Process Information

How does contamination threaten your work?

The research conducted in the NFF (CWB) can be roughly grouped into 10 areas:

1.Sub-micron SOI

2.Display Technologies

3.MEMS

4.Integrate Power System

5.Advanced Packaging Program

6.Advanced Process Module Developing

7.Sensor Technology

8.Gene Chip

9.Compound Semiconductor Technology

10.Novel Magnetic - electronic devices

One man's meat is another man's poison. The projects in some of these areas involve materials that pose serious contamination threats to other projects. Take gold for example. It is almost indispensable to packaging research yet it can completely ruin CMOS devices.

Contamination can spread easily and rapidly. For instance, if bits of gold enter the bath for resist stripping, they will probably be transferred to the cleaning stations, then to the furnaces and finally to the wafers being processed. Those wafers will in turn contaminate the other equipment and machines in the laboratory. The situation can spin out of control very quickly indeed.

The best way to prevent contamination is if everyone remains vigilant and follows protocols.