Against the backdrop of a global chip shortage, the semiconductor industry is expanding at an unprecedented pace, and as a result, the demand for high-purity gases has soared. As a reliable supplier of industrial gases, Fullcryo will delve deeply into electronic-grade specialty gases in semiconductor manufacturing.
Electronic-grade specialty gases, also known as semiconductor process gases. The global semiconductor market continues to expand, especially in cutting-edge technology fields such as smart phones and self-driving cars, where the demand for components like integrated circuits, memory, and power semiconductors is strong. As a result, the demand for electronic-grade specialty gases has also risen accordingly.
The semiconductor production process is complex. From wafer manufacturing to chip packaging, various different gases are required at each stage. The breadth of its gas usage ranks among the top in all industries. At present, the microelectronics and semiconductor industries have widely applied this type of process gas in actual manufacturing.
Electronic-grade specialty gases are the “boosters” of key processes in semiconductor manufacturing, mainly supporting the following core production steps:
This is the initial stage of wafer manufacturing. The deposition process uses electronic-grade specialty gases to form a uniform thin layer of material. These thin layers form the foundation of semiconductor device structures. And the purity and stability of the gas directly affect the quality and performance of the thin layers.
Special gases provide a stable environment for light transmission and pattern fixation during this process. It ensures lithography accuracy.
In the etching process, after the etching agent gas is activated, it is necessary to permanently construct the shape and pattern of the wafer. The high selectivity and etching rate of electronic-grade specialty gases are the prerequisites for achieving fine pattern etching.
The following picture illustrates some of the types of gasses within each category, plus their primary purpose in semiconductor fabrication.
This type of gas is at the core of wafer thin film construction and pattern etching.
Nitrogen trifluoride (NF₃) : A stable, colorless, odorless gas at room temperature, it is a strong oxidizing agent with excellent etching rates and selectivity for silicon and silicon dioxide. It leaves no residue on the surface after etching, making it suitable for plasma etching and chamber cleaning in semiconductors, flat panel displays, and other fields. In terms of production methods, electrolysis is commonly used in China, while chemical fluorination is predominant in Europe and the United States.
Tungsten hexafluoride (WF₆): The only stable fluoride of tungsten, it is highly corrosive and adaptable to various environments. In the electronics field, tungsten metal films are primarily formed through chemical vapor deposition, used as highly conductive interconnects and contact layers. Its production requires the reaction of tungsten powder with fluorine gas, followed by multiple purification steps including distillation, to achieve purity exceeding 99.999%. The semiconductor industry consumes approximately 76% of WF₆.
Hexafluorobutadiene (C₄F₆) : an advanced etching process for large-scale integrated circuits, it features a faster etching rate, higher selectivity and better depth-to-width ratio compared to traditional etchants.
Hexafluoroethane (C₂F₆) : It is stable and non-toxic, accounting for approximately 50% of the perfluorocarbon market, and is used in etching agents, cleaning agents and other fields.
Other gases: sulfur hexafluoride (SF₆) electronic grade products for semiconductor etching and cleaning; Octafluorocyclobutane (C₄F₈) is environmentally friendly and non-toxic, and is suitable for etching very large-scale integrated circuits.
Octafluoropropane (C₃F₈) has a purity requirement of over 99.999% and is applied in the process of plasma etching and cleaning. The silane (SiH₄) series is widely used in the photovoltaic and semiconductor fields. In China, the magnesium silicate method is mostly adopted for production. Electronic-grade products of silicon tetrachloride (SiCl₄) are used for deposition and etching, and are still mainly imported at present.
Doping is a key step in adjusting the electrical properties of semiconductors. Such gases can change the conductive characteristics of semiconductors:
Phosphine (PH₃) and arsine (AsH₃) : They are crucial in semiconductor processes, especially in the chemical vapor deposition processes of integrated circuit production and leds. Arsine is highly flammable, explosive and toxic. Phosphine is used in chemical vapor deposition, GaP material growth, etc. Arsine is used for N-type silicon doping and the growth of GaAs and GaAsP.
This type of gas mainly maintains the stability of the production environment and avoids unnecessary reactions:
Nitrogen: Comprising 78% of the atmosphere, it is chemically inert and non-conductive, making it a cost-effective inert gas. Modern semiconductor fabs can consume up to 50,000 cubic meters of nitrogen per hour, used as an inert shield and purge gas to protect silicon wafers from oxygen and moisture in the air.
Argon: Also an inert gas, its low ionization energy is an advantage in semiconductor applications. Because it easily ionizes, it is often used as the primary plasma gas for etching and deposition reactions and is also used in excimer lasers for UV lithography.
This type of gas ensures the cleanliness of the equipment and wafers, guaranteeing process accuracy
Oxygen: Used in the oxidation process on the wafer surface to help remove surface impurities.
Hydrogen: It has wide application.And it can conduct heat evenly during annealing and assist in the repair of the crystal structure of silicon wafers. And used as a reducing agent in epitaxial growth for the deposition of materials such as silicon and germanium. The resistivity of silicon films can be improved during the deposition process. Plasma cleaning can effectively remove tin contamination from ultraviolet lithography light sources.
The advancement of semiconductor technology relies on miniaturization in size. The new generation of semiconductor technology is marked by smaller feature sizes, which can bring many advantages in terms of performance. However, as the critical dimensions continue to shrink, semiconductor devices have become extremely sensitive. Even trace amounts of impurities such as oxygen, moisture, and hydrocarbons can lead to the failure of the entire production process.
Fullcryo provides a full range of gases for the global semiconductor industry, ensuring that the ultra-high purity requirements of semiconductor applications are met. Its gas not only has a high purity, but also has an extremely low content of key impurities such as oxygen, moisture and hydrocarbons.
The minimum purity of all gases reaches 99.9995%. Choose Fullcryo as your preferred supplier of electronic-grade specialty gases. We offer over 100 types of specialty gases and mixtures, with product purity and consistency far exceeding strict requirements.
We have established a global production network, which can ensure timely delivery while also offering supply flexibility and security. In addition, we also offer a variety of container specifications such as gas cylinders, ton tanks, tube bundle trailers, and ISO containers to meet different application requirements.
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