Precision instruments

The semiconductor chip manufacturing industry plays a vital role in the national economy, and the scale of related enterprises is growing. Stable and reliable operation and maintenance of its power supply and distribution systems is not only a fundamental guarantee for safe production, but also crucial to product quality and the smooth operation of production.

The integrated circuit chip manufacturing industry is a highly capital- and technology-intensive precision manufacturing industry with distinct production characteristics:

The production process requires a highly clean environment, with stringent temperature and humidity requirements.

The production process utilizes electronic devices and integrated circuits on a large scale, with a high degree of automation.

IC chip manufacturing involves numerous key equipment, numerous workstations, and numerous and complex process steps. In addition to the power supply and distribution system, transmission systems, ultrapure water purification systems, vacuum systems, air cooling systems, and specialized gas distribution systems are also required to ensure the smooth execution of the production process and the safe operation of key equipment.

Since the entire factory's production conditions are ultimately maintained by electricity, semiconductor chip manufacturing places particularly high demands on power supply quality.

Power Quality Issues in Semiconductor Chip Manufacturing

Harmonic Issues

IC test benches, PLC-controlled robots, wafer processing machines used in chip manufacturing, and variable-frequency-controlled semiconductor machines all generate significant harmonics. These harmonics can not only cause equipment failure, but the harmonic currents flowing back into the power grid can also cause heating in other circuits, malfunction of electronic switches, unstable power supply voltages, and even production line downtime and scrap of semi-finished products.

Voltage Sags and Interruptions

Semiconductor manufacturing equipment is extremely expensive, with many costing millions of dollars. Its performance is extremely precise and sensitive to supply voltage fluctuations. Millisecond-level voltage fluctuations can cause process equipment in a semiconductor factory to shut down, disrupting production and causing significant direct and indirect economic losses. Furthermore, the chip manufacturing process involves numerous steps. Conventional dynamic storage memory processing requires over 200 steps. Errors in any of these steps can directly impact product yield, rendering the expensive chips worthless.

Types of semiconductor process equipment sensitive to voltage fluctuations (covers almost all types of semiconductor equipment)

Types of semiconductor process equipment sensitive to voltage fluctuations

Chinese name

English name

Etching equipment (dry and wet)

Etching equipment (dry and wet)

Film deposition equipment (chemical vapor deposition and physical vapor deposition)

Film deposition equipment (CVD and PVD)

Heating equipment

Thermal equipment

Surface treatment and cleaning equipment

Surface prep and clean

Photolithography equipment (steppers, trackers, and scanners)

Photolithography equipment (steppers and

tracks, scans)

Chemical mechanical polishing equipment

Chemical mechanical polishing equipment

Equipment

Ion implantation equipment

Ion implantation equipment

Measurement equipment

Metrology equipment

Automated test equipment

Automated test Equipment

The National Development and Reform Commission's Economic Regulation and Operation Bureau commissioned the Asian Power Quality Industry Alliance to conduct a survey on the economic impact of power quality. Extensive research and analysis revealed that voltage sags and short interruptions are the most significant power quality issues, with the semiconductor industry ranking first in production losses due to power quality disturbances.