Making Semiconductor Processing Hotter & More Stable
Heatron, a manufacturer of custom heating elements
used in semiconductor fab equipment, forecasts higher temperatures throughout
the semiconductor industry.
Higher and more stable temperatures will deliver a new
generation of semiconductor processing.
Semiconductor manufacturers have been faced with several production challenges due to heat limitation and uneven heat distribution across the surface. Heatron says the industry's typical heaters reach approximately 2000 C, while its PolyMax semiconductor heaters work up to 2600 C with more stable, uniform temperature distribution over the surface.
The firm's latest series of products, that it believes, will literally lead to a new generation of semiconductor processing, employ a patented "ThermaMold" technology to evenly distribute heat across irregular surfaces. The tools also utilise "ThermaGuard" to reduce heat loss and have a PID temperature controller, the MTC-100.
Faster heating times at reduced power consumption will
enable a lower cost of ownership. Incorporating an etched foil design, the
Polymax heaters enable precise wattage distribution, leading to uniform temperature
across the entire surface. What's more, bonding of the heater without adhesives
is possible, eliminating outgassing and "swimming" of traces that is common
with conventional adhesives at high temperatures.
Heatron also claims that as these heaters are manufactured using ultra-thin dielectric substrates, they have an extended lifetime and the heater assembly is more reliable than in previous models. Faster setup and installation than in conventional setups is also possible, says the firm.
Heatron will display this new generation technology at Booth #507, South Hall of Semicon West at Moscone Centre, in San Francisco July 10-12.