Samsung starts developing next-gen focus rings using ‘B4C’ material

According to the latest info by Korean media Thelec, Samsung has begun developing new materials to replace the existing silicon carbide (SiC) focus ring. The boron carbide (B4C) with a higher hardness than SiC is considered to be the most viable candidate and will be tested for process application.

As the report to industry sources, Samsung Electronics is managing R&D to use B4C as the next generation focus ring material. The focus ring is a usable component used in the semiconductor etching process.

Samsung B4C Focus Ring Materials

This B4C is responsible for maintaining the plasma density uniformly and preventing contamination on the membrane side when fixing the silicone membrane. The main materials of the existing focus rings are quartz and silicon (Si).

However, as the proportion of dry etching using plasma increases due to the faster purification of the semiconductor process, the demand for SiC rings with higher temperatures and better resistance to plasma is increasing.

Samsung Electronics considers the B4C to be the next generation focus ring after the SiC ring. It was found that the company is currently conducting quality testing on B4C rings with partners with related technologies.

Accordingly, the industry is actively conducting research to convert the material of the focus ring from SiC to B4C. However, the industry opinion is that the B4C ring needs more time to replace the SiC ring.

In fact, SK Hynix has made significant progress in R&D by promoting the use of B4C rings earlier than Samsung Electronics, but adoption is known to be pending considering the cost.