From components to systems: Huzhou Prim builds new advantages in semiconductor equipment with air floatation/ceramic/alignment/motion stage technologies

Huzhou Pulim Semiconductor Co., Ltd., founded in 2023, is a high-tech enterprise specializing in the research, development, and mass production of core components for semiconductor high-end equipment in China. The company's headquarters is located in Xihu Science and Technology Innovation Park, Si'an Town, Changxing County, Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province, and it also has a research and development production base in Wuxi. Currently, it has formed nearly 10,000 square meters of production and testing space. It has built a complete technology research and development matrix around core products such as precision motion stages, air-bearing rotary axes, wafer alignment stages, and ceramic wafer forks, providing solid support for the self-reliance and controllability of the domestic semiconductor manufacturing industry chain.

Design of nanoscale precision motion stage: A systematic engineering to break through the boundary of accuracy

In the semiconductor manufacturing scenario, precision motion stages are the core subsystems that determine the upper limit of the manufacturing process and production yield of the entire equipment. Instead of relying solely on the assembly of imported components, the R&D team at Huzhou Pulim started from the bottom-level architecture and designed it independently: deeply integrating air bearing static pressure technology with a nano-interference feedback system, optimizing motion control logic through multi-degree-of-freedom decoupling algorithms, and ultimately achieving a repeatable positioning accuracy within 30 nanometers, while maintaining extremely low vibration and drift under high-speed acceleration and deceleration conditions. Different from traditional ball screw transmission schemes, Pulim's self-developed linear motor-driven motion platform, through multi-dimensional designs such as structural rigidity optimization, material thermal deformation suppression, and vacuum environment adaptation, not only meets the stringent requirements for ultra-precise micro-adjustment in lithography and metrology processes, but also adapts to the long-stroke, high dynamic response operation needs in advanced packaging processes, breaking the long-term technological monopoly of overseas manufacturers in the field of high-end precision motion stages.

Air-bearing rotary shaft: core technological breakthrough in non-contact lubrication

As a key rotating component of precision motion platforms, the performance of air-bearing rotary axes directly determines the stability of wafer rotation and leveling processes. Huzhou Prim has developed two mature product series for different application scenarios: a 6000rpm version for high-speed scenarios and a 1500rpm version for high-precision calibration scenarios. Both products achieve excellent performance with radial runout less than 250nm. Relying on the non-contact air film lubrication principle, air-bearing rotary axes operate without mechanical friction and wear, significantly extending the service life of components and completely avoiding particulate contamination generated during the operation of traditional mechanical bearings, fully meeting the production requirements of semiconductor cleanrooms. Currently, this series of products has been batch-validated in multiple wafer inspection and grinding equipment, and its operational stability has been recognized by several leading customers.

Wafer alignment stage: collaborative optimization of vision and motion control

The wafer alignment system launched by Huzhou Pulim is built around two core capabilities: industrial visual recognition and precise motion compensation. It utilizes a high-resolution industrial camera paired with a telecentric optical lens to first scan the wafer edge contour, accurately identifying wafer notches or flat edge features. Then, combined with built-in image processing algorithms, it quickly fits the center coordinates, calculating the X/Y axis translation and rotation angle deviations. Subsequently, the system drives the high-precision XYθ motion platform equipped to complete position closed-loop compensation, ultimately controlling the wafer alignment deviation to the submicron level. The entire alignment process is fast and smooth, meeting the flexible use requirements of small-batch R&D in the laboratory, and also adapting to high-speed automated operation scenarios on mass production lines, effectively helping downstream equipment manufacturers improve wafer processing efficiency.

Ceramic chip fork: a clean solution for contactless transfer

Addressing industry pain points such as scratches, chipping, and dust contamination that often occur during wafer handling, Huzhou Prim has introduced an airflow suspension ceramic wafer fork. This fork is made of high-purity alumina ceramic through integrated sintering, and features a precise internal closed air channel structure. During operation, compressed air forms a uniform and stable gas film between the ceramic bearing surface and the wafer, achieving non-contact suspension and adsorption of the wafer through pressure difference. There is no hard friction contact throughout the process, effectively eliminating the risk of workpiece damage at its source. This ceramic wafer fork has an extremely low thermal expansion coefficient, resulting in minimal deformation under high-temperature and vacuum conditions. Additionally, it exhibits excellent acid and alkali corrosion resistance, making it suitable for complex process environments such as etching and cleaning. It fully meets the clean production standards of semiconductor cleanrooms. Currently, it has achieved deep integration with the company's self-developed wafer handling robotic arm, forming a complete wafer transfer solution.

From achieving breakthroughs in individual core components to integrating the entire chain at the subsystem level, Huzhou Pulim Semiconductor is gradually building a precision motion control technology ecosystem for local manufacturers. As the downstream semiconductor production lines continue to increase their demand for high-end equipment localization, these domestically produced core components, which combine precision advantages, localized service capabilities, and customized response speed, will be validated and implemented in more application scenarios, injecting sustained momentum into the high-quality development of the domestic semiconductor industry chain.