ABSTRACT EEC-9815211 BAIER This three-year project unites 4 Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers (I/UCRC) and Engineering Research Center (ERC) to study the detection and control of microbiological contamination in ultra-pure water used in the production of semi-conductor chips. The study will focus on the chemical/mechanical (CMP) processes of chip wafers since this is a high consumer of water and associated with the generation of waste water. The project aims at developing the control of micro-biocontamination in order to recycle this expensive water. The University of Arizona I/UCRC for Microcontamination Control will build and maintain a copper CMP pilot system to study off-line metrology for monitoring biofilm growth and contamination in the system. The system will also provide a test base to test the research results of the other centers. The University of Arizona Engineering Research Center for Environmentally Benign Semiconductors will study the use of advanced oxidation processes to remove any biological contaminants and reduce total organic carbons. The State University of New York at Buffalo Industry/University Cooperative Research Center for Biosurfaces will study mechanisms to measure and monitor the biocontamination. The New Jersey Institute of Technology I/UCRC for Hazardous Waste Management will study how to prevent biofueling of membranes used to degassify the ultra-pure water to be recycled. The Queen's University at Belfast (I/UCRC) QUESTOR will study the microbiology of organisms in the system and how they interact and obtain food. (This activity will be funded by the Northern Ireland Research and Technology Unit.) The I/UCRC for Microcontamination will test how the research results can be utilized for a possible recycling system in its ultra-pure water system in its clean room.
