Novel IPA Filtration Technology for Advanced Wet Clean

It is well established that the cleanliness of isopropyl alcohol(IPA) significantly impacts wafer defects and yield. Traditionally, filters with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) membranes have been used for IPA filtration, owing to the high cleanliness performance of PTFE. This study introduces a novel polyimide(PI) membrane filter for point-of-use(POU) IPA filtration. The proposed PI membrane features a much tighter pore size distribution, a tortuous flow path, and enhanced particle capture capabilities, particularly for fine particles. Additionally, the PI membrane demonstrates strong adsorption properties for certain organic contaminants, further improving the overall filtration efficiency.