A flow monitoring method and semiconductor process apparatus

Abstract

This invention provides a flow monitoring method, which includes: within a monitoring period, acquiring the current state of at least one switch in a flow path based on a sampling frequency, wherein the current state of at least one switch can determine the current state of the flow path; creating or updating monitoring slices based on the difference between the current state of the flow path and the state obtained in the previous sampling, to obtain multiple monitoring slices; determining the cumulative conduction metering value of the fluid path based on the monitoring period length and the multiple monitoring slices; and outputting alarm information or executing a preset control operation when the cumulative conduction metering value is greater than or equal to a preset metering threshold.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of semiconductor technology, and in particular to a flow monitoring method and semiconductor process equipment. Background Technology

[0002] In semiconductor manufacturing, various liquids and gases need to be precisely delivered to reaction chambers or processing units through complex piping systems. The continuity, response time, and accuracy and stability of the fluid piping directly affect process repeatability, wafer yield, and equipment safety. Therefore, real-time and reliable monitoring of the piping is crucial.

[0003] Currently, industry monitoring of fluid pipelines primarily relies on discrete, single-point sensors. For example, cumulative flow meters are installed in the pipeline to obtain the cumulative fluid flow at a specific location; or valve position sensors and limit switches are used to detect the opening and closing status of specific valves, providing local flow or status information. However, when the fluid pipeline network structure of a machine is complex, with multiple convergences, branches, or parallel loops, the fluid path has various possibilities, making it difficult to accurately determine the actual continuity of a specific end-to-end path, and also unable to effectively distinguish whether flow anomalies originate from the target path or interference from other parallel branches.

[0004] Therefore, existing technical solutions are difficult to effectively monitor flow status in complex pipelines with branching and merging. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The technical problem to be solved by the embodiments of the present invention is that it is difficult to effectively monitor the flow status in complex pipelines with branching and merging.

[0006] To address the above problems, this invention discloses a traffic monitoring method, which includes: During the monitoring period, based on the sampling frequency, the current state of at least one switch in a flow path is obtained, wherein the current state of at least one switch can determine the current state of the flow path. Based on the difference between the current state of the flow path and the state obtained from the previous sampling, create or update the monitoring slice to obtain multiple monitoring slices; Based on the monitoring cycle length and multiple monitoring slices, the cumulative continuity measurement value of the fluid path is determined; If the cumulative conduction metering value is greater than or equal to the preset metering threshold, an alarm message will be output or a preset control operation will be executed.

[0007] This invention discloses a semiconductor process apparatus, which includes: The controller is used to acquire the current state of at least one switch in a flow path based on the sampling frequency during the monitoring period, wherein the current state of at least one switch can determine the current state of the flow path. Based on the difference between the current state of the flow path and the state obtained from the previous sampling, create or update the monitoring slice to obtain multiple monitoring slices; Based on the monitoring cycle length and multiple monitoring slices, the cumulative continuity measurement value of the fluid path is determined; If the cumulative conduction metering value is greater than or equal to the preset metering threshold, an alarm message will be output or a preset control operation will be executed.

[0008] According to embodiments of the present invention, by acquiring the current state of at least one switch in a flow path based on the sampling frequency within a monitoring period, wherein the current state of at least one switch can determine the current state of the flow path, basic perception of the real-time on / off state of the fluid path is achieved; based on the difference between the current state of the flow path and the state obtained from the previous sampling, monitoring slices are created or updated to obtain multiple monitoring slices, and continuous state changes are discretized into a series of data units with timestamps and cumulative values, so that the duration of each state event or related physical quantity can be accurately recorded and independently traced. Based on the length of the monitoring period and multiple monitoring slices, the cumulative conduction measurement value of the fluid path is determined, enabling accurate quantitative assessment of the total amount of path activity within a recent specific time period; when the cumulative conduction measurement value is greater than or equal to a preset measurement threshold, alarm information is output or preset control operations are executed, which can effectively identify and respond to the risk of abnormal conduction or over-transmission of the fluid path within a specific time period, improving the timeliness and targeting of monitoring, and effectively monitoring the flow status. Attached Figure Description

[0009] Figure 1 A flowchart of a traffic monitoring method provided in this embodiment is shown; Figure 2 This embodiment shows a schematic diagram of a flow path structure. Figure 3 This embodiment illustrates a data structure diagram of a monitoring slice. Figure 4 One of the flowcharts of a traffic monitoring method provided in this embodiment is shown; Figure 5 The second schematic diagram of a traffic monitoring method provided in this embodiment is shown; Figure 6 This embodiment illustrates a flowchart of the accumulation process for a measurement value. Figure 7 This embodiment illustrates a schematic diagram of a monitoring slice update process. Figure 8 A schematic diagram of a monitoring alarm process provided in this embodiment is shown; Figure 9 This illustration shows one of the schematic diagrams of a semiconductor process equipment structure provided in this embodiment.

[0010] Figure 10 The image shown is a second schematic diagram of a semiconductor process equipment structure provided in this embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0011] The features and exemplary embodiments of various aspects of the present invention will now be described in detail. To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the present invention clearer, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only configured to explain the present invention and are not configured to limit the present invention. For those skilled in the art, the present invention can be practiced without some of these specific details. The following description of the embodiments is merely intended to provide a better understanding of the present invention by illustrating examples of the invention.

[0012] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used merely to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising..." does not exclude the presence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes the element.

[0013] First, a brief description of the semiconductor process equipment involved in the invention will be given.

[0014] Semiconductor manufacturing equipment relies on precise and reliable fluid delivery systems to transport various process media to the reaction chambers during chip production. Specifically, this may include: Etching machine: Uses highly reactive halogen gases or liquid chemicals to selectively remove material from the wafer surface in a plasma state. Its gas path system typically includes precise mixing and switching pipelines for multiple reactive gases, passivating gases, and purge gases. Uncontrolled flow or timing of any gas can lead to uneven etching rates or pattern defects.

