When it comes to semiconductor manufacturing equipment, the first thing that comes to mind is the large and structurally precise mainframe. But the host station has never been an isolated entity. Some supporting equipment hidden around the host station and in the sub Fab sub plant is the "invisible lifeline" that supports the 24-hour stable operation of the core host station - they do not directly participate in the core process actions such as wafer lithography and etching, but are the absolute prerequisite for the host station to achieve nanometer level accuracy and 7 × 24-hour stable operation.
Semiconductor manufacturing requires extremely high temperature control accuracy, and temperature fluctuations of 0.1 ℃ may lead to wafer scrap. The corresponding temperature control accessory equipment is a key supporting system to ensure process yield.
1. Machine cooling water distribution cabinet
The cooling water distribution cabinet is a standard configuration for the vast majority of process equipment, directly connected to the factory PCW main pipeline, and belongs to the first level temperature control unit that comes with the machine. Its core function is not refrigeration, but to stabilize, filter, distribute flow and fine tune temperature of incoming water from the factory, and then deliver it to various heating branches inside the machine.
For some components with high heat generation, such as vacuum pump bodies, high-power power supplies, and mechanical transmission modules, the temperature accuracy requirements are not high, and the cooling water output from the distribution cabinet can directly meet the demand. Once abnormalities such as low flow rate, water temperature exceeding the threshold, and pipeline leakage occur, the distribution cabinet will immediately trigger an alarm and link the equipment to shut down to avoid component overheating and damage.
2. Special chiller
When the cooling target is components that are extremely sensitive to temperature, such as exposure lenses, precision workbenches, process chambers, and optical detectors, the accuracy of the cooling water distribution cabinet is far from sufficient. At this time, a dedicated chiller for the machine must be equipped.
According to the heat dissipation method of the condenser, chillers are divided into two categories: air-cooled and water-cooled. Almost all Fab mass production lines use water-cooled chillers, which themselves need to be connected to the factory PCW as a primary cooling water source to dissipate heat from the condenser of the refrigeration system; On the side facing the machine, there is a completely independent closed secondary internal circulation loop, and the circulating medium is usually high-purity deionized water or specialized ethylene glycol aqueous solution. The entire process does not directly contact the PCW water circuit, and only completes heat transfer through plate heat exchangers. This dual circuit design not only utilizes the stable cooling capacity of the factory PCW, but also ensures the cleanliness and temperature control accuracy of the internal circulation, making it the mainstream solution for the production line.

The air-cooled chiller relies on its own fan for heat dissipation and does not require a PCW, but its heat dissipation efficiency is greatly affected by the ambient temperature. It is often used for small experimental equipment or auxiliary units outside the production line.
The core working principle of Chiller is the combination of vapor compression refrigeration and electric heating compensation: the refrigeration compressor provides a stable base cooling capacity to cool the circulating liquid below the set value; Subsequently, a high-precision electric heating unit is used for micro compensation heating, combined with PID closed-loop control algorithm, to ultimately stabilize the effluent temperature at extremely high precision.
The chiller matched with ordinary process equipment has a temperature control accuracy of ± 0.1 ℃; High end lithography machines are equipped with multiple independent Chiller circuits, which independently control the temperature of the lighting module, projection lens, silicon wafer stage, and mask stage. The temperature control accuracy of some core circuits even reaches the millikelvin level. You should know that the thermal expansion coefficient of lens materials is usually in the ppm range, and temperature fluctuations of a few tenths of a degree Celsius can cause nanoscale deformation, directly destroying the etching accuracy of the entire batch of wafers. This ultimate temperature control capability is the fundamental guarantee for the realization of nanotechnology.
3. Gas temperature control unit
In addition to liquid cooling, many process scenarios also require precise temperature control of gases, and the corresponding auxiliary equipment is the gas temperature control unit. For example, the carrier gas of chemical vapor deposition process needs to be preheated to a specific temperature to ensure uniform reaction after entering the chamber; The blowing gas of some measuring equipment needs to be kept at a constant temperature to avoid temperature fluctuations affecting the readings of the optical detector. For example, the interior of a lithography machine is sensitive to temperature, and the air entering the machine needs to be accurately controlled before entering.
This type of unit usually consists of a heat exchange module, a heater exchanger, a heater heating wire, and a temperature sensor. It uses closed-loop control to stabilize the gas temperature at the set value, with an accuracy generally within ± 0.5 ℃. They are often small in size and integrated near the gas path panel, but they are an important link in ensuring process consistency.
Temperature control equipment is not a scattered universal industrial accessory, but a specialized system customized and matched by the original host factory, deeply bound to the process parameters of the host. Even a small performance deviation may directly lead to host downtime and bulk wafer scrap, which is the core implicit asset that determines production line yield and operation efficiency. Without any link, even the most high-end mainframe is just a bunch of precision parts that cannot be started.

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