Focus on Gas Handling Safety in New Technology Center

ROBINSON, ERIC ; NARDINI, JOE ; MCHANEY, ROBERT
(SEMI Member)

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Applied Materials’ flagship 300 mm facility is the Dan Maydan Process Module Technology Center (PMTC) in Sunnyvale, California. This facility contains all the equipment and processes needed for Applied Materials’ customers to develop and pre-test a completely integrated multi-level metal copper interconnect process before delivery. While designing this innovative fab we were forced to look forward and try to envision the facility requirements for cutting edge chip development 5 to 10 years in the future. At the current rate of evolution, in the semiconductor industry, this represents approximately six generations of development. In preparation for these future requirements Applied Materials has formalized all gas handling “best practices”, installed a sophisticated process gas purification system, and standardized on a torque elimination, metal face seal in process gas lines. While pushing the technology forward and keeping safety and contamination control at the highest priority, these improvements have already begun to yield notable improvements.

Back to SESHA 25th Annual Symposium (2003)