Swagelok, a leading supplier of fluid system products, components, and related services, today announced the availability of the Swagelok ALD7 ultra-high-purity (UHP) diaphragm valve—providing semiconductor manufacturers with the consistency and long life necessary to increase chip yield . Compared to Swagelok's current top-of-the-line ALD6 valve, the ALD7 offers better flow consistency, flow capacity, and actuator speed. It also provides the necessary high-temperature performance to enable chipmakers to overcome the limitations of current manufacturing processes and meet demand.
The ALD7 valve can be integrated into new or existing equipment, offering higher flow capacity (up to 0.7 Cv) in the same 1.5-inch (38.1mm) installation as existing valves, helping manufacturers meet global demands for advanced technology Strong demand for chips. The ALD7 valve provides precise feeding over hundreds of millions of ALD (atomic layer deposition) production cycles by performing faster and more consistently than its predecessor, the ALD6. The opening and closing response time of this actuator can be less than 5ms. The actuator can be immersed to 150°C (302°F), while the valve body is rated to 200°C (392°F), allowing the valve to better support low vapor pressure precursors that require high temperature delivery. This gives manufacturers the control they need to increase yield and yield.
The ALD7 valve has a compact design with integrated thermal isolators, allowing system designers to maximize the use of limited space near the reaction chamber of chip fabrication equipment. This valve is also highly resistant to the corrosive gases used in the ALD process, and its body is constructed of Swagelok's proprietary ultra-high-purity 316L VIM-VAR stainless steel. As a result, semiconductor equipment manufacturers can rely on the ALD7 valve to provide consistent performance under variable process conditions, increasing production capacity for customers without increasing operating costs.
"Since developing the industry's first application-compliant ALD valve nearly 20 years ago, we have been working with our semiconductor customers to better understand our ultra-high performance as chipmakers continue to shrink process nodes and increase chip yields. The level of performance required for high-purity valves,” explains Ben Olechnowicz, product manager at Swagelok. "This has led us to continually pursue innovative thinking to develop valves that perform faster, are used in more extreme conditions, and have higher flow coefficients to meet the ongoing demands of atomic layer processes. We designed the ALD7 to be a reliable all-weather Producing valves that meet all of these requirements provides our customers with the necessary performance consistency to stay ahead in an industry that always seems to be changing and demanding more from manufacturers.”
The ALD7 is currently available in a modular surface mount configuration with a high flow C-seal, or a straight-through configuration with tube butt weld and Swagelok VCR® face seal fitting ends. High temperature electronic position sensors, optical position sensors or solenoid pilot valve configurations are also available as additional components.
