Industry Overview
Semiconductor manufacturing is one of the most precision-demanding industrial sectors globally, with extremely stringent requirements for material purity, chemical resistance, and cleanliness. In wafer fabrication wet process steps, equipment components are continuously exposed to highly corrosive chemicals including hydrofluoric acid, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, and hydrogen peroxide, while materials must not release metal ions or particles that could contaminate wafers. PFA (perfluoroalkoxy) combines outstanding chemical resistance with ultra-high purity and good melt processability, making it the material of choice for semiconductor wet process equipment.
For sealing systems, FFKM perfluoroelastomer is the only elastomeric sealing material capable of long-term service in plasma and highly corrosive chemical environments. As China's semiconductor industry accelerates its self-sufficiency efforts, the demand for domestic substitution of high-end fluorinated materials has become increasingly urgent. FUERTAI provides core PFA and FFKM material solutions for the semiconductor industry, supporting the development of domestic semiconductor equipment material supply chains.
Core Material Solutions
Wet Process Equipment Components: PFA injection and molding pellets are the preferred materials for semiconductor wet process equipment components. PFA combines PTFE's exceptional chemical resistance with good melt processability, enabling the manufacture of complex-shaped parts through injection and compression molding, such as carriers, wafer baskets, showerheads, and flow meters. Semiconductor-grade PFA requires metal ion content below 1ppb and extremely low extractables to ensure no contamination of ultrapure water or chemicals.
High-Purity Piping Systems: PFA extrusion pellets are used to manufacture high-purity piping for ultrapure water (UPW) and chemical transport, serving as core components of semiconductor fab fluid delivery systems. PFA pipes feature smooth inner walls (Ra<0.2μm), do not adsorb particles or organics, and maintain UPW resistivity at 18.2 MΩ·cm. Piping connections use PFA welded fittings to ensure the entire piping system is leak-free and contamination-free.
Sealing Systems: FFKM perfluoroelastomer O-rings provide long-term service in plasma and highly corrosive chemical environments, representing the only choice for semiconductor equipment sealing. FFKM seals must meet SEMI F57 standard requirements with extremely low metal ion content, low outgassing rates, and no release of contaminating volatiles. In CVD, etch, and cleaning process chambers, FFKM seal life directly impacts equipment uptime.
Process Tanks and Vessels: PFA molding pellets are used to manufacture process tanks resistant to various etchants and cleaning solutions, including HF mixtures, SPM (sulfuric acid + hydrogen peroxide), SC-1, and SC-2 cleaning solutions. PFA tanks are produced using compression molding and welding processes, with weld strength equivalent to the base material, ensuring tanks do not crack or leak during long-term service in hot acid solutions.
Technical Highlights
| Material Type | Purity Grade | Metal Ion Content | Application | Processing Method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semiconductor-grade PFA | UP Grade | <1ppb | Wet process/Transport | Injection/Extrusion/Molding |
| Industrial-grade PFA | GP Grade | <100ppb | General anti-corrosion | Injection/Extrusion/Molding |
| FFKM Seals | SEMI F57 | <10ppb | Chamber sealing | Molding/Machining |
Key technical considerations for semiconductor materials:
- Metal Ion Control: Semiconductor-grade PFA requires cleanroom manufacturing throughout the entire process from raw material to finished product; production equipment must use ceramic linings to avoid metal contact contamination
- Extractables Control: PFA components immersed in UPW must show TOC (Total Organic Carbon) increase <50ppb, ensuring no contamination of ultrapure water systems
- Outgassing Rate: FFKM seals in vacuum processes must have outgassing rates <1×10⁻⁷ Torr·L/s·cm² to avoid contaminating vacuum chambers
- Weld Quality: PFA pipe and tank welding must be performed in cleanroom environments; welds must pass borescope inspection and pressure testing
Application Cases
Wafer Cleaning Basket: A 12-inch wafer cleaning equipment basket exposed to SC-1/SC-2 cleaning solutions at 80°C, using semiconductor-grade PFA injection molding, metal ion content <0.5ppb, service life exceeding 3 years.
UPW Transport Piping: A wafer fab UPW delivery system using PFA extruded pipe DN15-DN50, inner wall Ra<0.15μm, maintaining UPW resistivity at 18.2 MΩ·cm, operating for 5 years without contamination.
CVD Chamber Seal: A CVD equipment chamber seal at 300°C in plasma environment, using FFKM O-rings with outgassing rate <5×10⁻⁸ Torr·L/s·cm², seal life exceeding 6 months.
Selection Recommendations
FUERTAI recommends following the ’Purity First’ principle for semiconductor material selection: First, determine material purity grade based on process node (advanced nodes require UP grade, mature nodes may use GP grade); then select processing method based on component function (injection/extrusion/molding); finally, confirm sealing material grade based on process environment. For advanced nodes below 28nm, UP-grade PFA and SEMI F57-grade FFKM are recommended throughout. FUERTAI provides material purity test reports, sample testing, and volume supply services.
