Customizing Wafer Processing Equipment for R&D Environments
Research and development (R&D) in the semiconductor industry requires precision and accuracy and the adaptability that customized equipment provides. When seeking to innovate or refine existing semiconductor technologies, R&D professionals often encounter unique challenges that cannot adequately be addressed with off-the-shelf equipment. This is where supporting unique wafer processing applications with customized equipment becomes indispensable. […]
How the IPA Vapor Dryer Provides Superior Wafer Processing
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in January 2020 and has been updated with new information and re-posted in March 2024. In the semiconductor industry, wafer processing is a foundational step that directly impacts the overall quality and efficiency of semiconductor devices. Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA) Vapor Drying provides a significant advancement in this field. […]
Quartz Tube Cleaning Stations: What They Do and the Benefits They Provide
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in February 2016 and has been updated with new information and re-posted in February 2024. Quartz tubes are critical in semiconductor manufacturing, where purity is paramount. These tubes provide a controlled atmosphere and precise temperature conditions necessary for various semiconductor manufacturing processes, including diffusion, oxidation, and chemical vapor […]
Why Megasonic Cleaning is Essential for Silicon Wafer Processing
Adding Megasonic cleaning to standard wafer cleaning methods can reduce costs and improve overall semiconductor fabrication performance. Megasonic cleaning is especially useful for manufacturing silicon wafers with the smallest geometries, where almost complete particle removal is necessary for successful manufacturing. The process uses high-frequency sound waves to clean wafer surfaces and can be integrated into […]
How Automated Controls Improve Silicon Wafer Manufacturing
Precise automated controls that are incorporated into wafer manufacturing equipment help manufacturers meet the challenges of higher component densities and compliance with environmental regulations. They provide excellent repeatability and accurate chemical dosages that precisely control the etch rate and the cleaning and stripping processes. Chemical neutralization and disposal are handled automatically with document generation to […]
How Optimum Particle Reduction is Achieved in a Wet Bench Process
When microscopic particles remain on the surface of silicon wafers during a wet bench process, the resulting semiconductor products may be of reduced quality or even defective. As semiconductor geometries and microscopic structures become smaller and are packed more densely on a silicon wafer, the presence of particles can influence the etch rate around the […]
How Software Controls Achieve Best Results in Silicon Wafer Processing
Depending on the degree of automation, software controls can enhance wafer manufacturing facility performance and achieve improved results. Full automation lets operators take advantage of different operational modes to test new process steps and optimize process variables. The controls can then run the process with precise repeatability and often without operator intervention. The reduction in […]
Free Standing IPA Vapor Dryer Improves Wafer Processing
When a series of semiconductor manufacturing steps are complete, the silicon wafers have to be rinsed and dried. At this stage in the fabrication process, the surface of the silicon wafer has to be as free as possible from particle contamination wafer and free from water marks caused by the water evaporating on the wafer. […]
How the IPA Vapor Dryer Further Improves Wafer Processing
When silicon wafers are dried after rinsing, the wafer surface has to be free of water marks and contaminating particles. This is especially true after hydrofluoric acid removes the silicon oxide layer during the last etching before further processing. The wafers are subsequently exposed to diffusion or vapor deposition and surface contamination will result in […]
The Advantages of Using Modutek’s Quartz Tube Cleaning Stations
After a quartz tube is used in a high-temperature semiconductor manufacturing process, it has to be cleaned thoroughly to remove contamination. Process steps such as diffusion leave traces of diffused material on the tube and the high-temperature furnace leaves contaminants. A Quartz tube cleaning station removes the surface contaminants and leaves the quartz tube clean and free […]