Hazardous waste minimization in III-V wafer fabrication processes

Several coordinated hazardous waste minimization projects have been undertaken at our facilities involved in III-V device manufacturing. These include modifications to existing processes to reduce or eliminate emissions of CFCs, 1,1,1-TCA, xylenes, ethylene glycol ethers, 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene (in photoresist stripper), and other compounds. These issues are addressed in turn, noting the unique aspects of GaAs and GaP device manufacture that need to be taken into account. Goals achieved have been complete cessation of CFC and 1,1,1-TCA use and 33% reductions in xylene and 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene usage since 1990, despite significant increases in total production volume during the same time period. Specific strategies are also described for tracking chemical use and sharing best practices for hazardous waste reduction across functional groups