Semiconductor manufacturing apparatus and processing execution method of semiconductor manufacturing apparatus

Abstract

The objective of this invention is to avoid misidentifying a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus as an object of operation. This disclosure provides a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus comprising: an execution instruction receiving unit that receives execution instructions for specific processing related to the operation control of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus; an identification information receiving unit that receives input identification information of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus; and an execution unit that, when the identification information of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus preset in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is the same as the identification information of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus received by the identification information receiving unit, executes the specific processing according to the execution instruction for the specific processing.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus and a method for performing processing within the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus. Prior Technology

[0002] Patent document 1 discloses a technique in medical diagnostic devices that, after a shutdown operation has been performed, displays a prompt to the operator to indicate whether to continue the shutdown operation, thereby preventing accidental operation of the device. Semiconductor manufacturing plants have many semiconductor manufacturing machines in operation, and many similar models are arranged side-by-side.

[0003] [Previous Technical Documents] [Patent Literature] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2008-212539 Summary of the Invention

[0004] This disclosure provides a technique for avoiding misidentification of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus that should be operated on.

[0005] In view of the above issues, this disclosure discloses a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus comprising: an execution instruction receiving unit that receives execution instructions for specific processing related to the operation control of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus; an identification information receiving unit that receives input identification information of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus; and an execution unit that executes the specific processing in accordance with the execution instruction when the identification information of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus preset in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is the same as the identification information of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus received by the identification information receiving unit.

[0006] Furthermore, this disclosure pertains to a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus that performs specific processing related to the operation control of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus in response to operator operations. It comprises: at least two operation receiving mechanisms arranged at a distance of more than one distance from each other in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus; and an execution unit that performs the specific processing on the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus when it detects that two of the operation receiving mechanisms are performing repetitive operations in time.

[0007] Furthermore, this disclosure pertains to a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, comprising: an execution instruction receiving unit that receives execution instructions for specific processing related to the operation control of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus; a reservation information memory unit that stores reservation information for the specific processing; and an execution unit that, when the reservation information has been stored in the reservation information memory unit, executes the specific processing on the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus in accordance with the execution instruction for the specific processing.

[0008] According to the present invention, the misidentification of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus that should be operated on can be avoided. Simple Explanation of the Diagram

[0009] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an example of a processing system having a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus and an apparatus group management system. Figure 2 is a hardware configuration diagram of an example of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus. Figure 3 is a functional configuration diagram of one example of the functions of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus (Example 1). Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating a transformation of an example of the screen displayed on a touch panel display (Example 1). Figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating one example of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus performing a shutdown process (Example 1). Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating an example configuration of a hardware switch (Example 2). Figure 7 is a functional configuration diagram of one example of the functions of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus (Example 2). Figure 8 is a diagram illustrating a transformation of an example of the screen displayed on a touch panel display (Example 2). Figure 9 is a flowchart illustrating one example of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus performing a shutdown process (Example 2). Figure 10 is a variation of an example of the screen displayed on the touch panel display (a variation of Example 2). Figure 11 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus performing a shutdown process (a variation of Example 2). Figure 12 is a functional configuration diagram of one example of the functions of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus (Example 3). Figure 13 is an example of displaying reservation information (Example 3). Figure 14 is a diagram showing a transformation example of the screen displayed on the touch panel display (Example 3). Figure 15 is a flowchart illustrating one example of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus performing a shutdown process (Example 3). Figure 16 is an example of displaying reservation information (a variation of Example 3). Figure 17 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus performing a shutdown process (a variation of Example 3). Implementation

[0010] Hereinafter, non-limiting exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. As an example of an embodiment of the present disclosure, a process execution method for a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0011] [Regarding the power shutdown of semiconductor manufacturing equipment] Semiconductor manufacturing equipment continuously produces wafers and other substrates 24 hours a day. Therefore, when hardware or software updates, periodic maintenance, or other necessary operations are required, the semiconductor manufacturing equipment must be shut down according to a schedule. Shutting down means bringing the semiconductor manufacturing equipment to a power state where these operations can be performed (e.g., a power-off state). Operators typically operate the semiconductor manufacturing equipment directly to shut it down. However, because many semiconductor manufacturing equipment operate within a semiconductor manufacturing plant, and many of the same type of equipment are arranged side-by-side, this can sometimes lead to the mistaken identification of the target semiconductor manufacturing equipment (i.e., the one requiring operation (shutdown)). Suppose that if an operator shuts down a semiconductor manufacturing device that should not be shut down, the manufacturing schedule must be rewritten or unsellable substrates may be produced, resulting in significant losses.

