Patent ID: 6796458
Filing Date: 2004-09-28
Classification: H01L,Y10T

Abstract:
An air supply apparatus in combination with semiconductor device fabricating equipment, the air supply apparatus comprising:a source of ultra-pure water; a buffer tank; an ultra-pure water pipe connecting said source of ultra-pure water to said buffer tank so as to deliver ultra-pure water from the source of ultra-pure water to the buffer tank; a temperature/humidity controller connected to said buffer tank so as to receive ultra-pure water therefrom and operative to control the temperature and humidity of air; an air pipe connecting said temperature/humidity controller to the semiconductor device fabricating equipment so as to deliver the air from the temperature/humidity controller to the semiconductor device fabricating equipment; and at least one valve that allows the air supply apparatus to be selectively operated in a normal mode in which ultra-pure water is delivered from said source of ultra-pure water through said ultra-pure water pipe to said buffer tank and from said buffer tank to said temperature/humidity controller, and a cleaning mode in which the ultra-pure water in the buffer tank is delivered to the temperature/humidity controller while the delivery of ultra-pure water from said source of ultra-pure water to said buffer tank through said ultra-pure water pipe is stopped.