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Process:
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LPCVD Nitride
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Quantity:
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Multiple Process Systems
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Pumps:
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Dry and Oil Sealed
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DryScrub® Systems:
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Multiple
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Reported Benefits derived from DryScrub® Installations:
- Relative to dry pumps:
- failures and rebuilds reduced from 6 in 12
months, to none in over 3 years.
- wafer load losses due to particle caused
failures reduced, none in over 3 years.
- exhaust side manifold maintenance, caused by
particle accumulation, reduced from 3-4 week intervals to 6 months.
- purge gas consumption reduced.
- Relative to oil sealed pumps, and filtration
systems:
- no pump in-process failures in >3 years;
major pump rebuilds reduced from
<3 month intervals, to scheduled minor preventative maintenance once every year.>
- oil filter maintenance reduced by a factor of
10.
- fluid losses significantly reduced to make-up
oil lost as a function of filter change.
- pump and fluid related maintenance reduced by
a factor of 10.
- exhaust side manifold maintenance, caused by
oil vapour and particle accumulation reduced.
- purge gas consumption, and gas velocity
reduced, reducing oil vapour loss and manifold contamination.
- Process Benefits:
- process tool availability-uptime greatly
improved.
- process reproducibility improved.
- particle related wafer load losses decreased.
- significant reduction of particle count on
wafers.
- Other Benefits Related to DryScrub® Installations:
- predictability of, and reduced maintenance
events have allowed re-direction of personnel to other fab
requirements.
- treatment of undiluted deposition proccss
effluent gases results in hazardous and/or toxic waste reduction,
consequently reducing operating costs.
- personnel exposure to hazardous and/or toxic
wastes is reduced.
- Return On Investment, Statement During
Interview:
- relative to equipment considerations,
configured with dry or oil sealed pumps, ROI was achieved in 1 year or
less.
- ROI is achieved very quickly relative to
increased productivity; particularly, the reduction of just one wafer
load loss more than pays for a DryScrub® System purchase, installation, and a year of
operating costs.
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