Abstract: The present invention relates to a reticule storage device. After the reticule storage device influxes external airs using a motor and a fan, it provides the external airs filtered by a filter to a reticule storage shelf in a chamber. According to the present invention, a nitrogen gas supply pipe is installed on one end of the chamber. In addition, the nitrogen gas supplier is installed to be connected from the nitrogen gas supplier to the reticule storage shelf. Several nitrogen gas supply nozzles are installed on an end portion of the nitrogen gas supply pipe, so that nitrogen gas is supplied to maintain a regular pressure in the chamber when a motor inflowing external airs is stopped. As a result, in case that an apparatus is stopped due to a problem of the apparatus for many hours, or an external voltage is not supplied due to a problem of the external problem, nitrogen gases may be purged in the apparatus.

Abstract: An apparatus for cleaning air, and a method for cleaning air using the apparatus, includes a housing including an air inlet through which air to be cleaned flows into the housing and an air outlet through which air that has been cleaned is exhausted from the housing, the housing isolating an interior thereof from external surroundings. A first filtering unit is disposed adjacent to the air inlet and includes a plurality of first filters for removing a first group of contaminants from the air to be cleaned. Each of the plurality of first filters is disposed substantially parallel to each other. A fan for drawing the air to be cleaned into the housing from the external surroundings is disposed in the housing.

Abstract: An air-conditioning system of a substrate processing apparatus includes an air inlet line for providing air to a clean room. A contamination control apparatus for removing contaminants in the air is connected to the air inlet line. A controller controls temperature and humidity of the air without the contaminants. An air outlet line provides the air having the controlled temperature and humidity to a substrate processing chamber that is disposed in the clean room. The contamination control apparatus includes a spray unit having at least one nozzle that sprays water. At least one eliminator that traps the water for capturing contaminants in the air and drops the trapped water into a tank. A water circulation unit provides the water that includes an additive for controlling pH of the water to the spray unit.

Abstract: A module for transferring a substrate includes a load port for supporting a container to receive a plurality of substrates, a substrate transfer chamber disposed between the load port and a substrate process module, a substrate transfer robot disposed in the substrate transfer chamber for transferring the substrates between the container and the substrate process module, a gas supply unit connected to the substrate transfer chamber for supplying a purge gas into the substrate transfer chamber to purge an interior of the substrate transfer chamber, and a contamination control unit connected to the substrate transfer chamber for circulating the purge gas supplied into the substrate transfer chamber, resupplying the circulated purge gas into the substrate transfer chamber and removing particles and airborne molecular contaminants from the purge gas being circulated. Contamination of a substrate may be prevented and a necessary amount of purge gas may be reduced.

Abstract: A method for safely storing an object includes loading the object into a storage box for receiving the object, sealing the storage box, spraying a cleaning gas into the storage box containing the object through a first valve connected to the storage box by providing the cleaning gas from an outside source, and exhausting the cleaning gas from the storage box through a second valve connected to the storage box by increasing a pressure of the cleaning gas in the storage box.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus for processing substrates prevents the substrates from contaminating as they are transferred. The apparatus includes a container, like a FOUP, for containing substrates, at least one processing chamber where the substrates are processed, a substrate transferring module including a substrate transfer chamber and at least one load port for supporting a container, and a contamination controlling system for the substrate transfer chamber. The contamination controlling system includes a purge gas supply inlet connected to the substrate transfer chamber, and a gas circulating tube for recycling the purging gas to circulate through the chamber. The substrate transfer chamber is purged using the purging gas to remove moisture and contaminating materials from the substrate transfer chamber. The formation of particles on the substrate otherwise caused by a reaction between the moisture and contaminating materials while the substrate is standing by in the container can be prevented.

Abstract: A wafer exposure apparatus includes a special wafer cooling unit, namely, an air showerhead, for controlling the temperature of a wafer which is to be transferred from a wafer pre-alignment system to a wafer stage of photolithography exposure equipment. The wafer which has been heated in the course of being transferred from a spin coater to the wafer pre-alignment system, and may be further heated by sensors of the wafer pre-alignment system, is cooled to the same temperature as that of a wafer stage. Accordingly, a thermal equilibrium may be rapidly established between the wafer and the wafer stage when the wafer is transferred to the wafer stage. Accordingly, excessive thermal expansion of the wafer caused by a difference in temperature between the wafer and the wafer stage is prevented. Therefore, an excessive error in aligning the wafer with the optics of the photolithography exposure equipment can be prevented.

Abstract: A wafer exposure apparatus includes a special wafer cooling unit, namely, an air showerhead, for controlling the temperature of a wafer which is to be transferred from a wafer pre-alignment system to a wafer stage of photolithography exposure equipment. The wafer which has been heated in the course of being transferred from a spin coater to the wafer pre-alignment system, and may be further heated by sensors of the wafer pre-alignment system, is cooled to the same temperature as that of a wafer stage. Accordingly, a thermal equilibrium may be rapidly established between the wafer and the wafer stage when the wafer is transferred to the wafer stage. Accordingly, excessive thermal expansion of the wafer caused by a difference in temperature between the wafer and the wafer stage is prevented. Therefore, an excessive error in aligning the wafer with the optics of the photolithography exposure equipment can be prevented.

