20 Oct 2004
QUADRANT ENGINEERING PLASTIC PRODUCTS’ TECHTRON PPS OPTIMIZES PERFORMANCE, MINIMIZES COSTS FOR SEMICONDUCTOR EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURING
TIELT, BELGIUM – K 2004 – Quadrant Engineering Plastic Products (QEPP) provides semiconductor equipment manufacturers with a broad portfolio of proven, high-performance, machinable plastics that continue to fuel innovative better manufacturing tools while minimizing the overall cost of ownership.
Among them is QEPP’s Techtron PPS, which is the industry’s material standard for retaining rings used in chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) operations. CMP processes use abrasive chemically active slurries to planarize the microscopic topography of partly processed wafers, so that subsequent processes can begin from a flat surface. PPS Retaining rings keep wafers in place during CMP processes and their repeated exposure to abrasive chemicals and stress requires them to be periodically replaced.
Rings made from Techtron PPS minimize consumable costs for CMP equipment users by delivering tight dimensional control, excellent chemical resistance, high strength and good wear resistance against the slurry.
Techtron PPS materials are available in stock shapes. It possesses excellent dimensional stability and low residual stress that allow it to be machined very flat and to very tight tolerances. Most importantly, however, is that it is non-sloughing, which means it does not particulate significantly in abrasive handling applications.
“We work closely with semiconductor equipment manufacturers to develop performance materials that improve performance without a corresponding impact on the bottom line,” said Fred Sanford, Advanced Engineering Plastics Manager of QEPP. QEPP’s portfolio of engineered plastics material and stock shapes not only has reduced consumable costs for CMP equipment, it has helped minimize operation downtime.”
QEPP’s machinable plastics comprise familiar fixtures in many processes and tools used to manufacture semiconductor devices. Through its established working relationships with equipment manufacturers, Quadrant has developed a broad range of plastic materials and stock shapes that deliver performance qualities critical to the manufacture of semiconductor devices. These qualities include controlled electrostatic dissipation, low coefficient of expansion, high strength and resistance to heat and chemicals. Further, Quadrant’s stock shapes for machining are made from non-sloughing plastics that are ideal for fixtures that handle wafers and semiconductor devices, and for components used in hard-drive manufacturing and assembly processes.
Reader enquiries
Quadrant EPPHardstrasse 5
5600 Lenzburg
SWITZERLAND
Switzerland
+ 41 62 8858 150
contact@qplas.com
http://epp.quadrantplastics.com
Notes for editors
Quadrant Engineering Plastic Products (QEPP) is the world leader in the manufacture of engineering plastics in stock shapes (rod, plate, tube) for machining. QEPP also produces custom nylon castings and finished components. QEPP’s General and Advanced Engineering Plastics portfolio includes the broadest range of standard and custom shapes for machining and is available through its worldwide operations, technical support centres and authorized distributors.
The Quadrant Group is a global leader in high-performance polymer material solutions in the form of semi-finished and finished products. These specialty engineering thermoplastics and composites are superior in performance over metals and other materials, and are used in a growing number of applications developed with leaders in a wide range of industries.
Learn more about Quadrant at www.quadrantplastics.com.
ERTALON®, NYLATRON®, ERTACETAL®, ERTALYTE®, CESTIDUR®, TECHTRON®, KETRON®, FLUOROSINT® and SEMITRON® are registered trademarks of the Quadrant Group.
