Silicon Wafer Analyzer


GL Sciences - Silicon Wafer Analyzer (SWA-256)


Compliant with ASTM F1982-99 & SEMI E108-0301

What is SWA-256?
Semiconductor Industry is experiencing the rapid innovation and improvement of production techniques. This has lead to a new generation of integrated technologies. In order to meet today's high requirements, instruments must have high performance and high sensitivities to conduct an evaluation at each process; washing, oxide film forming, etching, and diffusion of silicon wafers. Generally, the evaluations are conducted in three areas; one is to identify the metal contamination, second is to identify the particles, and the last is to identify the organic contamination. All contaminants must also be eliminated in storage cases, cleanrooms, pure water, and so on.
The evaluation of the metal contamination and the particle contamination can be accurately conducted by the instruments. Also, management methods, and acceptable levels of the contamination have been established. However, the organic contamination has recently become critical issues as the degree of the integration has become higher.
GL Sciences understands the importance of these issues. That is why we have developed a Semiconductor Wafer Analyzer, SWA-256. SWA-256 is an instrument that will analyze the organic compounds on the silicon wafer surfaces by thermal desorption gas chromatography.

  • SWA-256 can analyze a silicon wafer in its complete form.
  • By utilizing gas chromatography, SWA-256 can identify and quantify the individual compound even if multiple organic compounds exist on the surface of the silicon wafer.
  • SWA-256 can analyze contamination even if the compound on the surface is smaller than a few pg/cm2
  • SWA-256 can heat a sample up to 700 C°
  • The sample line will not be decomposed or adsorbed.
  • After the configuration, SWA-256 will do the rest; this will ensure the quality of reproducible analytical data, and avoid the secondary contamination of samples.
Quartz Chamber
In quartz chamber, the organic contaminants are heated by the furnace unit, and desorbed. Then, the desorbed contaminants are purged with the carrier gas (He), and sent to the trap unit as the sample gas. The size of measurable silicon wafer is between 3-inch and 12-inches.

Furnace Unit
The silicon wafer in the quartz chamber will be heated up to 700 C° in the furnace unit. With this heat, the organic contaminants on the silicon wafer will be desorbed. The operational temperature range is 100 ~ 700 C°.

Trap Unit and Valve Oven
This is where the sample gas is collected, and then sent to GC. The temperature is maintained to prevent decomposition or absorption of the organic contaminants in the sample line. The replacement of the sample line is easy.

Flow Control Unit
The flow control unit will monitor the flow of the sample gas in the quartz chamber, trap unit, valve oven, and the GC. The flow rate and the gas pressure can be checked on the digital display panel.

Sequence Control Unit
The sequence control unit controls the temperature of the furnace unit, trap unit, valve oven, and the sample line. It also controls the entire sequence, such as the control of the valve oven, furnace unit, and cell, as well as the control of other devices. All settings are displayed on the LCD display panel.

ASTM F1982-99

The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) has defined the standard methods for analyzing organic compounds on the surface of silicon wafer; the designation is F1982. Because of our ongoing improvement, SWA-256 is compliant with ASTM F1982-99! You can be assured that it will produce an accurate, and reliable data for you.
If you would like to know more about ASTM, please visit http://www.astm.org/.

SEMI E108-0301

As a new method, SWA-256 now supports SEMI E108-0301, a test method for the assessment of outgassing organic contamination from mini environments using gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy.
This improvement should interest you because SWA-256, known to produce an accurate and reliable data, has become better than ever before.


< back to Our Products (Sample Preparation)