| HS Code | 527076 |
| Product Name | Edge Bead Remover Electronic/EL Grade |
| Chemical Type | Proprietary solvent blend |
| Grade | Electronic/EL Grade |
| Appearance | Clear colorless liquid |
| Purity | 99.9% |
| Boiling Point | 150-180 °C |
| Flash Point | Greater than 60 °C |
| Specific Gravity | 0.85-1.00 at 25 °C |
| Water Content | Less than 100 ppm |
| Residue After Evaporation | Less than 10 ppm |
| Metal Ion Content | Less than 1 ppb |
| Solubility | Miscible with common organic solvents |
As an accredited Edge Bead Remover Electronic/EL Grade factory, we enforce strict quality protocols—every batch undergoes rigorous testing to ensure consistent efficacy and safety standards.
| Packing | Packaged in a 1-gallon HDPE bottle, this Electronic/EL Grade edge bead remover ensures ultrapure, contamination-free solvent delivery for wafer processing. |
| Container Loading (20′ FCL) | 20′ FCL: securely palletized, compatible drums loaded in ventilated container, properly blocked/braced, segregated from hazards per transport regulations. |
| Shipping | This solvent ships ground only due to flammability and regulatory restrictions. It is packaged in tightly sealed containers, properly labeled, and cushioned to prevent leakage. Delivery typically takes 2–5 business days within the U.S. Signature may be required. Cannot ship by air or internationally without special hazardous materials approval. |
| Storage | Store Edge Bead Remover (Electronic/EL Grade) in a tightly sealed, original container in a cool, dry, well‑ventilated area. Keep away from heat, sparks, open flames, and incompatible oxidizers. Protect from moisture and direct sunlight. Ensure container is grounded during handling. Follow semiconductor-grade purity practices to prevent contamination. |
| Shelf Life | Shelf life is typically 12 months from manufacture date when stored unopened in original container at controlled room temperature. |
In front-end 300 mm logic and memory fabrication, edge bead removal is executed immediately after spin coating a chemically amplified positive-tone resist on a coater/developer track. The electronic/EL-grade EBR is dispensed at the wafer edge through a dedicated rinse nozzle; over-dispense cannot be compensated downstream because solvent runoff onto the backside carries dissolved resist solids into the hot-plate exhaust and wafer-handling pins. Sodium, potassium, calcium, and iron are controlled below 5 ppb each by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, and chloride is controlled below 1 ppm by ion chromatography per ISO 10304-1:2007. Safety and compliance documentation is maintained under Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 Annex II, and the product is assessed against RoHS Directive 2011/65/EU Annex II restrictions for homogeneous materials. The electronic/EL specification does not end at cation purity: particle counts are monitored at or below 10 particles/mL at 0.2 µm, and water content is capped at 0.1 wt% to avoid resist swelling at the bevel.
The dispense ratio is 100% as-supplied; no PGMEA or ethyl lactate dilution is used because water uptake in diluted mixtures changes the evaporation rate and creates a drying mark at the bevel. Process equipment for 300 mm wafers typically specifies an edge bead removal volume of 0.8 mL to 2.5 mL per wafer, edge exclusion distances of 0.5 mm, 1.0 mm, or 2.0 mm, and a spin speed of 700 min−1 to 1,200 min−1 during the rinse. The dispense nozzle is positioned 1.0 mm to 3.0 mm inside the edge and angled at 15° to 30° from the substrate normal to prevent aerosol rebound; exhaust air flow over the coater bowl is maintained at 0.3 m/s to 0.6 m/s to remove solvent vapor before it re-condenses on the film edge. After edge bead removal, the wafer passes through soft bake at 90 °C to 130 °C, 193 nm immersion exposure, post-exposure bake, and development with 2.38 wt% tetramethylammonium hydroxide. The final products are system-on-chip logic devices, DRAM, and 3D NAND. The operational boundary is exposed resist contraction at the edge: EBR with water content above 0.1 wt% should not be introduced into the coat/develop track, and the EBR exhaust must be isolated from HMDS vapor primer lines to prevent ammonium chloride particulate formation.
