{"id":10996,"date":"2019-04-09T16:08:06","date_gmt":"2019-04-09T21:08:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.wika.com\/us\/\/?p=10996"},"modified":"2025-06-17T13:07:22","modified_gmt":"2025-06-17T18:07:22","slug":"wikas-mini-diaphragm-semiconductor-gauge-reliable-pressure-solution-for-corrosive-uhp-environments","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.wika.com\/us\/products\/pressure-products\/wikas-mini-diaphragm-semiconductor-gauge-reliable-pressure-solution-for-corrosive-uhp-environments\/","title":{"rendered":"WIKA\u2019s Mini Diaphragm Semiconductor Gauge: Reliable Pressure Solution for Corrosive UHP Environments"},"content":{"rendered":"

Bourdon tube\u00a0gauges are\u00a0commonly used for\u00a0measuring pressure, but this doesn\u2019t mean that a bourdon tube gauge is the best pressure measurement solution for all<\/em> semiconductor\u00a0applications.\u00a0As highlighted in\u00a0a respected\u00a02018\u00a0trade magazine article,\u00a0a\u00a0mini diaphragm semiconductor gauge\u00a0is designed specifically to withstand aggressive media and corrosive environments\u00a0found in some ultra-high purity applications.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Bourdon tube pressure gauges<\/a> are popular in the semiconductor industry for a number of reasons. Readily available and easy to use, they are a cost-effective pressure solution for most high purity (HP) and ultra-high purity (UHP) applications. However, these upsides do not outweigh the potential downsides when used in applications that call for highly reactive gases.<\/p>\n

The director of sales at Valin Corporation, a leading distributor of products for HP applications, wrote about this topic in \u201cSolving the Problem of Bourdon Tubes\u201d \u2014 published in the September 2018 issue of the journal Solid State Technology<\/em>. Here are some highlights from that article.<\/p>\n

Corrosion: A Weakness of Bourdon Tubes<\/h2>\n

Many semiconductor processes today require the use of highly aggressive gases for etching and deposition. As these ultra-pure gases travel from their tanks to the process environment, they can pick up moisture from ambient air if there are leaks anywhere in the gas delivery system. When highly reactive gases meet water, they become corrosive acids.<\/p>\n

Bourdon tubes<\/a>, which are normally made of a very thin un-passivated metal (copper alloy or stainless steel), work by flexing. This movement creates micro fissures over time. These barely detectable crevices are not a problem in many industrial applications. However, when microscopic crevices come into contact with corrosive acids, they quickly become major breaches. Pretty soon, the gauge fails.<\/p>\n

A Solution for Semiconductor Gauge Corrosion<\/h2>\n

If a semiconductor gauge doesn\u2019t use a bourdon tube for measuring pressure, it eliminates a major source of leaks. Here is where WIKA\u2019s UHP mini diaphragm pressure gauge has a distinct advantage. The flexure \u2013 a diaphragm \u2013 is made of Inconel\u00ae 718, a highly corrosion-resistant super alloy. The 316L stainless steel case is fully passivated and electropolished, and all wetted parts are sealed from the atmosphere.<\/p>\n

WIKA\u2019s Mini Diaphragm Gauges<\/h2>\n

WIKA manufactures two models of mini diaphragm gauges that are ideal for UHP processes in the semiconductor industry. Additional advantages of these pressure gauges:<\/p>\n