DIY Class 100 cleanroom built in a backyard wooden shed

A Class 100 semiconductor cleanroom has been built inside a wooden shed in a backyard by Dr.Semiconductor. The build used mainstream materials: insulation, framing to support HEPA filters, heating and cooling kit, and some dry wall (known as plasterboard in the UK) coated in epoxy to create a smooth, particle-free surface.

The layout includes two zones: a gowning area and the cleanroom itself. Positive air pressure is the main trick. The interior is kept at higher pressure than the outside so air and contamination are pushed out, while cleanroom-grade HEPA filters scrub the air hundreds of times per hour.

A particle detector measured 40 particles per cubic foot, placing the backyard lab in the Class 100 category used by TSMC, Intel and Samsung. But a cleanroom is only part of chip making.

class 100, cleanroom, backyard shed, dr.semiconductor, hepa filters, positive pressure, particle detector, plasterboard, epoxy, chip making