Publish Time: 2026-10-25 Origin: Site
The semiconductor industry is not a single sector, but a complete supply chain encompassing design, manufacturing, packaging and testing, equipment, and materials. TKW breaks down the supply chain by layer, core equipment, and bearing requirements, providing you with a better understanding of semiconductor production and bearing applications.
Six Segments of the Semiconductor Industry
Segment | Scope | Bearing Type / Application |
|---|---|---|
① IC Design (Fabless) | Chip design, no fab | No direct bearing usage |
② Wafer Fabrication (Foundry / IDM) | Lithography, etching, deposition, CMP, cleaning | Primary market for front-end equipment bearings |
③ Assembly & Test (OSAT) | Dicing, wire bonding, die attach, molding, test & handler | Back-end equipment bearings |
④ Semiconductor Equipment | Lithography scanners, etchers, thin-film tools, CMP systems, etc. | Largest bearing consumption, highest precision requirements |
⑤ Semiconductor Materials | Silicon wafers, photoresist, specialty gases, CMP slurries, targets | Auxiliary equipment bearings (wafer transport, pumps) |
⑥ Pan-Semiconductor | Power semiconductors (IGBT / MOSFET), MEMS, sensors, LEDs, photovoltaics, display panels | Also use semiconductor-grade equipment |
Front-End (Wafer Fabrication) Key Equipment & Bearing Applications
Equipment | Key Moving Components | Bearing Type | Core Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
Lithography Scanner / Stepper | Wafer stage, reticle stage, objective focusing | Primarily aerostatic (air) bearings / magnetic levitation; auxiliary rotary tables use thin-section equal-cross-section bearings (Kaydon type) | Nanometer-level positioning accuracy, ultra-low vibration |
Coater / Developer (Track) | Spin-coating spindle, wafer robot, CCD alignment | High-speed angular contact ball bearings (hybrid ceramic balls), PEEK cage, P4/P2 precision | Several thousand to tens of thousands of rpm, cleanroom-compatible, no oil mist |
Etcher (Etch System) | Vacuum robot, RF electrode, cryopump | Vacuum-grade cleanroom stainless steel bearings, solid / vacuum lubrication, 440C / 316L | High vacuum (10⁻⁷ Pa), low outgassing |
Thin Film Deposition (CVD / PVD / ALD) | Process chamber rotation, transfer robot, turbomolecular pump | Hybrid ceramic ball bearings, vacuum pump bearings, stainless steel rings | Vacuum-compatible, high temperature resistance (400–800 °C) |
Ion Implanter | Vacuum transfer, scanning mechanism | Vacuum robot bearings, thin-section bearings | High vacuum, radiation-resistant |
CMP Polisher | Polishing head rotation, carrier spindle, wafer transfer arm | High-precision deep groove ball / cylindrical roller bearings, ceramic balls, low friction | Large-diameter platen, high flatness |
Wet / Dry Cleaning Bench | Roller shafts, wafer cassette transport, spin rinse nozzle | Corrosion-resistant stainless steel bearings (316L), ceramic balls | Resistant to acid / alkaline chemicals and ultrapure water |
Back-End (Assembly & Test) Key Equipment & Bearing Applications
Equipment | Key Moving Components | Bearing Type | Core Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
Wafer Dicing Saw | Cutting spindle (30,000–60,000 rpm) | Ultra-high-speed motorized spindle hybrid ceramic angular contact bearings (equivalent to GRW 7904) | Si₃N₄ ceramic balls, P4/P2 precision, PEEK cage, DB back-to-back arrangement, service life of several thousand hours |
Wire Bonder | X-Y-Z precision stage, capillary rotation | Miniature deep groove ball bearings, crossed roller guides | High-frequency reciprocation, low friction |
Die Bonder (Die Attach) | Bond head, rotary worktable | Thin-section equal-cross-section bearings, crossed roller bearings | High-precision die placement, lightweight design |
Transfer Molder | Clamping mechanism, pellet feeder | Standard precision deep groove ball bearings | High temperature, heavy load |
Prober | Wafer chuck, θ rotary stage | Thin-section bearings, precision rotary table bearings | Micron-level alignment |
Handler (Test Handler) | High-speed swing arm, transport track | Miniature sealed deep groove ball bearings, stainless steel bearings | High speed, low noise |
Tester (Test System) | Pneumatic / electric actuation | Precision miniature bearings | Long service life |
General Support Equipment & Bearing Applications
Equipment Category | Typical Equipment | Bearing Application |
|---|---|---|
Vacuum Pump Systems | Dry screw pumps, scroll pumps, turbomolecular pumps, cryogenic pumps | Vacuum pump bearings, LNG cryogenic pump bearings: 440C / 316L stainless steel, solid lubrication, ceramic balls, vacuum-compatible |
Cleanroom Robots / AMHS | Wafer transfer robots, OHT (Overhead Hoist Transport) vehicles, stockers | Thin-section equal-cross-section bearings (Kaydon equivalent), crossed roller bearings |
Air Compressors / Dryers / CDA Systems | Oil-free air compressors, dryers | Motor bearings, pulley bearings |
Exhaust Gas / Wastewater Treatment | Fans, pumps, valves | Corrosion-resistant stainless steel bearings |
Ultrapure Water / Chemical Supply | Pumps, valves, flowmeters | 316L stainless steel bearings, ceramic bearings |
Six Common Requirements for Semiconductor Bearings
Requirement | Description | TKW Corresponding Products |
|---|---|---|
Ultra-High Precision P4/P2 (ABEC-7 / ABEC-9) | Spindles, spin coaters, dicing saws | Hybrid ceramic angular contact bearings P4/P2 |
Ultra-High Speed (dn ≥ 1.5 × 10⁶) | Dicing saw spindles, spin-coating heads | Si₃N₄ ceramic balls + PEEK cage |
Vacuum Compatibility | Low-outgassing grease, no particle shedding | Vacuum lubrication / solid lubrication, ceramic cage |
Cleanroom Class 1–100 | No particle generation, no outgassing | Stainless steel rings + ceramic balls + PEEK |
Corrosion / Chemical Resistance | Cleaning, wet processes, chemicals | 440C / 316L stainless steel |
Insulation & RF Protection | RF power supplies, motor shaft current | Insulated bearings (3000V inner-ring insulation) |
In the entire process of wafer processing - from wafer handling robots, mechanical polishing equipment to high-end lithography systems - TKW Thin Section Bearings rely on their compact cross-section design to enable various rotating devices on the silicon chip manufacturing line to achieve a smaller footprint, lighter weight and simpler structure. At the same time, this series of bearings can stably meet the stringent cleanliness requirements of the semiconductor industry.
We provide Thin Section Ball Bearings products covering a complete range of specifications, which can be customized and optimized according to specific working conditions. They can significantly reduce friction, gas release (outgassing), particle pollution, corrosion and wear during operation without losing rotational accuracy. By selecting special materials and special lubricants, the bearings can adapt to higher operating temperatures and different levels of vacuum environments, minimize the generation of particles, and can operate reliably in corrosive chemical media for a long time.
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