Airborne molecular contamination control of materials utilized in the construction of a semiconductor manufacturing facility

The control of airborne molecular contamination (AMC) within the semiconductor cleanroom is becoming recognized as an issue with respect to decreasing defects of devices with geometries <0.3 mu m. The approach to control needs to be addressed not only from the concept of materials that are used in the cleanroom wafer minienvironments but also from the selection of materials for fab building construction. The basic design and materials selection of the manufacturing environment needs to take into account the fact that many building materials contain compounds that have been identified as detrimental to semiconductor manufacturing processes. Materials that come into contact with the air stream in the makeup air or the cleanroom recirculating air systems are potential sources of airborne molecular contamination. These materials need to be tested for their potential organic outgassing and inorganic leachables. The testing requirements and specifications necessary for construction materials selection is the first step in eliminating airborne molecular contamination from the cleanroom. The testing verifies that the proposed materials comply with the adopted specification. The specification includes a test method for organics (Dynamic Headspace, Thermal Desorption GC/MS) and for inorganics (SEMASPEC #92010936B-STD). Target compounds, known to cause problems within the cleanroom, are identified through this testing and materials that contain amounts greater than the specification are eliminated for use in construction. Through this process, AMC and its impact on production are minimized.