Semiconductor Industry

Maintaining Vacuum Integrity, Cleanliness, and Process Stability

Semiconductor manufacturing places stringent demands on vacuum levels, chemical compatibility, thermal stability, and contamination control.
Seal leakage, degradation, or particle generation may affect equipment operation, process stability, and wafer quality.

NJK Pro offers O-rings, rubber gaskets, and custom rubber or rubber-to-metal bonded components.
We evaluate candidate sealing materials and designs based on the process media, temperature, pressure, vacuum level, plasma exposure, and cleanliness requirements. Final material selection must be tested and validated under actual equipment conditions.

Key Requirements: Vacuum sealing, chemical resistance, high-temperature resistance, low outgassing, low particle generation, low compression set, cleanliness, and batch traceability.

Key Application Systems

1. Vacuum Sealing and Contamination Control

Deposition, etching, vacuum transfer, and other wafer-processing equipment must operate reliably under controlled pressure or vacuum conditions. O-rings and rubber gaskets can be installed between chamber interfaces, valves, piping, and vacuum components to reduce the risk of external air or contaminants entering the system.
Vacuum applications require evaluation of not only seal compression but also gas permeation, outgassing, compression set, and allowable leakage rates. Material-performance requirements vary according to the vacuum level and process conditions.

2. Chemical and Process Gas Delivery

Wet processing, cleaning, etching, and gas-supply systems may come into contact with acids, alkalis, solvents, reactive gases, and other process chemicals.
Material compatibility must be verified according to the media type, concentration, temperature, and exposure duration to prevent swelling, hardening, cracking, or mass loss. Material degradation may cause not only leakage but also particle generation, residue, and other forms of process contamination.

3. High-Temperature and Thermal-Cycling Environments

Deposition, oxidation, diffusion, annealing, and other processes may expose chambers, valves, and surrounding components to high temperatures or repeated thermal cycling.
Sealing materials should be evaluated based on the actual temperature at the sealing interface rather than the chamber process temperature alone. Materials must retain elasticity and sealing force during prolonged compression and temperature fluctuations to prevent failure caused by hardening, shrinkage, or compression set.

4. Automation and Precision Motion Equipment

Wafer handling, vacuum gripping, pneumatic actuation, robotic systems, and precision-positioning equipment require stable control of gases and liquids while maintaining smooth, repeatable, and accurate motion.
Seals used in moving components must provide low friction, wear resistance, dimensional stability, and pressure-retention capability. Excessive seal drag or improper dimensional fit may affect equipment start-up response, movement speed, and repeatable positioning performance.

5. Cleanroom and Peripheral Equipment

Load ports, equipment enclosures, control boxes, piping connections, cooling systems, and other cleanroom peripheral equipment require protection against dust, moisture, oil mist, and external contaminants.
Sealing materials and post-processing methods must meet the equipment's cleanliness requirements. Applications involving critical process areas may also require evaluation of product cleaning, particle control, clean packaging, batch traceability, and material change management.

Common Rubber Materials
※Materials sharing the same generic designation do not necessarily provide identical performance. Chemical resistance, outgassing, particle generation, metal-ion content, and plasma resistance required for semiconductor applications depend on the specific formulation and manufacturing conditions. Refer to the technical data and test results of the specified compound for verification.

The Right Material Depends on the Actual Process Conditions

Semiconductor seals should not be selected based on product dimensions or generic material designations alone. The following factors must also be evaluated:

• Equipment type, process step, and seal installation location

• Contact chemicals, gases, concentrations, and mixing ratios

• Maximum and minimum continuous and short-term temperatures

• System pressure, vacuum level, and allowable leakage rate

• Plasma type, power level, and direct or indirect exposure conditions

• Static, rotary, or reciprocating motion

• Groove dimensions, surface finish, and seal compression

• Outgassing, particle, metal-ion, and extractable requirements

• Cleaning methods, clean packaging, and storage conditions

• Material certificates, batch traceability, and change-management requirements
  
  

Looking for the Right Sealing Solution for Semiconductor Equipment?

Please provide product drawings, existing samples, the equipment and process location, contact media, temperature, pressure, vacuum level, plasma exposure, cleanliness requirements, and estimated quantities. Based on the actual conditions, the NJK Pro team will assist with candidate material evaluation, seal design, sample development, and quotation.