[0012] Therefore, this embodiment uses the following three methods to prevent operators from shutting down semiconductor manufacturing equipment that should not be shut down. In other words, only semiconductor manufacturing equipment that should be shut down will be shut down. Hereinafter, these will be referred to as "avoiding misidentification of semiconductor manufacturing equipment".

[0013] (i) Semiconductor manufacturing equipment will require the input of a pre-registered device name. If a pre-registered device name has already been entered, the equipment will be shut down.

[0014] When an operator identifies a semiconductor manufacturing device as the target for shutdown (but it is not actually the target), displaying a confirmation message only during shutdown can lead to the operator failing to notice the misidentification. By requiring the input of a pre-registered device name, the operator can shut down the semiconductor manufacturing device without misidentification.

[0015] (ii) Hardware switches or other operation receiving mechanisms are installed at the front and rear of the semiconductor manufacturing equipment. When the operation receiving mechanisms at the front and rear are pressed, a power-off operation is initiated. Furthermore, the front and rear are examples of locations where hardware switches or other such devices must be operated by two or more people and are spaced at a certain distance from each other.

[0016] In the past, even when operational rules were established requiring two people to simultaneously confirm and operate the equipment during shutdown, it was impossible to enforce these rules because only one person could operate the semiconductor manufacturing equipment. Therefore, this disclosure provides a mechanism that allows two people to perform the shutdown operation, thereby enabling the enforcement of the operational rule that requires two people to simultaneously confirm and operate the equipment.

[0017] (iii) If a semiconductor manufacturing device that has been scheduled for shutdown is to be shut down in advance from the device group management system described later, the shutdown will be executed.

[0018] When instructing operators to shut down equipment, managers may mistakenly transmit the message to the semiconductor manufacturing unit. Therefore, by having the semiconductor manufacturing unit confirm that the scheduled shutdown has been completed, misinterpretations due to communication errors can be prevented.

[0019] [Regarding terminology] The specific processing related to the operation control of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is the process of changing the operating state of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus from one where it is capable of performing operations such as process control to a state other than this. For example, power off may cause the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus to become unable to perform operations such as process control. Power off may also be a state where hardware and software updates, periodic maintenance, etc., are possible. Power off is, for example, a state where no power is supplied from a power outlet. In this embodiment, power off may be referred to as shutdown.

[0020] This embodiment describes a method to prevent the semiconductor manufacturing device 2 from being mistakenly identified as powered off, but it can also be used to prevent, for example, the semiconductor manufacturing device 2 from being mistakenly identified as restarted. Restarting refers to temporarily stopping the software running on the device and then restarting it. Regarding restarting, there are methods that continue until the power is off and methods that stop / start the software only when the power is on. In addition, to prevent the semiconductor manufacturing device 2 from being mistakenly identified, it is possible to perform component replacement, maintenance, or relocation while the power is off, and this may also include starting the device, operating any button, etc.

[0021] [System Configuration Example] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the processing system 1 having semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 2 and apparatus group management system 6. As shown in Figure 1, the processing system 1 disclosed herein has multiple semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses 2 (2 1 to 2 n in Figure 1), apparatus group management system 6, and network 5 connecting them to each other.

[0022] Semiconductor manufacturing equipment 2 is located in, for example, a cleanroom. The manager controls semiconductor manufacturing equipment 2 by operating a cluster management system 6 located in another room. For example, cluster management system 6 receives input of recipes (instructions specifying process conditions and sequence) and transmits the recipes to semiconductor manufacturing equipment 2. Operators enter the cleanroom to perform various button operations and other "mechanical operations," such as handling substrates or executing recipes on semiconductor manufacturing equipment 2.

[0023] Semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 2 may include various apparatuses corresponding to different processes. Examples include film deposition apparatuses for processing semiconductor wafers to form thin films, oxidation apparatuses for oxidizing the surface areas of semiconductor wafers, diffusion apparatuses for diffusion (doping) of impurities onto the surface areas of semiconductor wafers, annealing apparatuses, etching apparatuses, etc. Furthermore, semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 2 may also be an apparatus that uses plasma to process substrates. Such apparatuses include Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) apparatuses, Capacitively Coupled Plasma (CCP), Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP), Radial Line Slot Antenna (RLSA), Electron Cyclotron Resonance Plasma (ECR), Helicon Wave Plasma (HWP), etc., and any type of apparatus can be used.

