The Outstanding Application of Granite (Precision Marble Tabletop) in Chip Manufacturing
I. Distinction First: The semiconductor industry does not use ordinary marble, but black precision granite.
The industry commonly refers to it as “marble tabletop,” but in reality, all chip equipment uses natural black granite (Jinan Green, Indian Black, Basalt), rather than ordinary marble (calcium carbonate material, easily corroded, poor precision).
With four unique advantages—low thermal expansion, high vibration damping, high rigidity, and dust-free anti-static properties—granite has become the only benchmark bearing carrier for nanometer-scale chip manufacturing equipment, serving as the core basic component for lithography, wafer processing, inspection, and packaging equipment.
II. Core Outstanding Performance Adapting to the Stringent Working Conditions of Chip Manufacturing
- Extremely low thermal expansion, eliminating wafer scrapping caused by temperature drift
The temperature fluctuation in chip cleanrooms is ±0.1℃, and process precision requirements are at the nanometer level:
The thermal expansion coefficient of granite is only 0.6×10⁻⁶/℃, which is 1/5 of steel, 1/3 of cast iron, and 1/8 of aluminum alloy;
Under the same temperature difference, the deformation of a metal base is at the micrometer level, while the deformation of granite is less than 0.1nm;
It is suitable for extremely temperature-sensitive equipment such as EUV lithography machines, electron beam inspection tools, and bonding machines, preventing wafer alignment deviation and exposure pattern distortion caused by equipment heat or cleanroom temperature differences. - Natural high damping vibration reduction, isolating micro-vibration interference
Linear motors, high-speed spindles, and vacuum pumps in chip manufacturing equipment generate micrometer-level vibrations, which directly cause image blurring, edge chipping during cutting, and wire bonding deviation:
The dense crystal structure inside granite inherently possesses vibration-absorbing properties, with a vibration attenuation efficiency exceeding 90%;
It can isolate external vibrations transmitted from floor forklifts, fans, and adjacent equipment, stabilizing the reference for air-bearing worktables, optical lenses, and laser interferometers;
12-inch wafer dicing and advanced packaging die-attach equipment must be equipped with granite tabletops, which can reduce the chip defect rate by more than 90%. - Ultra-high rigidity without internal stress, maintaining micrometer-level benchmark precision over the long term
With high density and high compressive strength, it will not creep or deform under the long-term load of heavy-duty sliding tables and vacuum chambers;
The stone undergoes natural aging to relieve stress, avoiding the stress release issues found in welded or cast steel, with a flatness decay of less than 0.5μm over 10 years of equipment use;
Precision machining can reach 000-level ultra-high precision: flatness ≤0.5μm/m, with micrometer-level perpendicularity and parallelism, serving as the installation benchmark for air-bearing guides, grating scales, and laser rangefinders. - Dust-free, anti-static, and corrosion-resistant, adapting to the vacuum environment of cleanrooms
For Class 100/1000 cleanrooms, vacuum chambers, and acid/alkali volatile working conditions in chip factories:
The water absorption rate is <0.13%, it does not rust or oxidize, and will not generate metal dust to contaminate wafers;
It has excellent insulation properties, and its high resistivity can prevent static accumulation, preventing electron beam deviation and electrostatic breakdown of wafers;
It is resistant to acid and alkali corrosion, making it suitable for peripheral equipment in chemical processes such as etching, thin-film deposition, and CMP polishing;
The surface is finely ground and polished with no pores to trap dirt, and can meet cleanroom standards with just a pure water wash. - Wear-resistant and easy to process, adapting to customized equipment structures
Stainless steel threaded inserts, copper wear-resistant strips, vacuum slots, positioning countersinks, and cable channels can be pre-embedded (perfectly matching your actual product structure), ensuring that the precision of repeatedly disassembled and reassembled sliding tables and fixtures does not decay; it has no metal burrs and will not scratch wafers or optical components.
III. Core Application Scenarios in the Full Chip Process (Full Process Coverage
III. Core Application Scenarios in the Full Chip Process (Full Process Coverage)
- Lithography Core Equipment (Essential for Advanced Processes)
EUV/DUV Lithography Machine Stage Base, Electron Beam Lithography (EBL) Base, Laser Direct Writing Equipment Tabletop:
Carrying the wafer stepping and scanning air-bearing platform and laser interferometry system, supporting nanometer-scale pattern exposure for 7nm/3nm advanced chips, it is an irreplaceable core component of lithography machines. - Wafer Dicing and Processing Equipment
Wafer Dicing Machine, Cutting Machine, CMP Chemical Mechanical Polishing Platform, Ultra-thin Wafer Grinding Machine Tabletop:
Absorbing the impact of high-speed cutting spindles, ensuring flat and secure wafer fixation, reducing wafer edge chipping and thickness non-uniformity, and improving yield. - Wafer Metrology & Defect Inspection Equipment
Optical AOI Inspection Machine, Electron Beam Inspection (EBI), Film Thickness Meter, 3D Profilometer, Wafer CMM:
Stabilizing the optical imaging reference, eliminating misjudgments and measurement data drift caused by micro-vibrations, and achieving nanometer-scale dimension inspection. - Thin Film, Etching, and Deposition Process Carrying Platforms
Precision motion reference inside vacuum chambers, corrosion-resistant, no metal outgassing, avoiding contamination of the silicon wafer thin film layer, and compatible with semiconductor vacuum processes. - Advanced Packaging Equipment (Back-end Process)
Die Bonder, Wire Bonder, Flip Chip Bonder, Packaging Appearance Inspection Table:
Micron-level precision alignment, vibration reduction to prevent micro-solder joint offset, meeting the high-precision requirements of Mini LED and 2.5D/3D advanced packaging. - Ultra-precision Air-bearing Motion Platform Base (Product Category Corresponding to Your Images)
Semiconductors extensively use air-bearing guides to achieve frictionless ultra-precision displacement, and air-bearing slides must be assembled on granite tabletops; the flat and stable stone reference ensures a constant air gap, guaranteeing nanometer-level repeat positioning for linear motors and grating scales.
IV. Customization Process Standards for Semiconductor-grade Granite Tabletops
Raw Material: Crack-free, pore-free high-density black granite, preventing impurity outgassing;
Precision Grade: 00/000 ultra-high precision grinding;
Structural Processing: Embedded copper strips, stainless steel threaded inserts, vacuum slots, positioning countersinks, wiring grooves;
Surface Treatment: Mirror fine grinding, dust-free passivation cleaning, optional anti-static treatment;
Factory Standards: Cleaned in a dust-free workshop, precision inspection report, vacuum leak test, ready for direct installation in cleanroom facilities.
