• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.423-426
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• 2006

A developed neutron activation analysis(NAA) and gamma-spectrometry were applied to improve the analytical sensitivity and precision of impurities in electronic-circuit raw materials. It is well known that soft errors in high precision electronic circuits can be induced by alpha particles emitted from naturally occurring radioactive impurities such as U and Th. As electronic circuits have recently become smaller in dimension and higher in density, these alpha-particle emitting radioactive impurities must be strictly controlled. Therefore, new NAA methods have been established using a HTS(Hydraulic Transfer System) irradiation facility and a background reduction method. For eliminating or stabilizing fluctuated background caused by Rn-222 and its progeny nuclides in air, a nitrogen purging system is used. Using the developed NAA and gamma-spectrometry, ultra trace amounts of U(0.1ng/g) and Th(0.01ng/g) in an alumina ball and high purity silica used for an epoxy molding compound (EMC) could be determined.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.5-12
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• 2005

It has been established that soft error of high precision electronic circuits can be induced by alpha particles emitted from the naturally occurring radioactive impurities such as U, and Th. As the electronic circuits have recently become lower dimension and higher density, these alpha-particle emitting radioactive impurities have to be strictly controlled. The aim of this study is to develop of NAA (Neutron Activation Analysis) and gamma-spectrometry to improve the analytical sensitivity and precision of U and Th. A new NAA method has been established using the HTS (Hydrulic transfer system) irradiation facility which has been used to produce radioisotopes for industries and medicines instead of the PTS (pneumatic transfer system) irradiation facility which has been used in general NAA. When the ultratrace impurities have to be analyzed by NAA, background gamma-ray spectra induced from $^{222}Rn$ and its progenies in air is serious problem. This unstable background has been eliminated or stabilized by the use of a nitrogen purging system. Ultra trace amounts of U (0.1 ng/g) and Th (0.01 ng/g) in high purity silica used for EMC could be analyzed by the use of HTS-NAA and low background gamma-spectrometry.