On-Line Analysis of Trace Heavy Metals in Semiconductor Process Liquid Using an Ultramicroelectrode (UME) System

这个小型企业创新研究第一阶段项目的重点是开发一种低成本的在线传感器，用于快速现场分析，以测量半导体制造中常用的工艺化学品中的痕量金属污染物。在MOS集成电路制造中，痕量重金属污染的检测和定量是非常重要的，随着器件几何尺寸的缩放，变得更加关键。目前，所有这些分析都是离线进行的，涉及过程流体的采样和使用远离制造线的昂贵实验室设备的分析。这种方法会造成长时间和昂贵的延迟，使得在线或至少是“在工厂”的方法非常可取。ChemTrace公司提出应用一种新的阳极溶出伏安法系统来提供低成本的在线解决方案。他们的方法涉及硅上的微加工铱微电极阵列和单芯片，全功能恒电位仪（当与低成本微控制器芯片结合时）可以直接连接到个人电脑的串行端口。这种方法将把分析时间从数小时缩短到数分钟，并提供前所未有的灵活性和污染预警能力。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project is focused on the development of a low-cost on-line sensor for rapid on-site analysis to measure trace metallic contaminants in process chemicals commonly used in semiconductor manufacturing. Detection and quantitation of trace heavy metal contamination in MOS integrated circuit fabrication is of great importance becoming even more critical as device geometries are scaled. At present, all such analyses are carried out off-line, involving sampling of process fluids and analysis using costly laboratory equipment, remote from the fab line. This approach causes lengthy and costly delays making on-line or at least `in-fab` methods extremely desirable. ChemTrace Corporation proposes to apply a novel anodic stripping voltammetry system to provide a low cost, on-line solution to this problem. Their approach involves a micromachined iridium microelectrode array on silicon and a single-chip, full-featured potentiostat which (when combined with a low-cost microcontroller chip) can be directly interfaced to a personal computer's serial port. This approach will reduce analysis latencies from many hours to minutes and provide unprecedented flexibility and early warning capability for contamination.