• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.21 no.4 s.76
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• pp.60-65
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• 2006

It is a well known fact that LCD is a central part of the IT industry which is important in the present and the future. But the biggest problem of LCD manufacturing is maintaining a cleaning room environment and administration. Therefore the purpose of this study is to first, prevent the yield depreciation and damage of products, and second, protect the worker ftom accidental electrostatic discharge during LCD manufacture. The soft x-ray ionizer is a type of electrostatic reducer device. It protects against electrostatic discharge in the cleaning room environment and is a necessary environmental factor during LCD production. The positive aspects of the soft x-ray are its shorter time and wider angle of exposure. But the negative aspect of the soft x-ray is its need for several shielding of protection from the harmful x-ray exposure. On this study, the development of the Air Nozzle-type ionizer to amend and refine some problems. For example, examined the electrostatic reduce device of a soft x-ray type and discovered the ion did not go inside well. also workers to be free from danger. An Air Nozzle-type ionizer is comprised of soft x-ray radiation and ionized air production. Air is injected through the nozzle after being ionized from radiation. It supplies air keeping the same pressure into the end foundation of ion production. The soft x-ray is the structure which radiates ionized air through the nozzle (21 holes) having micro holes of the ionizable radiation after ionizing the inside air by the ion production. A worker does not need a cover to protect against x-rays and the Air Nozzle-type ionizer is easy to set up and is more effective at eliminating electrostatic.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.67-73
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• 1998

The technology for neutralizing static electricity by soft X-ray radiation has been newly developed. This technology involves ionization of gas molecules in the vicinity of a charged substrate to generate ions and electrons to reduce electrostatic potential. The ULSI device substrate and liquid crystal display substrate tend to get charged instantly to a high potential level when they are handled in the manufacturing process. Soft X-ray radiation is adequate in air or $O_2$ gas at atmospheric pressure. This newly developed neutralization method is effective to be superior to the conventional technique, i.e., an ionizer by using corona discharge ,in every aspect. The new method features excellent neutralization capability and is able to completely reduce electrostatic potential to 0 V within a short time. Moreover, this is a very clean antistatic technology free from particle generation ,ozone generation, and electromagnetic noise, which are problems in using the corona discharge ionizer.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.28-31
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• 2018

In display and semi-conductor manufacturing process, there are numerous unstable factors such as particle concentration, minimal vibration, changes in magnetic field, or electrostatic that becomes an issue to be managed and controlled. In the recent, X-ray ionization is widely used that is neutralized by separating air or gas molecules in the area where the static must be resolved. The mono-type of X-ray ionizer was not capable to be used in $8^{th}$ generation panels manufacturing plant due to its insufficient ionizing coverage since the panel itself is approximately in $2m{\times}3m$. To resolve the current problem, the development of new type called, "Multi-type X-ray ionizer" has resulted in covering enough ionizing space in $8^{th}$ generation panels industry. Comparing mono and multi types with MCNPX code simulation, the multi one indicates more X-ray flux, efficiency, and ionization performance in comparison with either a mono-type or multi-type in array format. In addition, the ionizing efficiency of overlapping area with multi-type showed 30% higher effectiveness rate as to the ordinary mono-type.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.34-37
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• 2017

In recent emerging industry, Display field becomes bigger and bigger, and also semiconductor technology becomes high density integration. In Flat Panel Display, there is an issue that electrostatic phenomenon results in fine dust adsorption as electrostatic capacity increases due to bigger size. Destruction of high integrated circuit and pattern deterioration occur in semiconductor and this causes the problem of weakening of thermal resistance. In order to solve this sort of electrostatic failure in this process, Soft X-ray ionizer is mainly used. Soft X-ray Ionizer does not only generate electrical noise and minute particle but also is efficient to remove electrostatic as it has a wide range of ionization. X-ray Generating efficiency has an effect on soft X-ray Ionizer affects neutralizing performance. There exist variable factors such as type of anode, thickness, tube voltage etc., and it takes a lot of time and financial resource to find optimal performance by manufacturing with actual X-ray tube source. MCNPX (Monte Carlo N-Particle Extended) is used for simulation to solve this kind of problem, and optimum efficiency of X-ray generation is anticipated. In this study, X-ray generation efficiency was measured according to target material thickness using MCNPX under the conditions that tube voltage is 5 keV, 10 keV, 15 keV and the target Material is Tungsten(W), Gold(Au), Silver(Ag). At the result, Gold(Au) shows optimum efficiency. In Tube voltage 5 keV, optimal target thickness is $0.05{\mu}m$ and Largest energy of Light flux appears $2.22{\times}10^8$ x-ray flux. In Tube voltage 10 keV, optimal target Thickness is $0.18{\mu}m$ and Largest energy of Light flux appears $1.97{\times}10^9$ x-ray flux. In Tube voltage 15 keV, optimal target Thickness is $0.29{\mu}m$ and Largest energy of Light flux appears $4.59{\times}10^9$ x-ray flux.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.29-33
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• 2017

