Green and Sustainable Microelectronics

Fraunhofer IPMS supports the transition towards sustainable microelectronics by developing and evaluating materials, process technologies, and manufacturing solutions for the semiconductor industry. Our activities focus on reducing process-related emissions, replacing hazardous process chemicals, and improving resource efficiency across semiconductor manufacturing. We combine materials research, process development, and fab-relevant evaluation to address environmental requirements while maintaining process stability, yield, and device performance.

Our research and development activities address key challenges in semiconductor manufacturing:

• Process emissions and F-GHG abatement: Evaluating emission sources, abatement technologies, and process solutions to reduce fluorinated greenhouse gas emissions and other process-related emissions.
• Chemical substitution and safer process chemistry: Developing and assessing alternatives to PFAS, CMR substances, and other critical process chemicals.
• Low-GWP thermal management: Evaluating alternative heat transfer fluids, chiller systems, and retrofit concepts to reduce climate impact while ensuring reliable equipment operation.
• Fab resource efficiency: Improving energy and water consumption in cleanroom environments, production utilities, and process equipment.
• Circular wet chemistry: Investigating chemical recovery, purification, and reuse strategies to reduce material consumption and process wast
• Environmental performance assessment: Generating reliable carbon footprint data and technical evidence to support customer requirements, audits, and sustainability reporting.

Our research includes the development of green CMP slurries, water-based wafer cleaning solutions, and NMP-free lithography processes. In parallel, we develop low-power, resource-efficient, and recyclable electronic devices and sensor platforms that contribute to circular electronics.

1. Process Emissions Monitoring & Abatement

Evaluation of process gas emissions, abatement systems, and emission reduction concepts to assess greenhouse gas reduction potential and support more sustainable semiconductor manufacturing.

2. PFAS, CMR & Safer Chemistry Qualification

Screening, testing, and qualification of alternative process chemicals, materials, and process routes. Assessment of chemical performance and process compatibility under fab-relevant conditions.

3. Low-GWP Thermal Management & Chiller Qualification

Evaluation of alternative heat transfer fluids, chiller systems, and retrofit concepts to reduce global warming potential while maintaining thermal performance and reliable tool operation.

4. Circular Wet Chemistry & Electronic-Grade Reuse

Investigation of chemical recovery, purification, and reuse strategies. Evaluation of recycled process chemicals against the purity and quality requirements of semiconductor manufacturing.

5. Energy, Water & Cleanroom Efficiency

Identification of efficiency improvements in cleanroom infrastructure, production utilities, and process media systems to reduce energy and water consumption while maintaining stable manufacturing conditions.

6. Semiconductor Carbon Data & Sustainability Evidence

Generation of reliable technical and environmental data for product carbon footprint assessments, customer requirements, supplier evaluations, audits, and sustainability reporting.

Our Green ICT activities address the sustainability and qualification requirements of different stakeholders across the semiconductor value chain:

1. Semiconductor equipment and tool manufacturers

Validate sustainable technologies, assess equipment performance, and strengthen the technical basis for product development and customer value propositions.

2. Chemical and material suppliers

Screen and qualify alternative substances, process chemicals, and materials while generating technical evidence for safer, lower-impact solutions.

3. Semiconductor fabs and integrated device manufacturers (IDMs)

Identify opportunities to reduce the environmental footprint of manufacturing, mitigate process and supply-chain risks, and address customer and regulatory requirements.

4. Electronics brands and supply-chain partners

Access reliable technical and environmental data to substantiate ESG targets, product carbon footprints, and sustainability requirements across the supply chain.

By combining semiconductor process expertise, an industry-relevant fab environment, and independent technology evaluation, Fraunhofer IPMS helps industry partners assess sustainable alternatives, reduce environmental impacts, and advance more resource-efficient semiconductor manufacturing.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widely used in semiconductor manufacturing due to their chemical stability and specific surface properties. However, their environmental persistence and potential health risks are driving the need for alternative materials and manufacturing processes.

Fraunhofer IPMS investigates approaches to reduce and replace PFAS in microelectronics production. Our work focuses on evaluating alternative materials, developing suitable process technologies and assessing manufacturing equipment to reduce PFAS use and potential emissions while maintaining product quality and performance.

Our activities in PFAS reduction

Fraunhofer IPMS supports the development and evaluation of PFAS-reduced and PFAS-free approaches for microelectronics manufacturing through:

• Process development: Developing manufacturing processes using alternative substances to replace conventional PFAS-based materials.
• Equipment and process evaluation: Assessing production equipment and process conditions to identify and prevent potential PFAS emissions and leakage.
• Alternative material qualification: Identifying and evaluating less environmentally harmful materials while maintaining product quality and functional performance.
• Analytical characterization: Verifying material and surface properties using analytical methods, including hydrophilicity measurements.
• Long-term assessment: Evaluating the suitability, stability and potential environmental risks of alternative material classes.

VISIT Project website

Technical gases and refrigerants used in semiconductor manufacturing can have a high Global Warming Potential (GWP) and contribute significantly to industrial greenhouse gas emissions. Identifying actual emission levels and evaluating the effectiveness of exhaust gas treatment are essential steps towards more sustainable production processes.

Fraunhofer IPMS develops and evaluates measurement approaches to quantify greenhouse gas emissions from semiconductor processes. By combining precise gas consumption monitoring, exhaust gas analysis and the evaluation of abatement technologies, we help identify emission sources, assess reduction potential and improve the transparency of process-related emissions.

Our activities in greenhouse gas emission reduction

• Gas consumption monitoring: Measuring and analyzing the consumption of technical gases and refrigerants in semiconductor processes.
• Process emissions analysis: Detecting and quantifying unreacted process gases in exhaust streams using analytical measurement methods.
• Emission quantification: Assessing the proportion of process gases released into the atmosphere, consumed during processing or removed by abatement systems.
• Abatement technology qualification: Evaluating the effectiveness of exhaust gas treatment technologies for climate-relevant process gases.
• GHG data assessment: Developing reliable measurement and data collection concepts to support emissions accounting and identify reduction potential.

VISIT Project website

Wafer cleaning and photoresist removal are essential steps in semiconductor manufacturing. Conventional processes often rely on petroleum-based solvents and aggressive chemicals, creating challenges for environmental performance, occupational safety and wastewater treatment.

Fraunhofer IPMS works with industry partners to develop and evaluate more sustainable cleaning technologies based on innovative phase-fluid formulations. These water-rich cleaning solutions offer an alternative to conventional solvent-based processes, enabling the removal of photoresist layers and residues from wafer surfaces while reducing the use of critical chemicals.

Our activities in sustainable wafer cleaning

In collaboration with intelligent fluids GmbH, Fraunhofer IPMS evaluates phase-fluid-based cleaning technologies under semiconductor manufacturing conditions. Our activities include:

• Cleaning performance: Evaluating the removal of photoresist layers and residues, including applications such as metal lift-off.
• Process development: Optimizing cleaning formulations and process parameters for effective, residue-free wafer cleaning.
• 300 mm wafer evaluation: Testing cleaning technologies on industry-relevant structures using production-related wafer handling and wet processing equipment.
• Process and equipment qualification: Assessing material compatibility, cleanroom suitability, process stability and automation capability.
• Environmental assessment: Evaluating the potential to reduce CO₂ emissions, energy and water consumption, critical chemicals and wastewater treatment requirements.

VISIT Project website