This project focuses on developing and manufacturing high-purity graphite components for 12-inch wafer production lines by domestic semiconductor manufacturers, including core components such as graphite crucibles, graphite electrode housings for ion implantation equipment, and wafer handling platforms. These components are used in critical processes such as wafer growth and ion implantation. The project addresses the semiconductor industry's demand for ultra-high-purity and high-precision graphite materials, overcoming production bottlenecks caused by insufficient purity and precision of conventional graphite parts, thereby ensuring stability and high quality in semiconductor chip manufacturing.
Key customer requirements: First, the purity of graphite components must meet semiconductor-grade standards, with impurity content below 3 ppm and no metallic impurities leaching out to prevent wafer contamination. Second, dimensional accuracy must be controlled within ±0.05 mm, and surface roughness should be below Ra0.8 to ensure precise wafer positioning and uniform heat distribution during production. Third, components must exhibit excellent high-temperature and corrosion resistance, capable of withstanding temperatures up to 1600°C and exposure to process gases. Fourth, the components must possess good electrical conductivity to meet the electrical performance requirements of ion implantation equipment.
Main challenges: The purification process for semiconductor-grade graphite materials is complex and difficult to cost-control; high-precision machining demands advanced equipment and processes, making deformation during processing prone to occur; a precise balance between electrical conductivity and insulation properties is required to accommodate different process needs; simultaneously, consistent performance across batches must be achieved to avoid variations between production runs.
The production process uses ultra-high-purity microcrystalline graphite as raw material, which undergoes wet metallurgical acid treatment and high-temperature pyrometallurgical purification to reduce impurity content to below 5 ppm. Precision CNC machining equipment, combined with specialized fixtures and processing techniques, minimizes deformation during manufacturing and ensures dimensional accuracy. The component surfaces are finely polished and passivated to enhance surface smoothness and corrosion resistance. For ion implantation electrode housings, the electrical conductivity of the graphite material is optimized through doping modification processes, achieving a precise balance between conductivity and insulation.
The final product meets semiconductor industry standards for high-purity graphite components, with on-site installation and process validation provided along with full-process technical support and after-sales service. After testing in customer production lines, all performance indicators exceeded expectations, satisfying the requirements for large-scale 12-inch wafer manufacturing.
After implementation, the project improved the customer's wafer production yield by 8%, significantly enhanced the stability and reliability of chip products, and strengthened their market competitiveness. The application of high-purity graphite components reduced impurity contamination during production, lowered scrap rates, and saved the customer over one million yuan in annual production costs. Meanwhile, the project overcame technical bottlenecks in semiconductor-grade graphite components, achieved domestic substitution, and promoted self-reliance and controllability within China's semiconductor manufacturing supply chain.
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