Redistribution layer patterning for fan-out wafer-level packaging requires edge bead removal that dissolves novolak films of 5 µm to 30 µm without lifting the copper seed or polyimide buffer layer. The electronic/EL-grade formulation is qualified at the packaging site by stripping a 300 mm reconfigured wafer with a copper seed layer and measuring residual chloride by ion chromatography below 1 ppm; chloride-driven cupric corrosion at the RDL line edge is the controlling reliability failure. Compliance records follow Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 Annex II, RoHS Directive 2011/65/EU Annex II, and SEMI S2-0818 for equipment chemical safety during dispense. For fine-line RDL layers, the addition ratio is EBR:PGMEA 1:0.5 to 1:1.0 by volume; diluent addition lowers dispense viscosity for nozzles with orifice diameters of 0.3 mm to 0.5 mm. Ratios above 1:1.0 are not used because the drying front at the edge exclusion zone becomes irregular and can leave a partially dissolved resist transition that shifts critical dimension uniformity at the outermost die.
| EBR:PGMEA volume ratio | Post-soft-bake resist thickness | Edge exclusion width | Terminal process fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1:0.0 | 3 µm–10 µm | 1.0 mm | Fine-line RDL |
| 1:0.5 | 10 µm–20 µm | 2.0 mm | Multi-layer RDL on 300 mm |
| 1:1.0 | 20 µm–40 µm | 3.0 mm | Copper pillar bump and thick dielectric |
After edge bead removal, the panel is soft baked at 110 °C to 140 °C, exposed on a 2× stepper or a full-field mask aligner, post-exposure baked, and developed by spray or puddle development with 2.38 wt% TMAH. Edge bead residue that survives development blocks copper electroplating or creates undercutting at RDL line ends; on actual manufacturing lines, the defect signature is a crescent-shaped copper void at the wafer circumference. The terminal finished products are fan-out wafer-level packages, wafer-level chip-scale packages, and flip-chip bumped dies. The EBR is incompatible with aqueous-dispersed negative-tone resists; prolonged contact beyond 45 s on unprotected polybenzoxazole passivation causes surface whitening and must be avoided.
On Gen 8.5 and Gen 10.5 thin-film transistor lines, edge bead removal follows slit coating or spin coating of positive-tone photoresist on glass substrates. The electronic/EL-grade EBR for this application is controlled for halogen content because chloride or fluoride residues migrate along the glass edge during wet etch and corrode molybdenum or aluminum data lines. Analysis by ion chromatography per ISO 10304-1:2007 is set at 10 ppm chloride and 10 ppm fluoride maximum, with metal impurities by ICP-MS below 100 ppb for copper and iron. Compliance documentation follows Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 Annex II for safety data sheet content, and solvent-bearing waste is managed under EU Directive 2008/98/EC. The formulation is used at an addition ratio of EBR:PGMEA 1:0.2 to 1:0.5 by volume for thin slit-coated resist layers, corresponding to a neat EBR fraction of 66.7 vol% to 83.3 vol%; neat EBR at 100 vol% is reserved for thick spin-coated layers where edge accumulation exceeds 10 µm. After edge bead removal, the panel is vacuum baked, exposed on a 4 µm to 6 µm resolution mask aligner or stepper, developed with TMAH, and transferred to wet or dry etch for indium gallium zinc oxide. The terminal products are liquid crystal display TFT backplanes, OLED TFT backplanes, and integrated touch sensor arrays. Edge bead residue at the glass perimeter is especially monitored because detached resist flakes during dry etch can re-deposit as gate-to-source shorting defects across the panel edge.
