Wafer Cassettes (PEEK, ESD-safe)
waferCassettesPeekEsd.desc
Overview
Wafer cassettes are the primary interface between your wafers and the rest of the fab — from wet bench processing to furnace loading, from metrology stations to interbay transport. A contaminated, warped, or outgassing cassette can silently degrade yield across an entire lot. At GINECHIP, we supply a complete range of wafer cassettes and carriers engineered for chemical compatibility, thermal stability, and particulate control across every semiconductor process environment.
Our cassette portfolio spans PEEK (polyetheretherketone) — the gold standard for high-temperature wet processing — through PFA and PTFE for aggressive chemical environments, to cost-effective polypropylene cassettes for general cleanroom use. Every cassette is available in ESD-safe and anti-static grades for protection of sensitive gate oxides and advanced CMOS devices.
Cassette Material Selection Guide
PEEK (Polyetheretherketone)
The premier material for semiconductor wafer cassettes. Continuous use temperature of 260°C makes it ideal for furnace loading, hot acid baths, and diffusion processes. Exceptional mechanical strength and dimensional stability through repeated thermal cycling.
- Temperature: -40°C to +260°C continuous
- Excellent resistance to acids, bases, and organic solvents
- Minimal outgassing — suitable for vacuum processes
- Available in carbon-filled ESD-safe grade (10⁴–10⁹ Ω/sq)
PFA / PTFE (Fluoropolymers)
Near-universal chemical resistance for aggressive semiconductor processes. PFA cassettes withstand concentrated HF, HCl, H₂SO₄, H₂O₂, and SC1/SC2 cleaning chemistries without degradation or leaching. The standard choice for RCA clean and piranha etch stations.
- Temperature: -200°C to +260°C (PFA)
- Inert to virtually all process chemicals
- Ultra-low extractable metals (< 1 ppb)
- Smooth, non-stick surface minimizes particle adhesion
Anti-Static / ESD-Safe PP
Cost-effective polypropylene cassettes with anti-static additives or conductive carbon loading for ESD protection. Ideal for general wafer transport, storage, and metrology in class 100/ISO 5 and above cleanroom environments.
- Surface resistivity: 10⁴–10¹¹ Ω/sq (customizable)
- Static decay: < 0.5 seconds (MIL-B-81705C)
- Lightweight — reduces AMHS wear and operator fatigue
- Black or custom colors for process identification
Standard PP (Polypropylene)
Entry-level polypropylene wafer cassettes for non-critical applications. Suitable for wafer storage, shipping, and general handling where extreme chemical or thermal resistance is not required. Most economical option for high-volume operations.
- Temperature: 0°C to +100°C
- Good resistance to acids and bases at room temperature
- Available in natural, white, or custom colors
- Bulk packaging discounts for fab-wide deployment
Technical Specifications
| Parameter | Available Range / Values |
|---|---|
| Material | PEEK (polyetheretherketone), PFA, PTFE, Polypropylene (PP), Antistatic/ESD PP, Carbon-filled PEEK |
| Wafer Diameter | 100mm (4″), 150mm (6″), 200mm (8″), 300mm (12″) |
| Slot Capacity | 25 slots (standard), 13 slots, 50 slots, custom slot counts |
| Slot Pitch | 4.76mm (3/16″), 6.35mm (1/4″), 9.525mm (3/8″), 12.7mm (1/2″), custom |
| ESD Protection | Static-dissipative: 10⁴–10⁹ Ω/sq surface resistivity; Conductive: < 10⁴ Ω/sq |
| Temperature Range | PEEK: -40°C to +260°C continuous; PFA: -200°C to +260°C; PP: -0°C to +100°C |
| Cleanroom Class | ISO Class 4–5 (Class 10–100) compatible; particle-controlled packaging |
| Configuration | Open cassette, H-Bar, C-Bar, SMIF Pod, FOUP-compatible cassettes |
| Standards | SEMI E1, SEMI E15, SEMI E57, SEMI E158; custom non-SEMI configurations |
| Chemical Resistance | PEEK: excellent acid/alkali/solvent; PFA: near-universal chemical resistance |
| Outgassing | PEEK: < 0.1% TML, < 0.01% CVCM per ASTM E595 (space-grade available) |
Cassette Configurations & Automation Compatibility
Open Cassette Types
- H-Bar Cassette — H-shaped crossbar design for maximum wafer access; preferred for manual loading and wet bench operations
- C-Bar Cassette — C-shaped end plates with connecting bars; lighter weight, good for transport and storage
- Full-Body Cassette — Enclosed side walls for maximum wafer protection during transport
- Custom Slot Configurations — Non-standard slot pitch, depth, and wafer retention features
Automation Interface
- SMIF Pod Compatible — cassettes designed to interface with Standard Mechanical Interface (SMIF) systems for 150mm/200mm fabs
- FOUP-Compatible Internal Cassettes — for 300mm Front-Opening Unified Pod internal wafer handling
- Robot Handling Features — pick-up flanges, alignment notches, and bar-code label surfaces for automated material handling systems (AMHS)
- RFID Tag Integration — embedded or attached RFID tags for wafer lot tracking (optional)
ESD Protection & Static Control
Electrostatic discharge (ESD) is a leading cause of device damage in advanced semiconductor manufacturing — particularly for thin gate oxides below 2nm in advanced logic nodes. Our ESD-safe cassettes are engineered to meet the most demanding static-control requirements:
Static-Dissipative
Surface resistivity in the 10⁶–10⁹ Ω/sq range. Charges dissipate in a controlled manner — fast enough to prevent accumulation, slow enough to avoid spark discharge. Recommended for most CMOS and MEMS production environments.
Conductive
Surface resistivity below 10⁴ Ω/sq. Rapid charge dissipation for highly sensitive devices. Carbon-filled PEEK or carbon-loaded PP. Grounding connection points available for integration with fab grounding systems.
Anti-Static (Topical)
Surface-treated with anti-static agents to reduce triboelectric charging. Cost-effective for general ESD protection. Note: topical treatments may degrade with repeated wet processing — consider bulk-static-dissipative materials for wet bench use.
Applications
Quality & Certification
All wafer cassettes are manufactured and packaged under ISO 9001:2015 certified quality management. Each lot undergoes particle counting per IEST-RP-CC005, outgassing testing per ASTM E595 (where applicable), dimensional verification against SEMI standards, and ESD performance validation per ANSI/ESD S20.20. Certificates of Conformance and full material traceability documentation are provided with every shipment.
Need Wafer Cassettes for Your Fab?
Specify your wafer diameter, material preference (PEEK/PFA/PP), ESD requirements, and slot configuration — our team will provide a competitive quote and material recommendation within 24 hours.