Laboratory furnaces have proven instrumental in advancing the capabilities of modern electronics. They are key components for generating intermediate materials like single-crystal semiconductor ingots, which are subsequently used in the manufacture of almost all advanced electronic architectures.
Capacitors. Diodes. Integrated circuits. Transistors. Each of these fundamental electronic components can be engineered and optimized using semiconducting materials like silicon (Si) and its various compounds. This has facilitated a new generation of high functionality printed circuit and wiring boards (PCB/PWBs), organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs), photovoltaic cells, and more. We have reached the current high-technology landscape of electronics using advanced laboratory furnace capable of performing crystallization processes.
Manufacturers also still rely on laboratory furnaces to provide a moisture-free processing environment for producing and finishing electronic components. Laboratory furnaces are routinely used in-line to maximize production yields and to protect products like integrated circuits and PCBs from exposure to moisture. Despite the enhanced performance levels of modern electronics, liquid ingress due to process humidity is still a common concern in the manufacturing environment. Drying laboratory furnaces are routinely used to overcome these challenges.
Laboratory furnaces for Crystallization
Crystallization is the process where solids form in a highly-organized lattice structure. This natural process has been emulated using laboratory furnaces, enabling the preparation of single-crystal semiconductor ingots. The crystal growing process using an industrial furnace is most commonly conducted according to the Bridgeman-Stockbarger, or the Czochralski method. Each of which involves the manipulation of chemical reactions at elevated temperatures. Electronic wafers can be extracted from the resultant billets and used as substrate materials for various printed electronics architectures.
Laboratory Furnaces for Drying
Industrial drying is conducted on production lines to cure components while withdrawing process moisture and humidity from the processing chamber. While crystal growing ovens are typically incapable of producing more than one semiconducting ingot at a time, laboratory furnaces for drying are suited for batch-processing of multiple components simultaneously.
This is ideal for high throughput processing of electronics to limit hygroscopic damage and enhance production yields. Moisture is extracted from components by elevating the temperature of the processing chamber, while integrated ventilation systems evacuate process vapors and moisture from the unit. This mitigates the risk of integrated circuits and components succumbing to moisture ingress during cooling, which can reduce their end functionalities and capabilities.
Laboratory Furnaces from Thermcraft
Thermcraft specializes in the design and supply of custom furnaces and heat treatment ovens for all areas of application. We offer laboratory furnaces suitable for research and development, as well as larger thermal processing equipment for commercial-scale electronics manufacturing.
If you would like to learn more about our laboratory furnaces for electronics applications, read our previous blog post: Using an Industrial Furnace for Semiconductor Device Fabrication. Otherwise, contact us directly with any questions.