Installation

Instructions:
ARC i-CON Material

Before you begin the installation:

Wear the proper personal protective equipment (PPE)
whenever handling ARC i-CON material. See the
safety data sheet (SDS) to identify the proper PPE.
Filter: UPE or HDPE
Solvent: EL

Related Procedures:
Clear dispense line verification
Nitrogen purge
Filter prewetting
Particle test

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2014 Brewer Science, Inc.

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Label example:

Initial installation of
Brewer Science material

1. Remove the dispense pump filter.

Use procedures specific to your coating track to
verify that the dispense lines are clear of any
previously used liquid.
2. Install a filter housing or flushing shell on the
dispense pump.

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3. Purge the dispense system with ethyl lactate (EL)

to remove air from the dispense pump and dispense
tip. Continue to purge an additional 1 L through the
pump and dispense tip to ensure cleanliness.

Typical solvent volumes are 2-4 L of EL.

NOTE: Other solvents

To verify if any other solvent is compatible
with ARC i-CON material, contact the
Brewer Science Applications Support
Team.*

4. Dispense EL onto a clean, bare silicon wafer.

Perform particle test using your company-specific
particle test procedures.

This step ensures that the system is clean and that
no residual material remains in the lines, filter, or
filter manifold.

5. Perform particle test using your company-
specific particle test procedures.

This step ensures that the system is clean and that
no residual material remains in the lines, filter, or
filter manifold.
6. Pump nitrogen (N2), per pump manufacturers
instructions, through the system to remove as much
residual solvent from the lines and pump as
possible.
7. Install a new pump filter per the pump
manufacturers instructions.

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 Ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene (UPE) or

high-density polyethylene (HDPE) filters are
recommended.

Recommended UPE or HDPE filter pore
size = 5-50 nm (0.005-0.05 m)
NOTE: Nylon filters
To verify nylon filter compatibility with
ARC i-CON, contact the Brewer Science
Applications Support Team.* Additional
system flushing may be required.

8. Prewet the filter according to your specific

procedures, or contact the filter manufacturer to
obtain the best solvent prewetting procedure to
use.
9. Plumb on ARC i-CON material.

Purge 2-4 L through dispense pump and dispense
tip to clear all air in the system and to ensure the
system is clean.

10. Dummy dispense initial installation
Before production usage, dummy dispense material
100 times according to your process recipe.

At least once every 3 hours during production,
dummy dispense ARC i-CON material.
NOTE: Dummy dispenses
When production is idle, dummy dispense
up to 6 times per hour (or more).

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11. Wafer prewet step

For the highest coating quality, dispense a small
amount of EL onto each wafer and spin off before
dispensing the ARC i-CON material.
NOTE: EL usage
EL may be used for reduced resist
consumption (RRC), edge bead removal
(EBR), and backside rinse (BSR).

12. Perform coating particle check and thickness
verification
Perform coating particle check and thickness
verification tests (wafer surface scans).
Use your company-specific particle check and
thickness verification procedures.

NOTE: Coating defect levels

If coating defect levels are unacceptable,
repeat test dispenses (~50-100) until
defect levels are stable and within limits.

See next page for repeat (continued) installation instructions

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Repeat installation of material

1. Plumb on ARC i-CON material.

Purge ~100 mL through dispense pump and
dispense tip to clear all air in the system and to
ensure the system is clean.

2. Recommended step: Perform coating particle
check and thickness verification
Perform coating particle check and thickness
verification tests (wafer surface scans).
Use your company-specific particle check and
thickness verification procedures.
NOTE: Coating defect levels
If coating defect levels are unacceptable,
repeat test dispenses (~50-100) until
defect levels are stable and within limits.

3. Dummy dispense repeat installation
At least once every 3 hours during production,
dummy dispense ARC i-CON material.

NOTE: Dummy dispenses
When production is idle, dummy
dispense up to 6 times per hour (or
more).

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4. Wafer prewet step

For the highest coating quality, dispense a small
amount of EL onto each wafer and spin off before
dispensing the ARC i-CON material.

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NOTE: EL usage
EL may be used for reduced resist
consumption (RRC), edge bead removal
(EBR), and backside rinse (BSR).

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