New Solvent Particle Counter Simplifies Hazardous Monitoring
The Chem 20 SM enables continuous 20 nm particle detection in hazardous areas without the need for nitrogen-purged enclosures.
Updated on Oct. 21, 2026 in Semiconductors
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Particle Measuring Systems has launched the Chem 20 SM, a 20 nm solvent particle counter designed for continuous, hazardous-area monitoring in semiconductor manufacturing. The device allows for real-time detection in chemistries like IPA and PGMEA without requiring traditional nitrogen-purged enclosures.
Why it matters
By eliminating the need for bulky secondary containment, this hardware reduces implementation costs and allows manufacturers to monitor contamination closer to the wafer-processing stage. It addresses the growing need for high-sensitivity detection in volatile chemical environments.
The Chem 20 SM features a 20 nm sensitivity threshold and provides continuous 24/7 monitoring. This performance is achieved through a compact inline design that complies with IECEx, ATEX, and NFPA 70 NEC Class I Division 2 safety standards.
The players
Particle Measuring Systems
A developer of contamination monitoring equipment for the semiconductor, pharmaceutical, and electronics industries.
The details
The device uses an inline optical design that monitors chemical flow directly for particulates, a method that identifies contamination in solvents like IPA (isopropyl alcohol) and PGMEA (Propylene glycol methyl ether acetate) before they reach the wafer. By integrating safety features directly into the hardware, the system removes the requirement for nitrogen-purged enclosures, which are heavy safety structures typically used to prevent solvent vapor ignition in hazardous areas.
Timeline
October 20, 2026: Particle Measuring Systems released the Chem 20 SM.
The Tech Race
This launch reflects a shift toward integrating safety compliance directly into sensor hardware rather than relying on external containment infrastructure. It follows an industry-wide trend of pushing contamination detection closer to the point of use to improve yield in advanced manufacturing nodes.
Semiconductor manufacturing facilities and chemical handling operations can now install particle monitoring in hazardous zones without needing additional nitrogen-purged infrastructure. This change simplifies facility design and enables 24/7 contamination tracking for IPA and PGMEA chemistries.
The takeaway
The Chem 20 SM demonstrates that hardware miniaturization can reduce the complexity of safety-compliant infrastructure in cleanroom environments. Engineers should monitor for similar integrated safety designs in other contamination-monitoring sensors to see if this eliminates the need for legacy nitrogen-purged systems.
Further reading
For more on the latest hardware driving production accuracy, see Semiconductors.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Environmental XPRT.
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