[0024] Figure 2 shows the hardware configuration of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 2. Furthermore, semiconductor process-related functions are omitted in Figure 2. The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 2 includes a network interface 11, a system controller 12, a data memory unit 13, a touch panel interface 14, a touch panel display 15, an input / output interface 16, and at least two hardware switches 17a and 17b. When referring to any one of the hardware switches 17a and 17b, it is called "hardware switch 17".

[0025] Network interface 11 is a NIC (Network Interface Card) such as an Ethernet Card (registered trademark). Network interface 11 is connected to network 5 and can communicate with the device group management system 6.

[0026] The system controller 12 is a microcontroller, SoC (System on Chip), or SiP (System on Package) containing a CPU, RAM, ROM, etc. The system controller 12 performs overall control of the film formation process, including temperature, pressure, venting, injection of processing gases, and substrate replacement, according to the formulation. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the system controller 12 performs shutdown-related controls.

[0027] The touch panel interface 14 converts signals from the touch panel display 15 into coordinates of the pressed area or which button on the screen has been pressed, and notifies the system controller 12. A touch panel refers to an electronic component that combines a display device similar to an LCD panel with a position input device similar to a touch pad, and is an input device for operating a machine by pressing the display on the screen.

[0028] The input / output interface 16 converts the state (on, off) of the hardware switch 17 into a signal and notifies the system controller 12. For example, the hardware switch 17 is a momentary switch that turns on when the operator presses it and turns off when the operator releases it due to the applied force.

[0029] The data memory unit 13 is a memory device such as SSD (Solid State Drive), HDD (Hard Disk Drive), or ROM, which stores various types of data. While the data memory unit 13 is preferably non-volatile memory, it can also be volatile.

[0030] <Example 1> In this embodiment, a power-off method is described where "(i) the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus requires input of a pre-registered device name, and if a pre-registered device name has already been entered, a power-off operation will be performed."

[0031] [About Features] Figure 3 is an example of a functional configuration diagram showing the functions of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 2 in this embodiment. The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 2 includes an execution instruction receiving unit 21, an identification information receiving unit 22, an identification information judging unit 23, an execution unit 24, and a device name memory unit 25. Each of these functional units in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 2 is a function or means implemented by the system controller 12 shown in Figure 2 executing instructions contained in one or more programs installed on the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 2.

[0032] The execution instruction receiving unit 21 will display the shutdown execution screen (described later) on the touch panel display 15 and accept the shutdown execution instruction given by the operator. The shutdown execution screen can also be displayed on a non-touch panel display.

[0033] The identification information receiving unit 22 will display the device name input screen (described later) on the touch panel display 15 and accept the device name input by the operator. Alternatively, the device name input screen can be displayed on a non-touch panel display.

[0034] The identification information judgment unit 23 determines whether the device name stored in the device name memory unit 25 matches the device name already processed by the identification information receiving unit 22. Therefore, the device name memory unit 25 pre-stores individual device names in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 2. Although the device name is a combination of text or numbers easily entered by the operator, it serves as identification information. Therefore, the device name only needs to be identifiable or specific to the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 2. However, it does not necessarily have to be unique; the same identification information can be assigned to several semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses 2 belonging to a group.

[0035] The method for storing device names is explained. For example, an operator might directly input the device name by operating semiconductor manufacturing device 2. Alternatively, since the device group management system 6 communicates with semiconductor manufacturing device 2, it can display the model number or serial number transmitted from semiconductor manufacturing device 2 for administrators to input the device name. Alternatively, the device group management system 6 can assign device names (numbers or combinations of letters, etc.) that will not be repeated across different semiconductor manufacturing devices 2, based on the administrator's operation. Semiconductor manufacturing device 2 can display its own device name on the touch panel display 15. Furthermore, the device group management system 6 can simultaneously display information identifying semiconductor manufacturing device 2, such as model number or serial number, as well as the device name transmitted from semiconductor manufacturing device 2. Thus, administrators and operators can easily identify the device names of semiconductor manufacturing devices 2 that should be shut down.

[0036] The execution unit 24 will shut down the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 2. For example, the execution unit 24 will check whether the temperature and pressure of the heater, the gas injection status, the substrate transport status, etc., are in a state where shutdown is permissible. If such a state is permissible, the execution unit 24 will perform data backup from RAM to SDD, close files, etc., and terminate OS processing to finally cut off the power supply to the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 2.

