OCT. 16–AUSTIN, TX–Air Liquide America L.P. and its electronics business unit have completed a multi-million dollar ultra clean analytical laboratory for the semiconductor industry.

The new lab involves the acquisition of several state-of-the-art instruments, and is located within Balazs analytical laboratory complex in Dallas, Texas.

The new lab will perform the analysis of ultra low levels–parts-per-trillion (PPT) of impurities in Ultrapure water and chemicals.

It will be able to execute the analysis of advanced chemistries associated to new semiconductor processes, including low-k precursors, copper plating chemistries and chemical-mechanical-polishing (CMP) slurries.

These new capabilities allow Balazs Analytical Services customers to achieve a better control of the manufacturing process, and provide very fast response time during critical troubleshooting.

The new 2,400-square-foot lab is built to the highest semiconductor fab requirements and includes a 1,500-square-foot ISO Class 3 cleanroom; a separate sample preparation areas dedicated by chemical purity, and a separate analytical areas dedicated by chemical type.

In addition to the new cleanroom, Balazs has acquired several state instruments that will run proprietary analytical methods, which have been developed within Balazs’ research and development facilities, and are the result of collaboration with leading edge equipment makers.

Balazs frequently hosts equipment makers’ beta-tools in order to sustain its technical leadership.

The new equipment offers excellent performance in minimizing interferences between impurities, improving resolution and thereby improving capabilities to identify ultra-trace contaminants in ultra-pure semiconductor materials.