Silicon Carbide Vacuum Chuck

Semicorex Silicon Carbide vacuum chuck is an important part of semiconductor manufacturing for processes needing high precision and low contamination. The vacuum chucks are fabricated from high-purity porous silicon carbide ceramics and provide excellent mechanical strength, thermal conductivity, and chemical inertness, and features an accurately controlled pore structure for dependable vacuum retention. The Silicon carbide vacuum chuck is a functional adsorption device made from a silicon carbide (SiC) ceramic material, that relies on vacuum negative pressure, electrostatic adsorption or mechanical clamping to provide stable grasp of the workpiece. Vacuum chucks have use in semiconductors, photovoltaics, precise manufacturing and other applications that have extraordinarily high demands for material high temperature resistance, wear resistance and cleanliness.

The base of the chuck is a porous SiC material, that has a predictable air permeance across its surface. This means it is possible to safely adsorb a wafer without mechanical clamping and therefore immaterialize the potential of physical damage or contamination of the sample. Porosity of the material is tightly controlled - typically having a porosity of 35-40% - to provide proper vacuum distribution but also meeting the structural requirements for durable thermal and mechanical cycling.

Wafer vacuum chucks are usually made of a hard surface with many small holes or channels on the surface. Through these small holes, the chuck can be connected to a vacuum pump, which creates a vacuum effect. When the wafer is placed on the chuck, the vacuum pump is turned on and air is drawn through the small holes, creating a vacuum between the wafer and the chuck. This vacuum effect creates enough suction to firmly attach the wafer to the chuck surface.

Ceramic surfaces are often used in applications that require high purity and chemical stability. Ceramics are materials produced by high-temperature fusion of minerals. Generally speaking, ceramics are electrical insulators or semiconductors and have high resistance to thermal breakdown, erosion and damage.

Semicorex builds custom Silicon Carbide Vacuum Chuck to the customer's specifications for things like dimensions, porosity, surface finish and patterns for vacuum channeling. As a result of our manufacturing and clean room capabilities, we offer the best in low particulate shedding and cleanliness to accommodate the cleanliness requirements of all semiconductor fabs and equipment manufacturers.

We can make a chuck for any size wafer, from 2-inch to 12-inch wafer and adapting to integrate the chuck into a plethora of wafer processing equipment. It can be used for front-end processes and/or back-end processes, making the SiC vacuum chuck an economical, precise, stable and contamination free means of wafer support in the semiconductor fab workflow.

The Silicon Carbide Vacuum Chuck is an essential tool in today's semiconductor manufacturing, combining the best materials and engineering. Durable and adherent reliability through thermal and chemical extremes make it the perfect support in process applications that include, waxing, thinning, cleaning and RTA. By procuring your silicon carbide vacuum chuck through Semicorex you ensure the best material purity, custom solutions and reliable performance for superior results across all your wafer processing lines.