[0037] [Example of a scene transition] Next, an example of the screen transition displayed on the touch panel display 15 will be described with reference to FIG4. FIG4 is a diagram showing an example of the screen transition displayed on the touch panel display 15 when the power is off.

[0038] Figure 4(a) shows an example of a power-off execution screen 100. The power-off execution screen 100 is a screen that accepts the power-off execution instruction. The power-off execution screen 100 has the message "Power off, please press the Yes button" 101, the Yes button 102, and the No button 103. When the user presses the Yes button 102, the semiconductor manufacturing device 2 will accept the power-off execution instruction, and the power-off execution screen 100 will change to the device name input screen 110 shown in Figure 4(b).

[0039] Figure 4(b) shows an example of a device name input screen 110. The device name input screen 110 has a message 111 that reads "Please enter a device name and press the verification button", a device name input field 112, a verification button 113, and a cancel button 114. • Device Name Input Field 112 is the field where the operator enters the device name of the semiconductor manufacturing device 2 that has been turned off. • Verification button 113 is used by the operator to verify whether the device name stored in the device name memory unit 25 matches the device name entered in the device name input field 112. If they match, the device will be shut down. Cancel button 114 is used to return to the shutdown execution screen 100.

[0040] Figure 4(c) shows an example of the device name input screen 110 displayed on the soft keyboard 115. The soft keyboard 115 is displayed after the operator touches the device name input field 112. The operator can operate the soft keyboard 115 to input the device name of the instructed semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 2.

[0041] [Shutdown process sequence] Figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating the shutdown process of semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 2. The following describes the state displayed on screen 100 when the operator initiates the shutdown.

[0042] First, it is determined whether the execution instruction receiving unit 21 has accepted the power-off execution instruction (S11). That is, it is determined whether button 102 has been pressed in the power-off execution screen 100 of FIG4(a).

[0043] If the judgment in step S11 is "Yes", the identification information receiving unit 22 will display the device name input screen 110 on the touch panel display 15. The operator will touch the device name input field 112 to display the soft keyboard 115 (S12). The operator will operate the soft keyboard 115 to input the device name of the semiconductor manufacturing device 2 as instructed by the manager verbally, via email, or on paper. After inputting the name, the operator will close the soft keyboard 115 with the close button 116 and press the verification button 113.

[0044] By pressing the verification button 113, the identification information judgment unit 23 will obtain the device name stored in the device name memory unit 25 and determine whether it is consistent with the device name entered in the device name input field 112 (S13).

[0045] If the determination in step S13 is Yes, the execution unit 24 will start to shut down the semiconductor manufacturing device 2 in accordance with the execution instruction (S14).

[0046] If the determination in step S13 is No, the identification information receiving unit 22 will display an error message on the touch panel display 15 (S15). The error message may be, for example, "Device name does not match".

[0047] In this situation, the operator can clear the error message (or it can be cleared automatically) and then operate the software keyboard 115 again to enter the device name of the instructed semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 2. Even if the verification button 113 is pressed N times but the device name still does not match, the identification information receiving unit 22 can also disable the display of the device name input screen 110 for a certain period of time. Through this method, the power-off method disclosed herein can easily avoid misidentification of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 2.

[0048] [Main Effects] If the operator identifies the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 2 as the device to be shut down (when it is not actually the device to be shut down), the confirmation message displayed only during shutdown will fail to detect the misidentified device. According to this embodiment, by requiring the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 2 to enter a pre-registered device name before performing shutdown, this disclosure can avoid misidentifying the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 2 as the device to be shut down.

[0049] <Example 2> In this embodiment, a power-off method is described in which "(ii) operation receiving mechanisms such as hardware switches are provided at the front and rear of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, and a power-off operation is initiated when the operation receiving mechanisms at the front and rear are pressed."

[0050] [Example of hardware switch configuration] First, an example of the configuration of the hardware switch 17 will be explained with reference to FIG6. FIG6 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the hardware switch 17 relative to the external perspective view of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 2. Hardware switches 17a and 17b (an example of two operation receiving mechanisms) are configured at two locations, one at the front and one at the rear, of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 2. The two hardware switches 17a and 17b are not limited to the front and rear; they can be configured separately as long as they are at a distance greater than or equal to that of a single operator (hereinafter referred to as a certain distance or greater). Therefore, hardware switch 17a can be configured at any of the front, rear, left and right sides, or top, and hardware switch 17b can be configured at any of the front, rear, left and right sides, or top, different from hardware switch 17a. Furthermore, as long as they are at a distance greater than or equal to that of hardware switch 17a, the two hardware switches 17a and 17b can also be configured on the same surface. Therefore, the certain distance can be approximately 2 [m].

