Researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE, Baden-Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University Mannheim (DHBW), and centrotherm clean solutions GmbH have pioneered an innovative method for recycling hydrogen in Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) processes. This project, led by Ralf Sorgenfrei and his team, aims to reduce operational costs and mitigate the environmental impact of hydrogen usage in the semiconductor and photovoltaic industries.
Project Summary
The research focuses on integrating an electrochemical hydrogen compression (EHC) system into atmospheric pressure CVD (APCVD) environments for Silicon Carbide (SiC) growth. The waste gas from CVD and epitaxy plants, which largely consists of hydrogen, is typically vented into the atmosphere, contributing to significant greenhouse gas emissions. By recycling this hydrogen, the team aims to reduce both operational costs and the environmental footprint.
Key highlights of the project include:
- Hydrogen Recycling: The EHC system demonstrated stable hydrogen recycling rates exceeding 50%, achieving high purity levels suitable for reuse in CVD processes.
- Experimental Success: SiC films grown with recycled hydrogen were analysed and found to maintain high-quality standards, indicating no significant impurities introduced through the recycling process.
- Scalability and Integration: The EHC system was also successfully tested in an industrial-scale Metal-Organic Vapor Phase Epitaxy (MOVPE) reactor, showcasing its scalability and potential for broader industrial application.
Research Findings
The team successfully integrated the EHC system into their APCVD lab setup, demonstrating over 50% recycling rates of hydrogen with high purity suitable for reuse. The recycled hydrogen was monitored using a Hiden HPR-20 R&D system, ensuring minimal impurity levels.
SEM and TOF-SIMS analyses confirmed that the recycled hydrogen did not introduce additional impurities into the SiC films. Furthermore, the integration of the EHC system into an MOVPE reactor indicated promising results, with stable recycling rates achieved even under industrial conditions.
Future Directions
Moving forward, the team plans to optimize the EHC system for even higher recycling rates and to further verify the removal of dopant gases to ensure the recycled hydrogen meets the stringent purity requirements for semiconductor applications. Additionally, the potential use of recycled hydrogen in other sectors, such as fuel-cell vehicles, presents an exciting opportunity for further reducing the environmental impact of hydrogen usage.
This research represents a significant step towards sustainable hydrogen usage in the semiconductor industry, aligning with global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and achieve net-zero goals.
For more information on this groundbreaking research, please contact:
Kai Tornow,
Academic Staff Member, Elektromobilität
Außenstelle Eppelheim, Handelsstraße 13, 69214 Eppelheim, Raum 2.04
Phone: +49 621 4105 – 1055
Email:
This project was supported by the German Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action under the project EH2C, grant number 03EI3038B.
For the full research paper, visit Hydrogen Recycling in CVD Processes.
Learn more about the Hiden HPR-20 R&D system.
