The global demand for devices with increasingly faster computing power while reducing power consumption as well as heat dissipation is the key driver of the modern semiconductor industry. To increase transistor density, the size of transistors must be reduced. Current 14-nm/7-nm technology is expected to be replaced in commercial mass production by the 3-nm node in 2022 with the advent of Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) lithography. Such devices contain more than 100 million transistors per square millimeter, and the actual size of a single transistor approaches that of molecules containing carbon chains of a few atoms. Any impurities can have a detrimental effect on the final product. A clean production environment is therefore of paramount importance to avoid failures during manufacturing.

Airborne molecular contaminants (AMCs) pose a major challenge during the production process in the semiconductor industry. They can lead to process interruptions or even unusable charges. The source of AMCs is diverse, both external, and internal. Air filtration systems are capable of reducing unwanted dust particles but can fail when volatile organic and inorganic components pass through. Personnel entering a clean room can be a source of contamination. In the process itself, dopants, acids, bases, solvents, or outgassed molecular substances are impurities that can severely affect the quality of the final product. Typical impurities in the gas phase that require constant monitoring are SO2, NH3, NO2, H2S, PGMEA, PGME, acetic acid, IPA, ethanol, ethylene glycol, THF, TMS, NMP, aromatics, and refrigerants, to name a few. Conventional analytical methods cannot provide results within a short period of time because they often require time-consuming sampling and sample preparation before the actual analytical process can be initiated. Results may not be available for hours, too late for timely intervention if a process is already affected. To avoid costly long process interruptions and end product failures, continuous real-time monitoring of cleanroom air has become a necessity. Consequently, analytical methods for evaluating cleanroom air require not only high specificity for the molecules being analyzed but also ultra-high sensitivity.

The V&F IMR-MS multicomponent analyzers offer a high degree of automation and are equipped with user-friendly software. The analyzers are characterized by their rapid response time without sample gas conditioning. Their robust design ensures a high degree of stability, minimal downtime, and less maintenance.

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