Air flotation rotating shaft: The core support of precise motion 

In the microscopic world of semiconductor manufacturing, the control of nanometer-level precision is the key to determining the performance and yield of chips, and the air-bearing rotating shaft is one of the core components for achieving this high-precision operation. As the core technology of the air-bearing rotating shaft, the dynamic pressure air bearing has fundamentally transformed the bearing method from "sliding" to "floating". It has abandoned the traditional sliding friction mode of direct contact between solid surfaces and uses air as the working medium. Through ingenious structural design, when the moving parts rotate at high speed, a very thin air film is automatically "wedged" into the bearing gap, thereby lifting the rotor and achieving non-contact support. This bearing force does not rely on an external high-pressure air source but is spontaneously generated by the movement of the bearing itself through the wedge effect. When the shaft starts to rotate, it naturally draws the surrounding air into the gradually narrowing wedge-shaped gap. The air is compressed, and the pressure increases, forming a dynamic pressure air film sufficient to support the load. This is similar to how a fast-moving car generates lift due to the pressure difference between the upper and lower surfaces, except that this effect occurs in a closed, tiny gap, generating a stable supporting pressure. 

The air-bearing rotating shaft, with its unique technological advantage, plays an irreplaceable role in semiconductor manufacturing. It can effectively avoid energy consumption, wear and heat generation caused by friction, ensuring that rotating components maintain high precision stability even at high speeds. In the wafer processing process, whether it is lithography, etching or deposition and other key procedures, high-precision rotational motion is required to ensure the uniformity and accuracy of the process. The application of air-bearing rotating shafts has enabled the precision control of these processes to reach the nanometer level, laying a solid foundation for the high-quality production of chips. 

Precision Motion Stage: The Precise "Operator" for Wafer Processing 

Precision motion stages are key equipment in the entire semiconductor wafer processing flow, undertaking the crucial tasks of precise positioning, movement, and transfer of wafers between various processes. Huzhou Prim Semiconductor Co., Ltd., as an innovation pioneer in the semiconductor equipment field, has been deeply engaged in the design of precision motion stages. With its nanometer-level ultra-precision motion control technology, it has developed high-performance precision motion stage products. 

Prim Semiconductor's precision motion stage adopts advanced air bearing technology and combines a multi-axis linkage control system, enabling high-precision and high-speed movement of wafers in three-dimensional space. Its air bearing support structure is composed of multiple small rectangular air bearings, which are arranged in multiple rows on both sides of the air bearing support. At the same time, long rectangular vacuum chambers are set on both sides. The positive pressure provided by the air bearings lifts the support thrust surface and enables it to withstand pressure; while the negative pressure generated by the vacuum chambers creates suction, allowing the support to withstand tension. Through the mutual matching of positive pressure buoyancy and negative pressure suction, a stable air film thickness is formed, giving this support structure bidirectional stiffness and the ability to withstand bidirectional loads, ensuring that the motion stage maintains stable precision during high-speed movement and frequent start-stop processes. 

In practical applications, the precision motion stage can precisely move the wafer to the designated position with an error controlled at the nanometer level. Whether it is to achieve precise alignment of the wafer and the mask plate in the lithography process or to complete the comprehensive scanning of the wafer in the inspection process, the precision motion stage can ensure the efficient and accurate operation of the process with its outstanding performance. It is like a precise "operator", steadily controlling every movement of the wafer in the complex process of semiconductor manufacturing, providing a strong guarantee for the high-quality production of chips. 

Huzhou Prim Semiconductor: An Innovation Pioneer of Domestic Precision Equipment 

Since its establishment in 2023, Huzhou Primus Semiconductor Co., Ltd. has been concentrating on nanometer-level ultra-precision motion control technology. With a core team composed of PhDs, masters, and industry veterans, it has been deeply engaged in the control of complex robotic systems and ultra-precision manufacturing processes, and has built a core equipment system covering the entire process of wafer handling, becoming an innovation pioneer in the domestic semiconductor equipment field. 

The core team of Prim Semiconductor originated from the Institute of Automation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, with profound technical accumulation and rich industry experience. In just a few years since its establishment, the company has achieved remarkable results. The core equipment it has developed, such as precision motion stages, wafer aligners, wafer handling robots, and ceramic wafer forks, have reached nanometer-level precision, breaking the partial technological monopoly of foreign countries in the field of semiconductor precision equipment. The company's customers include equipment manufacturers such as Fabas and Smain Optoelectronics, and its terminal services cover leading enterprises such as SMIC and Shanghai Silicon Industry. With its outstanding technical strength, it has received investment from well-known institutions such as the fund under CITIC Group. In 2025, the company's revenue exceeded 60 million yuan, with a research and development investment ratio of over 20%, reaching 12 million yuan, demonstrating a strong development momentum and innovative vitality. 

