PFAS Reduction and Innovation in Semiconductor Manufacturing (PRISM)

The objective of the PRISM program is the successful creation of end-to-end PFAS mitigation capabilities, integrating advanced analytical methods, abatement technologies, and predictive modeling to address the environmental impact of PFAS usage in semiconductor manufacturing. A critical feature of the program is that each task area can have a measurable and substantial impact on PFAS emissions without altering process technology in production today. New chemistries or process equipment require years of development before they can be implemented into an existing process and it can be cost-prohibitive to modify mature process technology, further limiting the near-term impact. The four main task areas for both wastewater and air, include:

• Analysis: Developing novel techniques or optimizing existing methods for identifying and quantifying PFAS in fab waste emissions. By analyzing samples from various fab processes, researchers will create comprehensive datasets of PFAS sources and emissions.
• Sensing: Assessing the viability of novel sensor and device technology to measure PFAS in wastewater and air emissions to develop real-time monitoring capabilities.
• Abatement: Evaluating existing PFAS abatement, capture, and destruction technologies to determine their effectiveness in semiconductor waste management systems. Comprehensive total cost of ownership (TCO) and life cycle assessments (LCA) will also be conducted to evaluate the financial and operational implications of adopting and scaling these technologies to accelerate future implementation.
• Modeling: Providing recommendations for updating environmental characterization guidelines for semiconductor equipment. Researchers will also calibrate and validate existing PFAS release models and develop new models as needed to predict PFAS degradation pathways during fab processes and abatement environments.