Gases [ Return towards Electronic components and assembly]

O2 is used ultra-pure to oxidize certain materials, such as Si to SiO2, or ashing of photoresist and to achieve chemical vapor deposition of oxides. It is also used to make ozone for oxidations or cleaning.

N2 is used as carrier gas for overall protection against impurities and oxidation in semiconductor and soldering processes. In its cold, liquid form, it is used as a cooling medium in the Environmental Testing of electronic devices

H2 is used as carrier gas in semiconductor processes and as a scavenger gas in atmosphere soldering as well as for annealing copper films. The use of forming gases (that is H2 diluted in N2) allows virtually a complete elimination of oxygen and its inconveniences in medium to high temperature processes.

CO2 has several applications in electronics manufacturing. It is usually used in waste water treatment, as a cooling medium in Environmental Testing of electronic devices. It can be used to add conductivity to ultrapure water, for CO2 snow abrasive cleaning of parts or residues on wafers. CO2 can also be used as an environmentally friendly supercritical fluid for removing photoresist from wafers, thus avoid organic solvent use.

Ar is used as carrier and inert gas in semiconductors. It is also used as a process gas for sputtering, reactive ion etching and plasma processing.