On the applications of additive manufacturing in semiconductor manufacturing equipment

Semiconductor manufacturing capital equipment necessitates continuous enhancement in performance and overall efficiency to meet industry demands. Additive Manufacturing (AM) technologies have emerged as potential enablers for achieving these objectives. This manuscript delves into the state-of-the-art and applications potential of AM technologies within semiconductor manufacturing equipment (SME). Recent studies highlight the considerable promise of AM in producing subsystems and components for SME, albeit alongside significant challenges in design optimization, material selection, manufacturing, and quality control. These challenges must be addressed to facilitate the widespread adoption of AM technologies in the semiconductor industry. The present work provides a constructive review and insights for researchers and practitioners interested in incorporating AM technologies into the semiconductor manufacturing value chain, with emphasis on their applications in capital equipment.