In the Yangtze River Delta semiconductor industrial belt, Huzhou Prim Semiconductor Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Prim") is like a quietly growing technological star. This enterprise, dedicated to the research and development and manufacturing of high-end semiconductor equipment, takes "full-process solutions for wafer processing" as its core. With its independently developed wafer transfer systems, wafer alignment tables, wafer loading systems, and ceramic wafer forks and other core components, it provides high-precision and highly reliable "industrial precision tools" for global semiconductor manufacturers. Amid the waves of domestic substitution and technological breakthroughs, it is writing its own chapter. 

Deeply Engaged in Precision Manufacturing: Prim's "Technical DNA"

Semiconductor manufacturing is often referred to as the "crown of human industrial civilization", with its core challenge lying in the relentless pursuit of "precision" - from nanometer-scale circuit etching to micrometer-scale wafer transfer, any minor error can lead to the scrapping of an entire batch of chips. Since its establishment, Prim has been anchored on the technological high ground of "wafer processing equipment", focusing on the "movement, positioning, and loading" requirements of wafers during different process steps such as lithography, etching, and thin film deposition. It has assembled a cross-disciplinary R&D team covering mechanical design, precision control, and materials science. 

Unlike traditional equipment manufacturers, Prim's technological approach has always revolved around "scenario-based pain points": for instance, the transfer of wafers between vacuum chambers and atmospheric environments is prone to particle contamination, traditional metal fixtures may cause metal ion contamination due to friction, and manual operations cannot meet the pace requirements of high-speed production lines... These issues have become the starting point for Prim's technological breakthroughs. Through continuous R&D investment (with an annual R&D ratio exceeding 18%) and industry-university-research cooperation (co-establishing a joint laboratory with Zhejiang University and the Institute of Microelectronics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences), Prim has gradually built a technological moat of "precision mechanics + intelligent control + special materials". 

Four core components: Breakthroughs throughout the entire chain from "mobility" to "positioning"

1. Wafer transfer system: The "nanometer-level transporter" in a vacuum environment

The wafer transfer system serves as the "bridge" connecting various process chambers in semiconductor manufacturing. Its core challenge lies in achieving rapid, damage-free, and precise wafer transfer under extreme conditions such as vacuum, high temperature, and highly corrosive gases. 

Prim's wafer transfer system adopts a "linear motor + air bearing" hybrid drive solution: the linear motor provides backlash-free high thrust density, ensuring a transfer speed of up to 0.5m/s (industry average 0.3m/s); the air bearing forms a micron-level suspension layer through compressed air, eliminating mechanical contact friction and keeping the transfer vibration within 0.1μm. More importantly, the system integrates a dual-redundant positioning module of "visual guidance + laser ranging", achieving ±1μm alignment accuracy even in vacuum environments, solving the positioning deviation problem caused by optical window distortion in traditional transfer equipment in vacuum chambers. Currently, this system has been applied to the 12-inch advanced packaging production line of a leading domestic wafer factory, increasing the wafer transfer yield per batch to 99.98%. 

2. Wafer Alignment Stage: The "Positioning Brain" at the Nanometer Level

The wafer alignment stage serves as the "calibration hub" for wafers before they enter the process chamber. Its precision directly affects the yield of subsequent processes, such as lithography exposure and etching. Traditional alignment stages often use contact sensors, which can cause micro-scratches on the wafer edges and are not suitable for the complex surfaces of curved wafers, such as 3D NAND stacked wafers. 

Prim's alignment table innovatively adopts "non-contact multi-modal sensing + active compensation" technology: by integrating infrared laser interferometer and white light confocal sensor, it can simultaneously obtain multi-dimensional data such as flatness, warpage and edge profile of the wafer, with a measurement resolution as high as 0.01nm; combined with a piezoelectric ceramic-driven micro-motion platform (travel range ±50μm, resolution 0.1nm), it can compensate in real time for the deformation of the wafer caused by temperature changes or mechanical stress. What's more, in response to the high hardness and brittleness of third-generation semiconductor wafers (such as silicon carbide and gallium nitride), Prim has developed an "adaptive pressure control" algorithm, which keeps the clamping force fluctuation within ±0.5N, completely solving the problem of wafer edge chipping caused by traditional hard contact clamping. 

