Semiconductor manufacturing yield enhancement requires ongoing risk analysis of cleaning chemical purity wherein critical contaminants are already at levels difficult or impossible to detect, let alone identify and quantify. Next generation chips will require even purer materials and advanced metrological capabilities for the detection, identification, and quantification of impurities in semiconductor cleaning chemicals necessitating a practical roadmap for assessing material purity commensurate with the needs of the next generation in semiconductor manufacturing.
One exemplary system of study is ultra-pure water (UPW) as semiconductor fabrication plants (fabs) can utilize upwards of 3.4 × 107 L d-1 (9 × 106 gal d-1 or ≈ 14 Olympic-size swimming pools) of UPW, and it is used in all wet-processing steps where, to a large extent, the cleanliness, and hence yield, of a wafer is determined by the purity of the water. Further, the International Roadmap for Devices and Systems (IRDS) has identified that a “Lack of proven particle metrology limits the ability to confirm whether UF (ultrafiltration of UPW) is effective in controlling killer size particles down to the critical particle size”.
Aerosol-based testing of UF will require nebulizing and drying a UPW stream to form an aerosol and simultaneously measuring the upstream and downstream particle size distributions and number densities. This aerosolization process directly mimics what occurs on-wafer. These aerosol-based methods are quickly gaining acceptance and NIST research would speed these efforts.
Specifically, we require a scanning threshold particle counter (STPC) that is a turnkey system that adheres to the SEMI C79 (Guide to Evaluate the Efficacy of Sub-15 nm Filters Used in Ultrapure Water (UPW) Distribution Systems) and SEMI C93 (Guide for Determining the Quality of Ion Exchange Resin Used in Polish Applications of Ultrapure Water System) standards. The STPC should be capable of detecting nonvolatile residue particles and native particles in ultrapure water and have particle generation and detection integrated into a single unit. Detection of particles by the STPC should be material independent and capable of being segregated into three size channels for particles ≥ 3 nm, ≥ 9 nm and ≥ 15 nm in size. Additionally, the STPC should be capable of operating in dilute isopropyl alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, ammonia, and hydrochloric acid.
All components will be used in a standard indoor chemistry laboratory with temperatures between 18 °C and 24 °C and relative humidities between 20 % and 80 % (non-condensing) and standard 120 V 20 A/30A power.
The STPC will be used as one component in a larger system designed to measure the efficiency of a laboratory-scale UF system that has been configured for the quantitative determination of UF efficiency to particles with sizes spanning ≈ 1 nm to ≈ 50 nm and a range of chemistries and morphologies (e.g., spherical, rod, etc.).
NIST is seeking information from sources that may be capable of providing a solution that will achieve the objectives described above, in addition to the following essential requirements:
Line Item 0001: STPC
Description: Turnkey system that adheres to SEMI C79 (Guide to Evaluate the Efficacy of Sub-15 nm Filters Used in Ultrapure Water (UPW) Distribution Systems) and SEMI C93 (Guide for Determining the Quality of Ion Exchange Resin Used in Polish Applications of Ultrapure Water System) standards.
Quantity: 1
- Technical Specifications
- Capable of detecting nonvolatile residue particles and native particles in ultrapure water.
- Integrated particle generation and detection in a single unit.
- Material independent detection of particles in three size channels ≥ 3 nm, ≥ 9 nm and ≥ 15 nm.
- Capable of operating in dilute isopropyl alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, ammonia, and hydrochloric acid.
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QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS NOTICE
Questions regarding this notice may be submitted via email to the Primary Point of Contact and the Secondary Point of Contact listed in this notice. Questions should be submitted so that they are received 5 days prior to the response date. If the Contracting Officer determines that providing a written amendment to this notice to document question(s) received would benefit other potential respondents, the questions would be anonymized, and a written response to such question(s) would be provided via an amendment to this notice.
IMPORTANT NOTES
This notice is for market research purposes and should not be construed as a commitment by NIST to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract. There is no solicitation available at this time.
This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response.
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The responses shall not exceed 10 pages including all attachments, charts, etc.
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