[0015] Thin film deposition equipment includes chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and atomic layer deposition (ALD) equipment. These systems deliver precursor sources and reactant gases into the chamber via gas routing systems. The piping may involve alternating or mixed introduction of multiple precursors, with extremely stringent requirements on the pulse duration, sequence, and purge time for each medium.

[0016] Cleaning machine: In wet cleaning processes, various high-purity chemicals and ultrapure water are used sequentially or in mixtures to clean wafers. Its liquid path system is extremely complex, including a central supply system, distribution valve groups, circulation loops, and discharge collection pipelines. Uncontrolled chemical delivery time, mixing ratios, and rinsing flow rates directly lead to poor cleaning results or chemical waste.

[0017] Chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) machines require precise supply of polishing and cleaning fluids to the polishing pad during the polishing process. The fluid path must be monitored to ensure continuous and stable delivery of the polishing fluid to prevent interruptions that could cause wafer scratches or uneven polishing.

[0018] In these devices, fluid piping systems often exhibit complex topologies: for example, multiple process gases may first pass through a mass flow controller before converging into a main pipe and then being delivered to the chamber; or multiple branch pipes may branch off from a main pipe, leading to different inlets of the chamber; in cleaning machines, multiple chemicals may share some common piping, selected and switched via a valve array. A flow meter on only one main pipe cannot determine whether the target chemical has successfully passed through all designated downstream valves to reach the target chamber after branch selection; nor can it distinguish which gas's actual delivery time deviated after gas convergence.

[0019] Therefore, based on existing technical solutions, it is difficult to effectively monitor the overall status of a specific path in complex pipelines with branching and merging. Based on the above application scenarios, the traffic monitoring method provided by the embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below.

[0020] Figure 1 A flowchart of a traffic monitoring method provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] like Figure 1 As shown, the traffic monitoring method may include steps S110-S140, as detailed below: Step S110: During the monitoring period, based on the sampling frequency, the current state of at least one switch in a flow path is obtained, wherein the current state of the at least one switch can determine the current state of the flow path. Step S120: Based on the difference between the current state of the flow path and the state obtained from the previous sampling, create or update the monitoring slice to obtain multiple monitoring slices; Step S130: Determine the cumulative conductivity value of the fluid passage based on the monitoring cycle length and the multiple monitoring slices; Step S140: If the cumulative conduction metering value is greater than or equal to the preset metering threshold, output alarm information or execute preset control operation.

[0022] In semiconductor process equipment, a flow path refers to a complete and continuous physical path for transporting fluid from the supply end to the user end, with clearly defined inlet and outlet. A switch is a component installed on this flow path that can be controlled to open or close, thereby affecting the fluid flow within the path; such as a solenoid valve or pneumatic valve. A flow path may contain one or more such switches, the states of which collectively determine the actual flow of fluid.

[0023] A monitoring slice is a core data unit used to record the changes in the status of a traffic path over time, and it is dynamically created and maintained during system operation. Each monitoring slice may include: a timestamp, used to accurately record the start time of a specific state event; and a metric, a cumulative value used to quantify the cumulative results of the monitored target within that time period. The monitoring period is a pre-defined time length parameter that defines the time window range for each cumulative statistical review, such as five minutes or one hour.

[0024] In step S110, the current physical state of at least one key switch in the flow path is periodically acquired based on a preset sampling frequency. The sampling frequency determines the real-time granularity of the state acquisition, for example, once per second. The current state of the at least one switch can directly or indirectly determine the availability or continuity of the flow path at the current moment. By performing high-frequency sampling of the state of key control points in the path, the instantaneous on / off status of the entire path can be approximated or determined, providing signal input for subsequent quantification and statistics.

[0025] In step S120, the current state of the traffic path obtained at the current sampling time in step S110 is compared with the state obtained at the previous sampling time recorded by the system, i.e., the state obtained in the previous sampling, to identify whether there is a difference between the two. Based on this difference, the creation or update operation of the monitoring slice data structure is driven, thereby forming and maintaining a sequence of multiple monitoring slices arranged in chronological order in the memory. When a specific change in state is detected, a new monitoring slice is created, with its timestamp recording the moment of the state change, and the measurement value is accumulated starting from zero. When the state remains unchanged, the measurement value of the most recent related monitoring slice is updated to accumulate the duration or corresponding traffic since the timestamp of that slice. By converting continuous, analog path state signals into discrete, digital slices, each slice encapsulates the accumulated information within a certain state duration, which allows the path activity volume within any time period to be segmented, recorded, and traced.

[0026] In step S130, based on a preset monitoring period length, the multiple monitoring slices generated and maintained in step S120 are filtered and aggregated to determine the cumulative conduction measurement value of the flow path within the most recent complete monitoring period. A historical time point is calculated based on the current time and the monitoring period length, serving as the starting boundary of the statistical window. All monitoring slices are traversed, and slices with timestamps no earlier than this boundary are selected. These slices represent all state event fragments that occurred within the most recent monitoring period. The measurement values ​​of these selected slices are summed, and the result is the required cumulative conduction measurement value. For example, if the monitoring period is set to 10 minutes, the measurement values ​​of all valid monitoring slices within the past 10 minutes are accumulated. If the measurement value represents time, the cumulative conduction time is obtained; if it represents flow, the cumulative fluid volume is obtained. By introducing a sliding fixed time window, historical slice data is periodically collected and accumulated, shifting the monitoring focus from the infinitely growing total accumulation to a timely, periodic behavioral assessment, enabling the monitoring results to reflect the recent activity level or load level of the path.

[0027] In step S140, the cumulative conduction metering value calculated in step S130 is compared in real-time or near real-time with a pre-set safety or preset metering threshold. This threshold represents the maximum allowable cumulative amount within a single monitoring cycle. Once the system determines that the cumulative conduction metering value for the current cycle has reached or exceeded the threshold, a preset response mechanism is immediately triggered. The response includes outputting alarm information, such as displaying a visual warning on the device's human-machine interface, sending alarm logs to the monitoring server; and / or executing preset control operations, such as automatically issuing a shut-off command to the relevant switch to cut off the flow path. This achieves automatic judgment and rapid response to abnormal operating conditions, thereby preventing equipment damage, process abnormalities, or safety accidents caused by unexpected long-term conduction or excessive flow of the path.