[0051] Furthermore, one of the two hardware switches 17a and 17b is preferably positioned near the touch panel display 15. An operator can press the hardware switch 17 while viewing the touch panel display 15. Moreover, an operator can simultaneously operate the touch panel display 15 and press the hardware switch 17.

[0052] Alternatively, both hardware switches 17a and 17b can be soft keys displayed on the touch panel display 15. In this case, for example, the touch panel display 15 is located behind the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 2. Alternatively, one of the two hardware switches 17a and 17b can be a hardware switch 17, and the other can be a soft key displayed on the touch panel display 15. In this case, for example, the hardware switch 17 is located behind the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 2.

[0053] Furthermore, at least one of the two hardware switches 17a and 17b needs to have the function of detecting the operator's operation or presence; it can also be a simple touch sensor or ultrasonic sensor without a display. Also, at least one of the two hardware switches 17a and 17b can be an IC card reader. In this case, since the operator will sense the IC card, the record of the operator's completed work can be retained. Hardware switch 17, soft key, touch sensor, ultrasonic sensor, and IC card reader are examples of operation acceptance mechanisms.

[0054] In addition, there can be more than three hardware switches 17. By having three or more operators perform the shutdown operation, misidentification can be more reliably avoided.

[0055] [About Features] Figure 7 is an example of a functional configuration diagram showing the functions of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 2 of this embodiment. The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 2 in Figure 7(a) includes a power-off operation initiation unit 31, a first operation detection unit 32, a second operation detection unit 33, an operation judgment unit 34, an execution instruction receiving unit 35, and an execution unit 36. Each of these functional units in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 2 is a function or means implemented by the system controller 12 shown in Figure 2 executing instructions contained in one or more programs installed on the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 2. Furthermore, although hardware switches 17a and 17b are hardware components, they are illustrated for ease of explanation.

[0056] The shutdown operation start unit 31 will display the shutdown start screen (described later) on the touch panel display 15 and accept the start of the shutdown operation in response to the operator's operation.

[0057] The first operation detection unit 32 detects the pressing of hardware switch 17a, and the second operation detection unit 33 detects the pressing of hardware switch 17b. During the period when hardware switch 17a is detected being pressed, the first operation detection unit 32 continuously (or repeatedly) outputs an activation signal to the operation determination unit 34. During the period when hardware switch 17b is detected being pressed, the second operation detection unit 33 continuously (or repeatedly) outputs an activation signal to the operation determination unit 34.

[0058] The operation determination unit 34 determines whether the first operation detection unit 32 and the second operation detection unit 33 have repeatedly output the activation signal in time. That is, the operation determination unit 34 determines whether both hardware switches 17 have been pressed.

[0059] When the operation judgment unit 34 determines that the first operation detection unit 32 and the second operation detection unit 33 have repeatedly output the start signal in time, the execution instruction receiving unit 35 will display a shutdown execution screen. Therefore, in this embodiment, the execution instruction receiving unit 35 can accept the shutdown execution instruction when both hardware switches 17 are in the pressed state.

[0060] The function of the execution unit 36 ​​is the same as that of Embodiment 1.

[0061] Figure 7(b) shows the functional configuration of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 2 in a modified example of Embodiment 2. The functions of each functional unit are the same as those in Figure 7(a). In this modified example, when the execution instruction receiving unit 35 receives the power-off execution instruction, if the operation judgment unit 34 determines that the first operation detection unit 32 and the second operation detection unit 33 have repeatedly output the power-on signal in time, the execution unit 36 ​​will execute the power-off.

[0062] [Example of a scene transition] Next, an example of the screen transition displayed on the touch panel display 15 will be described with reference to Figure 8. Figure 8 shows an example of the screen transition displayed on the touch panel display 15 when the device is powered off.

[0063] Figure 8(a) shows an example of a power-off start screen 120. The power-off start screen 120 is the screen where the operator initiates the power-off operation. In this screen, the power-off operation has not yet been processed. The power-off start screen 120 includes the message "Perform power-off operation?" 121, a "Yes" button 122, and a "No" button 123. When the user presses the "Yes" button 122, the power-off start screen 120 changes to the hardware switch pressed prompt screen 130 shown in Figure 8(b).

