Reducing Water Footprints: Soitec's Breakthrough in Semiconductor Water Recycling
Jong-Aik Goh
Vice President - Global Sourcing & Procurement Managing Director Singapore
Soitec
Could you share how Soitec developed a water recycling system for semiconductor wafer cleaning at?
Soitec, a major player in the semiconductor industry in France and in Singapore, has embarked on an ambitious program to reduce water consumption. The company has developed a unique water recycling system that considerably reduces water consumption and environmental impact.
Semiconductor manufacturing is a waterintensive process. Water is used to clean wafers, cool equipments and other key stages in the production process. Faced with the increasing scarcity of water resources and growing environmental challenges, Soitec has made reducing its water consumption a priority.
Could you provide insights into the technology and processes involved in Soitec’s water recycling innovation?
Soitec has developed a unique water recycling system that enables it to reuse 35% of the waste water at its french factory. The system, developed in-house in collaboration with Ovivo Water, uses a battery of sensors and a real-time monitoring system to control the chemical composition of the water leaving the rinsing machines. Water that still meets production quality criteria is then treated and re-injected into the rinsing circuit.
Thanks to this innovative system, Soitec has already reduced its water consumption per wafer by 30% between 2021 and 2023. The company is aiming for a further 30% reduction by 2030.
Soitec has no intention of stopping there. The company intends to deploy its water recycling system on its other plants in Singapore. It also wants to share its innovation with other manufacturers to contribute to a more sustainable use of water in the semiconductor industry.
Soitec's initiative is a concrete example of how companies can reduce their environmental impact by adopting innovative solutions. Its commitment to more sustainable water consumption is a model for others in the semiconductor industry and beyond. Thanks to this innovative new solution, Soitec was able to launch production at the Bernin 4 plant in France without increasing our water consumption.
How does the company plan to expand this system to other sites, such as the Singapore facility?
In Singapore, several actions are on going, including what Bernin did and some new ideas, to achieve 50% of water reuse by the end of this fiscal year (March 31 2025).
