Cleanroom Outgassing

Introduction Cleanroom Outgassing

AXENIC SYSTEMS (established in 1995) is a trusted and verified company for carrying out outgassing determination and control processes. Our engineers will test and authenticate your cleanroom facilities and localised clean air devices to confirm that your cleanroom is operating without any risks.

Outgassing, refers to the release of gas that has become frozen, trapped, dissolved, or absorbed in another material. It is a common problem when constructing, or maintaining, a clean high-vacuum environment. High-vacuum environments, as well as high temperatures, increase the rate of outgassing due to vapour pressure and a growth in chemical reactions.

With increasing incorporation of semiconductor devices, organic contaminants adhering to silicon wafer surfaces have developed a severe problem because they strongly affect production yield and device performance. The cleanroom construction materials and polymers are the main source of organic contaminants in cleanrooms. Therefore, outgassing tests for cleanroom construction materials and polymers is just as important as the evaluation of organic contaminants in cleanroom air, because it will help to recognize the organic contaminant sources and mechanisms of organic contamination. At present, an outgassing test method for organic compounds with high boiling-points is to be established because polar organic compounds with high boiling-points tend to adhere to silicon surfaces more intensely than the other organic compounds.

Test methods are available to determine the outgassing properties of materials. These can accelerate the ‘outgassing’ of contamination and measure the amount that will condense onto a surface.