More than Volts and Amperes Power Supplies for Demanding Semiconductor Manufacturing

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Over the years, new features have enhanced the safety, performance, and reliability of power supplies. This article demonstrates how digital control and programmability make power supplies valuable for developers of semiconductor equipment.

The semiconductor industry is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by AI and data techniques for training and inference. This progress is crucial for implementing an intelligent data and AI revolution across various fields. Heterogeneous integration and advanced packaging enhance the performance and efficiency of semiconductors. EUV lithography will enable smaller structures and more precision, producing more powerful and efficient chips. New materials are advancing innovations in chip design to further enhance function and performance.

Sustainability and Growth in the Semiconductor Sector

According to Gartner, the annual overall growth of the semiconductor industry could average between 6 and 8% by 2030, corresponding to a market volume of $1 trillion. There is increasing consensus in the industry that new fabs must be more efficient and operated with renewable energy, adhering to strict sustainability standards. This transition to environmentally friendly manufacturing processes is crucial for achieving net-zero goals and demonstrates a commitment to greater environmental responsibility. The production of semiconductor chips is particularly energy-intensive—from the initial manufacturing of silicon wafers to the final testing phase—with a substantial portion of the energy currently derived from fossil fuels.

Wafer Fab Equipment: Trends and Requirements

Manufacturers of wafer fab equipment require quick response from power supply manufacturers in process evaluation, especially with product samples and modifications. This quick response is crucial, as it directly impacts the closing of new manufacturing contracts.

Moreover, it is important to integrate more control and monitoring into power supplies. This facilitates data collection on the machine's operating condition and also aids in the quick identification and resolution of system issues. The consequences of a power outage in a semiconductor manufacturing facility are severe, as potential downtime can result in significant financial losses for end customers, often amounting to millions of dollars.

Common Problems Associated with Building New Machines

Choosing the right power supply for new machines can be challenging. A common issue is limited 3-phase infrastructure at many locations, which affects where and how a new machine can be deployed. A power supply with a universal 1-phase input of 90-264 VAC solves this problem by providing greater site flexibility and enabling efficient operation of the machine in environments where 3-phase power is not available.

Another challenge is the lack of ability to control the power supply according to the requirements of the system and the end application. Developers can design their applications more flexibly and tailor system integration precisely to their needs when choosing a power supply that enables firmware configuration via a graphical user interface (GUI).

Another obstacle in high-performance applications is space constraints, as such machines usually occupy a large footprint. System integration and visibility of system status can also be problematic due to a lack of control and monitoring functions. A power supply with integrated custom digital controls, signals, and alarms can significantly optimize system design and reduce maintenance and operating costs by providing real-time insights into the system status and allowing immediate adjustments when needed.

Fluctuations in the connected load can lead to instability and potential damage. A power supply that can automatically switch between constant current and constant voltage modes protects against these issues and safeguards both the power supply and the end-user system from damage due to load fluctuations.

When selecting a power supply for new machines, several challenges must be addressed—from infrastructure limitations to regulatory compliance. By choosing a power supply tailored to these specific challenges, manufacturers can operate more flexibly, efficiently, and cost-effectively in their designs.

The Scalable, Digital, and Configurable Approach

The HP series of compact, flexible high-power supplies with 1- and 3-phase input embodies the scalable, digital, and configurable approach of XP Power. The HP series features ITE safety approvals and is SEMI-F47 compliant. The power supplies come in space-saving mechanical formats with digital signal processing, multiple communication protocols, user-configurable features, and are available from 1.5 to 30 kW. For added flexibility, 1- and 3-phase power supplies with nominal outputs from 24 to 200 VDC are offered.

The HPT series of 5kW power supplies, introduced in 2019, features a 3-phase, 3-wire 180-528VAC input, which simplifies installation as no neutral wire connection is required, often unavailable in semiconductor manufacturing facilities. With the introduction of the HPA series two years later, a 1.5kW single-phase unit, XP Power responded to the need for power supplies that offer constant voltage (CV) and constant current operation (CC), and are programmable, flexible, and user-configurable. In 2023, XP Power launched the HPF series of 3kW power supplies to meet the needs of semiconductor manufacturing facilities that require increasingly sophisticated and powerful power supplies.

All power supplies in the HP series feature a unique digital ID, allowing users to individually control and monitor each device in a multi-device system solution. The robust digital architecture has been further developed to offer sophisticated features for enhanced performance and safety. This includes a slew rate control to reduce voltage and current overshoot, ensuring system stability.

A unified graphical user interface ensures a consistent appearance across all HP series, thereby optimizing the user experience throughout. The units feature programmable fault detection and response mechanisms, as well as a logging option for tracking and analyzing incidents. Users are kept informed through alarms and warning messages about deviations in output voltage, current, and temperature, allowing them to take action.

Application Examples and Summary

In semiconductor manufacturing, the reproduction of the exact power characteristics and operating parameters of the power supply is a particular requirement to ensure the consistency, quality, and reliability of the application.

Dry etching offers higher precision and anisotropy than wet etching and is therefore suitable for advanced microfabrication, particularly in semiconductors, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), and integrated circuits (ICs). Dry etching uses gases or plasmas to etch materials that are chemically resistant and thus cannot be wet etched, such as silicon carbide (SiC) or gallium nitride (GaN). A typical dry etching system requires a 3kW power supply that delivers 36 VDC, which the HPF series covers. For wafer test systems, which typically require 6 kW and 48 VDC, two HPF units can be operated in parallel via a single bus.

The integration of digital control and programmability in power supplies is revolutionizing the semiconductor industry by enhancing the safety, performance, and reliability of manufacturing facilities. As the sector continues to experience rapid growth, the introduction of digital features in power supplies is not just a trend but a necessity. The scalable, digital, and configurable approach of XP Power, particularly through the HP series power supplies, is an example of this forward-looking strategy.

These advancements allow developers to save significant time during the design and development phase and maximize the uptime of equipment on-site. Proactive predictive maintenance ensures that the equipment operates more efficiently and reliably, reducing the risk of costly downtime and promoting a more sustainable manufacturing environment. (mr)

*Hafiz Khalid is Product Marketing Director at XP Power

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