[0028] like Figure 2 As shown, any controllable fluid pipeline can be considered as running from the origin S to the destination D, passing through one or more switches K1, K2, ... KN. Each switch has two states: on and off. When all switches are on, the pipeline is open; when any switch is off, the pipeline is closed. F in the figure represents the volume of fluid passing through a certain interface of the pipeline per unit time.

[0029] In one possible embodiment, if the current state of all at least one switch is in the ON state, then the current state of the flow path is in the ON state; otherwise, the current state of the flow path is in the OFF state.

[0030] If all switches in all flow paths are currently in the ON state, the flow path is considered ON; otherwise, it is considered OFF. This essentially performs a logical AND operation. For example, a flow path defined as flowing from a solvent tank to a mixing tank might include an inlet valve V1, a filter valve V2, and an outlet valve V3. When the controller reads that V1, V2, and V3 are all ON, the flow path is considered ON; if any valve is OFF, the flow path is considered OFF, thus consolidating the states of multiple independent components into a single path's ON / OFF state.

[0031] In one possible embodiment, S120 may specifically include the following steps: If the current state of the flow path changes from the closed state to the open state, a new monitoring slice is created. The timestamp in the new monitoring slice is the sampling time, and the measurement value in the new monitoring slice is initialized to zero.

[0032] When the current state of a flow path changes from a blocked state to a connected state, it signifies that the fluid path has transitioned from complete blockage to the beginning of flow, marking the start of a new fluid flow cycle. In this scenario, a new monitoring slice is created. In this specific scenario, a monitoring slice refers to an initialization instance of a data structure used to record relevant cumulative quantities within this new flow cycle. The timestamp of the newly created slice is assigned the sampling time of this state transition, accurately pinpointing the start time of the flow event and providing a benchmark for all subsequent calculations based on this starting point.

[0033] Simultaneously, the metering value of this new slice is initialized to zero, meaning that an independent accumulation starting point is established for this new conduction cycle. This ensures that all accumulated amounts generated within this cycle are correctly added to this slice without being mixed with data from any previous historical cycles. For example, in a semiconductor wet etching machine, an acid replenishment flow path is defined from the sulfuric acid storage tank to the mixing chamber, which includes an inlet valve. When the control system determines at a certain sampling moment that the inlet valve changes from a closed state to an open state, i.e., the current state of the flow path changes from "off" to "on," a new monitoring slice is immediately generated. The timestamp of this slice records the precise moment the valve opened, and its metering value starts from zero. This slice will be specifically used to accumulate the duration or volume of sulfuric acid flow that follows.

[0034] By setting the timestamp to the transition moment and resetting the measurement value to zero, a clear and isolated data recording foundation is established. This not only allows the duration or throughput of each fluid cycle to be independently traced and analyzed, but also makes it possible to filter and accumulate multiple such cycle slices within a sliding time window in subsequent steps. This enables accurate and modular measurement of the pipeline's cumulative operating status over a specific time period, avoiding mutual interference between data from different cycles during statistical analysis. It ensures that every critical state change in the fluid pipeline from shutdown to startup is accurately captured by the system and generates an independent recording unit.

[0035] In one possible embodiment, S120 may specifically include the following steps: If the current state of the flow path remains on, calculate the duration from the timestamp of the most recent monitored slice to the current sampling time; and, The duration is accumulated into the metric of the most recent monitored slice; and, Create a new monitoring slice. The timestamp of the new monitoring slice is the current sampling time, and the measurement value is initialized to zero.

[0036] When the current state of a flow path is detected to be the same as the current state of the previous sample, and both are in a conducting state, it indicates that the fluid path is in a continuous flow phase and has not changed state since the last sampling point. In this scenario, a series of sequential operations are performed to update the historical record and prepare new recording units, calculating the duration from the timestamp of the most recent monitoring slice to the current sampling time.

[0037] The most recent monitoring slice specifically refers to the data unit created or updated at the previous sampling time to record the conduction from that time to the future; the purpose of calculating this duration is to accurately quantify the actual duration for which the flow path remains in a conducting state between the previous recording point and the current sampling point.

[0038] The duration is accumulated into the meter value of the most recent monitoring slice. The accumulation operation gathers the latest generated time increment into the slice representing the current conduction cycle, so that the meter value of the slice can grow dynamically and continuously, reflecting the total conduction accumulated since the beginning of the cycle in real time.

[0039] A new monitoring slice is created, with its timestamp set to the current sampling time and its measurement value initialized to zero. New slices are created even when the state remains unchanged, enabling sliced ​​management of monitoring data. The new slice serves as the starting point for the next time statistical segment, and its zero-value initialization ensures the reset of the measurement starting point. Furthermore, the settlement of the recently passed time period and its storage in the previous slice ensure that each slice ultimately becomes an independent data packet encapsulating the complete cumulative amount for a specific time period.

[0040] For example: At time T1, the flow path becomes conductive and slice A is created. At the next sampling time T2, the system determines that the state is still conductive. At this time, the system calculates the duration ΔT1 of T2-T1 and adds ΔT1 to the measurement value of slice A. Subsequently, a new slice B with timestamp T2 and measurement value of 0 is immediately created. At time T3, if the state is still conductive, the duration ΔT2 of T3-T2 is calculated, ΔT2 is added to the measurement value of slice B, and then a new slice C with timestamp T3 is created. This process is repeated.

[0041] By incorporating the past time period into the old slice and creating a new slice with zero value at each sampling point, the most recent monitoring slice at any given time always carries the continuously increasing real-time cumulative amount from its timestamp to the current time. All earlier slices become static records encapsulating the cumulative amount over a fixed time period. This not only ensures the continuity of cumulative measurement but also greatly facilitates the selection of slices based on the monitoring cycle in subsequent steps. When it is necessary to calculate the total cumulative amount over a specific period of time, it is possible to clearly identify which slices fall completely or partially within the window and accurately accumulate their measurement values. This avoids the data splitting problems caused by individual slices having excessively long recording times or crossing statistical boundaries, thereby achieving high-precision, modular, and easily traceable monitoring of the cumulative working status of fluid pipelines.

