The escalating emphasis on electrification and decarbonization of our society is causing an unprecedented surge in semiconductor fabrication. From powering electric vehicles to the proliferation of electronics and smart devices, semiconductors are a vital component driving technological advancements. The push to increase device performance, while compacting its component sizes, has led to the development of circuits that require feature sizes to decrease to the nm scale. Due to the precision needed to produce such components, complex and varied chemistries are employed to prepare wafer substrates and subsequently grow the desired circuit. Chemical cleaning, Wet etching, electroplating processes, and chemical-mechanical planarization (CMP) are critical operations to semiconductor manufacturing and are ubiquitous across many different facilities.
As a result of these processes numerous waste streams are generated that contain elevated levels of acid, hydrogen peroxide, and/or copper. While effective, these processes generate waste streams that are challenging to treat. Traditional wastewater treatment approaches frequently result in resource loss and generate secondary waste streams, limiting circularity opportunities. This presentation will explore how smart manufacturing strategies and point-source waste treatment can enhance sustainability by enabling the recovery of high-purity copper from wastewater and the destruction of peroxides in piranha acid and other etching/cleaning solutions to facilitate acid reuse or upcycling. Recent advancements in electrochemical and catalytic systems present an opportunity to selectively recover copper and acid from wastewater streams while minimizing reagent use and energy consumption. This session will highlight innovative electrochemical approaches that efficiently recover copper in a form suitable for reuse in semiconductor manufacturing or other industrial applications as well as redox-active catalyst media capable of removing hydrogen peroxide from Piranha acid yielding high quality sulfuric acid. Additionally, by integrating real-time process monitoring and control, smart manufacturing solutions can optimize recovery efficiency, reduce treatment costs, and lower the environmental footprint of semiconductor fabrication facilities. Closed-loop copper recovery systems can reduce reliance on virgin raw materials, improving supply chain resilience and reducing scope 3 emissions associated with metal extraction and refining.
In parallel, acid reuse presents another significant opportunity for improving circularity in semiconductor manufacturing. Piranha acid and other etching solutions are commonly discarded after a single use, contributing to hazardous waste generation. The key challenge in acid reuse is the safe and efficient destruction of residual hydrogen peroxide. This presentation will discuss novel catalytic methods for peroxide removal that maintain acid integrity, allowing for its reuse in various processes and industries.
By leveraging smart manufacturing principles—data-driven optimization, advanced process control, and circular economy strategies, semiconductor manufacturers can significantly reduce their environmental impact while enhancing resource efficiency. This presentation will provide practical insights and case studies demonstrating how these innovations can be implemented at scale to accelerate sustainability in semiconductor fabrication.
