ON-SITE GENERATION OF PHOSPHINE FOR ELECTRONIC DEVICES

PHOSPHINE (PH3) IS A GAS NECESSARY FOR MAKING COMPOUND SEMICONDUCTORS SUCH AS INP, INAS(1-X)PX, GAP, AND GAAS(1-X)PX AS WELL AS A DOPANT SOURCE FOR SILICON. IT IS A VERY TOXIC GAS WITH A TLV OF 0.3 PPM. NEW REGULATIONS MAKE THE TRANSPORT, STORAGE, AND HANDLING OF COMPRESSED GAS CYLINDERS OF PHOSPHINE INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT. TO AVOID THESE PROBLEMS, WE ARE DEVELOPING A COMPACT POINT OF USE PHOSPHINE GENERATOR. THE GENERATOR WILL PRODUCE SEMICONDUCTOR GRADE PHOSPHINE ON DEMAND AT THE SEMICONDUCTOR FABRICATION FACILITY. THIS DEVELOPMENT WILL PROVIDE A MUCH SAFER SOURCE OF PHOSPHINE.