Abstract: A wafer exposure apparatus includes a special wafer cooling unit, namely, an air showerhead, for controlling the temperature of a wafer which is to be transferred from a wafer pre-alignment system to a wafer stage of photolithography exposure equipment. The wafer which has been heated in the course of being transferred from a spin coater to the wafer pre-alignment system, and may be further heated by sensors of the wafer pre-alignment system, is cooled to the same temperature as that of a wafer stage. Accordingly, a thermal equilibrium may be rapidly established between the wafer and the wafer stage when the wafer is transferred to the wafer stage. Accordingly, excessive thermal expansion of the wafer caused by a difference in temperature between the wafer and the wafer stage is prevented. Therefore, an excessive error in aligning the wafer with the optics of the photolithography exposure equipment can be prevented.

Abstract: An air shower head of an exposure device of photolithography equipment is free of chemical substances that could otherwise contaminate a photoresist layer on a semiconductor wafer and degrade the profile of the photoresist pattern. The air shower head is interposed between a lens system of the exposure device and a wafer stage, and has a hole in the middle thereof through which exposure light can pass to a wafer supported on the stage. The air shower head includes an upper frame defining a cavity open at the bottom thereof, and a porous bottom member covering the bottom of the upper frame. The porous member is mechanically secured to bottom ends of both the inner and outer side walls of the upper frame, i.e., without the use of chemical binders, to reduce the ability of the air shower head to serve as a source of contamination.

Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) apparatus for planarizing the surface of a semiconductor wafer is provided with a washing unit including first, second and third nozzles installed within a load-cup where the loading and unloading of the wafers takes place. The first nozzles spray deionized water toward the top face of a pedestal on which the wafers are placed in the load cup, thereby washing contaminants off of the pedestal. The second nozzles spray deionized water toward a membrane provided at the bottom of a polishing head, thereby washing the membrane. The third nozzles spray deionized water through purge holes formed in a retainer ring of the polishing head toward a space formed between the outer surface of the membrane and the inner surface of the retainer ring. Consequently, contaminants induced into the space are washed away.

Abstract: Apparatus for controlling the temperature of a wafer in a wafer pre-alignment stage has an air injection member for injecting cooling air towards a chucked wafer and an air guide for guiding a predetermined amount of the injected air towards a portion of the wafer adjacent the edge sensor to compensate for a relatively high temperature condition existing at the region of the edge sensor due to the operation thereof. The air injection member is connected with an air supplier and includes an air injection head having a bottom plate through which a plurality of injection holes extend. The air guide is a flow rate controlling plate which is disposed within the air injection head. The air introduced received by the air injection head is guided towards the region of the edge sensor by the flow rate controlling plate.

Abstract: An air shower head of an exposure device of photolithography equipment is free of chemical substances that could otherwise contaminate a photoresist layer on a semiconductor wafer and degrade the profile of the photoresist pattern. The air shower head is interposed between a lens system of the exposure device and a wafer stage, and has a hole in the middle thereof through which exposure light can pass to a wafer supported on the stage. The air shower head includes an upper frame defining a cavity open at the bottom thereof, and a porous bottom member covering the bottom of the upper frame. The porous member is mechanically secured to bottom ends of both the inner and outer side walls of the upper frame, i.e., without the use of chemical binders, to reduce the ability of the air shower head to serve as a source of contamination.

Abstract: A monitoring device and a driving control system for a fan filter unit in a semiconductor clean room for monitoring the operating state of the fan filter unit. The monitoring device includes a switching section in each fan filter unit which alternately applies electrical power to one of a plurality of terminals. The switching section is responsive to a force from an air stream introduced therein via rotation of a fan in the fan filter unit. A display section in each fan filter unit is connected to the plurality of terminals which provide different signals, indicative of an on or off state of the fan, according to which of the plurality of terminals is electrically connected to the electrical power.

Abstract: A fan drive checking system, for an air conditioning system in a clean room having a fan filter unit (FFU), includes a flow sensor for sensing air flow inside a housing of a FFU. The sensor provides a sensor signal indicative of normal and adverse flow conditions in the housing. A control portion in data communication with the sensor outputs a control signal responsive to the sensing signal. An alarm in data communication with the control portion provides a warning when the control signal indicates the adverse flow condition.

Abstract: An air current guiding apparatus includes a plurality of dampers installed on a filter unit on an inner wall of air supply unit for blowing clean air over wafers loaded in a boat for transfer to a reaction chamber for chemical vapor deposition. Each of the dampers has a certain length and angular orientation to force the air in a designated direction so that the air current in a wafer loading chamber maintains an appropriate velocity and is free from air turbulence, thereby minimizing the number of contaminating particles in the wafer loading chamber.

Abstract: A particle counter for counting a number of particles in an air sample includes a sampling probe connected to a counter body with an intake section of the sampling probe having an adjustable area. The intake section is constructed of a plurality of telescopically interconnected shaped pieces that slide within one another to permit lengthening and shortening. The degree of lengthening or shortening determines the adjustable area of the sampling probe, which corresponds to an air speed of the air sample to provide precise particle measurements.