Organic outgassing behavior of plastic material and reduction of organic contamination in semiconductor equipment

We developed a low organic contamination (LOC ) electric cable as part of efforts to reduce organic contamination in semiconductor equipment. Our development strategies for LOC cables were obtained from the study of the behavior of outgassing from electric cables and the behavior of adsorption on silicon wafers. Strategy I: Reduce low boiling point organic contaminants from electric cables. Strategy II: Reduce organic contaminants with high adsorption rates on silicon wafers. Developing LOC cable under these two strategies, consequently, the amount of organic contaminants that are outgassed from the developed LOC cable was 1/10 or less of the level that is achieved by conventional cables. When compared with conventional cables, the flame-retardancy and flexibility are comparable. Then, we installed LOC cables in actual semiconductor equipment. The amount of organic contaminants adsorbed on the silicon wafer exposed in the equipment that was installed LOC cable and other low outgas parts were 1/6 lower than the conventional equipment. By using this low-outgassing cable in semiconductor equipment, we succeeded in reducing organic contamination in the equipment.