Silicon Wafer Reclaim Service

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Reclaimed Silicon Wafers

We have a large selection of inexpensive reclaimed silicon wafers. Please send let us know what specs/qty you need and see how much you can save over higher grade silicon substrates.

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Why Reclaim Silicon Wafers?

Reclaiming silicon wafers offers a range of economic, environmental, and operational benefits, especially in semiconductor manufacturing, R&D, and equipment testing. Here's a breakdown of why it's done:

💰 1. Cost Savings

  • Reclaimed wafers cost 60–90% less than virgin (prime-grade) wafers.

  • Ideal for non-device applications like process monitoring, training, or calibration.

  • Extends the usable life of expensive wafers that would otherwise be discarded.

🌱 2. Environmental Sustainability

  • Reduces waste and conserves natural resources (like ultra-pure silicon and energy-intensive processes).

  • Minimizes the carbon footprint associated with wafer manufacturing.

  • Supports green manufacturing and circular economy initiatives.

⚙️ 3. Support for Equipment and Process Validation

  • Used for:

    • Etching and deposition tests

    • CMP (chemical-mechanical polishing) process tuning

    • Tool qualification and calibration

  • Avoids using costly virgin wafers for routine checks or trial runs.

🧪 4. Training and R&D Applications

  • Perfect for:

    • University labs

    • Cleanroom practice and protocol training

    • Prototype development and failure analysis

  • Reduces the financial barrier for academic or early-stage research projects.

🔁 5. Reusable Substrate Material

  • Can be stripped, ground, and polished multiple times depending on thickness and defect level.

  • Allows reuse of otherwise scrap wafers for monitoring or test lots.

⚠️ Limitations to Keep in Mind

  • Surface quality may not meet device-grade standards.

  • May contain scratches, chips, or prior process residues.

  • Not suitable for high-yield production or advanced node fabrication.

Prime vs. Test vs. Reclaimed Silicon Wafers
Feature Prime Wafers Test Wafers Reclaimed Wafers
Surface Quality Ultra-smooth, defect-free Minor imperfections acceptable May have scratches or chips
Thickness Uniformity Tight control (e.g., ±0.5 µm) Moderate tolerance Less consistent
Flatness (TTV) Very flat (low TTV) Moderate flatness Lower flatness
Polish Type SSP or DSP Usually SSP Typically SSP, DSP available
Electrical Grade Device-quality Non-device use Not suitable for electronics
Cleanroom Use Class 1 compatible Class 10–1000 May not meet cleanroom spec
Applications ICs, MEMS, photonics Tool testing, R&D Training, etch trials, monitor
Cost High $$$ Medium $$ Low $
Reuse Potential Often single-use Sometimes reusable Can be reclaimed multiple times
Typical Buyers Foundries, fabs, medical Process engineers, labs Universities, equipment OEMs
🟢 When to Use Each: Prime: High-performance ICs, MEMS, photonics, or advanced-node fabrication. Test: Process validation, early-stage prototyping, tool matching. Reclaimed: Training, tool calibration, material etch trials, sacrificial layers, cleaning practice.

What Is Silicon Wafer Reclaim?

Silicon wafer reclaim is the process of recycling used silicon wafers—typically from semiconductor manufacturing or testing—by removing existing layers and polishing the wafer so it can be reused for non-critical applications.

🔁 Key Steps in the Silicon Wafer Reclaim Process:

  1. Strip and Clean: Removal of films, photoresist, or metal layers using chemical solutions (e.g., HF, H₂SO₄, H₂O₂).

  2. Surface Grinding: Grinding down the surface to remove deep defects or contamination.

  3. Polishing: Chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) restores wafer flatness and surface quality.

  4. Inspection: Wafers are examined for defects, thickness, resistivity, and flatness.

  5. Repackaging: Reclaimed wafers are sorted and repackaged for reuse.

🎯 Typical Uses for Reclaimed Wafers:

  • Equipment calibration

  • Process monitoring

  • Training and R&D

  • Etch or deposition testing

  • Non-device-level prototyping

✅ Benefits:

  • Cost savings vs. virgin wafers

  • Environmental sustainability

  • Efficient resource utilization

⚠️ Limitations:

  • Not typically suitable for high-yield, advanced device fabrication.

  • Slightly lower surface quality and more variation than prime-grade wafers.

Let us know if you would like help sourcing reclaimed wafers or listing specific specs (e.g., diameter, thickness, resistivity)?

Key Specifications for Reclaimed Silicon Wafers

Parameter Options/Range Notes
Diameter 100 mm (4"), 150 mm (6"), 200 mm (8"), 300 mm (12") Choose based on your equipment compatibility
Thickness Typically 500–800 µm (depends on grinding stage) May vary more than with virgin wafers
Type n-type or p-type Often unspecified if for non-critical use
Dopant Phosphorus (n-type), Boron (p-type) For test purposes, dopant may not matter
Orientation <100>, <111>, etc. <100> is most common for test wafers
Surface Single-side polished (SSP) or Double-side polished (DSP) DSP costs more but is flatter
Grade Reclaimed/Test/Monitor Grade Not for production, but fine for metrology, training, or process tests
Cleanliness Particle spec, oxide removed, etc. Depends on reclaim level

📦 Example Reclaimed Wafers from UniversityWafer (for reference)

ID Diameter Type Dopant Orient Thickness Polish Notes
A0494 100 mm p-type B <100> 3000 µm SSP Reclaimed, scratched, for SEMI TEST
B1079 100 mm p-type B <100> 3000 µm SSP Reclaimed, with chips/scratches
A1075 100 mm p-type B <100> 2950 ±50 µm DSP Reclaimed, minor defects