What Are Prime, Test, Dummy, And Reclaimed Grade Silicon Wafers?
Want to get familiar with silicon wafer grades? Here you've arrived on the right web-page. We, at FSM, are experts and will elaborate on everything about silicon wafer grades. So, read on the post till the end to get the exposure and understand the silicon wafer grades. Silicon wafers are available in a variety. Generally, they are classified by their quality levels, called grades. On the basis of quality, there are four types of the silicon wafer, called Prime, Test, Dummy, and Reclaimed grade Silicon Wafers. These all are entirely different from each other concerning their properties and applications. So, that's the basics that we think you should know about silicon wafers. Now let's proceed to explore all the grades of silicon wafers and get familiar with them.
#1 Prime Grade Silicon Wafers
Prime grade Silicon Wafers are the best wafers. That's the highest grade of silicon wafers. Its excellent quality and polished surface with the ability to offer tighter resistivity specs are something that makes Prime grade wafers the best. Prime Grade wafers are also known as "Device-Quality". These wafers are more expensive as compared to any other silicon wafer grades, but it justifies the cost with its quality and performance. Overall, this one is the best grade of Silicon Grade wafers that offer exceptional quality, polished surface and have an extended lifespan.
Applications Of Prime Grade Wafers
➡ Semiconductor Manufacturing ➡ Photolithography ➡ Particle Monitors etc.
#2 Test Grade Silicon Wafers
Test grade wafers come right below the prime grade wafers on the quality basis. However, they are incredibly similar to prime grade silicon wafers but are available at quite lower rates. The main difference between them is cleanliness and flatness characteristics possessed by test grade wafers. In other words, the test grade silicon wafers are less rigorous as compared to prime grade wafers. Overall, test grade wafers are prime grade wafers with few non-complaints features.
Applications Of Test Grade Wafers
➡ Equipment Testing ➡ Semiconductor Fabrication Control Management And Testing Etc.
#3 Dummy Grade Silicon Wafers
Dummy grade silicon wafers perform very efficiently for experimental and testing projects. These wafers are different from all other silicon wafer grades. They are mostly used in the production line for safety improvements in the entire production process. They are also used to ensure and evaluate the production processes. Dummy wafers are used to measure the pressure resistance, film thickness, pinball presence and reflection index in the entire production process.
Applications Of Dummy Grade Wafers
➡ To Improve Safety In Production Line ➡ For production process evaluation ➡ For Safety measures
#4 Reclaimed Grade Silicon Wafers
Reclaimed wafers are those kinds of silicon wafer grades that help companies to maximize the value of previously installed silicon substrates. The process behind the formation or production of reclaimed wafers is called Reclaiming. Reclaiming, with the combination of wet and dry methods, works to eliminate all the impurities and unwanted materials from the previously installed silicon wafers. After the removal of unwanted material from the installed wafer, the process works to clean and polish the respective wafer surface to restore its surface to a good grade. Reclaimed wafers are thinner than virgin wafers and offer performance very similar to a virgin test wafer. So, the applications of reclaimed grade wafers are the same as of test grade wafers.
Summary
So that's all about silicon wafer grades. Hope this post has delivered valuable information to you and elaborated everything about silicon wafer grades.Also, if you have any question or need any other details, just comment us,and we will be answering you. Also, don't forget to browse our product page and explore our wafer products.