[0064] Figure 8(b) shows an example of a hardware switch press prompt screen 130. The hardware switch press prompt screen 130 has a message 131 stating "Please press the front and rear hardware switches of the device simultaneously". After seeing this message 131, two operators will press the front and rear hardware switches 17a and 17b respectively. In addition, during the display of the hardware switch press prompt screen 130, the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 2 can make the hardware switches 17a and 17b flash for emphasis.

[0065] If both hardware switches 17a and 17b are pressed, pressing the hardware switches will cause screen 130 to change to the power-off execution screen 140.

[0066] Figure 8(c) shows an example of a power-off execution screen 140. The power-off execution screen 140 can be the same as in Embodiment 1. When the user presses the Yes button 142 on the power-off execution screen 140, the semiconductor manufacturing device 2 will accept the power-off execution instruction. When the user presses the No button 143, the power-off execution screen 140 will change to the power-off start screen 120.

[0067] Since the shutdown execution screen 140 will not be displayed unless both hardware switches 17a and 17b are pressed, it can prevent an operator from mistakenly identifying the semiconductor manufacturing device 2.

[0068] Alternatively, the shutdown execution screen 140 can be displayed only when both hardware switches 17a and 17b are pressed. This allows for a more forceful shutdown process where two people simultaneously confirm and perform the operation.

[0069] [Shutdown process sequence] Figure 9 is a flowchart illustrating the shutdown process of semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 2. The following describes the state displayed on the shutdown start screen 120 when the operator initiates the shutdown.

[0070] First, it is determined whether the power-off operation start unit 31 has accepted the start of the power-off operation (S21). That is, it is determined whether button 132 has been pressed in the power-off start screen 120 of FIG8(a).

[0071] If the judgment in step S21 is "Yes", the screen will change to screen 130 as shown in Figure 8(b) where the hardware switch is pressed. Then, the operation judgment unit 34 will determine whether the first operation detection unit 32 and the second operation detection unit 33 have repeatedly output the turn signal in time (S22). In order to avoid misoperation, the operation judgment unit 34 can ignore the repeated turn signal if it is within a specific time period.

[0072] If the judgment in step S22 is No, although the hardware switch pressed prompt screen 130 will still be displayed, the operation judgment unit 34 may display an error message (S25) after a certain period of time and return to the main screen (not shown in the figure) or the power-off start screen 120. The error message is, for example, "Two hardware switches 17 have not been pressed".

[0073] If the judgment in step S22 is Yes, the execution instruction receiving unit 35 will display the power-off execution screen 140 of Figure 8(c) and determine whether button 142 has been pressed (S23). That is, if both hardware switches 17 have been pressed, the semiconductor manufacturing device 2 can accept the power-off execution instruction.

[0074] If the determination in step S23 is Yes, the execution unit 36 ​​will start to shut down the semiconductor manufacturing device 2 in accordance with the execution instruction (S24).

[0075] If the determination in step S23 is "No", the execution unit 36 ​​will display an error message on the touch panel display 15 (S25). First, if the "No" button 143 has been pressed, the user can return to the main screen or the power-off start screen 120. If neither button 142 nor "No" button 143 has been pressed, the power-off execution screen 140 will still be displayed, but the operation determination unit 34 will display an error message after a certain period of time and return to the main screen or the power-off start screen 120. The error message will be something like "Power-off has not yet been executed".

[0076] <Examples of variations in action sequence> As shown in Figure 8 or Figure 9, the shutdown operation sequence can be either the shutdown start screen 120 → hardware switch pressed prompt screen 130 → shutdown execution screen 140, or the shutdown execution screen 140 → hardware switch pressed prompt screen 130. Figure 10 shows the latter screen transition. The shutdown execution screen 140 in Figure 10(a) is the same as in Figure (8c), and the hardware switch pressed prompt screen 130 in Figure 10(b) is the same as in Figure 8(b).

[0077] In this situation, when two operators press hardware switch 17 at the same time, the machine will be shut down instead of being operated by the button.

[0078] Figure 11 is a flowchart illustrating the shutdown process of semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 2. The following describes the state displayed on screen 140 when the operator initiates the shutdown.

