Trelleborg Sealing Solutions will present its latest sealing solutions for wafer fab and subfab equipment at Semicon Europa 2025, stand 311 in Hall C1 at Messe München, from November 18 to 21. The company will demonstrate engineering capabilities developed for semiconductor processes characterized by extreme temperatures, aggressive chemistries and vacuum operation, including the use of finite element analysis to model compression set and support predictions of seal service life during product design. The exhibit covers an expanded range of perfluoroelastomer and fluoroelastomer materials for deposition, etch, strip, plasma cleaning and thermal steps, alongside engineered assemblies for wafer transfer. Trelleborg will also highlight the expansion of its European semiconductor manufacturing facility in Malta, which has added over 500 square meters of cleanroom space dedicated to FKM and FFKM products, with production in the extension scheduled to begin in mid-2026.
Portfolio highlights
Isolast PureFab: a portfolio of perfluoroelastomers engineered for aggressive front-end processes, including deposition, etch, ash or strip, plasma cleaning and thermal processing such as atomic layer deposition. PureFab combines high temperature stability, high purity, exceptionally low trace metal content and high plasma resistance. These properties support reduced particle generation and ultra-low outgassing in high vacuum conditions, enabling extended maintenance cycles and helping to maximize process yield.
Bonded slit valve door seals: dynamic rubber-to-metal bonded seals for wafer transfer chambers that deliver significantly higher performance than conventional O-rings. The design offers longer service life and more reliable sealing, with very low particle generation and high durability, helping to minimize costly downtime and maintenance intervals. The product conforms to semiconductor industry standards.
Turcon Variseal NW: a flange seal featuring a Turcon case that encloses an energizing spring, eliminating contact between the spring or spring cavity and the process media. It is suited to semiconductor duties, operates reliably in vacuum and is proven in fluorine gas environments.
Isolast K-Fab flange seal: based on an FFKM sealing element formulated for semiconductor applications. The elastomer element is resistant to extreme temperatures and complex chemistries found in critical subfab environments. Using less material than traditional O-rings, it improves thermal behavior and eliminates thermal expansion and groove overfill.
Engineering and production capabilities
Commenting on the operating environment for semiconductor seals, Chris Busby, Global Segment Director Semiconductor, said: "The extreme temperatures and more aggressive chemical precursors increasingly characterizing semiconductor environments demand ever-more reliable sealing solutions to prevent premature failure. We will showcase the latest innovations in our semiconductor portfolio specifically engineered to address these challenges at Semicon Europa 2025." He added: "As a Trelleborg customer you benefit from premium engineering capabilities to develop the right custom solutions for today’s increasingly extreme fab and sub-fab environments, including the unique ability to model compression set data using finite element analysis (FEA). A step change in technology, this advanced FEA provides engineers with more accurate predictions of a seal’s usable lifetime as they design and manufacture finished products."
Trelleborg reports a significant expansion of its European semiconductor manufacturing capabilities in Malta. The site has added over 500 square meters of cleanroom space focused on FKM and FFKM products, with options to extend capabilities in the future. Production in the extension is scheduled to begin in mid-2026.
Isolast PureFab JPF42, an ultra-high temperature perfluoroelastomer (FFKM) developed for demanding subfab applications and thermal processes, including rapid thermal processing (RTP), atomic layer deposition (ALD) and oxidation.
