of the pad. Read more >>

New Product: Norcimbus’ NBlend variable flow gas mixing system saves significant material loss

20 July 2009
The NBlend system from NorcimbusProduct Briefing Outline: The NBlend system from Norcimbus, offers a new option for mixed gases, bringing to market unique gas mixing technology that combines a MFC mixing system, surge tank, concentration analyzer and a proprietary Power Purge V controller. It is designed to mix two gasses to an adjustable ratio and supply a variable flow up to 250 standard liters per minute (slpm) continuously, while the concentration analyzer monitors and adjusts the blend ratio to maintain the concentration set point. It provides control accuracy of plus or minus 0.3 percent of the requested ratio, allowing it to deliver consistent results with varying flow rates and adjustable blend ratios. Read more >>

White Papers

Edition 38: The permeation resistance of polymers

27 January 2009
FT38By Chuck Extrand, Entegris, Chaska, Minnesota, USA - ABSTRACT - Polymers, commonly referred to as plastics, are widely used in the manufacturing of microelectronic devices. In addition to their many desirable properties, such as low cost, light weight, strength, ductility and ease of processing, polymers can be created free of metals and inorganic constituents that may interfere with sensitive clean room fabrication processes in multiple ways. For example, the loose molecular structure of polymers may allow the unwanted permeation of gases and simple liquids in fabrication facilities. This paper will provide a brief introduction to factors that influence permeation through polymers, discussing polymer structure background and its relation to permeation, and the influences of various polymer properties on permeation. Read more >>

Emerging materials in semiconductors

01 March 2008
Mark Thirsk & Mike Corbett, Linx Consulting LLC, Massachusetts, USA Read more >>

High-k/metal gate materials and processes for 32nm technology

01 December 2007
C. S. Park, G. Bersuker, S. C. Song, P. Kirsch & B. H. Lee, SEMATECH, Austin, Texas; R. Jammy, IBM assignee to SEMATECH
Read more >>