Evaluation of Temperature Dependency of Gas Permeability on Various Kinds of Elastomers

Abstract

Gas permeation test equipment was developed to measure the gas permeability through O-ring shape elastomers under actual condition of semiconductor manufacturing such as high vacuum and high temperature. The temperature dependencies of gas permeability on three kinds of elastomers, silicone (VMQ), ‰uoroelastomer (FKM) and per‰uoroelastomer (FFKM), were investigated. Permeation rate for all materials increased as temperature increased. O2 and N2 gas permeation rate through VMQ was much higher than that through the other materials, especially in lower temperature. Moreover, the temperature dependencies of gas permeability with VMQ were completely diŠerent from those of FKM and FFKM. This was coming from diŠerent polymer structure which caused diŠerence of solubility and diŠusivity between silicon and ‰uoroelastomers.