[0042] In one possible embodiment, S120 may specifically include the following steps: If the current state of the flow path changes from the on state to the off state, calculate the duration from the timestamp of the most recent monitoring slice to the current sampling time; and, The duration is accumulated into the metric of the most recent monitored slice.

[0043] When the current state of a flow path changes from open to closed, it signifies that the fluid path has transitioned from a flowing state to a completely blocked state, marking the end of a complete fluid flow cycle. In this scenario, the final data settlement operation will be performed.

[0044] Specifically, the duration from the timestamp of the most recent monitoring slice to the current sampling time is calculated. The most recent monitoring slice here refers to the last data unit created or updated before the current state transition to record the ongoing conduction cycle; the purpose of calculating this duration is to accurately obtain the actual duration of the last conduction segment between the start time marked by the most recent slice and the actual closing time of the flow path.

[0045] The duration is accumulated into the metric of the most recent monitoring slice, and the last conduction duration is completely attributed and aggregated into the slice representing the just-ended conduction cycle. Through this operation, the metric of the monitoring slice is finally determined, becoming a data record that encapsulates the complete accumulated amount from the start to the end of the cycle and remains unchanged. In this state, no new monitoring slices are created because the flow path has entered the cutoff state, and there is no new conduction amount to record the starting point.

[0046] For example, when monitoring the slurry supply path of a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) machine, assume the path begins to conduct at time T8, creating slice Z. At subsequent sampling times T9, T10, etc., the path remains on, and the system continuously updates the measurement value of slice Z and creates new temporary slices. At sampling time T15, the system determines that the control valve is closed, and the current state changes to "off". At this point, the duration ΔT from the timestamp of the most recent monitored slice to time T15 is calculated and added to the measurement value of that most recent slice. Thus, the slice data, containing the accumulated amount from time T14 to T15, is finally determined.

[0047] By calculating and summing the duration of the final segment, it is ensured that the measured value of each recorded conduction cycle is complete and accurate, covering the entire process from on to off. This rule, in conjunction with rules for other state scenarios, achieves seamless quantitative recording of the entire lifecycle of pipeline on / off events. All completed conduction cycles are saved as slices with defined measured values, providing an accurate and reliable unitized data foundation for subsequent historical data queries, statistics, and analysis based on time windows.

[0048] like Figure 3 As shown, the monitoring slice includes a timestamp and a meter value. If the status remains "on", the system calculates the duration from the timestamp of the most recent monitoring slice to the current time, adds this time to the meter value of that slice, and then creates a new slice with a meter value of zero as the starting point for the next recording segment. If the status changes from "on" to "off", only the operation of adding the most recent duration to the meter value of the previous slice is performed.

[0049] like Figure 4 As shown, the monitoring process is driven by a timer that triggers periodically, corresponding to a trigger source that performs sampling based on the sampling period. The manager periodically creates or updates monitoring slices under the trigger of the timer, resulting in multiple monitoring slices. Specifically, the manager maintains the data in memory based on the difference between the current state and the previous sample, including creating new monitoring slices, updating the metering values ​​of existing slices, and removing old slices that have exceeded the monitoring period.

[0050] Based on the difference between the current state obtained from this sampling and the current state obtained from the previous sampling, create or update the monitoring slice. Specifically, this can be done as follows: Figure 5 As shown, the timer periodically triggers the manager and maintains the specific decision-making process of the monitored slice in the memory based on the current state changes.

[0051] The timer triggers cyclically according to the set sampling period. After each trigger, the manager performs a timing operation, which involves obtaining the current timestamp T, i.e., the sampling time. Subsequently, the manager determines the difference between the current state obtained from the current sampling and the current state obtained from the previous sampling, and performs different operations accordingly to maintain the data in the memory.

[0052] Specifically, this can include the following scenarios: When the current state changes from the cut-off state to the on state, the manager creates a new monitoring slice in the memory. The timestamp field of the new slice is set to the current timestamp T, and its meter value field is initialized to zero.

[0053] When the current state remains in the on state, the manager calculates the difference between the current timestamp T and the timestamp of the previous monitoring slice, and calculates the meter value V that the previous monitoring slice should add during this time period based on this time difference. Then, this meter value V is added to the meter value field of the previous monitoring slice. Next, the manager creates a new monitoring slice with timestamp T and an initialized meter value of zero, serving as the starting point for the next statistical time period. When the current state changes from the on state to the off state, the manager's operations include calculating the time difference and adding the meter value to the previous monitoring slice, thus completing the final recording of this on event segment.

[0054] In one possible embodiment, S130 may specifically include the following steps: The target monitoring slice is determined from multiple monitoring slices based on the monitoring period length; The cumulative conduction measurement value of the flow path within the monitoring period is obtained by summing the measurement values ​​in the target monitoring slice.

[0055] The monitoring period length is a pre-defined time window value used to define the statistical range, such as five minutes or one hour. It defines the time span for which backtracking statistics are required. The target monitoring slice refers to a subset of valid slices selected from all historically generated monitoring slices according to specific rules, whose timestamps fall within the current statistical window.

[0056] To achieve periodic statistics rather than infinite accumulation, a sliding time window needs to be established, and only data within this window is counted. Specifically, based on the current time and the length of the monitoring period, a cutoff time is calculated; monitoring slices with timestamps no earlier than this cutoff time are considered valid data within the current monitoring period and are thus identified as target monitoring slices. Next, the system accumulates the measurement values ​​in the target monitoring slices to obtain the cumulative conduction measurement value of the target flow path within the monitoring period.

