Kalrez® News 1 - Article 1

Kalrez® SaharaTM Plasma 8575 From Dupont Dow Elastomers Runs O-Rings Around The Competition

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DuPont Kalrez® Sahara Plasma 8575, a proprietary compound formulated especially for plasma processes, assures semiconductor manufacturers the highest level of sealing integrity by maintaining the optimum balance between weight loss and particle generation.

The maximum continuous service rating of Kalrez® Sahara Plasma 8575 is 280C, well above typical requirements for plasma applications. Designed for use in all types of etch, CVD and stripping processes, Kalrez® Sahara Plasma 8575 offers the best combination of chemical resistance and sealing performance in an elastomer material.

Testing Reveals Performance Advantages

Kalrez® Sahara Plasma 8575 outperformed competitive materials and other Kalrez® compounds in tests DuPont Dow developed to approximate typical commercial plasma processing conditions. These tests enabled DuPont Dow to quantify seal resistance to plasma by placing O-rings on a silicon wafer in a process chamber and exposing them directly to the most damaging plasma environments.

DuPont Dow pioneered the design of the performance tests because no industry standard existed to characterize elastomer resistance to plasma.

Seals Stay in Shape

O-rings made of Kalrez® Sahara Plasma 8575 also show the best long-term compression set and elastic recovery properties of the sealing materials tested. Rapid elastic recovery enables a seal to regain shape quickly and be ready for service faster between process cycles or planned maintenance operations.

In addition, Kalrez® Sahara Plasma 8575 exhibits other key performance characteristics that contribute to extended seal life, including its resistance to oxygen and fluorine-based plasma, and its ability to withstand new, aggressive cleaning gasses, such as ClF3.

Especially well-suited for slit valve doors, chamber lids, gas inlets, quartz windows and throttle valves, Kalrez® Sahara Plasma 8575 combines physical characteristics that allow fabricators to maintain proper pressure, temperature and gas concentration in single- or multi-chamber equipment.

About DuPont Dow Elastomers and DuPont Kalrez® Sahara

DuPont Dow Elastomers, a global supplier of specialty elastomers with headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware, USA, is a joint venture between the DuPont Company and The Dow Chemical Company, with more than US $1 billion in sales. The company is the industry leader in chloroelastomers, ethylene elastomers and fluorinated elastomers, serving the automotive, chemical processing, construction, general rubber and wire and cable industries.

Kalrez® is a registered trademark of DuPont.

This article, "Kalrez® Sahara Plasma 8575 From Dupont Dow Elastomers Runs O-Rings Around The Competition," was provided by DuPont.

* Photograph © NASA

* Photograph © Can Stock Photo Inc. | Babar760