Measurement and motion components for wafer handling, process cooling, gas delivery and metrology, where drift of a few tenths of a degree changes the yield.
Semiconductor equipment is specified in a different unit of tolerance. A temperature uniformity of ±0.5 °C across a 300 mm wafer, a flow repeatability of 0.5% on a cooling loop, a stage that holds position within 50 nm: these are not process control targets, they are the conditions under which the process works at all.
Our semiconductor range is small and deliberately narrow. Thin-film RTDs with low mass for fast, accurate chamber and chuck measurement. Clamp-on and inline flow meters for process cooling water and CDS loops. Micro actuators and flexure stages for wafer handling and optical alignment. IO-Link and signal conditioning to bring the data into the tool controller without adding analogue cards.
Fab customers also need material declarations, particle-shedding data and cleanroom-compatible packaging. We supply those with the first article, not on request after the order.
Application Reality
These are the failure modes we are called in to solve, and the specification change that addresses each one.
A single-point measurement cannot prove uniformity. Multiple thin-film RTDs with matched calibration and a low-mass design show the real gradient without averaging it away.
A 2% flow error on process cooling shifts the chuck temperature and the process result. Clamp-on ultrasonic meters on the loop give repeatable measurement without breaking into the supply.
Standard cable jackets and lubricants outgas in a vacuum chamber and shed particles near the wafer. Vacuum-compatible materials and cleanroom packaging are specified for in-chamber parts.
A screw drive has backlash; a piezo has almost no stroke. A flexure stage with a piezo fine axis separates the two problems and gives both travel and resolution.
Changing a component in a tool can trigger a full requalification. We keep form, fit and function stable and provide a comparability package when a revision is unavoidable.
Products
DM-SC08-IOL-PN
DM-MA08-PZ-8UM
DM-MA25-LIN-80
DM-TI300-IR-1200
DM-FE150-CL-600
Browse by family
Standards
| Standard | Requirement |
|---|---|
| SEMI S2 / S8 | Equipment safety and ergonomics |
| ISO 14644 Class 5 | Cleanroom particle limits |
| RoHS / REACH | Material restriction compliance |
| SEMI F57 (UPW contact) | Ultrapure water compatibility |
Application Example
Situation
An etch tool was showing a 1.8 °C edge-to-centre gradient on the electrostatic chuck, outside the process window, with the existing single-point sensor reading nominal.
What we changed
We supplied a matched set of four thin-film RTDs with pair calibration, mounted at the chuck periphery and centre, and a multi-channel conditioner feeding the tool controller.
Result
The gradient was measured and then corrected through the chiller setpoint, bringing uniformity to 0.4 °C and recovering the yield loss attributed to the edge zone.
FAQ
Selected thin-film RTDs and micro actuators are built with vacuum-compatible materials for in-chamber use at pressures down to 10⁻⁶ mbar. State the pressure, the bake-out temperature and the gas chemistry when you enquire.
With multiple calibrated sensors, not one. A matched set of thin-film RTDs, individually calibrated and mounted at the points that matter, gives a real gradient measurement. A single sensor tells you the temperature at one point and nothing about uniformity.
Clamp-on ultrasonic for existing loops where you cannot break in, inline electromagnetic where accuracy matters and a shutdown is acceptable. For UPW, specify PVDF or PFA wetted parts per SEMI F57.
For cleanroom and in-chamber parts we supply particle shedding and outgassing test reports with the first article. The tests are subcontracted to an accredited laboratory and the reports reference the specific part number.
Four to six weeks, including cleanroom assembly, double bagging and the documentation package. Standard catalogue items ship from stock in 5-10 working days.
Send the application details and get a specification back within one business day.