Reduction of Energy Consumption through Fab Environment Control

Semiconductor Fabs consume substantial amounts of energy, mainly in the form of electric power, to operate manufacturing equipment and to rigorously control the environment in the Fab. For our Fab, which is located in a temperate climate, the demand on climate control changes with the seasons: in summer energy is used mainly to cool the cleanroom, but in winter the cleanroom needs to be kept warmer than the outside. Control of relative humidity (RH) is vital to maintaining the production process as well. Varying RH can lower energy consumption and cost, but can affect the production process in a number of ways. To avoid adverse effects we established a list of potential issues and a plan to prevent any deviations. We then varied RH in a controlled fashion and verified that production can continue without issues.