[0079] First, it is determined whether the execution instruction receiving unit 35 has accepted the power-off execution instruction (S31). That is, it is determined whether button 142 in the power-off execution screen 140 of FIG10(a) has been pressed.

[0080] If the judgment in step S31 is Yes, the screen will change to screen 130 as shown in Figure 10(b) when the hardware switch is pressed. Then, the operation judgment unit 34 will determine whether the first operation detection unit 32 and the second operation detection unit 33 have repeatedly output the turn signal in time (S32).

[0081] If the determination in step S32 is Yes, the execution unit 36 ​​will start to shut down the semiconductor manufacturing device 2 in accordance with the execution instruction (S33).

[0082] If the determination in step S32 is No, the execution unit 36 ​​will display an error message on the touch panel display 15 (S34). If the determination in step S32 is No, although the hardware switch press prompt screen 130 will still be displayed, an error message may be displayed after a certain period of time and the system will return to the main screen or the power-off execution screen 140. For example, the error message may be "Two hardware switches 17 were not pressed".

[0083] [Main Effects] According to this embodiment, by providing a mechanism for two people to perform the shutdown operation, the operation rule of having two people confirm and perform the operation at the same time can be enforced.

[0084] <Example 3> In this embodiment, the power-off method is described as follows: "(iii) If a semiconductor manufacturing device 2 that has been scheduled for shutdown is obtained from the device group management system 6, then the shutdown will be performed."

[0085] [About Features] Figure 12 is an example of a functional configuration diagram showing the functions of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 2 in this embodiment. The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 2 includes a reservation receiving unit 41, an execution instruction receiving unit 42, a reservation judgment unit 43, an execution unit 44, and a reservation information memory unit 45. Each of these functional units in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 2 is a function or means implemented by the system controller 12 shown in Figure 2 executing instructions contained in one or more programs installed on the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 2.

[0086] The reservation processing department 41 will receive the shutdown reservation from the device group management system 6 and save the reservation information in the reservation information memory department 45.

[0087] Figure 13 shows an example of reservation information. Reservation information refers to the reservation details logged on the reservation date (date and time). One of the reservation details is "shut down". Reservation information can be deleted after the reservation is executed, or it can be deleted from older reservation information after the reservation information reaches a certain capacity.

[0088] Returning to Figure 12, the instruction receiving unit 42 will display the shutdown execution screen on the touch panel display 15 and accept the shutdown instruction from the operator. The shutdown execution screen can also be displayed on a non-touch panel display.

[0089] The reservation determination unit 43 determines whether a shutdown has been scheduled and whether a specific time has elapsed since the reservation acceptance date. If a shutdown has been scheduled but the specific time has not elapsed since the reservation acceptance date, the reservation determination unit 43 will request the execution unit 44 to shut down the device. Since it can be determined that the semiconductor manufacturing device 2 scheduled for shutdown is not the one that was mistakenly communicated, misidentification due to communication errors can be prevented.

[0090] The function of the execution unit 44 is the same as that of Embodiment 1.

[0091] [Screen example] Figure 14 illustrates an example of the screen transition displayed on the touch panel display 15 when the device is powered off. Figure 14(a) shows the power-off execution screen 150. The power-off execution screen 150 in Figure 14(a) is the same as that in Figure 4(a). In this embodiment, the power-off is initiated by the operator pressing the Yes button 152 on the power-off execution screen 150. The power-off execution screen 150 then transitions to the reservation confirmation screen 160.

[0092] Figure 14(b) shows an example of a reservation confirmation screen 160. The reservation confirmation screen 160 has the message "Reservation Confirmation in Progress" 161.

[0093] [Shutdown process sequence] Figure 15 is a flowchart illustrating the shutdown process of semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 2. The following describes the status displayed on the shutdown execution screen when the operator initiates the shutdown.

[0094] First, it is determined whether the execution instruction receiving unit 42 has accepted the power-off execution instruction (S41). That is, it is determined whether button 152 in the power-off execution screen 150 of FIG14(a) has been pressed.

[0095] If the judgment in step S41 is Yes, the reservation confirmation screen 160 in Figure 14(b) will be displayed, and the reservation judgment unit 43 will determine whether the reservation information related to power off has been memorized in the reservation information memory unit 45 (S42).

[0096] If the determination in step S42 is "No", the reservation determination unit 43 will display an error message (S43). The error message may be, for example, "Shutdown has not been scheduled." In this case, the screen will change to the main screen or the shutdown execution screen 150.