[0057] Since each target monitoring slice encapsulates the cumulative conduction over a past time period, the total conduction of the target flow path over the entire monitoring period can be obtained by arithmetically summing their individual values. If the system monitors multiple flow paths, the step of determining the total cumulative conduction value of the fluid path to be monitored based on the cumulative conduction value of each flow path needs to be performed. This means adding the cumulative conduction values ​​of each independent flow path to obtain the overall cumulative load of the entire piping system or a specific process within the monitoring period.

[0058] For example: Set the monitoring period to 10 minutes. Execute step S140 at the current time 14:30:00. First, calculate the cutoff time as 14:20:00. Traverse all stored monitoring slices and filter out all slices with timestamps after 14:20:00 to form the target monitoring slice set. Add up the metering values ​​of each slice in this set, assuming the cumulative value is 3500 (the unit depends on the metering value type). This value is the cumulative conduction metering value of the target flow path over the past 10 minutes. If another parallel branch is monitored simultaneously and its cumulative value is calculated to be 2000, then the total cumulative conduction metering value of the entire system is 5500.

[0059] By determining the target monitoring slice from multiple monitoring slices based on a preset monitoring period length, periodic assessments of activities within a specific time period can be achieved. This effectively distinguishes between historical accumulation and recent load, enabling monitoring alarms to be triggered based on recent behavior. The accumulated metering values ​​in the target monitoring slice are then added to obtain the cumulative conduction metering value of the flow path within the monitoring period, making it more timely and targeted. This avoids delayed alarms caused by long-term, slow accumulation eventually reaching a threshold. The method of filtering before accumulation allows for efficient and accurate calculation of the total amount within the period.

[0060] In one possible embodiment, determining the target monitoring slice from multiple monitoring slices based on the monitoring period length includes: Calculate the filtering boundary time points based on the current time and the length of the monitoring cycle; From multiple monitoring slices, the monitoring slices whose timestamps are no earlier than the filtering boundary time point are identified as the target monitoring slices.

[0061] To obtain data within the most recent complete monitoring period, a time boundary needs to be dynamically calculated. Specifically, the current clock value is subtracted from the preset monitoring period length, and the resulting time point is the filtering boundary time point. For example, if the current system time is 14:30:00 and the monitoring period length is set to 1 minute, the calculated filtering boundary time point is 14:29:00, which determines the start time of the time window for which backtracking statistics are needed.

[0062] The process involves traversing multiple monitoring slices stored in memory, arranged in timestamp order, and comparing the timestamp of each slice with the calculated filtering boundary time point. Only slices whose timestamps are equal to or later than the boundary point are considered to fall within the current monitoring cycle time window, and are thus selected and included in the target monitoring slice set.

[0063] By selecting monitoring slices from multiple monitoring slices whose timestamps are no earlier than the filtering boundary time point as the target monitoring slices, a sliding window extraction of historical time series data is achieved. By dynamically calculating the boundary points and comparing them with the timestamp of each data unit, relevant data belonging to the most recent monitoring period can be accurately separated, providing a clean and timely input dataset for subsequent cumulative calculations. This method avoids the inefficiency of traversing all historical data and performing complex judgments, while also clearly defining the data range for each round of statistics. This ensures that the monitoring results strictly correspond to the preset, latest time period, enabling threshold alarms based on these results to reflect the actual operating load of the system within the recent window in a timely and accurate manner, enhancing the real-time performance and reliability of status monitoring.

[0064] The monitoring slice includes a timestamp and a measurement value. The timestamp is used to record the start time corresponding to the conduction state of the flow path. The measurement value is used to record the cumulative value of the monitoring parameters during the duration of the conduction state from the start time. The measured value includes at least one of the following: The time measurement value is used to record the duration of the flow path being in the conducting state from the start time corresponding to the timestamp of the monitoring slice in the first sampling period to the creation time of the monitoring slice corresponding to the second sampling period; the second sampling period is the next sampling period after the first sampling period. Flow rate measurement is used to record the cumulative volume of fluid flowing through a fluid path over a given period of time.

[0065] The measurement values ​​can be configured according to actual monitoring needs, and mainly fall into two types: The first type is the time-based measurement value. When configured to monitor conduction time, this type of measurement value is used to record the total duration the flow path remains in a conducting state from the start time marked by the timestamp of one monitoring slice to the time the next monitoring slice is created. The cumulative working time of the flow path is quantified by accumulating the conduction duration within consecutive sampling periods. For example, if a monitoring slice A with a timestamp of 10:00:00.000 has been created, and the flow path remains conducting during sampling at 10:00:00.500 and 10:00:01.000, two more monitoring slices, B and C, will be created. The first 0.5-second interval is stored in the measurement value of slice A; the second 0.5-second interval is stored in the measurement value of slice B. At this point, sampling after 10:00:01.000 has not yet been performed, and the measurement value of slice C is still the initial value of 0. The cumulative value counted by the accumulator is the sum of the measurement values ​​in slices A and B, which is 1 second. It reflects the conduction time of the flow path from 10:00:00.000 to 10:00:01.000. The accuracy of the cumulative value is related to the sampling frequency. The higher the sampling frequency, the closer the cumulative value is to the actual value. However, the higher the sampling frequency, the higher the computational load and the larger the storage space required. In practical applications, the sampling frequency needs to be determined in combination with the required monitoring accuracy.

[0066] The second type is the flow rate measurement value. This type of measurement value is used when the system is equipped with a flow sensor and needs to monitor the fluid volume. It is used to record the total volume of fluid flowing through the fluid passage, calculated by integrating the flow sensor readings in real time over the same duration mentioned above.

[0067] By combining the duration of the conduction state with real-time flow rate information, the cumulative delivery volume is quantified. For example, for slice A created with a timestamp of 10:00:00.000, if the flow path remains active during sampling at 10:00:00.500 and 10:00:01.000, two more monitoring slices, B and C, will be created. Assuming the first sampling reads a flow sensor reading of 160 ml / s, its product with the corresponding time interval of 0.5 seconds is stored in the metering value of slice A, which is 80 ml; the second sampling reads a sensor reading of 140 ml / s, its product with the corresponding time interval of 0.5 seconds is stored in the metering value of slice B, which is 70 ml. During the one second of continuous conduction, the accumulator calculates the cumulative value as the sum of the metering values ​​in slices A and B, which is 150 ml. The process of the accumulator calculating the cumulative values ​​of multiple slices achieves the integral calculation of the flow rate.

