In the semiconductor manufacturing workshop, the HEPA-High Efficiency Particulate Air Filter (usually referring to H13-H14 grades) is one of the core devices for maintaining the air cleanliness of the clean room (especially at Class 100 and below). Compared with traditional high-efficiency filters with separators, it demonstrates many key advantages in the application of the semiconductor industry, precisely meeting the extremely strict environmental requirements of semiconductor manufacturing.

1. Extreme control of micro-pollution to ensure process yield
The feature size of semiconductor devices (such as chips) has entered the nanometer level (the current mainstream is 7nm, 5nm, or even more advanced processes). Even tiny particles at the 0.1μm level can cause wafer short circuits, circuit defects, or distortion of photolithography patterns, directly leading to product scrapping.
Filtration efficiency advantage: The non-woven high-efficiency filter usually uses glass fiber filter paper, and its filtration efficiency for 0.3μm particles can reach over 99.97% (H13 grade) or even over 99.995% (H14 grade), effectively intercepting dust, fibers, microbial spores and other pollutants in the workshop.
Airflow uniformity: The non-separator design avoids the airflow vortices and dead corners that may be generated by metal or paper separators in pleated filters. Combined with an efficient air distribution system (ADS), it can achieve uniformity in airflow speed and direction within the clean room, ensuring that contaminants are continuously carried away rather than deposited on the wafer surface.
2. Compact in size, it enhances space utilization
The construction and operation costs of semiconductor workshops (especially the clean rooms in the front-end processes) are extremely high, and the utilization efficiency per square meter of space directly affects the production costs.
Compact structure The high-efficiency filter without separators uses hot melt adhesive or glass fiber cotton as separators, replacing the metal (aluminum) or paper separators in the filter with separators. Its thickness is usually only 1/3 to 1/2 of that of the filter with separators (for example, the thickness of a standard-sized HEPA without separators is approximately 292mm, while that of a HEPA with separators is about 592mm).
Space-saving: Under the same filtration area requirement, the non-woven filter can significantly reduce the occupied space of the filter unit, providing greater flexibility for the layout of process equipment (such as photolithography machines, etching machines, and other large and precision equipment) in the clean room, or achieving a higher air handling capacity in a limited space.
3. Low resistance, low energy consumption, and reduced operating costs
Semiconductor cleanrooms are typical “high-energy-consuming” places. The energy consumption of the air conditioning and ventilation system (HVAC) accounts for more than 60% of the total energy consumption of the cleanroom, and the resistance of the filter is a key factor affecting the energy consumption of the HVAC system.
Lower air flow resistance: The flow channel without separators is smoother, and the resistance when air passes through is significantly lower than that of filters with separators (usually the initial resistance can be 10-20 Pa lower). Reduced resistance means that the fan does not need to overcome greater pressure to convey air, which can directly reduce the fan’s power consumption.
Good energy consumption stability: As the usage time goes by, the resistance increase rate of the non-woven filter is relatively gentle, which extends the service life of the filter (usually up to 1-2 years, depending on the dust concentration of the environment), and reduces the downtime and energy consumption fluctuations caused by frequent filter replacement.
4. The material is clean to avoid secondary pollution
The semiconductor manufacturing industry has extremely strict control over “secondary pollution”. Any detachment from the filter itself (such as corrosion debris from the separator, volatile substances from the sealant, etc.) may contaminate the wafer.
No risk of detachment: The filter without separators uses hot melt adhesive or glass fiber cotton as the separator and sealing material, avoiding the rust debris that may occur in the metal separators of the filter with separators and the fiber detachment problem of the paper separators. Meanwhile, the edges of the high-quality filter paper without separators have undergone special treatment, ensuring no fiber shedding.
Strong chemical stability: The core filter material (glass fiber) and auxiliary material (hot melt adhesive) have excellent chemical stability and can withstand a small amount of corrosive gases that may exist in the semiconductor workshop (such as volatile photoresist, residual etching exhaust gas, etc.), without generating pollutants due to chemical corrosion.

5. Easy to install and maintain, reducing process interruption
Semiconductor manufacturing is typically continuous production. Any downtime caused by equipment maintenance can result in significant losses. Therefore, the efficiency of filter installation and replacement is of vital importance.
Lighter weight: As there is no need for metal separators, the weight of the non-separator high-efficiency filter is only about half that of the filter with separators of the same size. During installation, no heavy lifting equipment is required, and the operation can be completed by one or two people, reducing the installation difficulty and safety risks.
High replacement efficiency: The frame design of the filter without separators is more standardized (such as aluminum alloy frames), and combined with quick sealing methods (such as liquid tank sealing, gasket sealing), the replacement process can be completed within minutes, significantly reducing the downtime for maintenance in the clean room.
6. Adapt to high air volume requirements and meet the design needs of cleanrooms
Advanced semiconductor cleanrooms have extremely high requirements for air replacement frequency (for example, the replacement frequency of a Class 10 cleanroom can reach hundreds of times per hour), and the filters need to have good adaptability to high air volume.
The flow channel design of the non-woven filter is more reasonable, which can maintain stable filtration efficiency and low resistance under high air volume conditions. It will not have problems such as “increased penetration rate” or “disordered air distribution” due to increased air volume, and can meet the air volume design requirements of clean rooms of different levels.
Summary: The precise match between the high-efficiency filter without separators and the semiconductor demand

Core demands of the semiconductor workshop	The corresponding advantages of the high-efficiency filter without separators
Control nano-scale micro-pollution to ensure yield	High filtration efficiency (H13-H14 grade), uniform airflow without dead corners
Maximize the utilization of cleanroom space	The structure is compact, with a thickness of only 1/3 to 1/2 of that of a filter with separators
Reduce long-term operational energy consumption	The initial resistance is low, and the resistance rise is smooth, reducing the energy consumption of the fan
Eliminate secondary pollution	No peeling material, strong chemical stability
Reduce maintenance downtime	Light in weight, easy to install and replace, with standardized design
Suitable for high air replacement times	It has good adaptability to high air volume, and the filtration efficiency and air flow stability are not affected by the air volume

Therefore, the non-woven high-efficiency filter has become the preferred equipment for the air purification system in the clean room of the semiconductor workshop (especially in the core links such as the front-end wafer manufacturing and advanced packaging and testing), and its performance is directly related to the quality and manufacturing efficiency of semiconductor products.