Smart Lighting | APAC

Silicon wafer is a thin disc of semiconductor material with only a thickness of a few millimeters. The wafer is coated with photoresist and the circuit pattern is transferred to the wafer by light exposure. Therefore, in a semiconductor manufacturing process, yellow fluorescent lights with long wavelength have been used so that it does not interfere with the photoresist process before light exposure. However, fluorescent lights last for only about a year, so they need to be replaced every year. As a result, semiconductor manufacturing factories must stop production in order to replace fluorescent lights. Furthermore, fluorescent lights contain a small amount of mercury, and there is a possibility that they will not be able to be used in the future. In October 2013, 92 countries signed the Minamata Convention on Mercury, to regulate activities including mining, usage, and disposal of mercury. When this treaty goes into effect, production will decrease and it would become difficult to secure supplies of fluorescent lights globally.

Long life illumination reduces light replacement frequency to approximately 1/5 using IDEC LED Lights
Considering that replacement is necessary every year and the possibility that these lights will be unavailable in the future, it is not a smart choice to continue using fluorescent lights. IDEC recommends manufacturers of semiconductor manufacturing equipment our LF1B-N LED Illumination units, which can be used for semiconductor manufacturing and lasts for approximately five years. Not only do we have yellow illumination that avoids light exposure but meets SEMI S8 standards, where the brightness should be more than 300lx at a height of 150mm. Brightness can also be adjusted, allowing LEDs to be used on semiconductor manufacturing equipment of all sizes.
LF1B-N Illuminance Distribution (lx) (reference value at 0.5m)

IDEC has knowledge and experience with illumination lights for machine tools
Available with 2 cover colors, 6 illumination colors, and 6 lengths, IDEC LF1B-N LED Illumination Units can be used on various equipment and applications to best suit your needs. IDEC has provided illumination lights for many years and we can support you in choosing the most suitable LED for your equipment. Consult IDEC when choosing lighting for your application.