Conprofe Technology Co., Ltd.

In the semiconductor industry, precision is non-negotiable. Among the most critical components in photolithography is the photomask—often referred to as the “negative film” of chip manufacturing. Photomasks consist of a substrate and a light-shielding film, and their quality directly determines the yield and performance of downstream IC products. Within this domain, quartz glass has emerged as the material of choice for high-end photomasks, thanks to its high transmittance, low coefficient of thermal expansion, exceptional chemical stability, and purity (SiO₂ content >99.9%).

However, the very properties that make quartz glass desirable also render it difficult to machine. As a hard and brittle material, it is prone to micro-cracks, edge chipping, and subsurface damage during conventional machining. These defects compromise pattern accuracy and reduce product yield in subsequent lithography processes. Achieving both high precision and high efficiency in quartz glass substrate processing has long been an industry-wide challenge.

Conprofe’s Ultrasonic Solution: Engineered for Hard and Brittle Materials

With years of deep expertise in high-precision manufacturing, Conprofe has developed a mature portfolio of Ultrasonic-Green CNC Machine Tools based on proprietary technologies. Our solution integrates ultrasonic machining technology with custom soild PCD cutting tools to address the pain points of hard and brittle materials—including CVD silicon carbide, single-crystal silicon, polysilicon, alumina ceramics, silicon nitride, quartz glass, AlSiC, sapphire, and graphite.

Case in Point: Ultrasonic Side Milling of Quartz Glass Substrate

• Workpiece: Quartz glass

• Dimensions: 152x152x6.5 mm

• Features: Chamfer C0.7mm (tolerance 0.5–0.8mm) + sidewall milling

• Surface roughness requirement: Sa < 0.15μm

Conventional machining results:

• Cycle time: 2,400 seconds per part

• Poor surface quality; unable to meet roughness requirements for sidewalls and chamfers

Conprofe solution (ULW-500 Ultrasonic-Green Engraving and Milling Center + Ultrasonic Machining System + Solid PCD Micro-Edge Cutting Tool + Grinding Head):

• Cycle time reduced from 2,400 sec to 577 sec → 76% improvement

• Sidewall roughness (Sa) reduced from 0.8 μm to 0.046 μm → 94% reduction

• Chamfer C0.7 roughness (Sa) reduced from 0.8 μm to 0.12 μm → 85% reduction

• No residual grinding marks, fully meeting customer specifications

Conprofe’s ultrasonic solution not only resolves the longstanding trade-off between quality and efficiency in quartz glass machining but also delivers measurable, repeatable results.

As AI-driven demand for advanced computing power and packaging technologies accelerates the growth of domestic glass substrate manufacturing, Conprofe is proud to demonstrate that homegrown solutions can achieve world-class performance in high-value precision component machining.

We look forward to collaborating with partners across semiconductors, optics, and precision manufacturing sectors to push the boundaries of what’s possible.