NICKEL-COATED FREE-STANDING SILICON CARBIDE STRUCTURE FOR SENSING FLUORO OR HALOGEN SPECIES IN SEMICONDUCTOR PROCESSING SYSTEMS, AND PROCESSES OF MAKING AND USING SAME

摘要

A (MEMS)-based gas sensor assembly (35) for detecting a fluorine-containing species in a gas containing same, e.g., an effluent of a semiconductor processing tool undergoing etch cleaning with HF, NF3, etc. Such gas sensor assembly in a preferred embodiment comprises a free-standing silicon carbide (4) support structure having a layer of a gas sensing material, preferably nickel or nickel alloy, coated thereon. Such gas sensor assembly is preferably fabricated by micro-molding techniques employing sacrificial molds (16) that are subsequently removable for forming structure layers.