APPLICATION OF ION CHROMATOGRAPHY TO THE SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRY I - MEASUREMENT OF ACIDIC AIRBORNE CONTAMINANTS IN CLEANROOMS

The purpose of this study is to establish an analytical method for the simultaneous measurement of various acidic airborne contaminants in c lass 1 cleanrooms of a semiconductor fabrication facility (Fab). Acidi c contaminants in air samples were adsorbed on silica gel tubes, extra cted with carbonate-hydrogencarbonate solutions, and analyzed by ion c hromatography. The recovery of HF was 100% and that of HCl was 91 simi lar to 100%. The method shows high resolution and sensitivity, and is capable for air analysis in the class 1 cleanroom. Different locations inside the cleanroom show deviations in the contaminant levels, indic ating that the air quality is not the same throughout the cleanroom. T he wet chemical station shows higher levels of contaminant concentrati ons than the other two areas. Each location also shows cay-to-day vari ation. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.