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There have been a huge number of changes to the chemicals used in photolithography over time, specifically the photoresists.

• iancmceachern 4y ago
  Yeah but lots of the super terrible stuff is in the surface prep and etching chemicals. All those crazy acids and bases that eat through everything, are highly toxic, and deadly in tiny quantities. https://www.prevor.com/en/chemical-risks-in-semiconductors-industry/ https://www.prevor.com/en/chemical-risks-in-semiconductors-i...
  • nickff 4y ago
    My understanding is that photoresists are actually some of the most toxic chemicals in the process, and their heating/irradiation makes them especially dangerous. https://en.hesperian.org/hhg/Workers%27_Guide_to_Health_and_Safety:Making_the_chip_on_the_wafer https://en.hesperian.org/hhg/Workers%27_Guide_to_Health_and_...
    • iancmceachern 4y ago
      The context of my comment was in response to the parent saying they've phased out/changed many of the worst stuff in the photo resist side and so I said there is still pretty bad stuff on the etch side and then you commented that there are worse chemicals on the photo resist side. We're in a weird circular argument. Point is - there are lots of bad chemicals used in semiconductor manufacturing, even today.
      • MichaelZuo 4y ago
        This is exactly why the cost basis for fabs in the US got less and less competitive over time compared to countries with laxer regulation.
        • iancmceachern 4y ago
          Same thing for mining