What is it about?
The use of equipotential bonding to control ESD in semiconductor manufacturing has been identified as a source of other electrostatic risk to extremely electrostatic sensitive devices and reticles. An alternative mode of handling such objects is recommended.
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Why is it important?
As semiconductor, micro-electro-mechanical and opto-electronic devices are progressively miniaturised over time they become inherently more susceptible to damage by electric field. Equipotential bonding has been shown to accentuate field induction and to increase the risk and severity of field-induced damage. The damage caused is likely to be latent in nature, so will probably escape detection during manufacturing, but could limit device performance and lifetime. New generations of devices could therefore be harmed by this practice which is almost universally used and considered to be protective. Further research is proposed to ensure that new devices are not put at unnecessary risk of being damaged by a procedure that is intended to protect them.
Perspectives
I believe that the electrostatics community has focused its attention too strongly on electrostatic discharge prevention, and has failed to recognise that there are forms of damage that can be caused by electrostatic imbalance even without ESD taking place. This has now been proven in the case of reticles (the photomasks used to print semiconductor devices). Research into reticle electrostatic damage mechanisms has shown that the practice of equipotential bonding INCREASES the risk of field-induced damage rather than reducing it as is the intention. It follows that the same may be true in the handling of extremely electrostatic sensitive semiconductor devices - hence further research is recommended to investigate this, hopefully to ensure that future generations of electronic, electro-mechanical and optoelectronic devices are not put at unnecessary risk by the use of a supposedly protective handling methodology that actually increases the risk posed by electric field.
Dr Gavin C Rider
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: A critique of the approach to controlling electrostatic risk in semiconductor production and identification of a potential risk from the use of equipotential bonding, AIMS Electronics and Electrical Engineering, January 2019, American Institute of Mathematical Sciences (AIMS),
DOI: 10.3934/electreng.2019.4.397.
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