Exposure assessment of process by-product nanoparticles released during the preventive maintenance of semiconductor fabrication facilities

This study characterized the process by-product particles (mostly nanoparticles) released during the preventive maintenance of semiconductor fabrication facilities, such as chemical mechanical planarization (CMP), plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), and ion implantation. Manual sampli...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of nanoparticle research : an interdisciplinary forum for nanoscale science and technology 2018-07, Vol.20 (7), p.1-11, Article 203
Main Authors: Liao, Bo-Xi, Tseng, Neng-Chun, Li, Ziyi, Liu, Yingshu, Chen, Jen-Kun, Tsai, Chuen-Jinn
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Byproducts
Characterization and Evaluation of Materials
Chemical properties
Chemical-mechanical polishing
Chemistry and Materials Science
Exposure
Fabrication
Inorganic Chemistry
Ion implantation
Lasers
Materials Science
Nanoparticles
Nanotechnology
Optical Devices
Optics
Organic chemistry
Photonics
Physical Chemistry
Plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition
Preventive maintenance
Research Paper
Scrubbers
Slurries
Workers
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Summary:This study characterized the process by-product particles (mostly nanoparticles) released during the preventive maintenance of semiconductor fabrication facilities, such as chemical mechanical planarization (CMP), plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), and ion implantation. Manual sampling and real-time measurements with direct reading instruments were conducted to assess the exposure levels of nanoparticles and their physical and chemical properties. Significant amount of nanoparticles were observed in the breathing zone of the workers during the maintenance of the PECVD and ion implanters with the peak number concentrations as high as 6,470,000 and 65,444 #/cm 3 , respectively, indicating that the deposited residual chemicals in the reaction chambers were released as airborne nanoparticles by the maintenance activities. In contrast, nanoparticles released during the maintenance of the local scrubber, CMP, and replacing CMP slurry drums were insignificant. Causes of the particle release were discussed and suggestions were made to mitigate the nanoparticle release and reduce the exposure levels.
ISSN:1388-0764
1572-896X
DOI:10.1007/s11051-018-4302-7