[0097] If the judgment in step S42 is Yes, the reservation judgment unit 43 will determine whether a specific time has passed from the reservation acceptance date of the reservation information related to power off to the present time (S44).

[0098] A specific timeframe can range from several hours to a day for the operation. In other words, assuming the manager schedules a shutdown with the equipment group management system 6 on a given day, and the operator performs the shutdown operation within the same day after the manager accepts the shutdown instruction.

[0099] There may also be situations where managers want to schedule shutdowns in advance through the device cluster management system 6. For example, managers might schedule shutdowns one week to one month in advance. In such cases, it would be even better if managers could also set a specific time. For instance, if a manager schedules a shutdown one week in advance, they could set the specific time to one week and pre-register it in the scheduling information. Furthermore, operators can also schedule shutdowns for semiconductor manufacturing equipment 2.

[0100] If the determination in step S44 is "No", the reservation determination unit 43 will display an error message (S46). The error message may be, for example, "A certain time has elapsed since the reservation was accepted. Please check the semiconductor manufacturing device 2 that has been turned off." In this case, the screen will change to the main screen or the shutdown execution screen 150.

[0101] If the determination in step S44 is Yes, the execution unit 44 will start the shutdown of the semiconductor manufacturing device 2 in accordance with the execution instruction (S45).

[0102] Furthermore, if the reservation information related to shutdown is deleted after shutdown, the judgment in step S44 can be omitted. However, by having step S44, even if the reservation information is not deleted after shutdown, or even if it is the application but the reservation information related to shutdown is not deleted, the existence of the reservation can still be reliably determined.

[0103] <Variation Example> Administrators can also schedule shutdown dates and times. In this case, operators can only perform the shutdown on the scheduled date and time.

[0104] Figure 16 shows an example of reservation information in this variation. The reservation information in Figure 16 shows newly registered executable dates and times. Executable dates and times refer to the range of dates and times (early and late) during which the scheduled operation can be performed. Semiconductor manufacturing device 2 will accept the shutdown execution instruction as long as the current time falls within this date and time range.

[0105] Figure 17 is a flowchart illustrating the shutdown process of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 2 in this modified example. The following description explains the state displayed on the shutdown execution screen by the operator. Furthermore, the description of Figure 17 mainly focuses on the differences from Figure 15.

[0106] In Figure 17, the processing of step S44-2 is different. That is, the reservation determination unit 43 will determine whether the current time is included in the date and time range of the reservation information that can be executed (S44-2). In this way, the shutdown that the operator has reserved in advance can be executed without considering the date and time of the reservation acceptance.

[0107] [Main Effects] According to this embodiment, even if the manager mistakenly transmits the target semiconductor manufacturing device 2 to the operator when instructing the operator to shut down, the misidentification caused by the communication error can still be prevented by confirming that the scheduled shutdown has been completed.

[0108] 〔other〕 For example, all or any two of Embodiments 1-3 can be combined to perform the procedure. In this way, the present disclosure can further reduce the possibility of misidentifying the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 2.

[0109] Furthermore, the processing system 1 in Figure 1 is only one example, and it is unnecessary to elaborate on various system configuration examples depending on the use or purpose. The device group management system 6 and semiconductor manufacturing device 2 in Figure 1 are examples of such device classification.

[0110] 1: Processing System 2: Semiconductor manufacturing equipment 6: Unit Group Management System 21: Execution Instruction Reception Department 22: Information Recognition Department 23: Information Recognition and Judgment Department 24: Execution Department 25: Device Name Memory Unit 45: Reservation Information Memory Department

Claims

1. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus comprising: an execution instruction receiving unit for receiving execution instructions for processing a change of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus from an operating state capable of performing its original operations to a non-operational state; an identification information receiving unit for receiving input identification information of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus; and an execution unit for executing the processing in accordance with the execution instruction when the identification information of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus preset in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is the same as the identification information of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus received by the identification information receiving unit, and the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is capable of changing from the operating state to a non-operational state.

2. The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the process is the power-off, shutdown or restart of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.

3. A processing execution method for a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, comprising the following steps: receiving an execution instruction for processing a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus to change from an operating state capable of performing its original operation to a non-operational state; receiving input of identification information of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus; and performing the processing on the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus in accordance with the processing execution instruction when the identification information of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus preset in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is the same as the received identification information of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus and the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is capable of changing from the operating state to the non-operational state.

Images