Photomask blanks of 6025 quartz, measuring 152 mm × 152 mm × 6.35 mm, receive edge bead removal after spin coating a positive-tone e-beam resist. The EBR must remove the resist bead without leaving nonvolatile residue that will disturb the chrome etch. Nonvolatile matter is specified below 5 ppm per ASTM D1353-13, and the certificate of analysis is issued under an ISO 17025:2017 accredited laboratory. RoHS and REACH documentation is maintained for shipment, but the direct technical compliance issue on the mask line is chromium surface protection: EBR with more than 50 vol% ethyl 3-ethoxypropionate triggers chrome pitting when moisture is present in the spin coater exhaust. The addition ratio for the edge rinse is EBR:EEP 1:0.3 to 1:0.7 by volume for thick e-beam resists, while 100% EBR is used for thin charge-dissipating top coats. After edge bead removal, the plate is soft baked at 150 °C to 180 °C, written on a 50 kV e-beam write tool, developed, and chrome etched. The terminal product is a DUV or EUV photomask blank and patterned photomask. Published data for EBR interaction with molybdenum silicide EUV absorber layers is limited; mask shops therefore re-qualify EBR residue after pellicle mounting for each batch.
Gallium arsenide pHEMT and gallium nitride HEMT wafer processing employs edge bead removal after spinning bi-layer lift-off resist stacks of 1 µm to 4 µm. The electronic/EL-grade EBR is selected for low gold, copper, and iron impurities, all below 10 ppb by ICP-MS, to prevent mobile metal contamination on semi-insulating substrates. Compliance documentation is maintained under Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 Annex II; equipment chemical handling follows SEMI S2-0818. The addition ratio is 100% EBR for standard edge bead removal on 100 mm and 150 mm wafers. If the edge bead is thickened by high-viscosity spin coating, cyclohexanone is added at 5 vol% to 10 vol%; above 10 vol%, the blend attacks the adhesion promoter and causes lift-off resist peeling at the wafer edge. After edge bead removal, the wafer proceeds to contact aligner or stepper exposure, post-exposure bake, development, e-beam metal evaporation, and lift-off. Edge bead removal prevents photoresist particle detachment during metal evaporation, which is critical because particulate contamination in the e-beam evaporator crucible changes deposition uniformity. The terminal products are RF power amplifiers, low-noise amplifiers, and GaN high-electron-mobility transistors for base station and radar applications.
In SU-8-based micromolding and electroplating processes for microelectromechanical systems, edge bead removal is executed immediately after spin coating a chemically amplified negative-tone thick resist of 20 µm to 200 µm. The electronic/EL-grade EBR must be low in metals and particulate matter because residual edge bead fragments that detach during development can clog microchannels or seed non-uniform nickel electroplating. The cleanroom compatibility level is ISO 14644-1:2015 Class 5 for open chemical handling; waste management follows EU Directive 2008/98/EC for solvent-bearing process waste, and safety documentation follows Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 Annex II. The addition ratio is 100% EBR without dilution; adding PGMEA lowers evaporation rate and promotes undercutting at the edge of thick SU-8 films. On 100 mm wafers, dispense volume is up to 5 mL per wafer with an edge exclusion of 3 mm to 8 mm and a spin speed of 300 min−1 to 800 min−1. After edge bead removal, the wafer undergoes a two-step soft bake at 65 °C and 95 °C, 365 nm i-line exposure on a UV mask aligner, post-exposure bake, and PGMEA development. The terminal products are MEMS accelerometers, microfluidic manifolds, and inkjet nozzle plates. Edge bead removal failure in this process is not observed as a visual residue but as downstream scanner motion failure caused by detached particles lodging in comb-drive gaps.