In order to solve this sort of electrostatic failure in Display and Semiconductor process, Soft X-ray ionizer is mainly used. Soft X-ray Ionizer does not only generate electrical noise and minute particle but also is efficient to remove electrostatic as it has a wide range of ionization. There exist variable factors such as type of tungsten thickness deposited on target, Anode voltage etc., and it takes a lot of time and financial resource to find optimal performance by manufacturing with actual X-ray tube source. Here, MCNPX (Monte Carlo N-Particle Extended) is used for simulation to solve this kind of problem, and optimum efficiency of X-ray generation is anticipated. In this study, X-ray generation efficiency was compared according to target material thickness using MCNPX and actual X-ray tube source under the conditions that tube voltage is 5 keV, 10 keV, 15 keV and the target Material is Tungsten(W). At the result, In Tube voltage 5 keV and distance 100 mm, optimal target thickness is $0.05{\mu}m$ and fastest decay time appears + decay time 0.28 sec. - deacy time 0.30 sec. In Tube voltage 10keV and distance 100 mm, optimal target Thickness is $0.16{\mu}m$ and fastest decay time appears + decay time 0.13 sec. - deacy time 0.12 sec. In the tube voltage 15 keV and distance 100 mm, optimal target Thickness is $0.28{\mu}m$ and fastest decay time appears + decay time 0.04 sec. - deacy time 0.05 sec.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.27-31
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• 2010

It is a well known fact that the LCD and Semiconductor Devices are a central part of IT industry which is important in the present and the future. But the biggest problem of Semiconductor and LCD manufacturing is maintaining a cleaning room environment. For this reason, the soft X-ray type Ionizer was used as the electrostatic reducer device, which protects damage of the product against electrostatic discharge in the manufacturing process. Therefore it is a essential important factor during Semiconductor and LCD production process. But the soft X-ray has a intrinsic problem with harmful to human being in case of soft X-ray exposure. That's reason we have the research to solve above problem and made an apparatus that it was covered with shielding structure to protect X-ray radiation to outside. And besides, it has a possibility to eliminate the charged electrostatic in the narrow space through the slot for Ion emissions with dual soft X-ray sources on the both side. It is also not make the particles from itself when it has been operated.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.21 no.3 s.75
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• pp.22-30
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• 2006

On this study, we developed the electrostatic eliminator for charged particles in manufacturing process. The characteristics of the electrostatic eliminator were investigated, which is two kinds. The first one is Electrical Corona Discharged Type Ionizer. The second one is Photo Ionizer in using soft X-ray. From the experiment, we have obtained the following results. In case of Electrical Corona Discharged Ionizer, neutralization efficiency of charged particles were approximately saturated to 98% over 6.0kV, but as it is non-explosion proof, can not be used in flammable particle treatment process. While in case of photo Ionizer in using soft X-Ray, neutralization efficiency of charged particles were approximately 95%, and more its structure is explosion proof, could be used in flammable particle treatment process.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.22-27
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• 2016

