Electronics Industry
Supporting Electronics Customers Worldwide - with the Gases They Need, in the Purities They Need
Innovating for the Future
Electronic devices have become central to our daily lives - transforming how we work, play, communicate and consume content. But our smartphones, wearables, fitness trackers, laptops, displays, smart home systems and more would be unthinkable without microelectronic chips. Similarly, the growing adoption of more sustainable forms of energy such as photovoltaics would not be possible without semiconductors. Just about all industries from healthcare and education to mobility and manufacturing are being reshaped by digitalization and automation - thanks largely to advances in IoT connectivity, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). All of which is being enabled by innovations in microelectronics.
Industrial and electronics specialty gases play an essential role in many semiconductor fabrication processes. High-purity or even ultra-high-purity gases such as nitrogen (N2), oxygen (O2), argon (Ar), helium (He), carbon dioxide (CO2) and hydrogen (H2) plus a host of electronics specialty gases and mixtures support processes as diverse as deposition, etching, doping and chamber cleaning. Even the slightest impurity in semiconductor fabrication can cause imperceptible flaws and lead to manufacturing defects. This means that not only must the manufacturing environment be as pure as possible; the gases used in that environment also have to be of ultra-high purity.
With our global reach, state-of-the-art technologies and flexible choice of supply modes, we are the partner of choice among electronics companies worldwide who value security of supply, exact purity specifications and future-proof innovations.
Bulk Supplies to Your Doorstep
The main gas required in semiconductor chip fabrication is N2, but Ar, H2, O2, CO2 and He also play an important role. If you do not have on-site production facilities, we deliver bulk gases by road tanker or ISO container for storage on your site. In addition to the gas, we also engineer turnkey installations spanning storage tanks, evaporators, purifiers, filters and ultra-pure distribution systems.
You can rely on Linde Engineering for bulk deliveries of N2, O2, Ar, CO2, He and H2.
Diversifying Towards Local Supplies
Reflecting the growing trend towards security of supply through localized and on-site production of industrial and specialty gases, we offer a broad portfolio of modular and small air separation units (ASUs). We offer these plants on a build, own, operate (BOO) basis to relieve investment pressure. Our on-site customers can also rely on us for full lifecycle support spanning maintenance, spare parts, refurbishment and revamp services.
Product families developed specifically for electronics-grade N2 include our SPECTRATM on-site generators. These plants were custom-developed for the ultra-high-purity and extremely high reliability needs of the electronics industry. Engineered for low specific energy consumption, our SPECTRA ASUs deliver ultra-pure gaseous and liquid N2 and O2 with less than 1 part per billion (ppb) impurities. This makes them ideal for the strict demands of leading semiconductor manufacturers, as reflected in an installed base of over 100 units. The family comes in different models, extending from SPECTRATM 15 through to SPECTRATM 85. These modular plants are geared towards operational efficiency for lowest cost of ownership and environmental footprint. And a high degree of prefabrication further contributes to plant quality and ease of deployment.
Looking beyond pure N2 and O2, our SPECTRA family also meets rising demand for ultra-high-purity Ar. These plants combine low CAPEX with improved energy efficiency and higher product yields.
On a more compact footprint, our NITRONTM E series takes pressure and power efficiency to the next level with optimized double distillation column technology. Suited to customers with less exacting purity requirements (100 ppb), these plants support capacity ranges from 700 Nm3 to 8500 Nm3 per hour.
Cost-effective Path to Ultra-pure H2 and to Green H2
High-purity hydrogen (H2) is often supplied in liquid form for low-volume electronics applications. Similar to O2 and N2, interest in the on-site production of H2 is growing. Our HYDROPRIME® hydrogen generators bundle the benefits of steam methane reforming (SMR) and high thermal efficiency to give you a steady supply of ultra-pure H2 in high volumes. Production capacities vary from a few hundred to several thousand Nm3 per hour with purities of up to 99.9999%. Water electrolyzers may be suited to lower-volume requirements. Depending on the application, further purification may be required.
Addressing rising demand for renewable H2, we also deliver electrolyzer plants that produce renewable hydrogen by using renewable power to split water. Our 2 MW plant at the Infineon production site in Villach, Austria, demonstrate the potential of renewable hydrogen using Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) technology from ITM Power.
Accelerating Chamber Cleaning on a Smaller Carbon Footprint
Our on-site GENERATION F® fluorine (F2) generators offer a number of advantages for chamber cleaning. By replacing fluorine-bearing gases (F-gases) such as nitrogen trifluoride (NF3), chlorine trifluoride (ClF3), sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) and F2/N2 mixtures, fluorine offers climate gains thanks to its zero global warming potential (GWP). Other highlights include excellent cleaning performance, shorter cleaning times, productivity gains relative to CVD tools, and reduced energy consumption. In addition, the ability to maintain steady chamber temperatures during the cleaning of demanding thin-film processes, for instance, means fabricators can quickly return to stable deposition processing.
GENERATION F fluorine gas is ideal for thermal furnace, plasma-enhanced and thermal CVD tool dry-chamber cleaning. A modular offering means we can deliver the perfect fit for your flow, concentration and volume requirements - whether that be one ton or a couple of hundred tons a year.