Sealing in Advanced Semiconductor Gas Delivery: Permeation, Contamination, and Reliability Tradeoffs
ABSTRACT
Continued scaling and new patterning and deposition/etch schemes have expanded the set of process gases used in semiconductor manufacturing, increasing demands on gas delivery and process tool sealing. Seals must maintain integrity under aggressive chemistries, temperature cycling, and—in some locations—plasma-adjacent environments. Two mechanisms repeatedly drive performance limits and maintenance burden: (1) permeation through elastomers that can alter delivered gas composition over time and (2) contamination (extractables/particles) associated with seal materials and their interaction with the process environment. These effects can translate into variability, unplanned maintenance, and tool availability impacts.
This talk maps the current solution space for harsh-service sealing in gas panels and process hardware, spanning standard geometries (O-rings, gaskets) and engineered approaches used when purity, permeation, or interface constraints dominate. Options discussed include high-performance elastomer families (e.g., FFKM), alternative cross-sections and backup strategies, and application-specific components such as diaphragms, door seals, composite seals, and bonded assemblies. Selection is framed in terms of measurable requirements—chemical compatibility, permeation rate, thermal limits, compression set, particle/extractables performance, and serviceability.
For non-standard glands or challenging thermal/mechanical load cases, development typically couples compound selection with interface design and verification. The presentation outlines how finite element analysis (FEA) is used to predict contact stress, squeeze, and strain limits across temperature and pressure ranges, and how these models are tied to validation activities (e.g., leak testing, thermal cycling, and application-relevant compatibility screening). Examples highlight common failure modes and the tradeoffs between permeation performance, robustness, and ease of assembly/maintenance.
Attendees will gain a structured way to define sealing requirements for advanced gas delivery and process applications, including how to translate purity and stability goals into material/geometry choices and verification plans. Key takeaways include how to think about permeation pathways, how contamination risks are introduced and mitigated, and where modeling and test methods complement each other in qualification.
BIOGRAPHY
Calvin Chen is a senior engineer at Kalrez® with over a decade of hardware engineering experience in Silicon Valley. He provides sealing solutions by bridging equipment design requirements with material science expertise. Drawing on his knowledge of Kalrez®, Calvin develops sealing systems to improve reliability, reduce downtime, and extend component life.