Japanese recycling process for ruthenium precursors

Japan – Japan’s Tokyo Electron and Tanaka Kikinzoku Kogyo have developed a recycling process for ruthenium precursors (CVD-ruthenium material) used in next-generation semiconductor miniaturisation technology.

Previously consigned to disposal, these valuable resources can now be collected, refined and reused without returning to ruthenium metal. A major producer of semiconductors in Japan, Tokyo Electron has originated a recovery system which collects the residue in CVD-ruthenium precursor that did not deposit on to wafer. And Tanaka Kikinzoku Kogyo, Japan’s leading recycler and trader in precious metals, developed a method to refine and reuse the collected precursors. The process will save almost 20% of the cost of the precursors and significantly lower the overall environmental impact of the CVD-ruthenium process. Produced primarily in South Africa, ruthenium is found in platinum ore in proportions of around 10-20%. Annual output of ruthenium worldwide is approximately 30 tons while reserves are estimated at nearly 6000 tons.

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