Technic Advances Sustainable Semiconductor Manufacturing through Project CLEAN 


As Europe continues to reinforce its position in the microelectronics sector, strategic efforts are being made to enhance regional production capacity, while also ensuring that growth aligns with long-term sustainability goals.

In 2019 CEA-Leti, a research institute for electronics and information technologies, and Technic France began collaborating on a project for developing innovative stripping processes for advanced semiconductor materials. 

Building on this, they later expanded their partnership to launch Project CLEAN, a consortium that brings together an expert on formulating wet processes, an RTO to test them on pilot lines, and a key end-user partner. The focus is to drive innovation towards a virtuous transition in the semiconductor industry and its value chains.

This project was funded by the French government as part of France 2030, and by the European Union's Next Generation EU, as part of the France Relance plan.

The goal of Project CLEAN is aligned with efforts to reduce the environmental impact of the microelectronics industry, through the development of new chemical formulations that:

  • Are as effective as the existing ones
  • Utilize sustainable and reliable raw materials
  • Comply with the strictest health and safety regulations
  • Have a minimal impact on the environment throughout their lifecycle
  • Are more energy-efficient

 

Technic’s role
Technic is a global leader in developing, producing, and distributing the most advanced semiconductor solutions for resin dissolution, post-etch residue cleaning, and selective metal etching. Technic’s research for Project CLEAN focuses on formulating new high-performance wet processes in full compliance with current European HSE, CSR, and chemical sustainability regulations.
 

Positive results so far
After extensive research and reformulation over the first year, the lab-developed formulations showed very positive characteristics. During the second year, tests on CEA-Leti's pilot line also revealed promising prospects, as two prototype chemistries were pre-evaluated on industrial equipment using wafers produced by an industrial partner.

In 2025 the project has entered its third and final phase, where the chemistries will be tested for large-scale qualification in an actual production environment.

Project CLEAN’s consortium of a chemical formulator, a research organization, and an industrial player, shows how long-standing chemistries can be reimagined to satisfy both current and future performance, as well as evolving sustainability requirements.
 

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Downloadable Files

Project CLEAN Press Release