Manufacturing Electronic Gases Cylinder Tube Tank Container for The "Blood" of Semiconductor
In recent years, with the rapid development of the electronic industry, the role of electronic gases in semiconductor manufacturing has become increasingly prominent.
In a broad sense, "electronic gases" refer to gases used in the production of the electronic industry and are one of the key raw materials. In a narrow sense, "electronic gases" specifically refer to specialty gases for electronic semiconductors. The Classification of Strategic Emerging Industries (2018) categorizes electronic gases into electronic specialty gases and electronic bulk gases under the key products of electronic specialty materials manufacturing.
Electronic specialty gases are essential critical chemical materials in the manufacturing processes of semiconductors such as integrated circuits (ICs), flat-panel displays (FPDs), light-emitting diodes (LEDs), and solar cells. They are widely used in processes including cleaning, etching, film formation, and doping. In semiconductor manufacturing processes, from chip growth to the final packaging of components, almost every step and every stage is inseparable from electronic specialty gases. Therefore, electronic gases are known as the "grain" and "source" of semiconductor devices.
1. Application in the Flat-Panel Display Industry
In the flat-panel display industry, electronic gases mainly include silicon-based gases (e.g., silane), doping gases (e.g., PH₃), and etching gases (e.g., SF₆).
In the thin-film process: SiO₂, SiNₓ, and other thin films are deposited on glass substrates through chemical vapor deposition (CVD), using specialty gases such as SiH₄, PH₃, NH₃, and NF₃.
In the dry etching process: The substrate is selectively etched in a plasma gaseous atmosphere, typically using gases like SF₆, HCl, and Cl₂.
2. Application in the Solar Cell Industry
For crystalline silicon solar cells:
POCl₃ and O₂ are used in the diffusion process.
SiH₄ and NH₃ are used in the plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) process for anti-reflective coatings.
CF₄ is used in the etching process.
For thin-film solar cells:
Diethylzinc (DEZn) and B₂H₆ are used in the process of depositing transparent conductive films.
Silane is used in the deposition process of amorphous/nanocrystalline silicon.
3. Application in the Integrated Circuit (IC) Manufacturing Industry
Similar to the flat-panel display industry, electronic gases are generally used in manufacturing stages such as CVD and etching. However, due to differences in requirements and complexity between IC manufacturing and flat-panel display production, electronic gases for IC manufacturing have higher purity and a wider variety.
The IC industry is the core application field of electronic gases. According to data from Qianzhan Industry Research Institute:
In China’s total sales of specialty gases, the electronic industry accounts for approximately 41%, petrochemical industry for 39%, medical and environmental protection for 10%, and other industries for 10%.
Within the pure electronic gas sector, the IC industry accounts for 42% (the largest consumer of electronic gases), followed by the display panel industry (37%), the solar energy industry (13%), and the LED industry (8%).
4. Classification and Functions of Electronic Gases in IC Manufacturing
Electronic gases used in the IC industry are divided into two categories: bulk gases (common gases) and specialty gases.
1. Reactant gases: Participate in chemical reactions (e.g., H₂, O₂). 2. Protective gases: Inert gases used in high-temperature baking or cleaning (e.g., N₂, Ar, He).
Mainly serve as reactant gases in IC manufacturing, participating in the formation of substances during chip production (e.g., SiH₄ reacts to form silicon dioxide; CF₄ reacts with etched materials in dry etching to achieve etching).
5. Technical Requirements for Electronic Specialty Gases
Electronic specialty gases are widely used in industries such as ICs, display panels, solar energy, and new energy vehicles. In recent years, downstream industries have undergone rapid technological upgrades—especially the IC manufacturing industry, where process nodes have continued to shrink (from 28nm to 7nm) and wafer sizes have increased (from 8-inch to 12-inch wafers).
As a key raw material for IC manufacturing, electronic specialty gases have seen continuous improvements in refinement, particularly in purity and precision, to keep up with the rapid technological iteration of downstream industries. For example:
General industrial gases require a purity of approximately 99.99%.
In the manufacturing process of ICs with advanced processes, the gas purity requirement is above 6N (99.9999%).
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