Your partner in the field of semiconductors and electrical engineering.
Innovative surfaces for the semiconductor industry
Our diverse coating processes for the semiconductor industry ensure the highest levels of purity, optimized residual gas behaviour, improved sliding properties and a long component service life - decisive factors for reliability and sustainability in sensitive high-tech applications.
Chemical coatings
Electroless processes for maximum functionality:
- Electroless nickel: Provides excellent corrosion protection and improves conductivity. Also increases vacuum suitability and reduces residual gases in critical applications.
- Electroless nickel dispersion coatings: By dispersing particles, coating properties can be specifically modified to meet individual requirements in cleanrooms and semiconductor technology systems. PTFE particles are often used to improve and ensure dry lubrication and emergency running properties.
PVD and PACVD coatings
High-end thin films for hardness, wear protection and cleanroom suitability:
- CERODEM® chromium nitride (CrN): Ideal for tools and components that require enormous hardness and wear resistance - for example in power generation or chip manufacturing processes.
- CERODEM® DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon): Combines extremely high wear resistance and highly efficient friction reduction. Protects components from plasma corrosion and supports use under vacuum conditions.
Efficient coating of vacuum components in semiconductor technology
Efficient coating of vacuum components in semiconductor technology
Progressive miniaturization in semiconductor technology requires components that meet extremely high requirements in terms of purity and outgassing behaviour. In vacuum technology in particular, even the slightest impurities and surface irregularities have a sensitive impact on the manufacturing process. As a coating service provider, we were commissioned by a leading system integrator to optimize coatings for critical vacuum components in order to increase their vacuum suitability and ensure reliable process conditions.
The initial situation
The customer noticed that some assemblies were showing slight signs of wear and process corrosion phenomena in the vacuum chamber. This led to increased particle contamination, which impaired process stability. Through various analyses, surface effects and insufficient corrosion protection were identified as the main causes of the problems that were occurring.
Our approach
After a detailed evaluation, we decided on a combination of PVD and PACVD-based coating to sustainably improve the surface quality. The first step was chemical pre-treatment to level out existing defects and create a resistant base. A customized PVD process was then used to create an extremely smooth, wear-resistant and highly vacuum-compatible surface layer.
Process optimization and quality testing
During the validation of the coating processes, we subject the components to multi-stage quality tests in close cooperation with the client, including coating thickness distribution, roughness measurements, adhesion tests and outgassing analyses. In semiconductor production in particular, it is crucial that no unwanted particles or gas residues enter the vacuum chamber. We therefore ensured that the process was carefully monitored throughout. This strict quality control enabled us to ensure that the surface behavior, both the layer thickness and the layer adhesion were in the optimum range.
The results
Thanks to the new coating solution, the residual gas behavior of the vacuum components improved significantly. The newly applied DLC coating also provided excellent protection against abrasion and corrosion - two key factors in demanding vacuum environments. The subsequent endurance tests within the customer's highly sensitive lithography systems showed that the components could be used for considerably longer and showed no visible signs of wear even after intensive use.
Conclusion
With our integrated, layer-by-layer coating process, we have succeeded in significantly improving the vacuum suitability of the components in question. The combination of an innovative electroless nickel base and a specially adapted PVD coating reduced part wear.
