In 2014, Highvac was requested to deliver a SAFE and RELIABLE PoU (Point of Use) abatement system to a major 200mm semiconductor manufacturer for their ASM Epsilon Epitaxy tool. The customer was originally utilizing a competitive burn/wet PoU abatement device and experiencing significant maintenance requirements, mostly associated with inlet clogging. They then installed a PoU wet scrubber in front of the existing burn/wet abatement device in an attempt to eliminate the inlet clogging. Due to the potential volatility of the EPI process, the customer started to experience explosions in their PoU wet scrubbers.
Highvac provided a burn/wet EcoGuard™ PoU abatement system on a six-month evaluation, during which time there were zero events for maintenance or safety. The customer has since replaced all of its original abatement devices with EcoGuard™ PoU abatement systems in all of its US semiconductor fabrication facilities. After more than seven years of operation, the customer has experienced little to no maintenance or downtime on the EcoGuard™ PoU abatement systems installed on its epitaxial reactor systems.
