[labnetwork] Cleanroom humidity

[Iulian Codreanu]

Hi Alex,

Here at UDel the RH is (45+/-2)%.  Controlling to +/- 2% is not easy but 
it is doable. We fall out of spec sometimes during the shoulder seasons 
(Spring and late Fall).

A better way to approach humidity control is to use the dewpoint, which 
is a physical quantity. Relative humidity is a calculated quantity, i.e. 
it is temperature dependent. As an example, for the same amount of 
moisture in the air, a higher temperature leads to a lower relative 
humidity.

The previous responses did a good job at explaining why humidity control 
is important. To what degree you control depends on how critical your 
processes are. My guess is that +/- 5% is adequate for most labs.

Cheers!

iulian Codreanu, Ph.D.
Director, Nanofabrication Facility
University of Delaware
Harker ISE Lab, Room 163
221 Academy Street
Newark, DE 19716
302-831-2784
https://udnf.udel.edu


On 12/17/2025 12:12 PM, Alex Dixon wrote:
> For those of you with climate controls in your cleanrooms, what 
> relative humidity do your keep your cleanroom at, and how tightly do 
> you control the fluccuations?  How significant an effect have you seen 
> on device performance?
>
> Our campus facilities is doing a climate control audit and asking any 
> lab with special requirements to justify them. Any info you could 
> share would be appreceated.
>
> Thanks!
> -Alex
>
> __________________________________________________________
>
>
> Alex Dixon, Ph.D. (He/Him)
> Lab Manager
> Nanofabrication and Thin Film Deposition
> Shared Instrument Facility
> Colorado School of Mines
>
>
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