Semiconductor Case Study

Semiconductor Wet Bench Sealing: Reducing Particle Count by 40%

FEP EncapsulatedSemiconductorWet BenchParticle Control

chemicals

H2SO4 / H2O2 mix

temperature

180C

particle reduction

40%

mtbr increase

6 to 14 months

Challenge

A semiconductor wafer processing equipment OEM needed seals for a sulfuric acid wet bench that would not shed particles or degrade in aggressive chemistries.

Solution

We specified FEP encapsulated VMQ O-rings with ultra-clean washing and double-bag packaging to eliminate contamination.

Result

Particle count in the wet bench decreased by 40%, and mean time between seal replacements increased from 6 months to 14 months.

Details

The customer's 300 mm wafer wet bench used sulfuric acid (H2SO4), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and deionized water mixtures at temperatures up to +180C. Standard FFKM seals were generating particles and showing surface degradation.

We proposed FEP encapsulated VMQ O-rings. The seamless FEP shell provided a chemically inert, low-friction sealing surface that did not interact with the process chemistry. The VMQ core supplied the elastic force needed for reliable sealing.

Every seal was subjected to an ultra-clean DI water wash, visual inspection under magnification, and double-bag packaging in a Class 1000 cleanroom environment to eliminate particulate contamination.

After installation, in-situ particle monitoring showed a 40% reduction in >0.1 micron particles compared to the previous FFKM seal design. Seal replacement intervals were extended from 6 months to 14 months, improving equipment uptime.