Abstract: A load lock removes particulate contamination during microelectronic manufacturing. The load lock may have a single door or two doors, or a single door and a funnel valve. A passageway is defined through the load lock when the door or doors, or the funnel valve, are opened. The particulate contamination is removed from the load lock by providing a laminar flow of gas through the passageway. The source for generating the laminar flow may be external to the load lock or internal to the load lock.

Abstract: A double floor for removing air from rooms, particularly clean rooms, which are connected to the air supply system of a ventilating and/or air-conditioning unit. The double floor has an upper floor plane formed by perforated plates. The perforated plates are supported by support members. On the underside of the perforated plates is provided a stiffening system composed of stiffening members. Cover members are provided on portions of the stiffening system facing away from the perforated plates. The cover members form at least in the regions of the edges of the stiffening members nozzle openings which project beyond the lower plane of the stiffening system. All the nozzle openings open in the same direction.

Abstract: A floor panel having a substantially planar upper tread surface comprises a cast grating havingfirst and second pairs of substantially planar, external sidewalls with upper side edges of the sidewalls approximately coinciding with the upper tread surface;a plurality of substantially planar ribs extending from the first pair of opposite sidewalls across the frame, and being spaced apart from each other;a plurality of substantially planar cross ribs extending from the second pair of opposite sidewalls across the frame, and further being spaced apart from each other and forming common intersections with the ribs;wherein the ribs and cross ribs form subdomains between intersections of the respective ribs and cross ribs, the ribs and cross ribs contained within one of said subdomains being left out to form an opening through the floor panel which is larger in size than other openings representing smaller subdomains within the floor panel, said larger opening including a perimeter notch formed at an upper edge of t

Abstract: A clean transfer method capable of safely transferring a semiconductor or the like to various apparatus for treating the semiconductor while keeping the environment clean. In the method, the semiconductor is transferred between a vacuum clean box arranged in a clean room and kept at the degree of vacuum of 1 Torr or less and a vacuum chamber arranged in a maintenance room while transfer ports of the vacuum clean box and vacuum chamber are kept air-tightly connected to each other. The vacuum clean box is movably arranged.

Abstract: A decontamination chamber entranceway to an asbestos removal work area includes rigid swinging doors for a rapid escape from the contaminated work area due to an emergency such as a fire or smoke. Also during a power failure it is easy for the workers to leave the work area through the rigid swinging doors of the invention. Each of the doors may include an air inlet opening having at least one plastic flap covering the inlet opening which allows suitable amounts of air to flow through the inlet to maintain a negative air pressure in the work area while having air flow in the work area sufficient to change the air at least every 10 to 15 minutes. The plastic flaps of the doors are preferable pivotally-mounted rigid clear plastic which seal automatically upon loss of negative air pressure in the work area. The rigid flaps can be electro-mechanically operated to positively control size and functioning of air inlet openings and close off the openings upon emergency conditions.

Abstract: A clean air room for a semiconductor factory includes a plurality of clean air boxes placed in side-by-side relation and each designed for its own processing step, an air conditioning equipment including a fresh-air regulator for controlling a supply of fresh-air to the clean air boxes, and fan filter units for supplying the air under pressure, the clean air boxes having clean air chambers of which environment is maintained to a predetermined degree of cleanliness in response to the fan filter units and defining an air circulating path extending through the clean air chambers, the clean air chambers including low clean air chambers and an ultra clean air chamber divided by common side walls of the clean air boxes, the low clean air chambers having operating zones and the ultra clean air chamber having a transfer robot therein, and semiconductor processors extending through the common side walls and having processing stations, the processing stations being located at least within the ultra clean air chamber.

Abstract: Improved techniques are provided for improving the environment of hazardous material abatement personnel operating within an enclosed working area while conducting, for example, asbestos removal operations. A negative pressure is established within the working area by a portable air moving unit, which exhausts air from the working area to prevent hazardous material leakage. The exhausted air is filtered, a significant portion of the exhausted air is conditioned by a portable refrigeration, heating and dehumidification system, and the temperature controlled air is returned to the working area. An air diverter is provided for regulating the ratio of the discharged air to the returned and conditioned air in response to the sensed pressure level within the working area. The temperature of the working area is regulated, thereby substantially increasing worker productivity and reducing safety risks.

Abstract: An air handling system (10) and associated method for supplying filtered air to an operating room (14) in a manner which reduces concentrations of airborne bacteria and other particulates. The system (10) generally includes a plenum (18) mounted at the top of a first wall portion (22) of the operating room (14). A diffuser (48) is closely received in a diffuser opening (46) through which air is communicated from the air chamber (38) of the plenum to the operating room (14). The diffuser (48) is disposed so as to depend downwardly from a point proximate the ceiling of the operating room and converge toward the first end wall (22). Further, at least one air return (60) is provided at the second and opposite wall portion (54) of the operating room (14) for removing air from the room (14) and returning the air to the clean air supply unit (12). Another but smaller portion of the air is removed through at least one air return at the base of the first wall portion of the room.

Abstract: A pair of recirculating fans for semiconductor cleanroom use are stacked to allow each fan to service a smaller zone in the cleanroom than if the fans were placed side by side. Each fan controls the temperature, humidity, and particulate count for its own zone of the cleanroom, thereby allowing strict control of these parameters. The ductwork of the two fans are cross connected so that either fan can be maintained or repaired while the other fan services its own zone and the zone normally serviced by the off-line fan.