Shinsung E&G has unveiled a patented technology that simultaneously controls static electricity and humidity in semiconductor production equipment. Shinsung E&G said on Jan. 16 it disclosed a patent for an 'EFM chamber equipped with an ionizer' that integrates a dehumidification unit and an ionizer inside the chamber.

The method integrates the dehumidification unit and ionizer inside the chamber to reduce installation space and eliminate static electricity. It addresses space shortages in existing equipment and static electricity problems that occur in dry environments.

As semiconductor fine processes become more advanced, demand is rising to manage wafer particles and environmental contamination. Previously, a separate dehumidified air supply device was installed outside the EFM to lower humidity inside equipment. That process required piping connections, increasing equipment volume and causing space shortages.

Shinsung E&G integrated the dehumidification unit with the fan filter unit in the upper part inside the chamber body. It said removing external dehumidification equipment and piping reduced total equipment volume, improving space utilisation in semiconductor fabs and enabling manufacturing cost reductions.

When moisture is removed from the air, humidity falls, and static electricity increases, making it easier for particles to adhere to substrates. To address this, Shinsung E&G placed an ionizer between the bottom of the dehumidification unit and the filter. It immediately removes static electricity from dehumidified clean air to prevent particles from adhering to substrate surfaces.

Previously, fan speed had to be increased to remove particles. Applying the ionizer can prevent contamination and reduce energy consumption without excessively increasing airflow speed.

A Shinsung E&G official said the company completed the technology based on cleanroom and HVAC engineering capabilities built up over decades. The official said that as the share of advanced semiconductor packaging and ultrafine processes such as HBM grows, the company's precision control technology will become a core infrastructure solution that raises productivity for global semiconductor manufacturers.