Semiconductor
Organizing gas delivery, flow control, and vacuum diagnostics for deposition, etch, diffusion, and ion implantation processes in wafer manufacturing.
Industry Scope
Semiconductor
The gas train in semiconductor equipment is not a set of isolated components but a complete process chain linking gas supply, the process chamber and the equipment control system; selection must simultaneously account for media, process cadence, pressure boundaries, material compatibility and maintenance practices.
Example Precision organizes its portfolio around flow control, pressure regulation, residual gas analysis, valves and fittings, and integrated gas lines, helping equipment teams confirm components and interfaces backwards from process requirements.
Semiconductor manufacturing is one of the most demanding gas-control environments in industry. From etching and thin-film deposition to ion implantation and chamber cleaning, nearly every step relies on process gases: fluorine-based gases (Cl₂, SF₆, C₂F₆) for etching, precursors such as silane (SiH₄) and ammonia (NH₃) for deposition, and NF₃/O₂ for chamber cleaning. Mass flow controllers (MFCs) sit between the gas supply and the process chamber, holding each gas at its setpoint — the key to a stable gas train.
Advanced nodes push MFC accuracy to SEMI E51 Class A (±0.5%) or even Class AA (±0.25%), approaching ±0.1% below 7nm. Flow variation directly changes reactant ratios, affecting film thickness uniformity, etch profile, and wafer-to-wafer consistency. The MFC must therefore stay accurate under pressure transients and temperature drift.
Purity and cleanliness are the other baseline. Electronic specialty gases are typically 5N or higher; impurities must stay at ppb–ppt levels. Flow paths need all-metal-sealed construction, high-purity 316L stainless steel with electropolishing (Ra≤0.2 µm), and corrosion-resistant alloys such as Hastelloy for NF₃/SF₆ service.
Safety is non-negotiable: silane, phosphine, and diborane are flammable or toxic. MFCs need low internal-leakage designs (down to ~0.005% of full scale) and explosion-proof options, backed by cylinder cabinets, leak detectors, and emergency shutoff valves. Digital protocols (DeviceNet, EtherCAT, RS-485) connect MFCs into PLC/MES data chains for traceability and predictive maintenance.
HNR serves this chain with mass flow control, pressure regulation, residual gas analysis, and integrated gas systems, helping equipment and process teams select components from process requirements.
Process Path
Key Process Stages
01
Process Gas Supply
Confirm media, supply state, gas-line cleanliness requirements and upstream pressure conditions.
02
Flow and Pressure Actuation
Match flow or pressure control components to the controlled object and the dynamic process.
03
Chamber and Exhaust Diagnostics
Assess background, leaks and process residues using vacuum state and gas composition.
04
Equipment Control Integration
Unify communication, electrical, alarm and maintenance interfaces into a debuggable equipment subsystem.
Engineering Constraints
Measurement and Control Challenges
Interacting Operating Conditions
Inlet conditions, downstream load and gas properties jointly affect the control result.
Cleanliness and Compatibility
Wetted materials, sealing methods and assembly procedures must match the process media.
Maintainability
Module positions, diagnostic signals and spare-part boundaries need to be defined at the design stage.
Solution Path
From Operating Conditions to System Configuration
Starting from a process input table, confirm the media and boundary conditions first, then match the measurement principle, valve form, connection platform and control interface.
Product parameters follow controlled documents and project confirmations; range, pressure and accuracy statements are not published as commitments until re-verified.
Related products
PS300 Differential-Pressure Mass Flow Controller
Differential-pressure mass flow controller for precision fluid control and ultra-high-purity gas systems. High-speed pressure sensors and fast, stable piezoelectric actuators combined with a 32-bit CPU deliver response below 0.8 s across the full flow range. Calibrated against real process gases with a built-in gas property database.
PS500 Differential-Pressure Mass Flow Controller
Precision gas flow control for advanced semiconductor manufacturing. Measures differential pressure across a laminar flow element for high-sensitivity wide-range flow measurement. Low dead-volume piezoelectric metal diaphragm inlet valve with a 2 ms control cycle delivers fast response and high-resolution control.
TE100 Thermal Mass Flow Controller
Economical mass flow controller using capillary thermal-differential sensing. Measurement accuracy is independent of temperature and pressure. 316L stainless steel body with maximum working pressure of 450 kPa and traditional solenoid proportional valve - the best solution for cost-sensitive applications.
TE500 Thermal Mass Flow Controller
Thermal mass flow controller for process gas measurement and closed-loop control; configuration confirmed per project.
TE700 Thermal Mass Flow Controller
Thermal mass flow controller for process gas measurement and closed-loop control; configuration confirmed per project.
LTM Liquid Mass Flow Meter
LTM series for liquid mass flow measurement; media and configuration confirmed per project.
LTC Liquid Mass Flow Controller
LTC series for closed-loop liquid mass flow control; media and configuration confirmed per project.
PC Series Pressure Controller
PC series for gas pressure measurement and closed-loop regulation; control position and pressure reference confirmed per project.
HMS-C Residual Gas Analyzer (Faraday Cup)
Residual gas analyzer for precision fluid control and ultra-high-purity gas systems, 1-200 amu. Dual-filament ion source with anti-contamination quadrupole mass filter and Faraday cup detector for trace gas monitoring. Millisecond data acquisition with integrated central control platform.
HMS-F Residual Gas Analyzer (Electron Multiplier)
Residual gas analyzer for precision fluid control and ultra-high-purity gas systems, 1-300 amu. Dual-filament ion source with anti-contamination quadrupole mass filter and high-performance electron multiplier detector for trace gas detection.
Integrated Gas System
Modular high-purity gas system combining valves, connections and measurement/control components; system boundary confirmed per project.
HN DVM Manual Diaphragm Valve
Manually actuated modular diaphragm valve; sealing and material configuration confirmed per project.