Watlow GmbH

Thermal Technologies for Global Industry

Watlow is the full-service resource for help in optimizing the thermal performance of process tools. We work with your engineers to deliver state-of-the-art thermal solutions that improve yield, throughput and cost of ownership. This includes innovative heaters, controllers and sensors for use in front-end and back-end applications such as CVD, PECVD, Etch, Diffusion, Bonding, IC test and more.

Watlow’s solutions are based on an understanding of the Semiconductor Technology Roadmap. Watlow meets the thermal challenges and ongoing demands of the industry. We continue to invest in R&D, global manufacturing and sourcing and introductions of new thermal technologies and solutions.

Deposition and Etch Vacuum Chamber Solutions

Uncontrolled thermal gradients in a vacuum chamber substantially reduce process repeatability and wafer yields. The harsh environment including chemical, plasma, vacuum and temperature increases material and process contamination. One solution does not work for all vacuum-based applications. Watlow designs metal and ceramic heater and sensor components that are compatible with most vacuum environments.

For lower temperature applications, Watlow’s Polyimide heater construction enables circuits to be designed to extreme tolerances in order to deliver on uniformity requirements. In higher temperature regimes, metal heaters can be incorporated into pedestals, bake stations, wall, lids and other in-chamber applications. Aluminum and higher temperature stainless steel assemblies are also excellent solutions for many CVD, PVD applications.

Related Products
•Wafer Chuck Assemblies
•Thick Film Heaters on Ceramic Substrates
•Temperature Sensor Technologies
•High Performance Metal Sheath Heaters

Design Services

Frequently, the complexity of thermal subsystems is underestimated during product development. The result can be frustrating late in development when it is found that the equipment simply won’t meet the thermal performance specifications. When schedules are tight and a major redesign of the equipment is looking more and more like the only option, Watlow can save you time and money.

Our design staff is experienced in thermal systems including heating, temperature sensing and temperature controlling technologies and the manufacturing capabilities of these products. We work by blending their thermal expertise with the existing capabilities of your engineering team- allowing you to concentrate on other critical system arenas. Our engineers are available to complement your team at any stage of your project from concept through prototyping and beyond project completion.

Based on our insight derived from computational engineering, Watlow can quickly convert a concept to a manufacturable design by using state-of-the-art solid-modeling tools. In addition, by collaborating with the experienced Watlow engineers throughout the process, we continuously can focus on design for manufacturability to further help ensure a successful project outcome.

Our skills include:

System Level Design and Development Services:
•System architecture and conceptual design
•Interface control specification and design
•Technology research, trade study and technology development
•Solution cost/benefit analysis and risk mitigation
•System use modeling and simulation

Electronic Subsystems:
•Control and electronic product specification and design
•Communication specification and design
•Cable harness and interconnect design
•Electronic packaging

Thermal/Mechanical Subsystems:
•Thermal product specification and design
•Thermal system functional modeling and simulation
•Finite Element Analysis (FEA)
•Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis
•Structural analysis

Measurement Subsystems:
•Sensor product specification and design
•Sensor application engineering
•Sensor placement and calibration

Reliability and Maintainability:
•Modeling and simulation
•Failure Mode Effects and Criticality Analysis (FMECA)

Integration and Test:
•Design for Manufacturability (DFM)/Design for Test (DFT)
•Test specification and plan preparation
•Integration and final test services
•Regulatory compliance and agency approval

Gas Delivery and Pump Line Thermal Solutions

Controlling temperature of gases delivered to a vacuum chamber and out the pump lines is essential as the industry develops new processes. Platform based tools are designed to increase throughput, but also increase the thermal management challenges involved with providing consistent deposition and etch processes. Yields increase and preventative maintenance frequency can decrease when delivery and exhaust gases are controlled within the prescribed process parameters.

Watlow’s gas line and pump line heating systems were developed to provide flexibility in designing optimum heating systems. Vacuum chamber plumbing systems can create a thermal challenge because of varying thermal mass, constricted spaces and last minute layout changes. Watlow gas line heaters and SERIES EHG temperature controllers are standard solutions for hard to heat gas delivery lines. Integrated as a complete package, Watlow components reduce design time and system costs. Solutions with fast delivery for abatement applications are possible because Watlow has over one thousand standard heater configurations in our design files.

Related Products
•ASSURANT™ Pump Line Heaters
•High Uniformity Gas Delivery Line Heaters
•SERIES EHG Temperature Controllers

Temperature Controllers and Connectivity

In addition to the right heater and temperature sensor designs, precise thermal control can only be accomplished with temperature controllers having control algorithms optimized for a specific application. Watlow’s family of EZ-ZONE® controllers combine temperature, process, limit and more to complete the thermal loop. Thousands of semiconductor applications have given Watlow the expertise to select the best control solution for your applications.

Our controllers not only provide precision closed loop control, but also provide a means to network the thermal aspects of the semiconductor process. Networking gives the process engineers a means to predict system performance changes and take corrective action before a significant drop in wafer yields can occur. Watlow temperature controllers support communications via Standard Bus, DeviceNet™, Ethernet/IP™, PROFIBUS, Modbus® TCP and Modbus® RTU.

Watlow also provides a range of products for control systems including touchscreen Silver Series Operator Interface Terminal (OIT) that support user-friendly operation, alarm indication, data logging, and monitoring of equipment and systems.

Related Products
•EZ-ZONE Integrated Controllers
•EZ-ZONE Temperature and Process Controllers
•DIN-A-MITE Power Controllers
•Silver Series Operator Interface Terminal
•Controllers Products Agency Compliance, Recognitions or Approvals