In recent years, lithography systems have become one of the most discussed topics both within and beyond the semiconductor industry. Their strategic importance has drawn unprecedented attention from researchers, engineers, policymakers, and even the general public. Meanwhile, in the field of advanced materials, silicon carbide (SiC) has experienced a similar surge in interest. As a high-performance ceramic, SiC has demonstrated exceptional physical and chemical properties, and its applications continue to expand—particularly in integrated circuit (IC) manufacturing, where it is recognized as a key material in the era of third-generation semiconductors.
The significance of silicon carbide in lithography stems from the broader context of the semiconductor industry. Integrated circuit manufacturing is a cornerstone of modern technology and a critical sector for national economic development, technological competitiveness, and strategic security. Among all components of this industry, manufacturing equipment plays a decisive role. Beyond advanced system design and precision control technologies, the performance and reliability of key structural components have become major bottlenecks in the development of high-end domestic semiconductor tools.
Core components in lithography systems must meet extremely demanding requirements, including high purity, high density, high mechanical strength, high elastic modulus, high thermal conductivity, and low thermal expansion. In addition, these components often feature complex geometries and must achieve ultra-high dimensional precision. To satisfy these needs, precision ceramic materials have become indispensable. Typical applications include electrostatic chucks (E-chucks), vacuum chucks, structural blocks, water-cooled magnetic frameworks, reflective mirrors, and precision motion guides.
Among various ceramic materials, silicon carbide has emerged as a leading candidate.
Silicon carbide ceramics possess a unique combination of properties that make them ideal for precision lithography components:
High stiffness and specific strength, which minimize deformation under mechanical load
Excellent thermal conductivity, enabling efficient heat dissipation
Low thermal expansion, ensuring dimensional stability under temperature fluctuations
Outstanding thermal stability, suitable for high-temperature and high-energy environments
Because of these advantages, SiC ceramics are widely used not only in semiconductor manufacturing but also in aerospace, chemical engineering, energy systems, and high-precision mechanical applications.
However, SiC is also one of the most challenging materials to process. Its strong covalent Si–C bonds result in extreme hardness and brittleness, making precision machining difficult. Moreover, its very high melting point complicates densification and near-net-shape fabrication. As a result, producing large, complex, lightweight, and hollow SiC structures remains technologically demanding.
In advanced lithography tools, the wafer stage plays a crucial role in positioning and scanning during exposure. This stage must achieve nanometer-level accuracy while moving rapidly and smoothly across multiple degrees of freedom.
Key performance requirements include:
Lightweight design – Structural components are typically designed with 60–80% material removal, and in some cases up to 90%, to reduce inertia and improve motion control.
High geometric accuracy – Flatness, parallelism, and perpendicularity must be controlled within micrometer-level tolerances.
Dimensional stability – Minimal deformation under thermal and mechanical stress is essential.
Cleanliness and wear resistance – Low friction and minimal particle generation are required to maintain ultra-clean processing environments.
Silicon carbide’s mechanical and thermal properties make it exceptionally well suited for these demanding conditions.
Beyond structural elements, SiC ceramics are also used in optical components such as reflective mirrors. Traditional materials like glass-ceramics or cordierite have been widely employed, but silicon carbide offers superior stiffness and thermal stability, making it increasingly attractive for next-generation systems.
Researchers have developed advanced fabrication techniques that enable large, lightweight, closed-structure SiC mirrors with complex geometries—demonstrating the material’s growing maturity for optical applications.
In extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography, thin membranes are used to protect photomasks from contamination while allowing high light transmission. Over the past decade, transmission rates of these membranes have steadily improved from below 80% to above 90%, significantly enhancing system efficiency.
Silicon carbide-based membranes have attracted strong interest due to their mechanical strength, thermal resistance, and chemical stability, making them a promising solution for high-performance photomask protection.
To overcome the challenges of shaping silicon carbide, researchers have developed innovative near-net-shape forming techniques, particularly gel-casting. This colloidal processing method allows the fabrication of large, complex, and high-strength green bodies with excellent uniformity.
The overall manufacturing process typically includes:
Gel casting for initial shaping
Green machining to refine geometry before sintering
Ceramic joining techniques to assemble hollow structures
These methods enable the production of highly complex, lightweight, and high-precision SiC components that were previously difficult or impossible to manufacture.
Internationally, a small number of companies have established strong capabilities in high-end ceramic components for semiconductor equipment. They offer comprehensive material systems—including alumina, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, and aluminum nitride—and supply precision components across multiple types of chip manufacturing tools.
By contrast, domestic development in this field started later and still faces technical challenges, particularly in producing large-scale, high-precision, lightweight, and closed-porosity ceramic structures. Nevertheless, significant progress has been made in recent years, and ongoing research continues to narrow the technological gap.
Silicon carbide ceramics have become a cornerstone material for next-generation lithography equipment due to their exceptional mechanical, thermal, and structural properties. While manufacturing challenges remain, advancements in material science and processing technologies are rapidly expanding their applicability.
As semiconductor technology continues to evolve, silicon carbide is poised to play an even more critical role in enabling ultra-precise, high-performance manufacturing systems—cementing its status as the preferred material for precision ceramic components in lithography.
