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Evaluation of particle shedding and trace metal extraction from high purity pumps - Mark R. Litchy, CT Associates, Inc., Minnesota, USA & Reto Schoeb, Levitronix, LLC, Massachusetts, USA.

ABSTRACT

The production of semiconductor devices continues to be extremely sensitive to particulate and metallic contamination. As feature sizes continue to decrease, the need for purity will continue to increase. Various types of pumps are used in bulk chemical delivery systems, recirculating etch baths, and other high purity process applications. Many of these pumps shed significant quantities of particles that may reduce product yield or impact the performance or lifetime of filters used in the process loop. Furthermore, metallic contamination in process chemicals can cause a variety of yield-related issues. This paper evaluates the levels of trace metal extraction and particle shedding under different operating conditions using two high purity pump types from three manufacturers.