Document jmwZqQLonMxJwG4Y9O6YMMe69

Factsheet "PFAS and Semiconductors" Use sector: Electronics and Semiconductor (Annex E.2.11. of the PFAS restriction dossier under REACH) Product(s): Semiconductors are applied fpr instance in devices for automotive, medical products, power management products, MEMS - pumps, sensors, displays. They enable the key functionality of applications in automotive: multiple safety functions, communication functions, control functions. In medical applications: devices emit defined electrical stimulation pulses and triggers cell mechanisms in the body. In concrete terms, insulin production can be increased. Further medical application: micropumps for medication. Typical customer sectors: Automotive, medical health care products, telecommunication (NetCom), digitization, digitalization, electronic devices, consumer, industrial, aerospace. Market Information: German Electro and Digital Industry - Facts & Figures (August 2023, details see https://www.zvei.org/en/business-cycles-markets/sector-overview): - Turnover of 224.5 billion 2022 - At present 903,700 domestic employees - Additional 811,000 employees abroad (2021) - Investment, 2021: 7.2 billion (+10.4%) - R&D, 2022: 22.1 billion (+3.9%) The semiconductor industry is very much connected with actual political strategies such as The European Chip Act | EU Green Deal | Digital Transformation. Requirements Profile The advantages of PFAS are the combination of different physical and chemical properties for the individual application, e.g.: Very good chemical resistance in aggressive media Very high temperature resistance UV resistance Low friction, minimal wear (particle minimization!) Low surface tension Inertness Purity and chemical compatibility Generation of highly reactive species in the plasma that react with silicon oxide to form volatile compounds such as tetrafluoro silane (SiF4) Very low refractive index, very low surface energy Hydrophobic and oleophobic barrier in multi-layer systems Flame resistance Electro and Digital Industry Association Identified PFAS Uses For clarification, the following list contains examples, many more identified uses exist. Almost none of those found in process chemicals, manufacturing equipment and in finished products have identified alternatives. In the final product 1. Substrates in advanced semiconductor packaging PFAS substance/substance group: Fluoropolymers PFAS-containing material/component: Thermal interface materials and film layers Reason for PFAS Use/ Requirements Profile: High thermal stability 2. Die attach adhesive in semiconductor packages PFAS substance/substance group: Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) PFAS-containing material/component: Adhesive between silicon and substrate Reason for PFAS Use/ Requirements Profile: To prevent adhesive bleed during application and cure that would otherwise result in device failure 3. Molding compounds in semiconductor packages PFAS substance/substance group: Fluoropolymer and fluoropolymer based resins PFAS-containing material/component: Substrate core - PTFE, Substrated dielectric/buildup - Fluoropolymer based resins Reason for PFAS Use/ Requirements Profile: High-thermal conductivity; critical properties considered when selecting a molding compound include its glass transition temperature, moisture absorption rate, flexural modulus/strength, coefficient of thermal expansion, thermal conductivity, chemical inert, and adhesion properties. 4. Passivation gels for MEMS sensors PFAS substance/substance group: Fluoropolymer and fluoropolymer based gel PFAS-containing material/component: Gel for sealing the MEMS Reason for PFAS Use/ Requirements Profile: Suitable rheological properties, very low hardness, high thermal stability, low permeation, oleophobic and hydrophobic properties, high chemical stability => corrosion prevention, long term stability 5. Membranes for MEMS sensors PFAS substance/substance group: Fluoropolymer PFAS-containing material/component: PTFE-based mebrane for encapsulation of the MEMS Reason for PFAS Use/ Requirements Profile: High thermal stability, oleophobic and hydrophobic properties, high chemical stability, highly flexible, long-term stability 2 6. Anti-stiction coating for MEMS sensors PFAS substance/substance group: Polymeric PFAS PFAS-containing material/component: Surface coating on MEMS Reason for PFAS Use/ Requirements Profile: High thermal stability, low surface energy - anti-stiction properties, high wear resistance, long term stability, low particle generation 7. Underfill in MEMS sensors for stress reduction PFAS substance/substance group: PFAS-containing material/component: Fluoropolymer Underfill which fills the space in flip chip devices Flourinated Siloxanes and Silicones, Reason for PFAS Use/ Requirements Profile: High thermal stability, excellent stress reduction, low warpage, long term stability 8. Printed Circuit Boards (PCB) PCB for SMT (Surface Mount Technology) and COB (Chip on Board) processes in industrial/automotive quality for high performance / high longevity applications PFAS substance/substance group: Reason for PFAS Use/ Requirements Profile: High Frequency Heat resistance Flame retardancy Water and oil repellant (Low Water absorption) Low CTE, low-k Fig. 1, PCB, Swissbit PFAS-containing material/component: PCB 3 9. Passive Components Components in different form factors for placement on PCBs PFAS substance/substance group: Reason for PFAS Use/ Requirements Profile: Chemical resistance High temperature resistance Constant dielectric properties 10. Die Attach Film (DAF) Fig. 2, Swissbit PFAS-containing material/component: Die Attach Films are used for bonding and stacking silicon dies in various systems in packages Fig. 3, Swissbit PFAS substance/substance group: PFAS-containing material/component: DAF Reason for PFAS Use/ Requirements Profile: Photoactive sensitive High thermal stability Chemical resistance Anti-adhesion or release: mechanical separation of adhesive 4 11. ETFE Molding Tape Molding release tape is used in Semiconductor Molding applications (Transfer/Compression Molding) to protect Tooling from the mold and produce defined surface properties like roughness etc. PFAS substance/substance group: ETFE PFAS-containing material/component: Molding Tape Reason for PFAS Use/ Requirements Profile: High thermal stability Chemical resistance Anti-adhesion or release: mechanical separation of adhesive 12. Photoresists for image applications These materials stay in the final device to act as color filters or microlenses for image reconstruction by cameras in cellphones or detection systems for automotive, space or medical applications. There are different versions of color and infrared filters and microlens materials. PFAS substance/substance group: PFAS-containing material/component: PFAS - variety Surfactant; additive; photoacid generators Reason for PFAS Use/ Requirements Profile: Due to the strong electronegativity of the fluorine atom in the resist complex, the excellent thermal stability, the controlled acid generation under exposure with UV light and the characteristic as surfactant to ensure optimal coating uniformity for ultrathin layers without affecting the refractive index. Within Process 1. Etch process Etch process by using carbon fluorine gases as process gas for structuring silicon, dielectric layers, metal layers, among others, in semiconductor manufacturing. PFAS substance/substance group: Poly/Perfluorinated Chemicals (PFC's) PFAS-containing material/component: CF4, C2F6, C3F8, C4F8, C5F8, CHF3, CH3F Reason for PFAS Use/ Requirements Profile: Patterning and cleaning of silicon dioxide form volatile chemical species with silicon-based materials at a temperature compatible with the surrounding materials and the device structure under fabrication. Anisotrophic etching capabilities and high reactivity for high-sensitivity inertial sensors, combined with very high mask selectivity, of importance for MEMS products especially applications of through-the-wafer etches like membrane type sensors 2. Plasma insitu cleaning of deposition chambers Vapour deposition in-situ cleaning PFAS substance/substance group: Poly/Perfluorinated Chemicals (PFC's) PFAS-containing material/component: CF4, C2F6, C3F8, C4F8, C5F8, CHF3, CH3F Reason for PFAS Use/ Requirements Profile: Plasma insitu cleaning of deposition chambers 3. Photolithography In photolithography photoresist is used for structuring of each layer within building a semiconductor device. Photoresist is used to pattern structures to underlying layers. Photoresist is removed at the end of the 5 processing flow in most cases. In some cases, it is intentionally left in the final product to obtain the desired properties in the product. PFAS substance/substance group: PFAS - variety PFAS-containing material/component: Surfactant; additive; photoacid generators Reason for PFAS Use/ Requirements Profile: Due to the strong electronegativity of the fluorine atom in the resist complex, the excellent thermal stability, the controlled acid generation under exposure with UV light and the characteristic as surfactant to ensure optimal coating uniformity for ultrathin layers without affecting the refractive index. 4. Sintering process of Power modules on a heatsink. PFAS substance/substance group: Fluoropolymer PFAS-containing material/component: PTFE-based release membrane Reason for PFAS Use/ Requirements Profile: High thermal stability, low surface energy - anti-stiction properties 5. Vapour phase soldering PFAS substance/substance group: Fluoropolymer PFAS-containing material/component: PFPE-based liquid Reason for PFAS Use/ Requirements Profile: High thermal stability, not flammable, no reactivity at high temperature For Equipment and Process Tools 1. Lubricants for equipment PFAS substance/substance group: Fluorosilicones, PTFE, PFPE, PCTFE PFAS-containing material/component: Lubricant for contact points in equipment and in high speed vacuum pumps Reason for PFAS Use/ Requirements Profile: Inertness, low gas formation, low viscosity and thermal resistance at operating temperatures as high as 130 C as well as sealing, lubrication, cooling and corrosion protection 2. Equipment Chillers PFAS substance/substance group: Heat transfer fluids (HFE's, PFCs, HFO's, Fluorinated ketones, PFPE's) PFAS-containing material/component: Heat transfer fluids for semiconductor equipments Reason for PFAS Use/ Requirements Profile: Usable at in a wide range of temperatures (-60 C to +125 C) with high precision control; high thermal stability (e.g. set point within 0.1 C) Must simultaneously possess a high boiling point, a low pour point, high thermal conductivity and high resistivity and the ability to maintain the lowest operational set point while avoiding a catastrophic phase shift to a solid form, as the refrigerant must remain in a gaseous or liquid form to remain pumpable and useful for temperature control. 