1. Why Cleaning Equipment Became a Conference Focus

From August 19 to 22, 2026, the 1st Semiconductor Equipment Academic Conference concluded successfully at the Tianjin Fuli Wanda Vista Hotel [1]. Hosted by the Chinese Mechanical Engineering Society (CMES) and co-organized by its Semiconductor Equipment Division together with Tsinghua University and Hwatsing Technology Co., Ltd., the conference carried the theme "Industry-Academia Collaboration for Stronger Equipment, Chip-Intelligence Integration for the Future" [1][3]. Academicians, leading industry experts, enterprise technical directors and researchers from universities, institutes and semiconductor equipment companies across China gathered in Tianjin for in-depth exchanges on independent innovation and industry-academia collaboration in domestic semiconductor equipment.

Across the conference's seven special sessions, "cleaning" was a keyword running through multiple forums: the substrate material manufacturing equipment session explicitly covered "substrate processing equipment technologies including crystal growth, slicing, grinding, polishing and cleaning," the wafer fabrication equipment session listed "CMP and cleaning" as a core direction for front-end tools, and the components and materials session covered key components such as "clean fluid parts" [1]. As advanced process linewidths keep shrinking, sub-micron and even nano-scale particle residues on wafer surfaces have become a key factor limiting yield. Cleaning is shifting from a "supporting step" to a "core process," and the localization demand for cleaning equipment and its critical components is growing rapidly.

2. Megasonic Cleaning: A 1 MHz High-Frequency, Low-Damage Precision Cleaning Solution

Megasonic cleaning uses high-frequency mechanical waves on the order of 1 MHz to drive the cleaning fluid, effectively removing sub-micron to nano-scale particles with low surface-damage risk. It is commonly used in final chip cleaning, post-CMP cleaning, pre-polish/pre-grind cleaning, photoresist stripping and development. Compared with conventional methods, megasonic cleaning offers three key advantages: it removes smaller particles, poses lower surface-damage risk, and introduces less contamination (see Table 1) — a close fit with the stringent wafer surface cleanliness requirements of advanced processes.

Table 1 Qualitative comparison of common cleaning methods

3. HaKeDi Megasonic: Supporting Unit Showcases Domestic Megasonic Module Portfolio

As one of the supporting units of the conference, HaKeDi Megasonic Technology (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. exchanged views with industry experts, scholars and equipment makers on the application of megasonic modules in semiconductor wet processing during the event, and showcased a 1 MHz megasonic module portfolio covering four form factors — tank-type, nozzle-type, bonded (pie) type and water-curtain (shower) type — together with matched multi-frequency ultrasonic generators and megasonic system repair services [4].

The four module form factors address different process scenarios (see Table 2): tank-type modules suit batch/small-batch immersion cleaning for CMP, pre-polish, stripping and development, with transducer frames covering 6/8/12-inch wafer sizes; nozzle-type modules suit in-line local spray cleaning with a flow window of 0.2–2 L/min and 5–60 W output; bonded (pie) modules keep the transducer close to the workpiece for a larger, more uniform acoustic field; water-curtain (shower) modules target precision rinsing of panels, sapphire and optical components [4].

Table 2 HaKeDi megasonic module portfolio (1 MHz)

On the core technology side, HaKeDi megasonic modules adopt PLL frequency real-time tracking, constant-power stable output, frequency-sweep driving and resonant-frequency smart optimization, maintaining efficient and stable output under changing load and liquid temperature. The transducer carrier materials — PEEK, quartz and sapphire single crystal, among others — must meet material cleanliness requirements against specifications such as SEMI F57 in wet processes [2][5][4].

4. Industry-Academia Collaboration Accelerates Localization of Megasonic Modules

The conference theme, "Industry-Academia Collaboration for Stronger Equipment," echoes the pace of semiconductor equipment localization. As a core component of wafer wet-processing tools, megasonic modules have long relied on imports, with delivery lead times and pricing subject to foreign suppliers. Leveraging the technology base accumulated through the Shenzhen Innovation & Entrepreneurship Program key technical project (2022N076, R&D of key technologies and equipment for megasonic cleaning), HaKeDi continues to work on PLL control, energy uniformity and long-life transducers, providing domestic wet-tool makers with a localization option comparable to imported products [4]. From "hesitant to try" to "ready to qualify," domestic megasonic modules are gradually entering volume verification and production-line replacement.

5. Conclusion

The successful conclusion of the 1st Semiconductor Equipment Academic Conference marks a new stage of industry-academia collaboration in China's semiconductor equipment sector. As cleaning equipment becomes a core part of wafer manufacturing, the localization of critical components such as megasonic modules is filling a key gap in the self-controllable semiconductor supply chain. With continued improvement in stability, adaptability and service responsiveness, domestic megasonic modules are expected to move from "point breakthroughs" toward "systematic coverage."

FAQ

1. What is the difference between megasonic and ultrasonic cleaning?

Megasonic cleaning uses high-frequency mechanical waves on the order of 1 MHz, removes smaller particles (sub-micron to nano-scale) and causes lower surface damage, making it better suited to final chip cleaning and post-CMP cleaning. Ultrasonic cleaning operates at tens of kHz, with strong cavitation impact, and is suitable for removing larger particles and process residues.

2. Why is megasonic cleaning well suited to advanced-process wafers?

Advanced processes (e.g., 28 nm and below) demand extremely tight contamination control on wafer surfaces, with residual particles controlled down to the nano-scale. Megasonic cleaning delivers high energy density with gentle impact, efficiently removing nano-particles without damaging low-k dielectrics or fine pattern structures — a key reason it has become an important solution for advanced-process wafer cleaning.

3. How do tank-type megasonic module power ratings map to wafer sizes?

HaKeDi tank-type megasonic modules match power to transducer-frame size: approximately 600W for a single 6-inch frame, 1200W for dual 6-inch or a single 8-inch frame, and 2400W for dual 8-inch or 12-inch frames; the appropriate tier can be selected according to line wafer size and batch volume [4].

4. What is the progress of megasonic module localization?

Domestic suppliers such as HaKeDi have built a 1 MHz megasonic module portfolio covering tank-type, nozzle-type, bonded (pie) type and water-curtain (shower) type form factors, together with multi-frequency ultrasonic generator and repair-service capabilities, offering domestic wet-tool makers a localization choice comparable to imported products [4].