Release of the GR-500 Wafer Back Side Cooling System

|   Press Release

Precise Management and Control of Vacuum Chamber Conditions Contributing to More Efficient Semiconductor Production

[Kyoto, Japan] – HORIBA released the GR-500 Wafer Back Side Cooling System to provide highly precise gas pressure control enabling wafer temperature management in chambers used in semiconductor manufacturing processes. The GR-500 enables the precise control of high vacuum conditions and can monitor the flow of gas with a high level of accuracy. This system improves the yield rate and production efficiency of semiconductor manufacturing processes.

 

[Product Features]

  1. Adds a 10 Torr, 20 Torr, and 50 Torr pressure control range
    Current our pressure controller lineup have a control range of 100 Torr (133.32 Pa). The inclusion of lower pressure gives users a  range of control options to choose from depending on process conditions. It also heightens the accuracy of lower pressure control range on the back side of wafers.
  2. Realizes high-precision ±0.5% full-scale pressure control using high-speed, high-resolution piezo valves and built-in pressure sensors developed by HORIBA
  3. Includes a built-in flow sensor
    The flow sensor enables precise cooling gas flow monitoring
  4. Size: 169.2 W × 34.0 D × 139.0 H (mm); Weight: 1.5 kg


Wafer temperature control is extremely important to stably manufacture high-quality semiconductors. Wafer temperature control in vacuum processes injects trace amounts of cooling gas on the back side of wafers to increase thermal conductivity to heat and cool wafers. Yutaka Yoneda, Manager of the Development Dept. 1 under the Development Division of HORIBA STEC, Co., Ltd., gives some insight into this system as the person supervising its development. “The GR series of wafer back side cooling systems developed and sold by HORIBA are installed on lines connecting to vacuum chambers. This offers reliable and highly precise pressure control of cooling gases, and helps to accurately manage the temperature of wafers. In recent years, wafer temperature management has not only become more important in etching but also other production processes, such as film-forming and ion implantation. In light of these needs, we developed the new GR-500 systems equipped with a pressure sensor designed by HORIBA that can better pressure control in high vacuum conditions. I’m overjoyed that this new product can contribute to a stable supply of semiconductors.”

 

Manufacturing processes are becoming more complex due to greater refinement and three-dimensional integration of semiconductors as well as other advancements made through technical innovations. In turn, the management and control requirement standards necessary for a stable supply of high-quality semiconductors has also increased. The GR-500 contributes to the precision control and management that is able to satisfy these requirements.