Ashland Specialty Chemical Forms Alliance with Dainippon Screen and Kobe Steel
Ashland Specialty Chemical Company, a division of Ashland Inc. (NYSE: ASH), today announced that it has formed an alliance with Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd. (DNS), and Kobe Steel, Ltd., in a joint effort to develop next-generation processes for using supercritical fluid technology in semiconductor manufacturing. Ashland Specialty Chemical Company's Electronic Chemicals Division, a worldwide leader in developing and providing process chemistries for the semiconductor industry, will offer its expertise as a participant in the alliance.
Although supercritical CO2 processes have been used in industrial technology for many years, their applications in semiconductor manufacturing are just now beginning to gain a foothold. The densities, viscosities and diffusivity properties of supercritical fluids are ideally suited for semiconductor wafer cleaning and drying, but also bring some inherent challenges. Because supercritical CO2 fluids behave like an organic solvent, they are effective in removing organic post-etch residue from wafers. In turn, however, they are not very effective in removing inorganic residues deposited by oxides, copper and other metals. Ashland’s role in conjunction with DNS and Kobe will be to research, develop and test various materials that can be used as additives to supercritical fluid to enhance its effectiveness in cleaning typical post-etch residues.
"DNS is recognized for its leadership and expertise in semiconductor tools and fabrication equipment, and Kobe is a world leader in supercritical fluid process technology," said Charles W. Cook Jr., vice president and general manager of the Electronic Chemicals Division of Ashland Specialty Chemical Company. "Ashland’s technology success in developing photoresist strippers and etch residue removers is a perfect complement to these two companies. With our product development experience, our aim is to work with DNS and Kobe to extend the applications capabilities of supercritical fluids and make them more broadly effective, " Cook added.
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