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Edge Bead Remover Electronic/EL Grade is supplied as a high-purity solvent formulation for wafer-edge bead removal, backside rinsing, and coater cup maintenance in semiconductor photolithography. The product is manufactured under two model designations: EBR EL-PGMEA, based on propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate (PGMEA, 1-methoxy-2-propyl acetate), and EBR EL-70/30, a PGMEA/PGME co-solvent blend with a nominal 70:30 mass ratio. The EL designation identifies electronic-grade lot release controls, not a separate solvent chemistry. Packaging is performed in cleaned fluoropolymer or glass containers under cleanroom conditions, with wetted surfaces limited to PTFE, PFA, and 316L stainless steel.
The product is dispensed after resist coating and before soft bake to dissolve the resist edge bead that forms at the wafer periphery. It also removes backside resist overspray and prevents dried photoresist accumulation in the coater drain path. It is not a bulk resist stripper and is not intended for full-wafer film removal after post-exposure bake.
On production coater/developer tracks, dispense is performed from a pressurized canister or pump loop through a PTFE membrane filter with retention rating between 0.05 µm and 0.1 µm. The edge-bead-removal nozzle is positioned before the film dries. Process recipes recorded on 300 mm lines frequently use dispense volumes of 0.3 mL to 2.5 mL per pass at spin speeds from 800 rpm to 1,800 rpm. Backside rinse volumes of 2 mL to 5 mL are applied at 600 rpm to 1,200 rpm. Edge nozzle offset from the wafer edge is normally controlled within 1.0 mm to 3.0 mm. Smaller offsets increase re-deposition risk of dissolved resist, while larger offsets leave residual edge bead.
Equipment-specific process windows are sensitive to resist solids loading, spin-bowl exhaust balance, and wafer edge exclusion. In edge-bead removal, incomplete dissolution produces post-bake edge lift-off; excessive solvent penetration into the active die area changes edge exclusion and may generate critical-dimension variation at the wafer rim. On coater tracks with closed-loop solvent reclaim, the EBR stream is kept separate from aqueous developer drain streams because PGMEA-water mixtures can phase separate and form a floating flammable layer in waste collection.
On copper-interconnect and aluminum line tracks, backside contamination control is as critical as edge bead removal. EL-grade EBR is applied to the backside edge annulus to remove resist overspray that would otherwise transfer metallic contamination into etch or ion-implant chambers. The solvent is also used as nozzle idle purge and edge dispense nozzle cleaning fluid. In this mode, exposure to hot exhaust plenum air increases evaporation, and the resulting solvent vapor load must be accounted for in downflow balancing and cup exhaust design.
Lot release for EL-grade EBR is defined by trace-metal, moisture, and particulate thresholds. Vendor certificates of analysis for EBR EL-PGMEA typically report PGMEA assay at 99.5% minimum and water at 500 ppm maximum by coulometric Karl Fischer titration. EBR EL-70/30 is controlled by component mass ratio, with PGMEA content in the 68.0% to 72.0% range and PGME content in the 28.0% to 32.0% range. Acidity as acetic acid is commonly specified at 50 ppm maximum. Trace metal limits for sodium, potassium, iron, aluminum, chromium, copper, nickel, and lead are individually specified at 5 ppb maximum, with total aggregate metals not exceeding 25 ppb. Chloride and sulfate are limited to 200 ppb or below by ion chromatography. Particle counts are taken with laser particle counters calibrated to ISO 21501-1; container certificates commonly state fewer than 20 particles/mL at 0.5 µm and fewer than 100 particles/mL at 0.2 µm.
