Building on earlier teamwork with Lewis University, Pall Corporation today announced that scientists from both organizations have expanded research into optimizing filtration technology for chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) operations, a critical step in the manufacture of microchips.

With the advent of new slurries containing ever finer nanoparticles, filtration is critical to removing oversized, defect-causing particles while allowing the unhindered passage of the active, small particles. The study was designed to elucidate differences in adsorption characteristics of silica and ceria particles, which are common abrasives in CMP slurry, to filter media. The results can provide guidance when designing filtration for specific slurry types, or when recommending specific filter grades or modes of usage in order to maximize filtration efficiency and service life.

A paper on the Pall/Lewis University research, “The Role of Abrasive Type and Media Surface Energy on Nanoparticle Absorption,” was recently presented by Vivien Krygier, Ph.D., senior vice president of Pall Microelectronics marketing, at the International Conference on Planarization/CMP Technology (ICPT) in Grenoble, France. The conference is an international forum for academic researchers, industrial practitioners and engineers from around the world to share research in CMP technology.

For the second year in a row, Lewis University undergraduate student Jordan Kaiser and Jason Keleher, Ph.D., assistant professor of Chemistry, have collaborated with Patrick Levy, product manager at Pall Corp., and Patrick Connor, Ph.D., associate director at Pall Corp., on nanoparticle/filtration research. The research focused on gaining mechanistic insight centered on the synergy between nanoparticles and filtration media exhibiting modulated surface energy. Results revealed a significant difference in particle/filter media interaction occurring under conditions that simulate actual capture of abrasive particles or their agglomerates in a depth filter.

Pall Microelectronics supports customers in the semiconductor, data storage, fiber optic, display, and solar energy materials industries with innovative detection, filtration, and purification products, and deep applications expertise, for chemical, gas, water, chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) and photolithography processes.