ALD Vacuum Chamber Pedestal Heater with Extended Sleeve

BACKGROUND

Heating solution for an ALD Vacuum Chamber Heater testing 6” (152mm) wafers up to 450⁰C.  There were obvious space constraints at the customer site requiring an extended sleeve of 25”.  The extra-long length enabled the placement of the wafer on the top surface eliminating the need to modify the existing chamber.  

SCOPE

The Vacuum Pedestal Heater needed to satisfy the following:

• Temperature 450⁰C  
• 25” Long sleeve with 2.75 CF Flange on the bottom 
• Body must pass Helium Leak rate of 1 x 10̄¯9 cc/sec He 
• 6” overall diameter for 6” (152mm) wafers
• Top surface must have a flatness of  ± .005” 
• Thermocouple for additional temperature measurement
• 1,000  Watt (± 10%) , 120 Volt
• Material was 304 Stainless Steel

OUTCOME

The Vacuum Pedestal Heater was ramped in atmosphere to 450⁰C in approximately 45 minutes.  Due to the 360⁰ weld, there was some deflection on the top surface causing it to be out of tolerance.  After the 450⁰C ramp, the Vacuum Pedestal Heater was polished down to below ± .005”.  A leak test was performed to spec and cleaned to high purity standards then shipped in clean room bags.

MORE INFORMATION AND SAMPLE DRAWINGS HERE

BCE

https://bcemfg.com

+1 510-274-1990

Mini Clean Flow Heater for Harsh Environments

BACKGROUND

The BCE application was a custom heating solution for harsh environments where the medium material needed to be heated using low carbon metals.  Stainless steels such as 316L and 304L are the best option for low carbon, these materials were not readily available on the a standard Mini Clean Flow (MCF) heater.  BCE adapted making all wetted parts 316L or 304L while being heated with a 321 stainless steel heat source.   

SCOPE

The Mini Clean Flow Heater - Harsh Environment needed to satisfy the following:

• Temperature outlet needed to be 100⁰C  
• Perpendicular configuration, with locking fittings
• Body must pass Helium Leak rate of 1 x 10^-7 cc/sec He 
• Pressure test of 50PSI 
• Ability to place heater in a series flow configuration if necessary
• Thermocouple for additional temperature measurement
• 400 Watt, 120 Volt
• All wetted surfaces must be 304 or 316 Stainless Steel L (low carbon) 

OUTCOME

This BCE MCF heater was tested to 100⁰C with the mass of the heater being slightly above 5 lbs.  The 100⁰C temperature was reached within about 2 minutes.  This efficiency was achieved by maintaining good contact with the internal heat source and the low carbon steel MCF heater body.  

MORE INFORMATION AND SAMPLE DRAWINGS HERE

BCE

https://bcemfg.com

+1 510-274-1990 

Experienced Electric Heating Element Designers Speed Development Time and Save Money in OEM Product Development

The application of localized electric heating elements is one area that OEM design engineers find themselves navigating in unchartered waters. Very logically, they often attempt to use an off-the-shelf cartridge, silicone rubber, or mica heaters for their specialized heating requirement. Unfortunately, this approach compromises layout, packaging, and performance. A better alternative is considering a custom heating element developed in consultation with an experienced custom heater manufacturer.

Technology advances rapidly, and findings in material science, medicine, pharmacology, biology, and semiconductors occur daily. These advancements in technology open the door for performance improvements leading to new treatments, medications, materials, and processes. Original equipment manufacturers (OEM's) of analytical, semiconductor, biomedical, life-science, and aerospace equipment continually design new equipment to apply and leverage these new discoveries. 

Experienced custom electric heater designers provide many essential benefits throughout the product development cycle. For instance:

• Front-end, practical design review to optimize manufacturability.
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The heater manufacturer partner provides:

• Critical guidance in material selection.
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Their help provides high performance, precise fit, and extended heater life.

The pressure to produce new devices that offer greater efficiencies, compactness, and production is always present. Each item in the precedent design undergoes scrutiny and transitions to a contemporary fit, form, or function. New components are needed to meet the new design requirements. By choosing an experienced custom electric heating element design partner, the OEM gets the precision they need, plus scores of other benefits derived from the heater vendor's tacit knowledge and past experiences.

BCE

https://bcemfg.com

+1 510-274-1990