Market Demand & Expansion

A leading semiconductor manufacturer in South Korea was expanding their 300mm wafer fabrication facility to meet growing demand for advanced 5nm process chips. The expansion required installation of six new chemical vapor deposition (CVD) chambers, each demanding ultra-high vacuum performance.

Technical Challenges

The CVD process chambers required vacuum levels below 0.05 mbar with exceptional particle control. Any contamination or process gas residue could damage expensive wafers worth up to $500,000 each. The existing vacuum system was operating at maximum capacity with no room for expansion.

Clean Room Requirements

The installation had to be completed in an operational Class 1 cleanroom environment without disrupting existing production lines. All equipment must meet semiconductor industry standards for cleanliness, with documentation of particle counts and outgassing rates.

Uptime Criticality

With fab operating costs exceeding $50,000 per hour, any unplanned downtime directly impacts profitability. The new vacuum system required 99.99% reliability with hot-swappable components and redundant architecture.

Engineered Vacuum Solution

We designed a comprehensive vacuum solution using six SCRV-240 anti-corrosive dry screw vacuum pumps specifically engineered for semiconductor applications. Each pump features specialized coating and sealing systems to withstand aggressive process gases.

Redundant Architecture

The system employs a 5+1 redundant configuration where five pumps handle normal production load while one remains on hot standby. Automatic failover switching ensures continuous operation even during pump maintenance or unexpected failures.

Process Integration

Each CVD chamber connects to its dedicated vacuum pump through heated forelines maintained at 120°C to prevent condensation of process byproducts. Advanced butterfly valves provide precise pressure control and chamber isolation.

Smart Monitoring System

The integrated SCADA system monitors over 50 parameters per pump including vibration, temperature, pressure, and motor current. Predictive algorithms analyze trends to schedule maintenance before failures occur, maximizing uptime.

Cleanroom Installation

Our specialized cleanroom installation team completed the project using approved protocols including airlocks, HEPA filtration, and continuous particle monitoring. All components were pre-cleaned and bagged before entering the cleanroom environment.