Xzero has developed new technology for water treatment in nanoelectronics industry.

Background

Xzero develops a new technology for water treatment in the nanoelectronics industry. The work is conducted in co-operation with the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden, and the EU nanoelectronics research centre, imec, in Leuven.

Business case

The new technology is proven to remove sub-20 nanoparticles from Ultrapure Water better than state-of-the-art technology. As the line-width in integrated circuits gets smaller, these small nanoparticles will increase the number of discarded products in the manufacture of integrated circuits. Xzero technology will therefore improve yield rates in the nanoelectronics factories of the future.

Impact for the customer

A future nanoelectronics manufacturing factory is assumed to have annual revenues of B$ 46. Each percentage of decrease in discarded products will have an annual value of approximately M$ 460. The installed cost for Xzero equipment in future nanoelectronics factory is expected to be up to M$ 60. The investment will be extremely profitable for the customer.

Impact for Xzero

A water plant for a normal nanoelectronics factory will produce several million liters of water per day. Gross-profit for one such system can be calculated as M$ 30. Of this M$ 15 will be gross profit for Xzero’s part of the plant.

Impact for Europe

Xzero will contribute to resuscitate the once world leading European manufacture of integrated circuits.

Marketing

Xzero has a co-operation agreement with imec and NDAs with two of the largest international nanoelectronics manufacturers. These agreements will open the avenues for a successful market launch.

Present status

Xzero has developed and tested several models and pilots and a demonstration plant. Since 2018 work has begun to industrialize and commercialize the technology.