Improve Surface Temperatures and Thermal Gradients, while Reducing Time Constraints
83%
decrease in ΔT demonstrated (13.8 to 2.3 mK)
5x
stabilization improvement demonstrated

Optimize the Thermal Management of Semiconductor Equipment

A Lamellar heat exchanger 3d printed in Laserform 316L (B) stainless steel in the palm of a man's hand

Keeping temperatures within milliKelvin (mK) ranges is critical as any system disturbance has an impact at the nanometer scale. By optimizing cooling channels and surface patterns, you dramatically improve surface temperatures and thermal gradients while reducing time constants. This results in improved system speed and accuracy.  

Drawing on our many years of experience in semiconductor production and applications, we can help you apply additive manufacturing to optimize the thermal management of semiconductor equipment. With unique designs attainable only with additive manufacturing, you can efficiently dissipate heat, enhance system throughput and accuracy, and improve overall performance.

The Benefits of Metal Additive Manufacturing

  • Semiconductor DMP Manifold in 3DXpert

  • Design Flexibility

    Additive manufacturing makes it possible to optimally design (e.g., using topology optimization), rapidly iterate, and manufacture wafer tables with complex features, such as cooling channels, that dissipate heat better.

  • a person in protective gear holding a 3D printed part

  • High Quality and Accuracy for Clean Room Environments

    Our metal additive solutions ensure high material quality and part accuracy, producing parts in an inert atmosphere with a steady, ultra-low oxygen level—coupled with proprietary processes for optimal particle cleanliness. This results in metal parts that meet clean room requirements and are fit for use in lithography equipment.

  • wafer tables sitting on a platform

  • Performance and Productivity

    Better thermal management of critical semiconductor equipment components, such as wafer tables, can improve semiconductor equipment accuracy by 1–2 nm and simultaneously improve speed and throughput. An increased machine speed and uptime leads to more wafers processed and higher overall lifecycle value. Additive manufacturing also delivers structurally optimized wafer tables with reduced part counts and assemblies. Replacing multipart assemblies with monolithic parts increases reliability, improves manufacturing yield, and reduces labor costs.

Answer Challenges Related to Thermal Efficiency

  • thermal gradients rendered

    Reduce Thermal Gradients

    Changing temperatures and thermal gradients in wafer tables negatively affects the lithography process and system performance, causing distortion and impacting throughput and accuracy. 

  • a hand holding an hourglass

    Improve Time to Market

    Optimizing wafer tables for thermal efficiency and performance with traditional manufacturing methods typically requires multiple design iterations that can negatively affect project timelines.

  • 3 people standing in a facility discussing work

    Lower Cost and Increase Reliability

    Increasing wafer table complexity with traditional manufacturing, such as by introducing weld seams, typically results in rising part costs. This also sacrifices part performance and reliability.

Resources

  • 3D Systems Semiconductor Wafer Table Banner

    Wafer Table Thermal Management with Additive Manufacturing

    Maximize heat transfer within a limited footprint and gain better control over thermal management with design and production strategies only possible through additive manufacturing.

    Read the Brief
  • Semiconductor ebook cover

    Rapidly Adopt and Scale Metal Additive Manufacturing

    In this eBook, you’ll learn how 3D Systems’ decades of experience and expertise helps integrate metal AM to drive performance, productivity, and reliability improvements for semiconductor capital equipment manufacturers and suppliers.

    Get the eBook
  • Silicon Wafers and Microcircuits sitting on a robot arm

    Additive Manufacturing for Semiconductor Capital Equipment

    Discover how 3D Systems’ metal additive manufacturing can give semiconductor capital equipment manufacturers and suppliers the capabilities they need to improve performance, productivity, and reliability.

    Read our Brochure

More Semiconductor Applications

hand holding a dmp manifold fluid flow optimization image alt

Manifold Fluid Flow Optimization
semiconductor vdl focus stack flexure structural optimization image

Flexure and Structural Optimization
Learn More About Air and Fluid Flow 3D Printers and Materials
DMP Factory 350 Duel 3D Printer

DMP Factory 350 and DMP Factory 350 Dual

Scalable, high quality metal AM with integrated powder management

DMP Flex 350 Duel 3D printer

DMP Flex 350 and DMP Flex 350 Dual

Robust, flexible metal 3d printer for rapid part production

Thales Metal Bracket LaserForm Titanium Gr. 5

LaserForm Ti Gr5 (A)

High strength, low weight, excellent biocompatibility

3D Systems 3DXpert hero image

3DXpert

All-in-One Integrated Software for Industrial Additive Manufacturing

Talk to an Expert

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  • Application Innovation Group

    Our team can help you solve your most difficult design and production challenges with additive manufacturing solutions. Together we’ll identify your needs, working with you to optimize your designs, prototype, validate and define a manufacturing flow.

    Find Out More