The problem of corrosive samples and reagents in semiconductor manufacture has led one instrument maker to specific developments of its atomic absorption (AA) spectroscopy system
Modern semiconductor fabrication plants are constantly working towards smaller feature sizes.
To obtain today's necessary small feature sizes, generally <0.25 micron, requires the use of very high purity solvents, acids, and cleaning fluids, and must be strictly controlled and monitored at critical points throughout the process.
They are routinely checked at the sub-ppb level for the main impurity elements, including Na, Ca, Cu, Fe and Ni.
To measure such elements to these low levels requires a technique with high analytical sensitivity and instrumentation hardware capable of handling the very corrosive reagents, HF, HNO3, and H2SO4 regularly used.
Thermo Elemental has developed the latest variant of its Solaar MQZ with this application specifically in mind.
The all-graphite containment area and rhodium-plated centre block give the furnace the necessary corrosion-resistance.
ELC's (Extended Lifetime Cuvettes), or Omega platform cuvettes, with their extra thick pyrolytic graphite coatings, yield the highest sensitivities and have lifetimes of many hundred firings, even with the corrosive samples.
Not only does the GF95Z graphite furnace have analytical sensitivities easily capable of measuring the low elemental concentrations required, but its design ensures excellent corrosion resistance and therefore long-term reliability.
