Arsine Abatement

The continued use of arsine gas and/or its derivatives is vital to the manufacture of a wide variety of semiconductor devices. While the use of arsine is growing, it poses serious environmental and safety problems in the industry. New methods must be found that permit the facile trapping and detoxification of arsine and its derivatives. Advanced Technology Materials, Inc. (ATM) has gained a reputation for the development of novel inorganic scavenger based systems for semiconductor gas effluent treatment. It has designed and been granted patents for novel materials that treat metallization, etchant, and hydride gases commnonly used in electronic thin film deposition. This chemical expertise has been combined with the equipment design expertise of Novapure Corporation to provide the industry with an alternative and cost effective approach to semiconductor gas effluent treatment. In Phase I, ATM expects to both complete a survey of all possible methods of arsine detoxification, and to also determine the feasibility of a unique solid-phase scrubbing concept for the chemisorption and eventual detoxification of arsine. In Phase II, ATM, with Novapure Corporation, will supply a minimum of 3 Air Force-designated reactors with complete arsine effluent systems for B-site evaluation.