[0068] The following is combined Figure 6 Step 130 will be explained below. Figure 6As shown, the calculation process begins by acquiring two key time points: the current timestamp T1 and the previous timestamp T2. The time difference between the two is calculated as ΔT = T1 - T2, which represents the duration during which the flow path has been in a conducting state since the last recording point.

[0069] The type and calculation method of the metering value are determined based on the system configuration: If the system is not equipped with a flow sensor, the measured value V is directly equal to the time difference ΔT. In this case, the measured value is a time measurement value, which simply records the cumulative duration for which the flow path is in a conductive state within the time period ΔT.

[0070] If the system is equipped with a flow sensor, i.e., a flow meter as shown in the figure, where parameter F represents the flow rate, then the measured value V is equal to the product of the flow rate F and the time difference ΔT (V=FΔT). In this case, the measured value is the flow rate measurement value, which calculates and records the cumulative volume of fluid flowing through the fluid passage within the same duration ΔT.

[0071] By using time-based measurements, the system can directly assess the cumulative workload and wear time of pipelines or valves, making it suitable for preventative maintenance or time-interlocking scenarios that are purely time-sensitive. By using flow-based measurements, the system can accurately monitor the cumulative consumption or transport volume of materials, making it suitable for processes requiring precise control of fluid volume or cost management scenarios. Thus, through configurable and diverse measurement dimensions, it can flexibly adapt to different process monitoring needs.

[0072] In addition, such as Figure 7 The diagram illustrates a specific implementation logic for cleaning and maintaining multiple monitoring slices stored in memory. The core objective of this process is to remove old data that has exceeded the effective time range of the current monitoring cycle, ensuring the accuracy and timeliness of subsequent statistics.

[0073] Specifically, the system obtains the current timestamp T and the preset monitoring period length C. The system first calculates the boundary time point T0 = TC. According to the sliding time window model, only monitoring slices with timestamps no earlier than T0 belong to the most recent monitoring period that needs to be statistically analyzed. Therefore, `T0` defines the starting time boundary for valid data.

[0074] The process enters a loop-based check phase, designed to clean up expired portions of the multiple monitoring slices stored in memory. Specifically, it checks if the monitoring slice set is empty. If not empty, it checks the timestamp of the monitoring slice at the head of the set. The head of the set refers to the monitoring slice with the earliest timestamp. If the timestamp of this head slice is earlier than the calculated boundary time point T0, it means that the events recorded by this slice have completely exceeded the current monitoring period window and will no longer participate in the current cumulative calculation. Therefore, the system removes this head monitoring slice. After removal, the process returns and continues to check for new head slices, i.e., the next slice in the original set, repeating the above checks until a monitoring slice with a timestamp not earlier than the boundary time point T0 is encountered, or the set becomes empty. At this point, the loop ends.

[0075] By dynamically calculating boundary points and sequentially removing expired slices, the data set can be maintained efficiently, ensuring that the memory retains only valid monitoring slices within or after the current monitoring cycle. This guarantees that the multiple monitoring slices used for cumulative calculations are always target monitoring slices that meet the latest cycle requirements, thus enabling the final total cumulative conduction measurement value to accurately reflect the total activity of the fluid pathway within the recent preset time period, ensuring the real-time performance and reliability of threshold monitoring.

[0076] The following is combined Figure 8 Step 140 is described below. This process is driven by an independent scan interval T, performing cyclical judgments. In each loop, the system first reads the accumulated value S, which is the total accumulated conduction measurement value calculated and updated in real time by the accumulator module within the most recent monitoring period. Simultaneously, it reads the setpoint P, i.e., the preset measurement threshold.

[0077] The process enters the judgment stage: determining whether S>P is true. The technical essence of this judgment operation is to compare the total cumulative conduction metering value obtained from real-time statistics with safety or process limits, i.e., preset metering thresholds. Based on the judgment result, the process branches out: If the judgment result is "No" (i.e., S≤P), it means that the current accumulated amount is still within a safe range. The system will then determine whether to continue monitoring. If it continues, it will wait for an interval T before starting the next cycle; if it does not continue, the process ends.

[0078] If the judgment result is "yes" (i.e., S>P), it means that the total cumulative conduction metering value has reached or exceeded the preset metering threshold, triggering the alarm condition. An alarm prompt is immediately issued, i.e., "output alarm information". Next, the system will check whether a related action has been configured for this alarm. If it has been configured, the corresponding related action will be executed, i.e., the preset control operation will be performed; if it has not been configured, after the alarm prompt is completed, the process can still return to determine whether to continue monitoring.

[0079] Through an independent loop process, the latest cumulative measurement results are periodically acquired and compared with fixed thresholds, thereby achieving real-time monitoring of the cumulative status of the fluid path. Once an abnormal exceedance is detected, an alarm can be triggered immediately and predetermined control measures can be automatically executed, realizing a rapid and automatic closed-loop response from status judgment to safe execution, thus ensuring the safe operation of the equipment.

[0080] According to embodiments of the present invention, by acquiring the current state of at least one switch in a flow path based on the sampling frequency within a monitoring period, wherein the current state of at least one switch can determine the current state of the flow path, basic perception of the real-time on / off state of the fluid path is achieved; based on the difference between the current state of the flow path and the state obtained from the previous sampling, monitoring slices are created or updated to obtain multiple monitoring slices, and continuous state changes are discretized into a series of data units with timestamps and cumulative values, so that the duration of each state event or related physical quantity can be accurately recorded and independently traced. Based on the length of the monitoring period and multiple monitoring slices, the cumulative conduction measurement value of the fluid path is determined, enabling accurate quantitative assessment of the total amount of path activity within a recent specific time period; when the cumulative conduction measurement value is greater than or equal to a preset measurement threshold, alarm information is output or preset control operations are executed, which can effectively identify and respond to the risk of abnormal conduction or over-transmission of the fluid path within a specific time period, improving the timeliness and targeting of monitoring.