The Electrostatic Charge Prevention Technology is a core factor that highly influences the yield of Ultra High Resolution Flat Panel Display and high-integrated semiconductor manufacturing processes. The corona or x-ray ionizations are commonly used in order to eliminate static charges during manufacturing processes. To develop such a revolutionary x-ray ionizer that is free of x-ray radiation and has function to control the volume of ion formation simultaneously is a goal of this research and it absolutely overcomes the current risks of x-ray ionization. Under the International Commission on Radiological Protection, it must have a leakage radiation level that should be lower than a recommended level that is $1{\mu}Sv/hour$. In this research, the new generation of x-ray ionizer can easily control both the volume of ion formation and the leakage radiation level at the same time. In the research, the test constraints were set and the descriptions are as below; First, In order not to leak x-ray radiation while testing, the shielding box was fully installed around the test equipment area. Second, Implement the metallic Ring Electrode along a tube window and applied zero to ${\pm}8kV$ with respect to manage the positive and negative ions formation. Lastly, the ion duty ratio was able to be controlled in different test set-ups along with a free x-ray leakage through the metallic Ring Electrode. In the result of experiment, the maximum x-ray radiation leakage was $0.2{\mu}Sv/h$. These outcome is lower than the ICRP 103 recommended value, which is $1{\mu}Sv/h$. When applying voltage to the metallic ring electrode, the positive decay time was 2.18s at the distance of 300 mm and its slope was 0.272. In addition, the negative decay time was 2.1s at the distance of 300 mm and its slope was 0.262. At the distance of 200 mm, the positive decay time was 2.29s and its slope was 0.286. The negative decay time was 2.35s and its slope was 0.293. At the distance of 100 mm, the positive decay time was 2.71s and its slope was 0.338. The negative decay time was 3.07s and its slope was 0.383. According to these research, the observation was shown that these new concept of ionizer is able to minimize the leakage radiation level and to control the positive and negative ion duty ratio while ionization.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.342-352
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• 2021

Objectives: This study analyzed the local exposure levels of radiation emitted from the equipment with soft X-ray ionizers to investigate the radiation exposure levels in Liquid Crystal Display(LCD) manufacturing processes. Methods: This study measured the local radiation levels for the equipment installed in two LCD manufacturing companies. The equipment were installed at diverse processes and equipped with various number of ionizers. The local radiation levels were measured on the surface of the equipment by using direct reading equipment, and the measurements were converted into annual effective dose by considering the radiation exposure time of workers. Statistical analyses were performed to investigate the radiation exposure characteristics. Results: Annual effective doses for 97.6% of the equipment being measured were less than 1 mSv. However, the range of annual effective doses was 0.004 mSv ~ 2.167 mSv, which indicated a large variation among the equipment. Statistical analyses of the study found that this large variation was raised due to improper shielding of the equipment rather than process and/or equipment characteristics. To pinpoint the cause of this large variation in annual effective dose, this study improved the shielding of the equipment being radiated over 1 mSv and found that their average effective dose was reduced from 1.604 mSv to 0.126 mSv after shielding improvement. Conclusions: Relatively high exposure levels of radiation were observed in some equipment where their shielding were insufficiently thick and/or sealed. This finding implies that the shielding of the equipment is an important engineering countermeasure to control the radiation exposure levels in industries.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.42-46
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• 2016

In LCD Display or semiconductor manufacturing processes, the anti-static technology of glass substrates and wafers becomes one of the most difficult issues which influence the yield of the semiconductor manufacturing. In order to overcome the problems of wafer surface contamination various issues such as ionization in decompressed vacuum and inactive gas(i.e. $N_2$ gas, Ar gas, etc.) environment should be considered. Soft X ray radiation is adequate in air and $O_2$ gas at atmospheric pressure while UV radiation is effective in $N_2$ gas Ar gas and at reduced pressure. At this point of view, the "vacuum ultraviolet ray ionization" is one of the most suitable methods for static elimination. The vacuum ultraviolet can be categorized according to a short wavelength whose value is from 100nm to 200nm. this is also called as an Extreme Ultraviolet. Most of these vacuum ultraviolet is absorbed in various substances including the air in the atmosphere. It is absorbed substances become to transit or expose the electrons, then the ionization is initially activated. In this study, static eliminator based on the vacuum ultraviolet ray under the above mentioned environment was tested and the results show how the ionization performance based on vacuum ultraviolet ray can be optimized. These vacuum ultraviolet ray performs better in extreme atmosphere than an ordinary atmospheric environment. Neutralization capability, therefore, shows its maximum value at $10^{-1}{\sim}10^{-3}$ Torr pressure level, and than starts degrading as pressure is gradually reduced. Neutralization capability at this peak point is higher than that at reduced pressure about $10^4$ times on the atmospheric pressure and by about $10^3$ times on the inactive gas. The introductions of these technology make it possible to perfectly overcome problems caused by static electricity and to manufacture ULSI devices and LCD with high reliability.