Molecular loading, microsystem technology, new materials: Cleanroom in microtechnology faces major challenges

Interdisciplinary Cleanzone Congress Highlights Top Topics in Cleanroom Technology

The miniaturization of structures and increased requirements for product safety lead to ever stricter rules in semiconductor manufacturing within cleanrooms, which must be monitored accordingly. Special challenges for pure production are also posed by future technologies such as OLEDs or MEMS. High-caliber speakers from Infineon, Merck, and Bosch analyze these aspects at the Cleanzone Congress on October 21 and 22 in Frankfurt am Main. Additionally, the congress covers the entire spectrum of current top topics in cleanroom technology, from planning and construction to operation, and addresses all industries that produce under controlled conditions.

Airborne Molecular Contamination

The Moore's Law, which postulates a doubling of computing power every two years, still applies in the semiconductor industry. This requires constant miniaturization of components. For production in cleanrooms, this means stricter regulations regarding air purity, as increasingly smaller particles need to be filtered out.

Besides particles, contamination at the molecular level, known as Airborne Molecular Contamination (AMC), is becoming increasingly important in semiconductor manufacturing. This includes, for example, outgassing of acids, bases, solvents, or silicones. These molecules are not detected by conventional particle counters but can be detrimental to microelectronic components, for example, through corrosion in the case of acids and bases, or by interrupting the electrical circuit as insulators in the case of silicones. Christoph Hocke, Staff Engineer at Infineon, discusses what a monitoring system for AMC should look like in his presentation "Cleanroom Monitoring under the Conditions of Highly Automated Semiconductor Manufacturing" at the Cleanzone Congress. Here, he provides an initial insight into the topic: "Qualitative and quantitative knowledge of the particulate and especially AMC content in the cleanroom air is crucial for managing the technological challenges of manufacturing ever-smaller chip structures. Recently, the focus has increasingly shifted to AMC, as particulate contamination can now be recognized and controlled quite well. The diversity of AMC also leads to different effects in semiconductor manufacturing, such as changes to photoresists or corrosion effects on metallized layers. Some AMC directly impact manufacturing success and are therefore quality-relevant parameters that must be continuously monitored. Only in this way can negative effects on product quality be detected early. Depending on the application, an optimal monitoring strategy must be chosen, including measurement methods, number of measurement points, measurements per point, investment and operating costs, etc."

Smart Sensors and New Materials

The semiconductor industry is also relying on innovative applications, new materials, and diversification of technology. Examples include smart chips that contain both sensors and the associated signal processing circuits. Bosch, a leading global manufacturer of such semiconductors, discusses the challenges of manufacturing in his presentation "MEMS - Sensors for the Internet of Things" at the Cleanzone Congress. He describes the high expectations placed on MEMS as follows: "The success story of MEMS sensor technology can be outlined in three waves: Initially, Bosch developed MEMS for automotive applications starting in 1995, with use in airbag systems, ESP, and engine control. The second wave began in 2005 with sensors for consumer applications and has now taken on a driving role in the development of new technologies in microsystem technology. Key success factors here are cost, size, and power consumption. Future sensor systems will be intelligent and connected via the internet. Intelligent sensor systems are a key component for new applications in the Internet of Things and services." Furthermore, the semiconductor industry is placing high hopes on new materials, especially with regard to improving energy efficiency. At the Cleanzone Congress, Dr. Manfred Weigand, Head of OLED Strategic Marketing Lighting at Merck, analyzes in his presentation "OLED – Technology of the Future" the major challenges that organic carbon-based light sources pose for production in cleanrooms.

At the international trade fair with congress Cleanzone, users and manufacturers of cleanroom technology will meet on October 21 and 22, 2014, in Frankfurt am Main. The international industry gathering is aimed at all sectors that produce in cleanrooms and covers the entire product spectrum from planning and construction to operation of a cleanroom.