Hitachi Announces Successful Abatement of C5F8 Gas in Its' New Catalytic Decomposition System
CARROLLTON, TEXAS
Jan 11, 1999 09:51 AM
Hitachi America, Ltd., Semiconductor Equipment Group, today announced the successful abatement of the gas C5F8 using Hitachi's new Super Catalytic Decomposition System (SCDS).
Currently, C5F8 is being investigated by the semiconductor industry as a possible new etchant in advanced applications. The downside of this new, and possibly more efficient gas, is the potentially deadly side effects from overexposure. In tests at Hitachi Works in Hitachi City, Japan, the manufacturing site for the SCDS; 3100 ppm of C5F8 were introduced into the SCDS system where it was reduced to less than 0.5 ppm after encountering the catalyst at temperatures over 600oC. This resulted in an abatement efficiency of 99.98%, well below the toxic level for C5F8.
The SCDS is designed for use with all PFC gases used in semiconductor applications. It has proven decomposition rates of over 99.4% for CF4, C2F6, CHF3, C3F8, C4F8, NF3, CO and SF6. Tests were run on the SCDS-60, featuring a 60 liter/min. gas throughput. Other available systems include models for 120 liter/min. and 180 liter/min. throughput for multi-chamber capability.
The SCDS offers superior cost of ownership versus Capture/Re-cycle; Combustion; or Chemical Conversion technologies since it uses little electricity, only 1 gpm of water, and has a catalyst lifetime of more than 4,600 hours. The SCDS-60 has a footprint of only 37" Wx19.5 " Dx77"H. and is fully S2-93 and CE compliant.
Hitachi America, Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd., Japan, markets and manufactures a broad range of electronic, computer systems and products, and semiconductors, and provides industrial equipment and services throughout North America. For more information, please visit http://www.hitachi.us/.
Hitachi, Ltd., (NYSE:HIT), headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is one of the world's leading electronics companies, with fiscal 1997 (ended March 31. 1998) consolidated sales of 8,417 billion yen, US. $63.8 billion.* The company markets and manufactures a wide range of products, including computers, semiconductors, consumer products and power and industrial equipment. For more information please visit www.hitachi.co.jp.
*At an exchange rate of 132 yen to the dollar.