企業ニュース

Silicon Nitride Ceramic Bearings Reach 30,000 rpm: Why EV eAxles Are Becoming a Major Si₃N₄ Application

Electric-vehicle powertrains are changing the requirements placed on bearings. A conventional vehicle transmission is largely mechanical. An electric eAxle integrates: As manufacturers increase motor speed to reduce motor size and weight, bearing rotational speeds are rising sharply. In June 2026, JTEKT announced a grease-lubricated ceramic-ball bearing designed for high-performance EV eAxles with operation up to 30,000 rpm. The company specifically highlighted ceramic rolling elements as a way to reduce electrical corrosion while supporting higher-speed operation. This development illustrates why silicon nitride ceramic balls are becoming increasingly important in electric mobility. Why EV Bearings Face Electrical Damage Electric motors use high-frequency inverter switching. This can create shaft voltage. If sufficient electrical […]

Silicon Nitride Ceramic Bearings Reach 30,000 rpm: Why EV eAxles Are Becoming a Major Si₃N₄ Application 続きを読む »

Polished Alumina vs AlN Substrates for AI Server Power Modules: Thermal Performance, Flatness and Metallization

The rapid increase in AI computing density is changing the requirements placed on power conversion hardware. AI servers increasingly require compact, high-efficiency power supplies, DC/DC converters, power stages and advanced thermal-management systems. As power density rises, the ceramic substrate underneath power semiconductor devices becomes increasingly important. Two commonly considered materials are: Both provide electrical insulation, dimensional stability and compatibility with semiconductor packaging processes. However, they behave very differently in terms of: Selecting between polished alumina and AlN should therefore be based on the actual thermal and packaging requirements of the power module rather than material reputation alone. 1. Why Ceramic Substrates Matter More in AI Server Power Systems Power architecture

Polished Alumina vs AlN Substrates for AI Server Power Modules: Thermal Performance, Flatness and Metallization 続きを読む »

300mm Wafer Boat Maintenance and Replacement Guide: Slot Wear, Particle Excursions, Cleaning Windows and End-of-Life Criteria

As semiconductor fabs move more high-volume thermal processes to 300mm wafers, wafer boat condition becomes increasingly important to process stability. A wafer boat may appear to be a simple furnace consumable, but it performs several critical functions at the same time: maintaining wafer spacing, supporting wafers during high-temperature processing, preserving loading accuracy, minimizing contact damage, and avoiding additional particle or metallic contamination. After hundreds or thousands of thermal and loading cycles, however, the condition of a wafer boat gradually changes. Process deposits may accumulate. Wafer slots may wear. Surface roughness can increase. Coatings may deteriorate. Repeated cleaning can alter critical contact areas. Eventually, a boat that still looks usable may

300mm Wafer Boat Maintenance and Replacement Guide: Slot Wear, Particle Excursions, Cleaning Windows and End-of-Life Criteria 続きを読む »

300mm (12-Inch) SiC Substrates: Crystal Growth, TTV, Bow, Warp, Defect Control and Challenges for Mass Production

Silicon carbide (SiC) substrates have become one of the most important materials for next-generation power electronics. As electric vehicles, renewable energy systems, industrial drives, rail traction, and AI data center power systems continue to demand higher efficiency and higher voltage operation, the need for larger-diameter SiC wafers is increasing rapidly. After the industry’s transition from 4-inch to 6-inch and then to 8-inch wafers, attention is now shifting toward 300mm (12-inch) SiC substrates. The move to 300mm SiC is not simply a matter of increasing wafer size. It introduces a new level of complexity in crystal growth, wafer shaping, grinding, polishing, defect control, and metrology. Parameters such as total thickness variation

300mm (12-Inch) SiC Substrates: Crystal Growth, TTV, Bow, Warp, Defect Control and Challenges for Mass Production 続きを読む »

Why High-NA EUV Raises the Bar for SiC Ceramic Precision Structures: Thermal Drift, Stiffness, Vibration Control and Lightweight Design

High-NA extreme ultraviolet lithography is designed to print smaller semiconductor features with greater imaging contrast. By increasing numerical aperture from 0.33 in conventional EUV systems to 0.55, the technology can resolve substantially finer patterns using the same 13.5 nm EUV wavelength. The ASML TWINSCAN EXE:5000, the first High-NA EUV system, provides 8 nm resolution and can print features approximately 1.7 times smaller than previous NXE systems. Its successor, the EXE:5200B, combines this resolution with improved overlay and productivity. ASML Better optical resolution, however, also creates a more demanding mechanical environment. The wafer, reticle, mirrors and metrology systems must maintain extremely stable relative positions while stages accelerate, structures heat and cool,

Why High-NA EUV Raises the Bar for SiC Ceramic Precision Structures: Thermal Drift, Stiffness, Vibration Control and Lightweight Design 続きを読む »

High-Power Ceramic Substrate Selection Guide: AlN, Si₃N₄ and Alumina for SiC Power Modules

Silicon carbide power devices can operate at higher voltages, switching frequencies and junction temperatures than conventional silicon devices. These advantages support smaller, lighter and more efficient power systems, but they also place greater thermal and mechanical demands on the package. The ceramic substrate is a critical part of this package. It electrically isolates the circuit from the baseplate or heat sink while transferring heat away from the SiC dies. It must also support copper conductors, survive repeated thermal cycling and maintain insulation performance under high voltage. Aluminum nitride, silicon nitride and alumina are three widely considered substrate materials. Each offers a different balance of thermal conductivity, mechanical reliability, dielectric performance,

High-Power Ceramic Substrate Selection Guide: AlN, Si₃N₄ and Alumina for SiC Power Modules 続きを読む »

セラミックウェーハ用エンドエフェクタの設計：材料、重量、平坦度、および粒子管理

A ceramic wafer end effector—also called a wafer handling blade, robot blade or wafer transfer arm—is the part of a semiconductor robot that directly supports and transfers wafers between process chambers, load ports, aligners, inspection stations and wafer carriers. Although its geometry may appear simple, the end effector directly affects wafer positioning accuracy, transfer speed, particle generation, electrostatic discharge risk and equipment uptime. A successful ceramic wafer end effector must combine several requirements: Ceramic end effectors are used because advanced ceramics can provide dimensional precision, thermal stability, abrasion resistance and low-contamination wafer contact. Some wafer-handling systems also use ESD-safe ceramic materials to dissipate accumulated static charge. This guide explains how

セラミックウェーハ用エンドエフェクタの設計：材料、重量、平坦度、および粒子管理 続きを読む »