Compressed air requirements for chip manufacturing

In the process of chip manufacturing, the quality requirements of compressed air are extremely strict, which are directly related to the cleanliness of the production environment, the stable operation of the equipment and the quality and yield of the final product. The following are reorganized and rigorously stated compressed air requirements for chip manufacturing:

1. Dryness requirements

the compressed air must be kept at a very low humidity level to avoid condensation in the air supply system. Excessive humidity may not only cause equipment corrosion, but also affect the quality and stability of the product. Generally, chip manufacturing requires the dew point temperature of compressed air to be much lower than the ambient temperature, and some high-end applications even require the dew point to reach below -70°C to ensure absolute dryness.

2. Cleanliness requirements

the cleanliness of the air in the chip manufacturing workshop needs to meet very high standards, especially in the clean room area, the cleanliness level may be as high as ISO 1 or higher, that is, the number of particles in the air per cubic meter is strictly controlled at a very low level (e. g. no more than 100 particles above 0.5 microns). To achieve this goal, high-efficiency filters and degreasing equipment are used, regularly cleaned and disinfected, and professionally maintained and monitored to ensure that the compressed air is free of oil, dust, microorganisms and other contaminants.

3. Oil control

the oil in compressed air poses a serious threat to chip manufacturing, and even trace amounts of oil can contaminate wafers and cause product defects. Therefore, chip manufacturing requires a very low oil content in compressed air, usually requiring a total oil content of less than 1ppm, and even requires the use of 0-grade oil-free compressed air in some high-end applications to completely eliminate the risk of oil pollution.

4. Pressure stability

wafer fabrication equipment has strict requirements on the pressure stability of compressed air. Pressure fluctuations may affect the normal operation of the equipment and the precise control of process parameters, which in turn affects the quality and consistency of the product. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that the pressure of the compressed air supply system is stable, with appropriate pressure regulation and damping equipment to maintain a constant supply pressure.

5. Gas purity

in addition to the above requirements, chip manufacturing also focuses on the purity of compressed air. Certain processes may require high purity gases such as nitrogen and oxygen to prevent other gas components from contaminating the product or affecting product performance. Therefore, the purity of each gas component in compressed air is also strictly regulated.

In summary, the requirements of compressed air for chip manufacturing are reflected in many aspects such as dryness, cleanliness, oil control, pressure stability and gas purity. In order to meet these requirements, it is necessary to adopt advanced technical measures and equipment configuration to ensure that the air quality in the production process reaches a very high standard, so as to ensure the quality and yield of products.