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Latest Semicon Sealing Solutions From Dupont Dow Help Improve Yields, Reduce Cost Of Ownership

Talk to Problem Solving Products about Kalrez® o-rings and seals.

News Release from Dupont Dow Elastomers

4/1/2000

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Semicon wafer fab processes are creating hotter and more aggressive environments for critical seals and O-rings than ever before. At the same time, fabricators are looking for seals that help improve yields and thereby reduce cost of ownership. This tough performance-to-cost challenge was met by DuPont Dow Elastomers at Semicon Europa 2000 with an impressive demonstration of the capability of high performance seals and parts of Kalrez® perfluoroelastomer.

Highlight of the company's exhibit was the introduction of new Kalrez® Sahara™ 8475 for highest temperature resistance and lowest outgassing in thermal applications, and a special announcement that Kalrez® Sahara KLR 8575, designed to improve yields and cost of ownership in plasma environments, was available for pre-launch testing. In addition, DuPont Dow exhibited Kalrez® Sahara 8375 and 8385, claimed "the best sealing and improved yield providers in all dry processes", and Kalrez® TriLobe™, a unique snap-in seal design for slit and gate valves.

Kalrez® Sahara 8475 offers low IR absorption and the lowest outgassing yet achieved in an elastomer seal at temperatures up to 300°C, according to the company. It reports that OEMs and fab lines who have tested the new product claim significantly lower contamination and improved seal performance. Kalrez® Sahara 8475 is expected to contribute to improved yields in LPCVD, RTP and Lamp Anneal, in high temperature sealing applications including quartz tube, ball joint, gas feedthrough, plenum and bell jar seals.

Choosing the best seal for a semiconductor wafer processing application can challenge even the most experienced process engineer. At Semicon Europa, DuPont Dow introduced a new version of its "Application Guide for Kalrez®" CD-ROM to make the elastomer and seal selection task much simpler. The guide pinpoints the compatibility of specific compounds of Kalrez® perfluoroelastomer with more than 1,800 industrial chemicals, and with operators process conditions. According to the company, customers making selections based on the guide have seen operating improvements of up to 20 percent.

By selecting the compound for Kalrez® parts best suited to a specific process, fab lines can improve seal performance in all wafer-fabricating operations, including thermal, gas/vacuum, dry plasma and wet chemical systems. Users also have the assurance of quality and traceability of all Kalrez® parts made at DuPont Dow's ISO 9000 registered facilities in Newark, Delaware, USA.

About DuPont Dow Elastomers

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® Sahara is a registered trademark of DuPont Dow Elastomers.

This article, "Latest Semicon Sealing Solutions From Dupont Dow Help Improve Yields, Reduce Cost Of Ownership" (about Kalrez® perfluoroelastomer seals and o-rings) was provided by DuPont Dow Elastomers.

Next Article: Article 2: New Kalrez® Sahara™ 8475 Meets The Semicon Sealing Challenge At High Temperatures