Feature: Semiconductors


Best ways to increase semiconductor yield


By Keith Cornell, Product Manager, Chemical Analysis, Thermo Fisher Scientific


T 38 June 2023 www.electronicsworld.co.uk


he global demand for semiconductors continues to grow. To meet this demand, semiconductor fabs need to maximise yields of high-quality end products by preventing wafer defects during manufacturing. Contamination of gas supplies is a common source of manufacturing defects, making the reliable supply


of ultra-pure gases crucial in fabricating semiconductor devices. Analyser technologies capable of detecting impurities down to part- per-trillion (ppt) levels are required to continuously monitor the purity of production gases, to avoid waste from failed devices, which can lead to lost revenue. Atmospheric pressure ionisation mass spectrometry (API-MS)


analysers offer fast and accurate gas analysis, with detection limits down to 10ppt for a wide range of impurities. Tis ensures the controlled supply of ultra-high purity (UHP) gases to minimise wafer defects, improving process reliability for semiconductor fabs.


Semiconductor market growth Te demand for semiconductors is constantly rising, largely driven by the Internet of Tings, automotive and medical applications, as well as the need for widely available broadband for the growing number of remote workers. Te global semiconductor industry is projected to reach the trillion-dollar mark by 2030, when some 50% of a car’s cost will be in electronics, according to market research firm Statista. Terefore, many countries see domestic production of semiconductors as key to economic prosperity and global leadership. Silicon wafer fabrication requires electronic speciality gases (ESGs) – including nitrogen, argon, hydrogen and helium – in exact quantities and with strictly-defined purity levels. For example, a 3D NAND fab requires 80,000-100,000Nm3


/h of nitrogen of 99.999%


purity. Tese gases are produced by specialist companies and supplied to semiconductor fabs to be piped in high volumes throughout their plants.


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