| Parameter | EBR EL-PGMEA | EBR EL-70/30 | Test method |
|---|---|---|---|
| PGMEA assay | ≥ 99.5% | 68.0–72.0% | GC-FID with internal standard |
| PGME assay | ≤ 0.5% | 28.0–32.0% | GC-FID with internal standard |
| Water | ≤ 500 ppm | ≤ 500 ppm | Coulometric Karl Fischer |
| Acidity as acetic acid | ≤ 50 ppm | ≤ 50 ppm | Non-aqueous titration |
| Total trace metals | ≤ 25 ppb | ≤ 25 ppb | ICP-MS after evaporation |
| Individual trace metals | ≤ 5 ppb each | ≤ 5 ppb each | ICP-MS |
| Chloride and sulfate | ≤ 200 ppb | ≤ 200 ppb | Ion chromatography |
| Particles ≥ 0.5 µm | ≤ 20/mL | ≤ 20/mL | Laser particle counter, ISO 21501-1 |
| Particles ≥ 0.2 µm | ≤ 100/mL | ≤ 100/mL | Laser particle counter, ISO 21501-1 |
These thresholds are not universal. Individual wafer fabs may apply tighter metal limits for gate-oxide, silicide, or contact-level lithographies. Published lot release data for every custom configuration is limited, but EL-grade EBR is typically qualified against user-specific unpatterned monitor wafer defect density, often using VPD-ICP-MS with detection limits below 1010 atoms/cm² for mobile metals.
At mid-summer ambient conditions where cleanroom relative humidity exceeds 55% RH, open reservoirs are discouraged because PGMEA and PGME are hygroscopic enough to increase water content over an extended shift. Closed canister storage under dry nitrogen maintains the 500 ppm water limit. The product should be segregated from oxidizing acids, peroxides, and chlorine-based oxidizers. Strong alkalis may hydrolyze the acetate ester in PGMEA-rich mixtures.
PGMEA-based EBR has a closed-cup flash point reported near 42°C to 46°C by ASTM D56. The PGME-containing blend is treated as a Class I flammable liquid under NFPA 30 because the flash point can be lower. Vapor pressure at 20°C for PGMEA is approximately 3.7 hPa, with higher values at elevated cup temperatures. Engineering controls should maintain exhaust vapor concentrations below 10% of the lower flammability limit. Consult the safety data sheet for the specific EBR variant, because published lower flammability limit values for PGMEA-containing blends vary with temperature and test method.
Drain lines carrying EBR should be sloped and nitrogen blow-down is used where liquid pooling is possible. Waste containers are grounded and bonded. The product exhibits low electrical conductivity, and static accumulation during transfer is controlled through conductive or grounded lines and fittings. Seal compatibility favors fluoropolymers; EPDM and Buna-N elastomers can swell in PGMEA-rich streams and should not be used in continuous contact applications.
The primary difference from technical-grade PGMEA is trace-metal and particle burden, not solvency. Technical-grade PGMEA may show water above 1,000 ppm and total trace metals above 1 ppm. EL-grade acceptance reduces these values by more than an order of magnitude. That difference is significant in front-end-of-line gate-oxide and contact modules where sodium and potassium contamination can shift flatband voltage or degrade breakdown integrity. The EL-grade also provides batch-to-batch solvent ratio control for EBR EL-70/30, which is not available with unbounded technical solvent mixtures.
| Attribute | EBR EL-PGMEA | Technical-grade PGMEA | Non-electronic EBR solvent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total trace metals | ≤ 25 ppb | 0.5–5 ppm typical | Not controlled; may exceed 10 ppm |
| Water | ≤ 500 ppm | 500–2,000 ppm | Not controlled |
| Particles ≥ 0.5 µm | ≤ 20/mL | Not specified | Not specified |
| Lot-to-lot solvent ratio | Controlled | Single component; assay variable | Ratio may vary |
| Container cleaning | Cleanroom, fluoropolymer or glass | Industrial steel or plastic | Industrial |
Non-electronic edge-bead-remover formulations may contain dyes, surfactants, or additives for visual inspection and wetting enhancement. Edge Bead Remover Electronic/EL Grade contains no added surfactant, chelating agent, or dye. It is also distinct from NMP-based rework solvents and from formulated photoresist strippers that target bulk film removal after hard bake. Waste segregation from spent amine-containing stripper streams is recommended because compatibility data for mixed waste streams of PGMEA/PGME and alkaline stripper formulations are limited.
