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WSC members to limit use of Perfluoroctane Sulfonate in photoresists
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The World Semiconductor Council (WSC) has agreed on a new undertaking
as part of the just concluded Tenth Anniversary meeting of the
semiconductor trade associations of North Amercia, Japan, Taiwan, Korea
and Europe to eliminate the non-critical use of process chemicals
containing PFOS (Perfluoroctane Sulfonate).
A key use within a critical process step is small amounts of PFOS
required for advanced photoresist during the lithography processing
stage. WSC member associations have agreed to work on finding
acceptable alternatives via material suppliers and SEMI collaboration
on the matter.
The agreement does mean all photoresists will
have to replace PFOS, rather only non-critical processes will be looked
at and alternatives found.
Recent studies have indicated that
PFOS is toxic and potentially harmful to humans and animals and the
environment in general. In 2000, 3M and the US EPA announced that the
company would voluntarily phase out PFOS manufacture.