DFS Celebrates Start-Up of First Patented POU Blender with Reverse Mass Balance in the Field

Maximize Blend Accuracy and Production Uptime

This DFS system consists of a Slurry Blender and Distribution system, an external Transfer unit, and a Control Cabinet that controls all units. The Blender receives customer-supplied chemical from the Transfer unit or bulk feed system and facility UPW, performing a blend to tanks inside of the system. Each blend is weight-monitored and can be tracked with flow meters to ensure accuracy.

Remove Expensive Labor-Intensive Offline Metrologies and Manual Process Adjustments

DFS recently completed a process characterization and successfully developed onboard control technology that allows for closed-loop control of a customer-specific semiconductor cmp slurry solution in a blend and distribution operation.

5 Advantages of the New DFS Fusion™ RMB Blender

DFS’s new patent pending Fusion™ RMB Blender is an active and reverse calculating mass balance system that is overall less equipment, at a lower cost, with improved flexibility and trending features.

Gemu and DFS Collaborate on UHP Reliable Systems to Produce <10ppt Ammonium Hydroxide (NH₄OH) On Site

The Diversified Fluid Solutions (DFS) on-demand blending system produces high purity ammonium hydroxide (NH₄OH), which is a combination of ammonia gas (NH₃) and high purity water.

DFS systems produce ultra high purity (UHP) chemical blends with impurity levels below the 10 ppt detection limit, which leads to a high level of process reliability.

DFS Fusion™ MCBS+

The DFS Fusion™ MCBS+ blends slurries or aqueous chemicals through our inline On-Demand™ blend technology or by weight and volume. All blending methods receive chemical from the customer-supplied chemical source, UPW, or on-board vessels.

Blends are prepared in either of the two 114L blend and dispense tanks, and each blend is verified through the blend specific on-board metrology set. The system maintains and supplies constant temperature and pressure control to the production area tools. Maglev pumps (one per tank) are used for the main chemical supply, and pneumatic pumps are used for blend recirculation and transfer from external vessels.

Fusion™ MCBS: A Closer Look

The DFS Fusion™ MCBS is a mobile chemical blending platform that can feed up to three production tools. The MCBS blends chemical by weight or by volume from externally connected source vessels, house ultrapure water (UPW), and optional house-supplied chemical.

Blends are verified through the on-board metrology in the blend tank and then transferred to the day tank maintaining constant temperature and pressure-controlled supply to the production areas. The MCBS uses a single centrifugal pump for the main chemical supply and pneumatic pumps for blend recirculation and transfer from the external vessels.

Reduce Contamination Risk, Produce UHP NH₄OH On-Site

In our semiconductor manufacturing industry, everyone is constantly trying to save money and space when and where they can. 

This usually translates to where and whom you buy your chemical supplies and equipment. 

This is done with a major focus on the least amount of risk exposure possible. 

Decade In Review

August 12, 2019 was a major milestone in the life of DFS, as it marked our 10th anniversary. Ten years prior Fred Elsey and Darren Willey fully invested themselves and initiated the journey toward establishing DFS as a leader in chemical blending and distribution equipment. Their vision and effort created the foundation for what we know of DFS today and where it is positioned for the future.  

In recognition of this milestone, we'd like to highlight some of the many achievements that have occurred over the course of the first 10 years of our journey as a company.

FULLY AUTOMATED DUAL LOOP SLURRY BLENDING SYSTEM

The fully automated DFS Fusion™ Dual Loop Slurry Chemical Blender is designed to allow for blending of up to 3 Chemicals and UPW with the ability to handle additional slurry inputs if needed. This system will also inject, monitor, and maintain hydrogen peroxide concentration utilizing ultrasonic flow meters, metering valves and refractive index. 

A Closer Look at the Components of A DFS Fusion™ Modular Chemical Blender

DFS Blenders greatly reduce the floor space requirements, facilitation costs, and the total cost of ownership for blended chemistries. Process yield / improvements are a large impact area because of our blenders’ accuracy. The more on-target the chemicals are in assay; the less rework or process target adjustments have to take place in the production environment.

Honoring Fred Elsey's Successful Career and Retirement

DFS Team Called In To Improve Accuracy, Reduce Waste, and Increase ThroughPut on Legacy Chemical Blenders

Lead by a three man team made up of a PLC Programmer, and (2) Field Service Technicians, DFS was able to complete an insitu, on-site upgrade to a client's existing OEM chemical blender systems. The upgrade came as a result of a request from a large semiconductor manufacturer, inquiring if DFS could do anything to improve their existing OEM chemical blender performance.

DFS Announces New Fusion™ On-Demand™ Mobile Chemical Blender

Designed for one of our newest customers in New Mexico, the DFS Fusion™ On-Demand™ Mini Mix is engineered to transfer chemical from an interchangeable 5 gallon Pail and bulk supply to the internal On-Demand Blender.

Chemical 1 is supplied via the internal vessel. UPW, and Chemical 2 are supplied via the house supply source.

Versatile On-Demand Chemical Blender is a Big Hit with Semiconductor Manufacturer

DFS recently developed and released a compact SC-1, 3 part blender, for a large Semiconductor Manufacturer. The Standard Clean Solution #1 (SC-1) process involves a sequence of cleaning steps using “standard” solutions and employs a mixture of ammonium hydroxide (NH₄OH), hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), and DI water (H₂O).  The system enables recipe customization through an HMI with verified authorization.

Precise control of chemical composition through use of on-site chemical blending and mixing systems improves overall IC process yield. 

This is accomplished by providing more consistent quality of materials that come into contact with the wafer and its forming circuits. 

On-site blending results in tighter assay control, higher purity, and lower particles. On-site blenders also allow users to test materials suppliers for comparison to optimize ROI and control cost. 

Uses and Benefits of Mobile Chemical Blending Systems (MCBS) 

A given factory's chemical formulations are pushed to: 1) improve affordability, while 2) requiring higher process performances in critical areas. One way to accomplish both goals is to target incoming chemical solutions that are high in concentrations and complexity.

Achieving the proper dilution and high performance in current and upcoming process nodes requires complex blends of organic and inorganic compounds in CMP slurry formulations. The combinations of all these factors result in products that have nuanced mixing and handling requirements.

Characterization and importance of chemical mix uniformity, precision, and preservation of purity levels to reduce cost, prevent rework/scrap, and increase Process yield overall.

Manufacturers place a great deal of emphasis on cost reduction, prevention of rework or scrap, and increasing overall process yield. One result has been a rise in precision and control technology innovations geared towards process chemicals uniformity.

Many focus on individual aspects of metrology for quantitative, or qualitative determination, either by off-line or inline methods, with the intent to achieve the highest productivity at the lowest cost.

Preparing a DFS High-Purity CMP Slurry Blender For Delivery

Diversified Fluid Solutions recently completed work on a precision slurry blender which increases overall production capacity and process control.

Through advancements in our proprietary blending technology, the fully-automated Fusion™ Slurry Blender eliminates deadlegs in the flow path of the slurry while managing loop pressure control to +/- 0.3 psi.

The end result is improved yields, process control and repeatability across the board.

DFS designs and manufactures high-purity chemical, gas and slurry blending and distribution systems for high tech customers worldwide. DFS recently licensed SEBO to manufacture DFS blending and distribution systems for certain Asian semiconductor markets. SEBO is currently building a state of the art factory in Korea to manufacture the systems.