[0081] It should be noted that, for the sake of simplicity, the method embodiments are all described as a series of actions. However, those skilled in the art should understand that the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the described order of actions, because according to the embodiments of the present invention, some steps can be performed in other orders or simultaneously. Furthermore, those skilled in the art should also understand that the embodiments described in the specification are preferred embodiments, and the actions involved are not necessarily essential to the embodiments of the present invention.

[0082] Reference Figure 9 This diagram illustrates a structural block diagram of a semiconductor process apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The semiconductor process apparatus 410 includes... Controller 411 is used to acquire the current state of at least one switch in a flow path based on the sampling frequency during a monitoring period, wherein the current state of at least one switch can determine the current state of the flow path. Based on the difference between the current state of the flow path and the state obtained from the previous sampling, create or update the monitoring slice to obtain multiple monitoring slices; Based on the monitoring cycle length and multiple monitoring slices, the cumulative continuity measurement value of the fluid path is determined; If the cumulative conduction metering value is greater than or equal to the preset metering threshold, an alarm message will be output or a preset control operation will be executed.

[0083] In one possible embodiment, the controller 411 is further configured to determine a target monitoring slice from a plurality of monitoring slices based on the monitoring period length; The cumulative conduction measurement value of the flow path within the monitoring period is obtained by summing the measurement values ​​in the target monitoring slice.

[0084] In one possible embodiment, the controller 411 is further configured to calculate the filtering boundary time point based on the current time and the length of the monitoring period; From the multiple monitoring slices, the monitoring slices whose timestamps are not earlier than the filtering boundary time point are determined as the target monitoring slices.

[0085] In one possible embodiment, the monitoring slice includes a timestamp and a measurement value. The timestamp is used to record the start time corresponding to the conduction state of the flow path, and the measurement value is used to record the cumulative value of the monitoring parameter during the duration of the conduction state from the start time. The measured value includes at least one of the following: The time measurement value is used to record the duration during which the flow path is in the conducting state from the start time corresponding to the timestamp of the monitoring slice in the first sampling period to the creation time of the monitoring slice corresponding to the second sampling period; the second sampling period is the next sampling period after the first sampling period. A flow rate measurement value is used to record the cumulative volume of the flow path during the said duration.

[0086] In one possible embodiment, if the current state of all at least one switch is in the ON state, then the current state of the flow path is in the ON state; otherwise, the current state of the flow path is in the OFF state.

[0087] In one possible embodiment, the controller 411 is further configured to create a new monitoring slice if the current state of the flow path changes from a closed state to a connected state, wherein the timestamp in the new monitoring slice is the current sampling time, and the metering value in the new monitoring slice is initialized to zero.

[0088] In one possible embodiment, controller 411 is further configured to, if the current state of the flow path remains in the on state, calculate the duration from the timestamp of the most recent monitoring slice to the current sampling time; and, The duration is accumulated into the metric value of the most recent monitored slice; and, Create a new monitoring slice, the timestamp of which is the current sampling time and the measurement value is initialized to zero.

[0089] In one possible embodiment, controller 411 is further configured to calculate the duration from the timestamp of the most recent monitoring slice to the current sampling time if the current state of the flow path changes from an on state to an off state; and, The duration is added to the metric value of the most recent monitored slice.

[0090] According to embodiments of the present invention, by acquiring the current state of at least one switch in a flow path based on the sampling frequency within a monitoring period, wherein the current state of at least one switch can determine the current state of the flow path, basic perception of the real-time on / off state of the fluid path is achieved; based on the difference between the current state of the flow path and the state obtained from the previous sampling, monitoring slices are created or updated to obtain multiple monitoring slices, and continuous state changes are discretized into a series of data units with timestamps and cumulative values, so that the duration of each state event or related physical quantity can be accurately recorded and independently traced. Based on the length of the monitoring period and multiple monitoring slices, the cumulative conduction measurement value of the fluid path is determined, enabling accurate quantitative assessment of the total amount of path activity within a recent specific time period; when the cumulative conduction measurement value is greater than or equal to a preset measurement threshold, alarm information is output or preset control operations are executed, which can effectively identify and respond to the risk of abnormal conduction or over-transmission of the fluid path within a specific time period, improving the timeliness and targeting of monitoring.

[0091] Figure 10 The diagram shown is a schematic diagram of a semiconductor process apparatus according to an embodiment of this application.

[0092] like Figure 10 As shown, the semiconductor process equipment includes a process chamber, a liquid inlet assembly, a circulation system 1, a circulation system 2, a liquid storage tank, and a controller. Figure 10 (Not shown in the diagram). The controller includes at least one processor and at least one memory, in which a computer program is stored, which, when executed by the processor, implements the method of any of the above embodiments.

[0093] For example, the controller can be a host computer or a slave computer. The controller can open multiple valves of the liquid inlet assembly to introduce the corresponding chemical solution into the process chamber or storage tank; the controller can also control the opening and closing degree of the valves of the liquid inlet assembly to control the flow rate of process gas. The controller can monitor the liquid inlet assembly according to the above scheme to ensure the safety of liquid supply during the monitoring period.

[0094] The semiconductor process equipment in this application embodiment can be either an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etching apparatus or a capacitively coupled plasma (CCP) etching apparatus. This application embodiment does not limit the type of semiconductor process equipment.

[0095] As the device embodiment is basically similar to the method embodiment, the description is relatively simple, and relevant parts can be found in the description of the method embodiment.

[0096] This invention also provides an electronic device, including: a processor, a memory, and a computer program stored in the memory and capable of running on the processor. When the computer program is executed by the processor, it implements the various processes of the above-described traffic monitoring method embodiment and achieves the same technical effect. To avoid repetition, it will not be described again here.

[0097] This invention also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program. When the computer program is executed by a processor, it implements the various processes of the above-described traffic monitoring method embodiment and achieves the same technical effect. To avoid repetition, it will not be described again here.

