TSMC's Wafer Carrier Cleaning Tool, 100% Recycled Hot Water for Reuse

TSMC is committed to continue improving the efficiency of process energy and resource use. After working with suppliers to develop a water-saving control system for wafer carrier cleaning tool, TSMC continues to develop a "hot water recycling system" with innovative technologies to recycle unused hot water for this tool. The hot water recycling system successfully achieved 100% recovery of hot water when the wafer carrier cleaning tool is not in operation. It passed the verification and was successfully implemented into the Fab12B in the third quarter of 2022. It has been qualified as a standard for future new purchase models and implements green manufacturing with concrete actions.

Circulating Hot Water for Recycling Without Losing a Drop

Facing the increasingly severe extreme climate, TSMC actively creates more energy-saving and water-saving opportunities. In 2021, a progressive water valve was developed by automatically controlling the amount of hot water output for the wafer carrier cleaning tool. When the main chamber is not in water cleaning operation, the hot water supply can be reduced by 50%, and the new process condition can totally save both pure water 380,000 metric tons and electricity 15.33 million kWh per year. In order to optimize the efficiency of hot water use, the Intelligent Engineering Center, Fab 12B and tool suppliers continued cooperation to conduct in-depth analysis of the equipment energy consumption and operating parameters. They further designed a closed loop system to recycle all the hot water when the main chamber is not in wafer cleaning operation by adding a pump and hot/cold water switching valves with automatic control on the premise of ensuring a stable water temperature. This hot water circulation system can achieve 100% hot water recycling efficiency after validations and has been defined as the standard equipment of TSMC 12-inch wafer fab future purchasing wafer carrier cleaning tools. The goal is to save 1.4 million metric tons of pure water and 110 million kWh of electricity per year by 2030.

Three Energy Saving Stages for TSMC's Wafer Carrier Cleaning Tool

Adhering to the principles of maximizing equipment’s energy saving, TSMC is continuing next generation green tool evaluations including chamber/nozzle design modifications to reduce dry air consumption and energy-saving mode development when the chamber is not in operation. Plan to validate the next generation green tool in the first quarter of 2023, moving towards the goal of 30% energy saving.