January/February 2012
Gas Analysis Made Easy: Plug and Play Tunable Diode Lasers
How probe-style TDLs can eliminate many of the problems of utilizing cross-stack technology.
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January/February 2012
Proper Sizing of Piping in Compressed Gas Systems
An examination of how difference in pipe sizes effect flow and pressure parameters important to your application
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January/February 2012
The Benefits of Establishing a True Thermal Conductivity Measurement for a Sample Gas
While katharometers have been traditionally used to measure thermal conductivity and thermal mass, there are several potential errors that could arise using this technology, resulting in not obtaining a valid reading.
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January/February 2012
The Precise Control of Gas Purity and the Evolution of the SEMI, LED and PV Fabs: Part 1: Semiconductor State-of-the-Art
The methodology of contamination control used in the semiconductor industry can be implemented to increase yield and reliability in both the PV and LED industries.
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January/February 2012
Flammable Gas Explosion Hazards: What Should One Know?
Because of the ubiquitous use of gases in numerous manufacturing processes, many of which are flammable, users must be aware of the conditions that could cause ignition.
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January/February 2012
Editorial: Crystal Defects Can be Deadly
Crystallography is a fascinating subject and directly relevant to gases applications, especially with regards to stainless steel.
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Summary of the third F51 Standards TaskForce meeting for determining O-ring and seal standards.
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SEMI Photovoltaic Chemicals Standardization Update
Kevin Nguyen, SEMI Standards
Photovoltaic (PV) Gases and Liquid Chemical Purity Standards Task Force members met during the SEMI’s October Fall Standards Meetings in San Jose where they were able to advance two more balloted documents through the PV Materials Committee. Those were:

• Doc. 5157A Specifications for Sulfuric Acid, Used In Photovoltaic Applications
• Doc. 5095A Specifications for 2-Propanol, Used In Photovoltaic Applications

Additionally, the following documents, which were adjudicated during the July 2011 InterSolar America session, have been published:

• Doc. 4793A Specifications for Hydrochloric Acid, Used In Photovoltaic Applications , published as PV20-1011
• Doc. 4797A Guide For Silane (SiH4), Used In Photovoltaic Applications, published as PV21-1011
• Doc. 5033A Guide For Ammonia (NH3) In Cylinders, Used In Photovoltaic Applications, published as PV24-1011
• Doc. 5096 Specifications for Hydrogen Selenide (H2Se), Used In Photovoltaic Applications, published as PV26-1011
• Doc. 5098 Specifications for Ammonium Hydroxide (NH4OH), Used In Photovoltaic Applications, published as PV27-1011

The Task Force has the remaining three documents to ballot, which are currently being worked during our monthly phone calls:

• Doc. 5156 Specifications for Hydrogen Peroxide, Used In Photovoltaic Applications
• Doc. 5241 Specifications for Potassium Hydroxide (KOH), 45% Solution, Used In Photovoltaic Applications
• Doc 5242 Specifications for Fluorine (F2), Used In Photovoltaic Applications

Two other items are noteworthy for this edition. Those are Albany’s DOE-SEMATECH effort has indicated that more gases specific for thin–film production might be coming to our Gases Task Force and, secondly, a spin off group, led by a major supplier, has indicated a desire to rework the existing semiconductor Silane document to reflect advantageous changes realized during our work with the PV Silane document PV21-1011.

If you have any questions about participation or would like to join our task force please contact either Kevin Nguyen at knguyen@semi.org, Suhas Ketkar at ketkarsn@airproducts.com, Tom Hackett at thackett@kgmchemicals.com or Marty Burkhart at martyburkhart@hipuretech.com.

For more information on PV Standards activities at SEMI, please visit: www.pvgroup.org/standards or www.semi.org/standards

Enhanced Process Safety During Centrifuge Inertization (Mettler-Toledo)
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Hazardous Air Pollution – Calibration Gases (Airgas)
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PITTCON
March 11-15
Orange County Convention Center
Orlando, Florida USA
www.pittcon.org