Definition
Unwanted foreign material or species—such as particles, metals, organics, molecular contaminants or process residues—that are present on wafers, in process media, or within the manufacturing environment.
Application
Tracked throughout semiconductor manufacturing because contaminants can create defects, alter film or interface properties, reduce yield and reliability, and cause excursions that propagate across multiple wafers or tools.
Related search terms
Wafer contamination; process contamination
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Related concepts
Evidence and further reading
- Evidence from semi.orghttps://www.semi.org/en/asmc2020-technical-session-13
- Evidence from entegris.comhttps://www.entegris.com/en/home/our-science/by-solution-area/contamination-control.html