Background

This study aimed to assess the possibility of benzene exposure in workers of a Korean semiconductor manufacturing company by reviewing the issued patents.

Methods

A systematic patent search was conducted with the Google “Advanced Patent Search” engine using the keywords “semiconductor” and “benzene” combined with all of the words accessed on January 24, 2016.

Results

As a result of the search, we reviewed 75 patent documents filed by a Korean semiconductor manufacturing company from 1994 to 2010. From 22 patents, we found that benzene could have been used as one of the carbon sources in chemical vapor deposition for capacitor; as diamond-like carbon for solar cell, graphene formation, or etching for transition metal thin film; and as a solvent for dielectric film, silicon oxide layer, nanomaterials, photoresist, rise for immersion lithography, electrophotography, and quantum dot ink.

Conclusion

Considering the date of patent filing, it is possible that workers in the chemical vapor deposition, immersion lithography, and graphene formation processes could be exposed to benzene from 1996 to 2010.

中文翻译：

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基于专利资源的半导体行业工人苯暴露的可能性，1990-2010

背景

本研究旨在通过审查已颁发的专利来评估一家韩国半导体制造公司的工人接触苯的可能性。

方法

使用谷歌“高级专利搜索”引擎使用关键词“半导体”和“苯”以及 2016 年 1 月 24 日访问的所有词进行了系统的专利搜索。

结果

作为检索结果，我们查阅了一家韩国半导体制造公司从 1994 年到 2010 年提交的 75 项专利文件。从 22 项专利中，我们发现苯可以用作电容器化学气相沉积的碳源之一；用作太阳能电池的类金刚石碳、石墨烯的形成或过渡金属薄膜的蚀刻；以及用作介质薄膜、氧化硅层、纳米材料、光刻胶、浸没式光刻、电子照相和量子点墨水的溶剂。

结论

考虑到专利申请日期，化学气相沉积、浸没式光刻和石墨烯形成工艺的工人有可能在 1996 年至 2010 年期间接触苯。