6 3. Production infrastructure Production infrastructure for central pure water and chemical distribution systems, o-rings, gaskets, wafer carrier, roboter arm, baths, valves, fittings. PFAS substance/substance group: PTFE, PVDF, PFA, PFE, ETFE, ECTFE, PCTFE, FKM, FFKM, sulfonated TFE PFAS-containing material/component: Piping, o-rings, wafer carrier Reason for PFAS Use/ Requirements Profile: Chemical resistance, thermal resistance, purity, flame retardancy, permeation resistant, electrically insulative, low coeffient of friction, bacterial growth resistent Substitution For most uses of PFAS in semiconductor manufacturing and semiconductor devices there are no drop-in substitutes. PFAS materials have unique thermal, chemical, and electrical requirements that have made functionalities in semiconductor electronics possible in the first place, and which many applications today would be hard pressed to imagine without. Furthermore, it is now clear that there are a variety of semiconductor assembly processes and a complex supply chain infrastructure that make investigating the use and replacement of PFAS difficult to fully review. For many uses, no suitable substitutes are known. Consequently, no timeframe can be given for when substitutes will be available. Research on alternatives is first needed to determine their suitability for achieving performance as well as reliability data. This means alternatives will have to be validated if any are found, which will then have to be qualified in the products and their supply chain on a wide range of materials and processes for a device/application, which will tie up a lot of resources and time. (Source: PFAS-Containing Heat Transfer Fluids Used in Semiconductor Manufacturing, and PFAS-Containing Articles Used in Semiconductor Manufacturing - Swissbit) "The continued use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) by the European semiconductor industry will be essential to achieve these ambitious EU goals as both semiconductor manufacturing and semiconductor products rely on PFAS use at present. Therefore, the semiconductor industry is actively exploring non-PFAS alternatives as part of its commitment to sustainability. While the industry recognizes the importance of transitioning away from PFAS, the current technological limitations do not allow to manufacture semiconductors without their use. Hence, the industrial and societal transformation towards carbon neutrality will not be feasible without PFAS use." (Source: The European Semiconductor Industry and PFAS, Summary paper, Brussels, 13 July 2023; https://www.eusemiconductors.eu/sites/default/files/20230713_ESIASummaryPaper-PFAS.pdf) For most uses of PFAS in semiconductor manufacturing and semiconductor devices a time horizon of more than 12 years seems reasonable, in some cases there will be no substitution. Safe Use: Prevention and Reduction of Emissions and Exposure Emissions can arise during semiconductor manufacturing and in the End-of-Life phase of semiconductor devices. During usage of semiconductor encapsulation system are in place. Potential emissions of gaseous PFAS are prevented or at least reduced by Abatement systems. Workers Protection at the workplace is secured by use of PPE and closed exhaust systems. 7 (((0))) Socio-economic Impact Consequences of the Proposed Restriction Conflicts with political goals and strategies (e.g., self-sufficiency/green deal) European Chip Act, Green Deal, Digital Transformation Required Transition Period and/or Derogations "Given the lack of alternatives for most applications of PFAS in the semiconductor industry and the long substitution timelines, it is not only imperative to grant the 12-year derogation proposed for the semiconductor manufacturing process and semiconductor products, but also to support research and development that would enable the semiconductor industry to collaborate globally with a view to effectively replace PFAS eventually. It will be crucial to fund and conduct research to where possible identify alternative chemistries that are preferable from an environmental point of view and to develop measurement, recycling, treatment, and abatement technologies to prevent environmental releases for uses to which no alternative can be found. For the strategic independence of the EU, it must be ensured that semiconductors can continue to be manufactured and put on the market in Europe and that stable and sustainable supply chains remain in place." (Source: The European Semiconductor Industry and PFAS, Summary paper, Brussels, 13 July 2023; https://www.eusemiconductors.eu/sites/default/files/20230713 ESIASummaryPaper-PFAS.pdf) All exemptions granted should include a review option for further extension if no substitutes are available. It '7 Our sector offers: Commitment to further investigations (R&D), financial and time support, open communication. Contact Dr. Sven Baumann Senior-Manager Semiconductors and Sensors/Actuators Division Electronic Components and Systems Phone: +4969 6302 468 Mobil: +49174 9414 167 E-Mail: @zvei.org Kirsten Metz Senior Manager Environmental and Chemicals Polic Division Sustainability & Environment Phone: +4969 6302 212 Mobile: +49162 2664 952 E-Mail: zvei.org ZVEI e. V. Electro and Digital Industry Association Lyoner Strafle 9 60528 Frankfurt am Main Germany Lobbying Register ID.: R002101 EU Transparency Register ID: 94770746469-09 www.zvei.org Date: September 22, 2023 8