Semiconductor Equipment Sealing Solutions
High performance sealing solutions for semiconductor equipment, clean environments and precision manufacturing. International Seal supplies high purity O-rings, custom moulded seals and specialist components selected for plasma, vacuum and aggressive process chemistries, where contamination control, low outgassing and dimensional accuracy are critical to yield and uptime.
High-Purity Seals for Semiconductor Equipment
International Seal supplies high purity sealing solutions for semiconductor manufacturing environments where precision and contamination control are critical. Semiconductor process equipment exposes seals to plasma, reactive gases, wide temperature swings and high vacuum, often within the same tool. In these conditions a seal is not only a barrier but a potential source of particles and contamination, so material purity and low outgassing matter as much as sealing performance itself.
Semiconductor Inventory
- FFKM O-rings and custom moulded seals
- High-purity FKM components
- Ceramic chamber components
- Electrical slip rings
Purity, Outgassing and Particle Generation
In semiconductor equipment a seal is judged on two things at once: whether it seals, and whether it contaminates. Both matter to yield, and the second is what separates a high-purity compound from a general-purpose one of the same material family.
Outgassing determines the vacuum level a chamber can reach and hold. Particle generation matters where plasma attack erodes the seal surface and releases material into the process. Purity — specifically the filler and cure system used in the compound — governs what can leach or transfer into the process even when the seal is intact.
This is why a “high-purity FKM” and a standard FKM of the same hardness are not interchangeable in a process tool, and why FFKM is specified for etch and deposition chemistries despite the cost. Send us the process chemistry, the temperature range, the vacuum level and any purity or outgassing requirement, and we will recommend a grade from our compound reference.
Materials for Semiconductor Applications
Material selection in semiconductor equipment is driven by the process chemistry, temperature and the level of purity the tool demands. The wrong compound can contaminate the process or degrade rapidly under plasma attack.
- FFKM (Perfluoroelastomer) for plasma, etch and deposition chemistries with high purity and low outgassing
- High purity FKM (Fluoroelastomer) for less aggressive chemistries and thermal duties at lower cost
- PTFE and filled PTFE for chemical inertness, back up rings and vacuum applications
- Technical ceramics for chamber components and wear parts in high temperature and abrasive conditions
Send us the process chemistry, temperature range and any purity requirement and we will recommend a suitable grade.
Industry Standards & Compliance
Semiconductor sealing prioritises purity, low outgassing and particle control over conventional material standards. We supply high performance compounds selected to the requirements semiconductor equipment builders specify, including:
- High purity FFKM grades
- Low outgassing materials
- Cleanroom compatible compounds
- SEMI guidelines
Material certification and outgassing or purity data are available on request. Confirm the process conditions and any purity requirement at enquiry stage and we will recommend a suitable grade.
Related Products
FFKM O-rings and seals, high-purity FKM O-rings, custom moulded seals, ceramic chamber components, PTFE components and back-up rings, metal seals for vacuum flanges, and electrical slip rings. See our compound reference for high-purity grades.
Semiconductor Sealing FAQs
Why is FFKM used in semiconductor equipment?
FFKM (perfluoroelastomer) resists the plasma, etch and deposition chemistries used in process tools while offering high purity and low outgassing. Where a standard fluoroelastomer would erode under plasma attack or contaminate the process, FFKM holds up. See our FFKM seals range.
What does low outgassing mean for a seal?
How much material the seal releases as gas under vacuum. High outgassing limits the vacuum level a chamber can reach and hold, and can contaminate the process. It is a property of the specific compound — its polymer, filler and cure system — not of the material family, so a high-purity grade and a general-purpose grade of the same material behave differently.
What is the difference between high-purity FKM and standard FKM?
The filler and cure system. A high-purity grade is formulated to minimise extractables, outgassing and particle generation, which matters in a process tool even though both compounds may share the same hardness and nominal chemical resistance. They are not interchangeable in semiconductor service.
Do you supply seals for vacuum and high-vacuum chambers?
Yes — elastomeric seals for most vacuum duties, and metal seals where outgassing and gas permeation through an elastomer are unacceptable or where the temperature rules elastomers out. In vacuum the pressure differential acts inwards, so a pressure-energised metal seal must be configured as an external pressure design.
Can you supply ceramic chamber components?
Yes. Technical ceramic components in alumina, zirconia and silicon carbide are supplied for chamber parts and wear components in high-temperature and abrasive conditions.
What purity documentation is available?
Material certification and outgassing or purity data are available on request. Confirm the process conditions and any purity requirement at enquiry stage and we will recommend a suitable grade with the supporting data.