3. Wafer Loading System: The "Zero Contamination" Automated Hub

The wafer loading system serves as the "last mile" connecting the cleanroom to the equipment chamber, with the core requirements being "no particles, no static electricity, and no damage". Traditional loading equipment often employs a combination of metal mechanical arms and vacuum suction cups. However, metal friction can easily generate particles (with the number of particles ≥ 0.1μm reaching up to 100 per operation), and the uneven edge adsorption force of vacuum suction cups may cause wafer breakage. 

Prim's loading system adopts an innovative design of "ceramic-coated mechanical arm + elastic rubber suction cup": The surface of the mechanical arm is covered with a nano-scale zirconia ceramic coating (with a hardness of HV1500), and its friction coefficient is only 1/5 of that of metal, reducing the particle generation to less than 10 per time. The elastic rubber suction cup, through bionic design (mimicking the distributed suction holes of octopus tentacles), can automatically adjust the distribution of adsorption force according to the thickness of the wafer, and in combination with the real-time monitoring of the negative pressure sensor, the wafer breakage rate is controlled at 0.001% (industry average 0.005%). In addition, the system also integrates a "pre-cleaning" module, which uses low-temperature plasma technology to remove the dust particles adsorbed on the surface without damaging the wafer, further enhancing the cleanliness of the loading process. 

4. Ceramic Wafer Fork: The "Protective Fixture" for Wafers

During the wafer transfer and positioning process, the fixture is the "critical interface" that directly contacts the wafer. Traditional metal fixtures (such as stainless steel and aluminum alloy) are prone to generating metal ion contamination (such as iron and nickel ions) due to friction, leading to wafer surface defects; while ordinary ceramic fixtures have the problem of being brittle and prone to breakage. 

Prim's ceramic wafer fork is made of a composite ceramic material of "high-purity alumina (Al₂O₃) + silicon carbide (SiC)". It is densified through hot-pressing sintering (density ≥ 3.9g/cm³), which retains the low friction and corrosion resistance of ceramics while increasing the fracture toughness to 8MPa·m¹/² (twice that of ordinary ceramics). The fork teeth of the wafer fork adopt a "gradual arc design", and the contact area with the edge of the wafer is precisely controlled within 2mm² to avoid local stress concentration. Meanwhile, the surface of the fork teeth is treated with laser micro-etching to form micro-grooves, which can reduce the contact friction by 40% and further reduce the generation of particles. Currently, this ceramic wafer fork has been verified by companies such as TSMC and SMIC and has been stably operating in 14nm and below advanced process production lines for over 100,000 times without failure. 

Beyond Technology: The "Prim Logic" of Domestic Substitution

In the global semiconductor equipment market, enterprises from Europe, the United States, and Japan hold over 80% of the share. Particularly in the field of wafer processing equipment, the technological barriers and patent restrictions are especially strict. Prim's breakthrough is not only due to technological innovation but also stems from a deep understanding of the demand for "domestic substitution" - customers need not just "usable" equipment, but rather "user-friendly, durable, and maintainable" solutions. 

For this reason, Prim has established a "full life cycle service system": from the process matching test before equipment delivery (verifying over 200 process parameters together with customers), to the remote diagnosis system after delivery (real-time monitoring of equipment operation status through industrial internet), and to the customized spare parts rapid response (inventory cycle of key components ≤ 24 hours), truly achieving the closed loop of "equipment as a service". As the company's CEO said at an industry forum: "We not only aim to produce 'precision tools made in China', but also to make them accessible, affordable and indispensable for global semiconductor manufacturers." 

Conclusion: Growing towards "Greater Precision"

From the first prototype in the laboratory to thousands of units in production lines, Prim has transformed from a "technology follower" to an "industry leader" in just ten years. As semiconductor manufacturing approaches the 3nm and 2nm nodes, the precision requirements for wafer processing have leaped from the "micron level" to the "sub-nanometer level", posing higher challenges to the reliability and stability of equipment components. 

Standing at a new starting point, Prim is continuously advancing the research and development of cutting-edge technologies such as "multi-physics field coupling simulation" and "AI adaptive control". The goal is to enhance the alignment accuracy of wafer transfer to ±0.5μm and break through the measurement resolution of the alignment stage to 0.001nm within the next five years. Just as its corporate slogan states: "Every movement is a commitment to precision; every lift is a responsibility to the industry." 

Amid the green mountains and clear waters of Huzhou, this low-key semiconductor equipment enterprise is injecting strong momentum into the rise of China's "chips" with its precision machinery.