The relationship between ceramics and semiconductors—why is there no real semiconductor manufacturing without ceramics?

Semiconductor manufacturing is an industrial activity with extremely demanding material requirements, the core of which include:

Ultra-clean (cannot release metal ions)

High insulation (avoids electrical interference and breakdown)

High temperature resistance (process temperatures often reach thousands of degrees Celsius)

Corrosion resistance (plasma, corrosive gases)

High dimensional stability (micrometer-level tolerance)

And these are precisely the areas where precision ceramics excels.

▶ 1. Ceramics for Semiconductor Devices – “The Skeleton and Nervous System of the Devices”

In wafer manufacturing equipment, many core components are made of ceramic, for example:

Ceramic components for vacuum chambers

Electrostatic chucks (ESC)

Ceramic heating plates

Ceramic supports and positioning components

Ceramic components for plasma environments

Commonly used materials: Alumina, aluminum nitride, silicon nitride, etc.

👉 These components must operate stably in high temperature, high vacuum, and strong plasma environments for extended periods, which metals simply cannot handle.

▶ 2. Ceramic in Semiconductor Packaging – “The Secure Enclosure of the Chip”

Ceramic substrates are a key material in power semiconductors and high-reliability packaging:

Aluminum nitride ceramic substrate (high thermal conductivity)

Alumina ceramic substrate (high insulation)

DBC / DPC ceramic substrate

Applications include: IGBT modules, power chips, automotive electronics, rail transportation, aerospace, etc.

👉 Ceramic allows chips to operate safely in high-power, high-voltage environments.

▶ 3. Ceramics in Semiconductor Testing and Manufacturing Auxiliary Materials

Ceramics are also ubiquitous in testing, handling, and auxiliary systems:

Wafer handling ceramic arm

Precision ceramic positioning pins

Ceramic guide rails and guide components

Ceramic structural components for test fixtures

Advantages:

Non-conductive

Non-polluting

Long-term stable accuracy

In the semiconductor industry, “stability” is more important than “cheapness”.

As process nodes continue to shrink and power densities continue to increase, the semiconductor industry is placing higher demands on ceramics:

Higher purity

Lower particle release

Higher processing precision

More stable batch consistency

This has also driven the rapid development of precision ceramic processing technology:

✔ Ultra-precision grinding and polishing

✔ Laser precision machining

✔ High-density sintering and surface treatment

✔ Customized non-standard structures

Semiconductors are the core of modern industry, and ceramics are one of the fundamental materials supporting the stable operation of semiconductors.

While they do not directly participate in computation, ceramics determine whether a chip can operate safely, efficiently, and for extended periods.

For semiconductor equipment and electronics companies,

choosing suitable ceramic materials and reliable processing partners is an investment in product stability.

👉 Haikun supports customized precision ceramic structural components for semiconductors

👉 Material selection · Structural optimization · High-precision machining