A safer alternative to hydrofluoric acid for Cleaning epitaxial silicon reactor exhaust parts

Throughout the industry hydrofluoric acid (HF acid) is being used to clean epitaxial (epi) silicon reactor exhaust parts. The disadvantages include the safety risks posed by the uniquely corrosive nature of HF acid to human skin and the unpredictable nature of the reaction that takes place during the cleaning in terms of flame production and explosiveness. The use of a solution consisting of ammonium bifluoride (NH4HF2) and reaction inhibitors as a replacement for HF acid in the cleaning of epi reactor exhaust parts has shown to drastically reduce the safety risks without compromising cleaning efficiency or cost.