RASIRC intros Steamer '02 for ultrapure process steam

SPIE Photonics West 2010, SAN DIEGO, USA: RASIRC, the steam purification company, has introduced the RASIRC Steamer '02, the next generation in ultrapure steam generation and control.

The RASIRC Steamer is the only technology to generate purified steam from de-ionized (DI) water. Users of the RASIRC Steamer obtained improved oxide growth rate, film quality, and reduced operating costs. The Steamer can be used in the semiconductor, MEMS, solar, and optical device industries where thermal oxide films are an essential feature.

“The Steamer '02 was developed to meet the move from R&D to production for our solar and semiconductor customers,” said Jeffrey Spiegelman, president of RASIRC. “This unit allows customers to run the new generation of five stack furnaces and get the same result every time both run-to-run and tube-to-tube.”

RASIRC's new Steamer introduces several features:
* Additional control loop for the heated steam process line between the Steamer and the tool.
* Integrated flow meter for improved repeatability, flow accuracy, and response time.
* Reduced footprint and simplified installation through addition of an internal three-way valve.
* Improved tracking of flow rate and energy use through updated user interface.

The Steamer technology allows the use of DI water for critical processes by removing volatiles, ionic contaminants, and other impurities from steam. Yield is increased because metals, hydrocarbons, and particles are rejected by the non-porous membrane to deliver the purest steam possible. Throughput is increased with continuous unattended 24/7 operation and up to 20 percent improvement in growth rate.

Compared to pyrolytic torches, there is no thermal build-up with increased flow rate, it's safer as hydrogen and oxygen are eliminated from the oxidation process, it operates at significantly lower temperature, and handles a wide range of pressures and flow rates.