Nanoparticle metrology for advanced semiconductor

With the advancement of integrated circuit (IC) manufacturing to the 2 nm technology node and beyond, contamination control requirements have become a critical determinant of chip yield and reliability. Even trace levels of metal ions, organic residues, or nanoscale particulate contaminants can induce short circuits, gate leakage, or defect accumulation on wafer surfaces, ultimately resulting in device failure. According to the International Roadmap for Devices and Systems (IRDS), particulate contamination control in advanced semiconductor manufacturing has reached below the 20 nm scale. Consequently, process chemicals must meet electronic-grade or ultra-electronic-grade specifications, with raw material purification, synthesis, and packaging conducted entirely in controlled cleanroom environments. Meeting these stringent demands necessitates either extending current metrology capabilities or developing novel analytical techniques. In this presentation, the challenges of sub-20 nm nanoparticle characterization and the particle metrology technologies developed at CMS/ITRI will be discussed. A differential mobility analyzer condensation particle counter (DMA–CPC) technique was established for impurity detection in isopropanol, achieving a concentration detection limit of 10 ppt for particles in the 2~30 nm size range. A sample pretreatment module was developed for mixed chemicals to effectively remove high-boiling- point, multicomponent organic solvent matrices, enabling accurate measurement of impurity particle size and concentration below 20 nm. Besides, inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (ICP–MS), gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS), and ion chromatography (IC) were implemented to identify the composition of particulate contaminants in the size range of 10~100 nm. In addition to developing new methodologies, we also provide reference standards—such as in- house nanoparticle size calibration wafers and nano–iron oxide particle solution standards—to ensure the reliability of measurement tools, enable traceable and reproducible measurements, and support consistent quality control across manufacturing processes. Together, these technologies equip the semiconductor industry with advanced capabilities for contamination control, thereby enhancing yield and reliability in leading-edge process nodes.

Key Technologies Covered

• Nanoparticle metrology
• Trace contamination control technology
• Impurity characterization
• In-house Reference Material
• Differential mobility analyzer–condensation particle counter (DMA–CPC) technique