High precision Microporous silicon carbide SiC Ceramic Vacuum Chuck

Core Advantages

What is a SiC Vacuum Chuck?

A vacuum chuck is a device that uses suction (a vacuum) to hold a workpiece in place during machining, grinding, or inspection, instead of using mechanical clamps.

A SiC Vacuum Chuck is one specifically manufactured from Silicon Carbide.

Why is Silicon Carbide (SiC) the Material of Choice?

This is the core of the matter. SiC possesses a unique combination of properties that make it ideal for this demanding application:

Exceptional Hardness and Wear Resistance:

Benefit: SiC is extremely hard (9.5 on the Mohs scale, close to diamond). This makes it highly resistant to abrasion from the workpiece (often a silicon wafer) and from any debris during processing. This ensures the chuck's surface remains flat and undamaged for a very long time, leading to a longer service life and less downtime.

Superior Stiffness (High Young's Modulus):

Benefit: SiC does not flex or deform easily under load. This provides exceptional dynamic stability during high-speed processes like grinding or machining. The chuck won't vibrate or distort, which is critical for achieving sub-micron tolerances.

Outstanding Thermal Properties:

• High Thermal Conductivity: SiC dissipates heat very effectively. This prevents "thermal runaway" where heat from the machining process builds up and distorts both the chuck and the workpiece.
• Low Thermal Expansion: SiC's dimensions change very little with temperature fluctuations. This ensures the chuck remains dimensionally stable even in non-temperature-controlled environments, maintaining its precise flatness.

Excellent Chemical Inertness:

Benefit: It is resistant to most acids, alkalis, and solvents used in semiconductor fabrication (e.g., in cleaning processes like RCA clean). This prevents the chuck from corroding or contaminating the wafers.

Low Density:

Benefit: Despite its great stiffness and hardness, SiC is relatively lightweight. This is advantageous for reducing the mass of moving parts in high-speed machinery.

• （1）High porosity and uniform pore size enable low resistance for both gas and liquid flow through applications，Good rigidity and dimensional stability.Ceramic material has a high hardness (Mohs hardness ≥8), can withstand high temperatures (up to over 500°C), and is resistant to various acid and alkali corrosions. It has a long service life, which is 3 to 5 times that of traditional suction cups.
• （2）Excellent chemical resistance in both acid and alkaline conditions，Low resistance for both gas and liquid flow through application.The micron-level porous structure ensures uniform suction distribution. Even if the workpiece surface has slight unevenness, it can still firmly adhere. It is particularly suitable for ultra-thin and fragile materials such as glass and silicon wafers.
• （3）Uniform pore sizes and high surface areas，Good acid and alkali resistance.The surface is smooth and not prone to material adhesion or clogging, significantly reducing the frequency of cleaning and shutdown maintenance, and lowering operating costs

Application Scenarios

• Chip packaging: Fixed chip substrates and ceramic substrates, suitable for the high-speed transfer and positioning requirements of automated production lines
• Optical lens processing: Adsorb quartz glass and optical lenses, used in polishing, coating and other processes to prevent lens deformation or contamination
• Mold polishing: Fix the high-precision mold cavity to ensure positional stability during the polishing process and enhance surface finish.
• Display manufacturing: Fixing OLED and LCD glass substrates to meet the requirements of non-destructive handling and processing of ultra-thin substrates。
• Silicon wafer/wafer processing: During photolithography, cutting, grinding and other processes, precisely adsorb 2-12 inch silicon wafers to prevent surface scratches and ensure processing accuracy.
• Medical devices: used for the manufacturing and testing of microfluidic chips, biochips and precision ceramic components.
• Battery manufacturing: It is used for the precise handling and processing of lithium battery electrode sheets, solid electrolytes and fuel cell bipolar plates.
• PCB/FPC: It provides reliable vacuum adsorption during SMT assembly, AOI inspection, laser drilling and panel separation
• Aerospace and national Defense: It plays a role in the ultra-precision manufacturing of avionics, inertial devices and guidance components.

Technical Parameters Table