Linde Electronics introduces fluorine blending capability for increased flexibility in semiconductor chamber cleaning
Murray Hill, New Jersey, U.S., July 12, 2007 - Linde Electronics, the global electronic gases business of The Linde Group, has introduced a new fluorine gas blending capability designed to increase CVD chamber cleaning flexibility for semiconductor manufacturers.
Linde Electronics offers customers around the world an extensive selection of gases and related technical solutions to meet all of their needs, from research and development through to large-scale production. Linde AG acquired The BOC Group, PLC in 2006, creating one of the largest industrial gases and engineering companies in the world.
Fluorine, blended with either nitrogen or argon, is now available through a module that complements the company’s range of Generation-F on-site fluorine generators. The Linde Generation-F system combines proven technology with an intrinsically safe design, backed up by dedicated on-site support, providing semiconductor manufacturers with a safe and highly reliable source of pure fluorine for chemical vapor deposition chamber cleaning.
The on-site generator and blending module can easily be connected to any existing fluorine cylinder supply pipework, with no modifications required for process tools. “Switching from cylinder fluorine to an on-site generated supply is now seamless, and offers manufacturers improved safety through the elimination of frequent cylinder changes and a lower cost of ownership,” said Noel Leeson, president of the Linde Electronics business.
The module blends high purity fluorine with nitrogen or argon to deliver gas mixtures at the same specification as existing cylinders, though typically at a higher purity and blend accuracy. This provides improved process stability and capability, as the blend ratio can be optimised to the process. unlike cylinder fluorine supply, there are no restrictive regional transport regulations, so customers can explore the full process window potential of fluorine blends or implement a standard process worldwide. The modular configuration also allows manufacturers to bypass or reconfigure the blend module as needed to produce different blend supplies for different processes from the same on-site generator.
Fluorine blends have significant potential for processes where cleaning is currently carried out with remote plasma systems (RPS) that typically use nitrogen tri-fluoride (NF3). Argon /fluorine blends can flow through an RPS at significantly higher rates compared to NF3; these higher flows allow manufacturers to explore different chamber cleaning processes to achieve faster and more effective chamber cleaning enabling higher tool throughput.
The Linde Electronics business is the worldwide leader in the supply of on-site fluorine generators, supplying and operating over 25 Generation-F® systems worldwide to meet the semiconductor and display industries’ chamber cleaning needs. The Linde Generation-F® system has been recognized by EuroAsia Semiconductor magazine as a finalist in the materials improvement category.
Visit Linde Electronics in booth #6460 at Semicon West in San Francisco’s Moscone Center July 17-19 to see Generation-F® system and discuss the benefits in more detail with company representatives.
The Linde Group is a world leading industrial gases and engineering group of companies with 49,000 employees working in around 70 countries worldwide. Following the acquisition of The BOC Group the company has gases and engineering sales of approximately 12 billion euros. The strategy of The Linde Group is geared towards forward-looking products and services.
For more information, please see The Linde Group online at http://www.linde.com
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