Austin, Texas–Oct. 4, 2000–Fabs participating in a rinse water optimization program initiated by semiconductor research consortium International SEMATECH in 1997 have reduced their water use by as much as 40%.

A survey of the 18 fabs participating in the program indicates that the average amount of water used in production on a square inch of silicon basis dropped from 22 gallons to 17 gallons after study recommendations were implemented.

“Using less, discharging less, and drawing in less was our goal,” says Coleen Miller, director of Environment, Safety, and Health and a Texas Instruments assignee at International SEMATECH.

The International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors calls for a reduction to 13 gallons per square inch of silicon by 2001 for state-of-the-art fabs.