Kalrez® 7080 – High-Temperature Sealing Solution for Semiconductor Manufacturing

Kalrez® 7080 perfluoroelastomer parts are designed for high-temperature semiconductor manufacturing processes, helping maintain process consistency, improve equipment reliability, and support higher wafer productivity.

As semiconductor manufacturing processes continue to operate under increasingly demanding thermal conditions, sealing materials must deliver more than basic sealing performance. At elevated temperatures, seals must also provide excellent material stability while controlling outgassing and metallic contamination to minimize their potential impact on process performance and wafer quality.

To address these requirements, Qnity Electronics has introduced Kalrez® 7080 perfluoroelastomer parts, a new sealing solution designed for semiconductor manufacturing processes operating at temperatures of up to 330°C.

According to Qnity, Kalrez® 7080 combines high-temperature performance with ultra-low outgassing and extremely low metallic contamination, making it suitable for demanding thermal applications in semiconductor manufacturing.

What Is Kalrez® 7080?

Kalrez® 7080 is a new perfluoroelastomer (FFKM) sealing material from Qnity, developed specifically for semiconductor manufacturing applications.

Advanced semiconductor processes place increasingly stringent requirements on sealing materials. A suitable seal must be able to:

• Operate reliably at elevated temperatures.
• Maintain sealing integrity under demanding thermal conditions.
• Minimize material outgassing.
• Reduce the potential for metallic contamination in the process environment.
• Support process stability and equipment reliability.

Kalrez® 7080 has been developed to address these requirements, particularly for high-temperature processes used in semiconductor manufacturing.

High-Temperature Performance Up to 330°C

One of the key features of Kalrez® 7080 is its suitability for applications operating at temperatures of up to 330°C.

Qnity reports that, in an internal thermal aging evaluation, Kalrez® 7080 parts were exposed to air at temperatures of up to 325°C for four weeks, equivalent to 672 hours, demonstrating high thermal stability.

Maintaining seal integrity under elevated temperatures is critical for processes where degradation of the sealing material could affect process consistency, equipment reliability, and wafer productivity.

Note: The 330°C temperature represents the application temperature stated by Qnity for Kalrez® 7080. Actual seal performance depends on the seal design, equipment configuration, and specific operating conditions.

Ultra-Low Outgassing and Extremely Low Metallic Contamination

In semiconductor manufacturing, contamination control is a critical part of process management.

A sealing material must not only prevent leakage but also minimize its potential impact on the process environment.

Kalrez® 7080 is designed with two particularly important characteristics:

Ultra-Low Outgassing

Ultra-low outgassing helps minimize the release of gases from the sealing material under high-temperature conditions, supporting stringent environmental control requirements in sensitive semiconductor processes.

Extremely Low Metallic Contamination

Extremely low metallic contamination helps address the stringent purity requirements of semiconductor manufacturing, where unwanted metallic impurities can negatively affect sensitive processes and device performance.

The combination of high-temperature resistance, ultra-low outgassing, and extremely low metallic contaminationmakes Kalrez® 7080 suitable for applications where sealing performance must be maintained while minimizing the material’s potential impact on the manufacturing process.

Semiconductor Processes for Kalrez® 7080

According to Qnity, Kalrez® 7080 is designed for several important high-temperature processes in semiconductor manufacturing, including:

• Diffusion
• Oxidation
• Thermal ALD (Atomic Layer Deposition)
• Metal CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition)
• LPCVD (Low-Pressure Chemical Vapor Deposition)

These processes involve demanding thermal conditions, making the selection of an appropriate sealing material an important consideration for maintaining equipment and process performance.

Why Is Seal Material Selection Important in Semiconductor Manufacturing?

Sealing components are used throughout semiconductor manufacturing equipment to isolate process environments and maintain the integrity of critical process chambers and systems.

An unsuitable sealing material can contribute to issues such as:

Leakage → process instability → increased maintenance requirements → reduced equipment reliability and productivity.

In addition to elevated temperatures, sealing materials used in semiconductor equipment may also be exposed to chemicals, plasma, vacuum conditions, and repeated thermal cycles.

For this reason, selecting the right FFKM sealing material requires consideration of the complete operating environment rather than temperature alone.

Kalrez® perfluoroelastomer solutions are developed for different semiconductor manufacturing environments, including plasma processes, thermal processes, wet processes, sub-fab applications, and back-end manufacturing.

Kalrez® 7080 Within the Qnity Semiconductor Sealing Portfolio

Kalrez® 7080 is part of Qnity’s broader portfolio of specialized sealing materials developed for semiconductor manufacturing.

In addition to Kalrez® 7080 for high-temperature applications, Qnity offers other Kalrez® solutions for specific semiconductor process environments, including:

Kalrez® 9400

Designed for demanding plasma environments, with a focus on plasma resistance, particle control, and maintaining sealing performance under harsh process conditions.

Kalrez® UPHT

An ultra-pure, high-temperature FFKM material designed for advanced plasma applications, combining low outgassing with high plasma resistance.

Kalrez® PF3

A sealing solution that combines Kalrez® perfluoroelastomer material with precision-machined metal hardware, designed to simplify installation and improve sealing consistency.

The appropriate Kalrez® grade should be selected based on the operating temperature, chemical exposure, plasma conditions, purity requirements, seal design, and specific operating environment of the equipment.

Filterfine Vietnam – Kalrez® Sealing Solutions for Industrial Applications

As an authorized Kalrez® distributor in Vietnam, Filterfine Vietnam provides high-performance sealing solutions for applications requiring high-temperature resistance, chemical resistance, and reliable sealing performance.

For semiconductor, electronics, and other advanced manufacturing applications, seal selection should not be based solely on dimensions or nominal operating temperature. A comprehensive evaluation should consider the process environment, chemical exposure, temperature, pressure, cleanliness requirements, and specific sealing configuration.

With the introduction of Kalrez® 7080, Qnity is expanding its Kalrez® portfolio to address increasingly demanding high-temperature semiconductor processes, particularly applications operating above 300°C.

Contact Filterfine Vietnam to discuss your sealing requirements and identify the appropriate Kalrez® material for your specific operating conditions and application.