Better Processors Through Carbon Dioxide

amorph · January 18, 2002 9:40AM

According to <a href="http://www.techreview.com/articles/upstream.asp"; target="_blank">an article</a> in the Technology Review, researchers have discovered a way to use supercritical carbon dioxide to rinse processors and also to deposit 100nm copper wiring, both at extremely high degrees of accuracy and with no risk of damage to the chip.

As a bonus, the CO2 replaces ultrapure water and several nasty chemical solvents, reducing the environmental impact of chip manufacture.

[ 01-18-2002: Message edited by: Amorph ]</p>

/mandolux/ · January 18, 2002 10:21AM

...interesting article - thanx.

crusader · January 18, 2002 2:25PM

What does supercritical mean?

amorph · January 18, 2002 2:35PM

Supercritical matter is an unusual state where it's not really either a liquid or a gas. It's both, in a way.

The salient properties are that supercritical material has next to no viscosity and no surface tension. This means that it can get into extremely tight spots without gumming up, and that it doesn't exert pressure on the extremely small, delicate components it's cleaning - the surface tension of water is apparently strong enough to do just that.

Details are in the article.

wrong robot · January 18, 2002 4:53PM

thats awesome, silicon valley is a toxicity

har har har

eskimo · January 18, 2002 8:41PM

Very cool Amorph, thanks for the link. I'll have to read up on this, first I've heard of it.

crusader · January 18, 2002 9:24PM

[quote] Details are in the article.<hr></blockquote>

Woops, I really should try harder, but i am just to lazy

the toolboi · January 21, 2002 12:51PM

Am I correct in thinking that a Bose-Einstein concentration is a supercritical gas?

Man Id love to see those some time.

Better Processors Through Carbon Dioxide

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