Typical HGS® Applications

Etch Chambers

HGS has the ability to cause one to completely rethink how to condition a vacuum chamber both prior to staring wafer processing and during the wafer run.  The more one understand the principles of HGS the more applications come to mind.  We invite you to review this brief summary of typical applications and then attend one of our Seminars to become fully acquainted with the powerful results HGS can bring to your semiconductor manufacturing applications.
  • Slower build up on the walls extends the time to when the build up fractures, peels and falls onto the wafer.
  • Reducing the total population of particulate available to land on the wafer, by removing free particulate created by the etch process, creates an environment where fewer particles are available to land on your wafer and cause blocked etch problems.  
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Load Locks

HBr Abatement

The common problem of HBr back-streaming and out-gassing into the load lock as wafers are moved from the process chamber into the Load Lock, is deftly addressed through the application of HGS.  The turbulent, viscous flow of heated HGS gas quickly removes HBr from the load lock and degasses wafers.  Beta test at a Dallas Texas Fab demonstrated an extended life of the cassette handlers by a factor of 2, and also eliminated daily wipes of the load lock.  Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, this HGS application reduces the health risk associated with exposure to HBr.

Moisture Abatement

Load Locks are the single most significant source of entry for atmospheric contaminants during the semiconductor manufacturing process.  The entry of atmospheric moisture into the load lock, and the subsequent migration of moisture into buffers and process chambers can adversely affect processing conditions.  The use of HGS through the load lock on a periodic basis will eliminate this migration pattern and extend the life of the manufacturing cycle.

Preclean Chambers

Being essentially an etch chamber, HGS can bring the same benefit of the above Etch chamber summary to a preclean chamber.  A cleaner preclean chamber minimizes the migration of contaminants to the processing chambers of a high vacuum tool.