- Semiconductor industry
- Wafer processing
Wafer processing
Crystal growth and wafer preparation are important for ensuring high purity and high-quality final products. During the growth process, the larger the diameter of the ingot, the more challenging that process becomes. Monitoring critical equipment and maintaining process control during the process increases product quality.
Minimize unplanned downtime
Real-time monitoring of critical machinery ensures you can reduce or eliminate unplanned downtime due to catastrophic failure during production.
Reduce scrap rate
With increased monitoring during production, wafer quality can be monitored continuously and processes can be optimized based on your production data to increase yield.
Increase product quality
With more precise controls and more insight into machine health, processes can be optimized over time and machines can operate at full capacity to ensure higher product quality.
Chemical Mechanical Planarization (CMP) polishing
This surface polishing process is an essential step between deposition layers to ensure high quality products. Polishing equipment can fail if spindles or bearings endure excess friction from degradation, contaminants, or lack of lubrication. Continuous system monitoring alerts if there are crash events or changes in vibration data indicate an impending failure.
Technologies
- Vibration sensors: ifm offers a robust vibration sensor product portfolio. Plug-and-work IO-Link sensors are easily to implement and monitor the four main causes of fatigue. However, more flexible options are available if you prefer to implement more advanced programming and need edge control devices. All options can send your vibration data to onsite software systems for trending and analysis.
- IO-Link: This flexible communication protocol provides multiple process values over one wire, increasing access to your production data, reducing costs, and setting the foundation for data trending and historical logging.
- Level sensors: Noncontact capacitive level sensors reliably monitor slurry level, ensuring polishers do not shut down prematurely.
- Flow sensors: reliable flow solutions for deionized water ensure water and slurry mixtures are blended consistently for high quality surface polishing.
Gain a competitive edge
Upgrade your manufacturing processes by implementing robust process sensors, vibration monitoring, and IO-Link communication protocols. With real-time monitoring and process data, you can take immediate action to ensure high quality final products while reducing scrapped wafers. Contact our semiconductor industry engineering team to learn more about ifm solutions for your wafer fabrication facility.
