Ultra Pure Water (UPW)
To manufacture microelectronic components, high quality deionized water (DI-Water) or Ultra Pure Water (UPW) is required in large quantities. The water is mainly used for wafer cleaning solutions and rinsing.
The quality
of UPW is defined by its cleanliness, contamination as particles are
highly critical to the process and directly linked to production
yield. The degree of cleanliness required increases with the continuous miniaturization of wafer chip structures as well as structures used in Flat Panel Display and Storage Media production.
Due to moving parts and components which wear down pumps are critical element within a UPW-line. This holds for the FAB Supply lines as well as for conveying UPW with the process tool. Each of these particles can find its way to the wafer surface and damage or shortcut the thin conductive structures.
LEVITRONIX pump systems (black line) create significant fewer particles than other state-of-the art pumps (red, green and pink lines) and therefore will help to decrease particle defect on the wafer.
In the Microelectronic world pressure variations in UPW, DI-Water supply lines can be a problem for tools and processes. More and more, sophisticated manufacturing requires a highly constant inlet pressure in order to keep the sensitive internal tool operations within the expected process window. As a result, any pressure fluctuations could possibly reduce process yields.