[0098] As the device embodiment is basically similar to the method embodiment, the description is relatively simple, and relevant parts can be found in the description of the method embodiment.

[0099] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner, with each embodiment focusing on the differences from other embodiments. The same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referred to each other.

[0100] Those skilled in the art will understand that embodiments of the present invention can be provided as methods, apparatus, or computer program products. Therefore, embodiments of the present invention can take the form of entirely hardware embodiments, entirely software embodiments, or embodiments combining software and hardware aspects. Furthermore, embodiments of the present invention can take the form of computer program products implemented on one or more computer-usable storage media (including but not limited to disk storage, CD-ROM, optical storage, etc.) containing computer-usable program code.

[0101] Embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams of methods, terminal devices (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions can be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, special-purpose computer, embedded processor, or other programmable data processing terminal device to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing terminal device, generate instructions for implementing the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams. Figure 1 One or more processes and / or boxes Figure 1 A device that provides the functions specified in one or more boxes.

[0102] These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing terminal device to operate in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable storage medium produce an article of manufacture including instruction means, which are implemented in a process Figure 1 One or more processes and / or boxes Figure 1 The function specified in one or more boxes.

[0103] These computer program instructions can also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing terminal equipment, causing a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable terminal equipment to produce a computer-implemented process, thereby providing instructions that execute on the computer or other programmable terminal equipment for implementing the process. Figure 1 One or more processes and / or boxes Figure 1 The steps of the function specified in one or more boxes.

[0104] Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described, those skilled in the art, upon learning the basic inventive concept, can make other changes and modifications to these embodiments. Therefore, the appended claims are intended to be interpreted as including the preferred embodiments as well as all changes and modifications falling within the scope of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0105] Finally, it should be noted that in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or terminal device that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or terminal device. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or terminal device that includes said element.

[0106] The above provides a detailed description of a flow monitoring method and a semiconductor process equipment provided by the present invention. Specific examples have been used to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of the present invention. The description of the above embodiments is only for the purpose of helping to understand the method and core ideas of the present invention. At the same time, for those skilled in the art, there will be changes in the specific implementation methods and application scope based on the ideas of the present invention. Therefore, the content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation of the present invention.

Claims

1. A flow monitoring method, applied to semiconductor process equipment, characterized in that, The method includes: During the monitoring period, based on the sampling frequency, the current state of at least one switch in a flow path is obtained, wherein the current state of the at least one switch can determine the current state of the flow path. Based on the difference between the current state of the flow path and the state obtained from the previous sampling, a monitoring slice is created or updated to obtain multiple monitoring slices; The cumulative conductivity value of the fluid pathway is determined based on the monitoring cycle length and the multiple monitoring slices. If the accumulated conduction metering value is greater than or equal to the preset metering threshold, an alarm message is output or a preset control operation is executed.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of determining the cumulative continuity measurement value of the flow path based on the monitoring period length and the multiple monitoring slices includes: The target monitoring slice is determined from multiple monitoring slices based on the monitoring period length; The cumulative conduction measurement value of the flow path within the monitoring period is obtained by summing the measurement values ​​in the target monitoring slice.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The step of determining the target monitoring slice from multiple monitoring slices based on the monitoring period length includes: Calculate the filtering boundary time points based on the current time and the length of the monitoring period; From the multiple monitoring slices, the monitoring slices whose timestamps are not earlier than the filtering boundary time point are determined as the target monitoring slices.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The monitoring slice includes a timestamp and a measurement value. The timestamp is used to record the start time corresponding to the conduction state of the flow path. The measurement value is used to record the cumulative value of the monitoring parameter during the duration of the conduction state from the start time. The measured value includes at least one of the following: The time measurement value is used to record the duration during which the flow path is in the conducting state from the start time corresponding to the timestamp of the monitoring slice in the first sampling period to the creation time of the monitoring slice corresponding to the second sampling period. The second sampling period is the next sampling period after the first sampling period; A flow rate measurement value is used to record the cumulative volume of the flow path during the said duration.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, If all at least one switch is in the ON state, then the current state of the flow path is ON; otherwise, the current state of the flow path is OFF.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of creating or updating the monitoring slice based on the difference between the current state of the flow path and the state obtained from the previous sampling includes: If the current state of the flow path changes from the closed state to the open state, a new monitoring slice is created. The timestamp in the new monitoring slice is the sampling time, and the measurement value in the new monitoring slice is initialized to zero.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of creating or updating the monitoring slice based on the difference between the current state of the flow path and the state obtained from the previous sampling includes: If the current state of the flow path remains in the on state, then calculate the duration from the timestamp of the most recent monitoring slice to the current sampling time; and, The duration is accumulated into the metric value of the most recent monitored slice; and, Create a new monitoring slice, the timestamp of which is the current sampling time and the measurement value is initialized to zero.

8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of creating or updating a monitoring slice based on the difference between the current state of the flow path and the state obtained from the previous sampling includes: If the current state of the flow path changes from the on state to the off state, calculate the duration from the timestamp of the most recent monitoring slice to the current sampling time; and, The duration is added to the metric value of the most recent monitored slice.

9. A semiconductor process apparatus, characterized in that, Includes a controller, the controller being used for: During the monitoring period, based on the sampling frequency, the current state of at least one switch in a flow path is obtained, wherein the current state of the at least one switch can determine the current state of the flow path. Based on the difference between the current state of the flow path and the state obtained from the previous sampling, a monitoring slice is created or updated to obtain multiple monitoring slices; The cumulative conductivity value of the fluid pathway is determined based on the monitoring cycle length and the multiple monitoring slices. If the accumulated conduction metering value is greater than or equal to the preset metering threshold, an alarm message is output or a preset control operation is executed.

10. A semiconductor process apparatus, characterized in that, It includes a process chamber and a controller; the controller includes at least one processor and at least one memory, the memory storing a computer program that, when executed by the processor, implements the method as described in any one of claims 1-8.

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