How Customized Equipment Improves Silicon Wafer Processing

Because semiconductor manufacturing consists of a large number of steps, silicon wafer processing often includes unique requirements. While standard equipment may be suitable to some extent, using custom equipment that is adapted to specific processes can usually improve production line performance.

Customization of a semiconductor manufacturing equipment can impact how well the silicon wafer processing equipment works in the following ways:

1) Physical customization of wet processing equipment

Semiconductor manufacturing equipment often has to fit into a defined space or retrofitted into an existing production line. In either case, the dimensions have to be customized to fit the available space. Modutek can build processing stations and tanks with special dimensions to fit and arrange components for less length or less depth as required.

2) Customized software for special calculations

Modutek's SolidWorks Flow Simulation and Simulation Professional software allows customers to calculate chemical dosages and track chemical usage accurately. Custom installations that support unique process requirements may require special calculations and the software can be adapted to track chemical usage. Since Modutek writes and supports their own software, any special requirements can be accommodated by adapting the program code.

3) Automation with customized characteristics

Modutek's standard wet processing equipment is available in fully automated, semi-automated, and manual versions, but customers may require some automated functions while other functions remain manual or semi-automatic. Manual controls are ideal for prototypes that need to define basic process parameters. The process is then optimized in semi-automatic operation while eventually running in fully automatic mode when in full production.

4) Customized process components and subsystems

 Process components and subsystems may include chemical delivery, baths, or tanks, wafer handling, and wafer drying. Modutek can integrate part of all of these functions into a single system or use separate units in a customized configuration. With the company’s expertise and experience as a leading wet bench manufacturer, Modutek can design customized configurations that support the required wet process functions and parameters required by a customer.

Modutek has a complete line of standard wet process stations, that are all designed and built in house. By working closely with customers Modutek ensures that any system customizations will meet the special process requirements that a customer may have.

For more details read the complete article, “How Customized Equipment Improves Silicon Wafer Processing”. Contact Modutek at 866-803-1533 or email modutek@modutek.com for a free consultation to answer any questions you have about your specific process requirements.

How High Temperature Quartz Tanks Improve Silicon Wafer Processing

The silicon wafer processing steps that include etching or cleaning of silicon wafers with aggressive chemicals require tanks that hold and control the chemical process. Quartz tanks are impervious to the acids and bases used in wet process stations, and the high-temperature tanks can include heating and re-circulating.

The two main factors that influence the etch rate are chemical concentration and temperature.

Silicon wafer processing consists of etching the wafers to produce microscopic structures and cleaning the wafers in preparation for further process steps. Hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, and hydrogen peroxide are the common chemicals used for etching and cleaning the wafers, and these are corrosive chemicals. Tanks made of quartz are impervious to such aggressive chemicals, and semiconductor-grade quartz that are used in the Modutek quartz tanks is exceptionally pure, reducing the possibility of contamination. Aside from high resistance to corrosion by aggressive chemicals, quartz tanks are stable at high temperatures.

Quartz tanks are highly resistant to aggressive chemicals because quartz is a crystalline material made up of silicon and oxygen atoms held tightly in the crystal lattice.

The use of high-purity flame-polished quartz in silicon wafer processing tanks ensures that there are few non-quartz substances in the crystal lattice and on the polished surface of the tanks. This leads to the significantly reduced possibility of contamination by the tanks. Contamination of the silicon wafers can affect the semiconductor products made from the wafers. When a tiny particle or other contaminant interferes with the etching of these structures, the final semiconductor productive will come out defective or of inferior quality.

Precise temperature control is crucial because it gives improved process results. Depending on the chemical used, a higher temperature may increase the etch rate and reduce processing times. While a high etch rate is desirable, the amount of etching that occurs has to be tightly monitored because the amount of etching determines the size and shape of the microscopic structures in the silicon.

Modutek's process controls ensure that the right chemical concentration and quartz tank temperature are maintained at the correct levels, which results in precise etching control and excellent repeatability from one batch to the next. With Modutek's high-temperature quartz tanks, contamination during etching and cleaning of silicon wafers is significantly reduced. The temperature controls of the tanks provide precise settings during the process and for the subsequent batches.

Read the complete article, “How High Temperature Quartz Tanks Improve Silicon Wafer Processing,” for more details. Contact Modutek at 866-803-1533 or by email modutek@modutek.com if you have questions or would like to discuss your specific needs.