In order to further expand production scale and enhance R&D capabilities, Prim Semiconductor has invested in the construction of a super-precision equipment manufacturing project in the Low-altitude Industrial Park of Yandu Economic Development Zone. The project will build a 2,000-square-meter Class 1,000 clean laboratory, a 1,500-square-meter super-precision processing workshop, and a 500-square-meter R&D center. Once the project reaches full production capacity, it is expected to achieve an annual invoiced sales of 80 million yuan. The construction of this project will not only inject new impetus into the company's development but also promote the further upgrading of the domestic semiconductor precision equipment industry, contributing more to the independent and controllable development of China's semiconductor industry. 

Wafer loading systems and transfer robots: Efficient guarantee for wafer circulation 

Wafer loading systems and wafer transfer robots are key equipment in semiconductor manufacturing lines for achieving the automated flow of wafers. They work closely together to ensure that wafers are transferred quickly, accurately, and safely between various processes. 

The wafer loading system is mainly responsible for accurately loading the wafers to be processed into the processing equipment and unloading them after processing. It is usually integrated with the EFEM (Equipment Front End Module) and can achieve functions such as automatic wafer detection and FOUP (Front Opening Unified Pod) ID scanning. During the loading process, the wafer loading system needs to precisely position and align the wafers to ensure they can be smoothly placed in the designated position of the processing equipment, avoiding any impact on processing accuracy due to positioning errors. At the same time, it also needs to have good cleanliness performance to prevent the introduction of impurities during the loading process and avoid contaminating the wafers. 

The wafer transfer robot acts as the "porter" for wafers during their movement between different processes. It can perform precise operations in a tiny space, quickly and smoothly transferring wafers from one device to another. The wafer transfer robot developed by Prim Semiconductor adopts advanced control technology and specially designed end effectors, ensuring reliable transportation of wafers of different materials and thicknesses, and safeguarding their safety and integrity during the transfer process. This robot features high precision, high stability, and high reliability, capable of achieving free trajectory and inclined insertion at the end, adapting to complex production environments and diverse transfer requirements. Some models of the robot can even handle up to 300 wafers per hour, significantly enhancing the overall production throughput. 

In the actual production of semiconductor manufacturing, the wafer loading system and the handling robot closely cooperate with the automatic material handling system (AMHS), forming a complete wafer automation circulation system. AMHS mainly consists of transmission equipment, storage equipment, purification equipment and control software, including hardware devices such as OHT (Overhead Transporter), Stocker (storage warehouse), Lifter (elevator), OHB (Overhead Buffer Station), and software systems such as MCS (Material Handling Control Management System). It can transport the wafer carriers between production equipment according to the process flow, reduce the idle time of wafers, and improve production efficiency. The wafer loading system and handling robot act as the connection link between AMHS and processing equipment, achieving seamless connection of wafers in the automation circulation process and ensuring the continuity and stability of the production line. 

The Future Outlook of Domestic Precision Equipment 

As the global semiconductor industry accelerates its evolution towards high-end and intelligent development, the demand for semiconductor precision equipment is also increasing day by day. China's semiconductor industry is currently in a critical period of rapid development. Achieving self-reliance and control over semiconductor equipment is of great significance for ensuring the security and sustainable development of China's semiconductor industry. 

Semiconductor equipment enterprises such as Huzhou Prim Semiconductor Co., Ltd. are gradually breaking the foreign technological monopoly through independent innovation and technological breakthroughs, promoting the rise of the domestic semiconductor precision equipment industry. In the future, with the continuous progress of technology and the sustained increase in research and development investment, domestic semiconductor precision equipment will achieve greater improvements in terms of accuracy, performance and stability, and be able to meet the demands of more advanced chip manufacturing. At the same time, with the development of emerging technologies such as 5G, artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things, semiconductor manufacturing will move towards a more intelligent and automated direction, which will also bring new development opportunities for domestic semiconductor precision equipment. 

With the strong support of national policies and the drive of market demand, it is believed that more and more enterprises will engage in the research and development and manufacturing of semiconductor precision equipment, forming a more complete industrial chain and an innovative ecosystem. Domestic semiconductor precision equipment will not only meet market demands but also gradually enter the international market, competing with well-known foreign brands and contributing Chinese strength to the development of the global semiconductor industry.