Huzhou Pulim Semiconductor: Delving deeply into the core field of wafer handling, contributing to the localization of semiconductor equipment

In 2023, Huzhou Pulim Semiconductor Co., Ltd. was officially established in the West Lake Science and Technology Innovation Park, Si'an Town, Changxing County, Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province. As a small and micro enterprise specializing in semiconductor equipment-related fields, the company has anchored its research and development direction on core components and systems for semiconductor handling since its inception. Relying on the locational advantages of the Yangtze River Delta semiconductor industry cluster, it has gradually gained a foothold in the industry. The legal representative of the company is Wang Xiaoxing, with a registered capital of 3.3 million yuan. In addition to its registered address in the Science and Technology Innovation Park, the company has also set up production sites related to electronic equipment manufacturing in the Chengxi Industrial Functional Zone of Changxing Economic Development Zone, forming a collaborative layout model of "research and development + production".

From the perspective of business layout, Huzhou Pulim Semiconductor's business scope covers technical services and product sales related to the entire semiconductor chain, while also engaging in independent manufacturing of core hardware through its branches. Its general business projects include the sales of various related products such as semiconductor device-specific equipment, electronic measuring instruments, and semiconductor discrete devices, while also focusing on cutting-edge areas such as research and development of electronic specialty materials, integrated circuit chips, and product sales. The branches, on the other hand, specialize in the manufacturing of core categories such as semiconductor discrete devices, electronic specialty equipment, semiconductor device-specific equipment, industrial automatic control system devices, integrated circuit chips, and products, forming a complete business loop from technology research and development to production implementation.

In the entire process of semiconductor manufacturing, wafer handling and transfer are crucial steps that determine product yield. The delicate structure of the wafer itself is extremely fragile, and even airflow impacts, dust adhesion, or tiny scratches invisible to the naked eye can directly lead to wafer scrap. Therefore, the industry has set almost stringent requirements for the precision, cleanliness, and stability of wafer handling-related systems and components. Huzhou Pulim Semiconductor is precisely targeting this industry pain point, focusing on wafer loading systems, wafer transfer systems, wafer handling robots, and supporting ceramic wafer forks as its core research and development directions, precisely entering the key track of semiconductor equipment localization.

Among them, the wafer loading system, as the "entry hub" of the semiconductor production line, undertakes the core functions of wafer boat box positioning, automatic cover opening, and initial wafer picking. A qualified wafer loading system needs to complete precise identification and fixation of wafers in a clean environment, smoothly extract wafers from the wafer boat through a stable vacuum suction mechanism, and be equipped with a comprehensive environmental control module to maintain the pressure and cleanliness of the internal microenvironment in real time, avoiding contamination of wafers during the loading process. The wafer transfer system, on the other hand, is the "transmission artery" connecting different process equipment. It integrates three core components: wafer handling robot, wafer pre-aligner, and loading port, enabling fully automated circulation of wafers between different processes. The cleanliness of some high-performance products can reach IS Class 3 level, fully adapting to the stringent environmental requirements of semiconductor front-end manufacturing. At the same time, it supports real-time communication with the factory MES system, uploading equipment operation data and wafer processing information to meet the management needs of intelligent production lines.

As the core executive component of wafer transfer systems, wafer handling robots are a key area long dominated by overseas manufacturers in the industry, and also a focal point for domestic breakthroughs in the localization of semiconductor equipment components. These robots can be divided into two categories based on their working environments: atmospheric-end and vacuum-end. Atmospheric-end robots operate in ultra-clean environments with a cleanliness level of Class 10 or above, demanding extremely high precision in positioning and operational timing. Vacuum-end robots, on the other hand, operate in high vacuum environments with a pressure of 10⁻⁵ Pa, penetrating into enclosed process chambers such as etching and coating chambers to complete wafer position transfers. They require simultaneous solutions to multiple technical challenges, including vacuum sealing, low particle release, and high-precision movement in confined spaces. The commonly used negative pressure suction and pick-up method in the semiconductor industry allows robots to stably fix wafers on their end effectors through adsorption, and then complete the full-process handling of wafers through complex actions such as telescoping, rotating, and lifting. The entire process achieves a repeatable positioning accuracy of ±0.02mm, with no vibration or excessive particle shedding throughout, completely avoiding damage to the precise structure of the wafers.

As the core carrier of the end effector of wafer handling robots, ceramic fork tips are key components ensuring the safety of wafer handling. Currently, the mainstream ceramic fork tips in the industry are mostly made of alumina ceramics with a purity of 95%-99%. For some high-end applications, silicon carbide ceramic materials with superior performance are also chosen. Alumina ceramic fork tips have multiple outstanding advantages: they have high strength and hardness, with a room temperature resistivity of up to 10¹⁵Ω·cm and excellent insulation performance; their melting point is as high as 2050℃, making them almost immune to thermal deformation under semiconductor heat treatment conditions; they also exhibit strong chemical stability, do not release metal ions, and do not leave contaminating particles on the wafer surface, fully meeting the cleanliness requirements of semiconductor production. Compared to other special ceramic materials, alumina ceramics have more mature processing technology and higher cost-effectiveness. Some black alumina ceramic fork tips also possess heat absorption and shading properties, making them suitable for some special semiconductor processes that are sensitive to light.

Since its establishment, Huzhou Pulim Semiconductor has always focused on tackling core technologies in the field of semiconductor handling. In April 2026, the company completed multiple business information changes, including changes to investors and registered capital, and simultaneously obtained new financial support, injecting new momentum into subsequent technological research and development and capacity expansion. Relying on its deep expertise in the field of semiconductor-specific equipment, the company has gradually built a product system ranging from core components to complete line systems. Against the backdrop of a domestic localization rate of less than 10% for semiconductor equipment components, such local enterprises focusing on niche markets are gradually breaking the long-term monopoly of overseas manufacturers in the core field of wafer handling, contributing their own strength to the independent and controllable development of the domestic semiconductor industry.