Converting wafers into semiconductor chips requires a series of complex manufacturing processes, including oxidation, photolithography, etching, deposition, ion implantation, metal wiring, electrical testing and packaging. These steps require exact technology and strict environmental control to ensure that the manufactured semiconductor chips have high performance and reliability.
Precision ceramic parts (ceramic materials manufactured through precision machining) play an irreplaceable and important role in semiconductor manufacturing equipment, covering almost all semiconductor production equipment. Ceramics are an important member of them. They have high strength, high mechanical strength, excellent wear resistance and high temperature resistance, high resistance and good electrical insulation properties, and can meet the complex performance requirements of semiconductor manufacturing under external environments such as vacuum and high temperature. They are widely used in various key components. For semiconductor manufacturing processes, a minimum value of 99.6% or higher is generally used.
Hardware in different semiconductor manufacturing
1. In the etching stage, to reduce the contamination of the wafer during plasma etching, high-purity alumina coating or alumina ceramics with strong corrosion resistance are usually used as protective materials for the etching chamber and lining.
2. In the deposition layer, advanced processes such as physical vapor deposition (PVD) and chemical vapor deposition (CVD) can make ceramics widely used in electrostatic chucks, ceramic substrates, chambers and other key components to meet the high requirements for heat resistance and stability in the deposition process.
3. In the polishing stage, chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) technology combines mechanical friction with efficient chemical corrosion, and puts forward high standards for low friction, wear and corrosion resistance for the equipment. Key components such as polishing tables, polishing plates, handling arms and vacuum suction cups are made of ceramics with excellent wear resistance to ensure the safety and durability of the polishing process.
4. In addition, ceramics are also widely used in ion implantation, oxidation diffusion, amplifiers and other equipment, and provide important support for semiconductor manufacturing with their excellent heat resistance and electrical insulation.
Product types in semiconductor equipment
In semiconductors, the uses of these parts are mainly divided into circular rings, airflow guides, load-bearing fixed types, hand-gripped gaskets, modules, etc. Mainly including mole rings, guard rings, edge rings, focusing, protective covers, grounding cards, liners, insulation cylinders, thermocouple protection tubes and other products.
(1) Mole ring: used in thin film deposition equipment to enhance gas guidance, insulation and corrosion.
(2) Protection ring: used in deposition and etching equipment to protect key module components such as electrostatic chucks and ceramic collectors.
(3) Edge ring: used in deposition and etching equipment to control filler overflow.
(4) Focusing ring: used in deposition, etching, and ion implantation equipment to gather silicon dioxide in the cavity.
(5) Protective cover: used in deposition and etching equipment to seal and adsorb process pollutants.
End point guide type
(1) Nozzle, nozzle distribution plate, etc. Used in deposition and etching equipment to guide gas flow and assist process gas distribution to be more uniform and flow rate stable.
(2) Nozzle cover plate. Used in deposition and etching equipment, nozzle installation accessories, and can adsorb process residues.
Load-bearing fixed type
(1) Wafer carrier. Used in deposition and etching equipment, wafer is an important component of electrostatic chucks and ceramic ceramics.
(2) Mold ejector. Used in various semiconductor front-end equipment to control the elevator in the wafer loading chamber.
(3) Bearing spindle. Used in deposition and etching equipment, the function is to connect and guide the mechanical movement direction of the equipment
(4) Ceramic cap/screw. Used in various semiconductor front-end equipment to replace metal parts for connection and fixation.
Hand-grip gasket type
(1) Robotic arm. Used in various semiconductor front-end equipment to process wafers inside and outside the chamber.