Advanced Wafer Container Contamination Control Methods and Strategies in Power Device Manufacturing

Power devices and power electronic systems are key components in various applications. Driven by market and volume requirements manufacturers are moving towards fully automated 300 mm manufacturing lines, which typically utilize closed wafer containers like FOUPs (Front Opening Unified Pods) and FOSBs (Front Opening Shipping Boxes). Power semiconductor manufacturing technologies require very complex tool dedications in order to increase yield and to avoid excursions in electrical performance due to critical contaminants like AMC (airborne molecular contamination). An optimized cleaning and contamination monitoring strategy for wafer containers will rely on advanced sampling and analysis capabilities, which need to be further elaborated.