Abstract: In a temperature controlling apparatus for controlling temperature by using a temperature sensor, a defect state of the temperature sensor is sensed by sensing a change of specific resistance of the temperature sensor. A temperature value of the temperature sensor is detected at each unit time during exchanging of a chemical solution or stopping of a process in a chamber of the semiconductor fabricating process. A lowest temperature among the detected temperature values and a reference temperature predetermined to sense the change of the specific resistance of the temperature sensor, are compared with each other. When the lowest temperature deviates from the reference temperature, a defect of the temperature sensor is confirmed and a message indicative of a defect state and an alarm are generated.

Abstract: In a temperature controlling apparatus for controlling temperature by using a temperature sensor, a defect state of the temperature sensor is sensed by sensing a change of specific resistance of the temperature sensor. A temperature value of the temperature sensor is detected at each unit time during exchanging of a chemical solution or stopping of a process in a chamber of the semiconductor fabricating process. A lowest temperature among the detected temperature values and a reference temperature predetermined to sense the change of the specific resistance of the temperature sensor, are compared with each other. When the lowest temperature deviates from the reference temperature, a defect of the temperature sensor is confirmed and a message indicative of a defect state and an alarm are generated.

Abstract: A chemical bath of an overflow-type includes an inner bath which includes a plurality of holes on its sidewalls. The holes are formed in such a manner that they are spaced apart from the upper end of the inner bath at a predetermined distance. In this chemical bath, the chemical in the inner bath flows over the upper end of the inner bath into the outer bath and is simultaneously is discharged to the outer bath through the holes. Accordingly, unless either of the opposed sidewalls slopes lower than another by over a predetermined value, the chemical can flow continuously at nearly the same rate at both sidewalls of the inner bath. This reduces the difference of the etching rate between the respective wafers caused by the difference of the position of the wafers immersed in the chemical in the inner bath and leads to an improvement in the reliability of the etching process.