Breaking the deadlock: The rise of domestic semiconductor precision equipment

In the global semiconductor industry's accelerating evolution towards high-end and intelligent development, the autonomy and control of core equipment have become the key to determining the industry's lifeline. For a long time, the market for precision equipment in the semiconductor manufacturing field has been monopolized by international giants, and domestic enterprises have faced dual challenges of technological blockades and supply chain security. Founded in 2023, Huzhou Prim Semiconductor Co., Ltd., with nanometer-level ultra-precision motion control technology as its core, has built a complete set of precision solutions covering the entire process of wafer processing in just three years, emerging as a pioneering force in the rise of domestic semiconductor equipment. 

Core Matrix: The technical depth of the four key devices 

I. Precision Motion Stage: The "Positioning Brain" with Nanometer Accuracy 

If the wafer transfer system is the "neural network" of semiconductor manufacturing, then the precision motion stage is the "central brain" that achieves nanometer-level accuracy. The nanometer ultra-precision motion platform developed by Huzhou Primex is equipped with self-developed air-floatation hydrostatic technology and a nanometer interferometry feedback compensation system, achieving a positioning accuracy of 50 nanometers and a repeat positioning accuracy of 35 nanometers. The new generation of products has further improved the positioning accuracy to within 30 nanometers, reaching the international advanced level. 

This motion table adopts a planar air-bearing structure design, fundamentally reducing the influence of Abbe error on precision. It is equipped with Heidenhain grating rulers and a ceramic crossbeam, achieving lightweight while ensuring rigidity. With a speed of up to 1m/s and an acceleration of 1G, it can meet the demands of high-speed scanning and detection, and also counteract environmental disturbances through an active vibration isolation system, providing a stable and reliable ultra-precision positioning foundation for core processes such as wafer defect inspection and lithography alignment. 

II. Ceramic Plate Fork: The "Precise Finger" in Extreme Environments 

As the end effector for wafer handling, the ceramic wafer fork directly determines the safety and accuracy of wafer transmission. Huzhou Prim selects 99% pure alumina ceramic and silicon carbide ceramic as core materials. The former has a room-temperature resistivity of 10¹⁵ Ω·cm, effectively preventing electrostatic breakdown of the wafer; the latter has an ultra-high thermal conductivity of 490 W/m·K, maintaining structural stability in high-temperature process environments. 

Through the inner model core co-molding process, the ceramic wafer fork has achieved a zero porosity rate, meeting the high reliability requirements in vacuum environments. The 36 integrated micro-adsorption sites at its end, in combination with the X12 type variable diameter drive algorithm, can adaptively adjust the adsorption range, making it compatible with wafers of different sizes from 8 inches to 12 inches. In practical applications, the precision error of this wafer fork is controlled within 0.003mm, and the single-claw load capacity can reach 0.45kg, becoming a key guarantee for the safe transfer of wafers between processes such as etching and thin film deposition. 

III. Air Floatation Rotating Shaft: The "Joint Hinge" of Precise Motion 

In the microscopic world of semiconductor manufacturing, the rotational accuracy at the nanometer level directly determines the performance and yield of chips. Huzhou Prim's air-floatation rotating shaft adopts dynamic pressure air bearing technology, achieving a revolutionary change in the bearing method from "sliding" to "floating". Through ingenious structural design, when the moving parts rotate at high speed, a very thin air film is automatically formed in the bearing gap, completely lifting the rotor and achieving non-contact support. 

This design completely eliminates the wear and vibration caused by mechanical friction. The axial and radial rotation accuracy of the rotating shaft both reach the nanometer level, and the angular swing accuracy is controlled within 0.5 arc seconds. In the wafer alignment process, the air-float rotating shaft can achieve continuous 360° rotation. Combined with the visual positioning system, it can control the wafer alignment error within 20nm, providing a precise foundation for the subsequent lithography process. 

IV. Wafer Handling Robots: The "Logistics Managers" for the Entire Process 

As the core equipment connecting various processes, Huzhou Prim's wafer transfer manipulators have formed a complete product matrix covering both vacuum and atmospheric environments. The vacuum manipulators adopt a direct drive motor structure, avoiding the contamination of the vacuum environment by lubricating oil. They can operate stably in an ultra-high vacuum environment of 10⁻⁵Pa, with a repeat positioning accuracy of ±15nm, and are widely used in core process steps such as PVD, CVD, and etching. 

The atmospheric manipulator adopts a sealed structure design, suitable for clean production environments above level 10, and achieves pollution-free handling through negative pressure wafer suction technology. Its end effector integrates visual sensors and AI algorithms, which can accurately identify the position and status of the wafer in real time and automatically adjust the grasping posture. For different application scenarios, the manipulator can also achieve free trajectory movement and oblique insertion at the end, and with customized arm length and finger forms, it can meet diverse wafer transfer requirements. 

Breakthrough: From Technological Innovation to Industrial Application 

The rapid rise of Huzhou Prim is no accident. Since its establishment, the company has set a development strategy of "promoting industrial upgrading through breakthroughs in core technologies", continuously investing in the field of nanometer-scale ultra-precision motion control, and building a complete innovation chain from basic theoretical research to product application verification. Currently, the company's core equipment has passed the authoritative SEMI certification and is widely used in many mainstream domestic wafer manufacturing plants, achieving import substitution in process steps such as etching, thin film deposition, and ion implantation. 

Today, as the global semiconductor industry landscape is undergoing rapid restructuring, Huzhou Primetech is breaking the long-term monopoly of foreign enterprises with its independently innovative technological strength. From the nanometer-level positioning of precision motion stages to the precise grasping of ceramic wafer forks, and the ultra-stable rotation of air-bearing spindles, Huzhou Primetech has built a complete set of precision solutions for the entire wafer processing process with its four core devices, injecting strong momentum into the rise of domestic semiconductor equipment. In the future, as 3nm and below process technologies become more widespread, the precision requirements for precision equipment will further increase. Huzhou Primetech will continue to delve into the field of ultra-precision motion control, contributing more to the self-reliance and control of China's semiconductor industry.