ABSTRACT
Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (NTA) is a first-principles method that characterizes micro-to-nanometer scale particles by recording the Brownian motion of individual light-scattering centers. By applying the Stokes-Einstein equation to observable particle displacement, NTA determines high-resolution hydrodynamic size distributions and precise number concentrations. This single-particle tracking approach is uniquely suited for monitoring contamination in ultra-pure water (UPW) and post-CMP cleaning solutions, where detecting low-concentration outliers is critical for process control.
This session demonstrates the performance of the ViewSizer 3000, which utilizes a patented three-laser multispectral system to accurately resolve wide-ranging (polydisperse) samples from 10 nm to 15 μm. Results are validated using newly developed NTA standards, confirming simultaneous accuracy for both particle size and absolute concentration.
BIOGRAPHY
At HORIBA Instruments Inc., Applications Manager Tim Holt specializes in the monitoring and analysis of semiconductor wet processes. Prior to joining HORIBA in 2019, Tim spent three decades as a formulation chemist, developing specialty chemicals including photoresists, CMP slurries, and clean/etch products.