Semiconductor fabrication involves some of the most chemically aggressive environments known to industry — plasma etching, chemical vapour deposition and wet cleaning processes attack conventional elastomers rapidly. FITCO supplies high-purity FFKM and specialty FKM O-Rings for wafer fab equipment, process chambers and gas delivery systems.
Semiconductor Sealing Requirements
- Ultra-low outgassing (UHV compatible materials)
- Plasma resistance in etch and strip chambers
- Resistance to aggressive fluorinated gases (NF₃, HF, F₂, ClF₃)
- Chemical vapour deposition and ALD process compatibility
- Particle-free — no extractables or leachables
Recommended Materials
- FFKM — Perfluoroelastomer — The only elastomer that survives aggressive plasma and fluorinated etch chemistry; Kalrez® and Chemraz® grades available
- FKM (Viton) — For less aggressive processes; significantly lower cost than FFKM
- Fluorosilicone (FVMQ) — Low outgassing; used in analytical and metrology equipment
Applications
- Plasma etch and CVD chamber door seals
- Gas cabinet and delivery panel fittings
- Wafer handling robot seals
- CMP (chemical mechanical planarisation) equipment
- Wet clean and HF bath equipment
- Mass spectrometers and residual gas analysers