This standard was technically approved by the global Metrics Committee. This edition was approved for publication by the global Audits and Reviews Subcommittee on January 18, 2007. It was available at www.semi.org in February 2007 and on CD-ROM in March 2007. Originally published in 1995; previously published March 2001.

The purpose of this test method is to provide an analytical procedure—Ion Mobility Spectrometry (IMS)—for the determination of organic contamination from minienvironments which has the capability of testing their construction material.

This test method is intended as an alternative to SEMI E108. The main difference between SEMI E108 and this document is that SEMI E108 defines a test method which is based on gas chromatography/mass spectrometry in combination with thermal desorption as the measurement technique while this standard is based on ion mobility spectroscopy. The results of SEMI E108 and this document are given in different units. Silicon wafers passed through or stored in minienvironments may be affected by organic contamination originating from construction materials. Knowledge of this contamination assists the decision about the application of minienvironments in semiconductor manufacturing. Ion Mobility Spectrometry was chosen as the method to determine this contamination because it provides an easy, widely applicable, fast and sensitive way to measure organic contamination on surfaces.

Furthermore, IMS provides the possibility of checking the contaminating effects of processing, chemical carryover, and the characterization of future polymeric materials for use in semiconductor technology.

Referenced SEMI Standards
SEMI E19 — Standard Mechanical Interface (SMIF)
SEMI E108 — Test Method for the Assessment of Outgassing Organic Contamination from Minienvironments using Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectroscopy

Revision History
SEMI E46-0307 (technical revision)
SEMI E46-0301 (technical revision)
SEMI E46-0095 (first published)