Semiconductor Manufacturing

Assembly Area
In the production of semiconductors and integrated circuits, excessive moisture adversely effects the bonding process and increases defects. Photosensitive polymer compounds called photoresists are used to mask circuit lines for the etching process. Due to its hygroscopic nature, this material absorbs moisture resulting in the microscopic circuits being cut or bridged, leading to component failure.

Wafer Fabrication Area
During wafer manufacture, the spinners spray developer on the wafer surface, causing the solvent present on the wafer to evaporate rapidly, thereby cooling the wafer surface. This results in condensation of water vapor from the air on the wafer surface. This extra water on the wafer causes characteristics of the developer to change.  Moisture absorption also causes the polymer to swell. Controlling relative humidity eliminates the possibility of cooling the wafer's surface lower than the dew point of the ambient air, thus preventing failure and spoilage.

Photolithography Room
Excessive moisture within a photolithography room causes the silica to absorb moisture, resulting in improper adhesion of photoresistors, leading to stress fractures and surface defects.

Faster Vacuum Pump-Down
When humidity levels are too high, operation of vacuum equipment, like Cryopump, is slowed down due to the large water vapor load. When the RH levels are reduced, batch processing speeds can be increased, resulting in improved productivity.

Protection of EPI equipment
Water vapor or moisture condenses on chilled surfaces of epitaxial equipment, causing components to corrode, resulting in operation failure and process slow down.

In addition to creating optimal air conditions, Munters offers a range of Zeol VOC Abatement products to clean exhaust air laden with Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC). The semiconductor manufacturing process produces exhaust air laden with VOC’s.  These VOC’s are harmful to health and the environment, and need to be abated.  A zeolite rotor concentrator can greatly reduce the cost of that process, by effectively concentrating the VOC’s prior to abatement.

For the semiconductor industry, with 24/7 manufacturing schedules, the main benefits of using a rotor concentrator system are increased reliability, steady flow exhaust with minimal pressure fluctuations and considerable savings on operating costs.  Munters’ systems concentrate large exhaust volumes containing low concentrations of VOC’s into a small concentrated stream that can be efficiently and cost-effectively destroyed in an oxidizer.  Pressure drop through the system is low, reducing the energy consumption of the exhaust fan.

Munters Zeolite Rotor Concentrator Systems are the leading technology for VOC abatement.  With more than 200 systems currently in service, our installed base includes some of the world’s most respected companies. 

Munters pioneered the development of the hydrophobic zeolite for VOC adsorption.  Munters VOC Abatement Systems can achieve >95% VOC destruction removal efficiency (DRE) while also reducing fuel costs by as much as 30-50% compared to standalone oxidizers.