Organic airborne molecular contamination in semiconductor fabrication clean rooms

Monitoring of airborne molecular contamination (AMC) has become a crucial element of cleanroom management as the production phase of semiconductor devices marches deep into sub- 100-nm range. The current understandings of the AMC, particularly those with organic origins, are presented comprehensively in this article based on the research reports within the past ten years. Starting with a review of the chronological development of AMC problems and several approaches for the AMC classifications, this article also examines the merits of several available ambient sampling and surface analytical methods. The focal point of the article is to address the surface deposition potential of organic AMCs by experimentally correlating the surface speciation and abundance of the organic AMCs with their physical and chemical characteristics, together with the kinetic models delineating the rates of deposition for both single-and multiple-contaminant scenarios. In addition, the current progress of the AMC control strategies, especially the development of the chemical filtration technology, is also examined in the paper.