Hose solutions for the semiconductor industry

APT Advanced Polymer Tubing, part of the Masterflex Group, has expanded its strategic partnership with Chemours. Chemours is the manufacturer of the Teflon™ brand. For customers in the semiconductor industry, the collaboration combines Chemours’ material base with APT’s expertise in fluoropolymer processing and applications – particularly for bespoke high-purity PFA tubing solutions. The specific choice of material and its suitability are always assessed on the basis of the relevant process requirements, specifications and approvals.

The Masterflex Group supports the quality assurance of hose solutions through qualified testing processes and state-of-the-art testing technology. Products and assemblies are regularly inspected to a defined extent in order to verify that they meet the relevant requirements regarding materials, dimensions, workmanship and project-specific quality characteristics. For OEM, Tier 1 and high-purity projects, testing requirements, documentation and approval criteria are agreed at an early stage.

For applications in the semiconductor industry, fluoropolymer hoses such as PFA, PTFE or FEP may be suitable. The appropriate hose solution is selected on the basis of the process medium, purity requirements, temperature, pressure, mechanical stress, installation conditions and connection technology.

A PFA hose for the semiconductor industry may be a suitable choice where process chemicals or ultra-pure media are conveyed and where there are high requirements in terms of material resistance, cleanliness and process reliability. Whether PFA is suitable for a specific application is always assessed on the basis of the actual process parameters and the customer’s specifications.

PFA and PTFE hoses can – subject to technical approval – be used as components in wet-process and chemical-delivery systems. Typical interfaces include connections between chemical supply lines, pumps, filters, valves and process modules. Key factors for the design include, in particular, the chemical, its concentration, temperature, pressure and purity requirements.

To ensure a robust design, we ideally require details of the process medium and its concentration, temperature, operating pressure, dimensions, bend radius, location of use, cleanliness requirements and the desired connection or assembly solution. For series production projects, the annual volume, quality specifications, documentation requirements and change management are also important.

Customised hose assemblies can be tailored to the installation conditions, hose geometry and connection technology of an OEM or Tier 1 project. Prior to series production approval, technical requirements, interfaces, test criteria and the necessary documentation should be defined jointly.

In semiconductor facilities, hose solutions are used – depending on the process – for compressed air, vacuum, temperature-control media, liquids, process chemicals or slurries. Examples include air and liquid lines in lithography systems, chemical lines in wet-process systems, and media lines in packaging and test systems. The choice of material must be validated on a case-by-case basis, depending on the process and the medium.

In addition to materials and dimensions, purchasers should pay particular attention to specifications, the medium, process conditions, the required finish, quality requirements, the scope of documentation, the approval process and planned quantities. Early technical consultation helps to clearly define the scope of supply, interfaces and series production requirements.

The level of purity and cleanliness that can be achieved with a tubing solution depends on the material, the manufacturing process, the assembly, the packaging and the specified testing and documentation requirements. For high-purity applications, customer-specific requirements should be agreed at an early stage. These include, for example, specifications relating to particles, outgassing, cleaning or packaging, insofar as these are relevant to the project in question.

The scope of documentation required is agreed on a project-by-project basis. Depending on the application, this may include technical specifications, material information, test criteria, conformity documents, batch or traceability data, and approved drawings. Which documents are available and required should be clearly defined prior to series production approval.

The possible design depends on the hose material, dimensions, operating conditions and the interface within the system. Relevant factors include the type of connection, sealing concept, installation space, mounting situation and the requirements for cleaning or replaceability. The specific design should therefore be defined in consultation with the design and quality departments.

Traceability (COAs) is implemented via a process defined on a project-by-project basis. Possible components include labelling, batch allocation, documentation, test status or defined identification features. The required scope depends on the application, the quality assurance processes and the customer’s specifications.