In recent years, lithography systems have become one of the most discussed topics both within and beyond the semiconductor industry. Their strategic importance has drawn unprecedented attention from researchers, engineers, policymakers, and even the general public. Meanwhile, in the field of advanced materials, silicon carbide (SiC) has experienced a similar surge in interest. As a high-performance ceramic, SiC has demonstrated exceptional physical and chemical properties, and its applications continue to expand—particularly in integrated circuit (IC) manufacturing, where it is recognized as a key material in the era of third-generation semiconductors.
The significance of silicon carbide in lithography stems from the broader context of the semiconductor industry. Integrated circuit manufacturing is a cornerstone of modern technology and a critical sector for national economic development, technological competitiveness, and strategic security. Among all components of this industry, manufacturing equipment plays a decisive role. Beyond advanced system design and precision control technologies, the performance and reliability of key structural components have become major bottlenecks in the development of high-end domestic semiconductor tools.
Core components in lithography systems must meet extremely demanding requirements, including high purity, high density, high mechanical strength, high elastic modulus, high thermal conductivity, and low thermal expansion. In addition, these components often feature complex geometries and must achieve ultra-high dimensional precision. To satisfy these needs, precision ceramic materials have become indispensable. Typical applications include electrostatic chucks (E-chucks), vacuum chucks, structural blocks, water-cooled magnetic frameworks, reflective mirrors, and precision motion guides.
Among various ceramic materials, silicon carbide has emerged as a leading candidate.
Silicon carbide ceramics possess a unique combination of properties that make them ideal for precision lithography components:
High stiffness and specific strength, which minimize deformation under mechanical load
Excellent thermal conductivity, enabling efficient heat dissipation
Low thermal expansion, ensuring dimensional stability under temperature fluctuations
Outstanding thermal stability, suitable for high-temperature and high-energy environments
Because of these advantages, SiC ceramics are widely used not only in semiconductor manufacturing but also in aerospace, chemical engineering, energy systems, and high-precision mechanical applications.
However, SiC is also one of the most challenging materials to process. Its strong covalent Si–C bonds result in extreme hardness and brittleness, making precision machining difficult. Moreover, its very high melting point complicates densification and near-net-shape fabrication. As a result, producing large, complex, lightweight, and hollow SiC structures remains technologically demanding.
In advanced lithography tools, the wafer stage plays a crucial role in positioning and scanning during exposure. This stage must achieve nanometer-level accuracy while moving rapidly and smoothly across multiple degrees of freedom.
Key performance requirements include:
Lightweight design – Structural components are typically designed with 60–80% material removal, and in some cases up to 90%, to reduce inertia and improve motion control.
High geometric accuracy – Flatness, parallelism, and perpendicularity must be controlled within micrometer-level tolerances.
Dimensional stability – Minimal deformation under thermal and mechanical stress is essential.
Cleanliness and wear resistance – Low friction and minimal particle generation are required to maintain ultra-clean processing environments.
Silicon carbide’s mechanical and thermal properties make it exceptionally well suited for these demanding conditions.
Beyond structural elements, SiC ceramics are also used in optical components such as reflective mirrors. Traditional materials like glass-ceramics or cordierite have been widely employed, but silicon carbide offers superior stiffness and thermal stability, making it increasingly attractive for next-generation systems.
Researchers have developed advanced fabrication techniques that enable large, lightweight, closed-structure SiC mirrors with complex geometries—demonstrating the material’s growing maturity for optical applications.
In extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography, thin membranes are used to protect photomasks from contamination while allowing high light transmission. Over the past decade, transmission rates of these membranes have steadily improved from below 80% to above 90%, significantly enhancing system efficiency.
Silicon carbide-based membranes have attracted strong interest due to their mechanical strength, thermal resistance, and chemical stability, making them a promising solution for high-performance photomask protection.
To overcome the challenges of shaping silicon carbide, researchers have developed innovative near-net-shape forming techniques, particularly gel-casting. This colloidal processing method allows the fabrication of large, complex, and high-strength green bodies with excellent uniformity.
The overall manufacturing process typically includes:
Gel casting for initial shaping
Green machining to refine geometry before sintering
Ceramic joining techniques to assemble hollow structures
These methods enable the production of highly complex, lightweight, and high-precision SiC components that were previously difficult or impossible to manufacture.
Internationally, a small number of companies have established strong capabilities in high-end ceramic components for semiconductor equipment. They offer comprehensive material systems—including alumina, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, and aluminum nitride—and supply precision components across multiple types of chip manufacturing tools.
By contrast, domestic development in this field started later and still faces technical challenges, particularly in producing large-scale, high-precision, lightweight, and closed-porosity ceramic structures. Nevertheless, significant progress has been made in recent years, and ongoing research continues to narrow the technological gap.
Silicon carbide ceramics have become a cornerstone material for next-generation lithography equipment due to their exceptional mechanical, thermal, and structural properties. While manufacturing challenges remain, advancements in material science and processing technologies are rapidly expanding their applicability.
As semiconductor technology continues to evolve, silicon carbide is poised to play an even more critical role in enabling ultra-precise, high-performance manufacturing systems—cementing its status as the preferred material for precision ceramic components in lithography.
