Automatic cleaning control method of semiconductor manufacturing equipment

Abstract

The invention discloses an automatic cleaning control method for semiconductor manufacturing equipment, and relates to the technical field of semiconductor equipment cleaning. Comprising the steps that an N2 valve is opened to introduce nitrogen, and the nitrogen serves as a starting signal; if nitrogen is detected, an RPC switching process is triggered: a cooling water valve is opened, and a clean gas transmission pipeline is subjected to pre-cooling treatment; under the fault-free condition, the valve A is closed, the valve B and the valve FC are opened, and confirmation is conducted through a first feedback signal; an IOC control signal of the machine end is seamlessly transferred from the local RPC to the Foreline RPC through the relay; an ignition operation of the Foreline RPC is controlled and executed by a machine table end, the lower walls of the front vacuum tube Foreline and the chamber Chamber are efficiently cleaned, and a time control mode is adopted in the cleaning process; and if the nitrogen is interrupted in the process, the IOC control signal of the machine end is switched from the Foreline RPC to the local RPC through the relay, and a second feedback signal is detected to ensure that the switching is successful. The cleaning period and the downtime are shortened, and the production efficiency and the automation level are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of semiconductor equipment cleaning, and in particular to an automated cleaning control method for semiconductor manufacturing equipment. Background Art

[0002] In the semiconductor production process, the cleanliness of the equipment chamber and front pipeline is required to meet extremely high standards in order to prevent impurity contamination from adversely affecting product quality. Similarly, the vacuum coating process also strictly requires the equipment to maintain a high level of cleanliness to ensure the quality of the coating and excellent product performance.

[0003] Before the advent of the Foreline RPC integrated and automated cleaning system, many semiconductor manufacturing equipment relied mainly on manual operation and traditional control methods when performing Clean Foreline and PV (pressure / vacuum) control. However, this traditional technology has many disadvantages:

[0004] First, it is highly dependent on manual labor. The cleaning process needs to be monitored and started manually, which not only greatly increases the labor intensity of operators, but also may lead to unsatisfactory cleaning results or inaccurate cleaning cycle settings due to interference from human factors.

[0005] Second, the cleaning efficiency is low. In a manually controlled environment, it is difficult to achieve precise time control during the cleaning process, and the cleaning cycle may be too long or too short, which in turn affects the operating efficiency of the equipment and the smooth completion of production tasks.

[0006] Third, there is a lack of safety. In the process of gas supply, if there is a lack of necessary linkage mechanism and alarm system, it may be difficult to detect and properly handle abnormal situations in time, thus burying safety hazards.

[0007] Fourth, there is a lack of real-time monitoring and feedback mechanisms. Traditional technologies are often unable to monitor key parameters in the cleaning process in real time, making it difficult to detect and resolve potential problems in a timely manner. Summary of the invention

[0008] The object of the present invention is to provide an automated cleaning control method for a fore-vacuum line Foreline and a chamber Chamber of a semiconductor manufacturing equipment, which shortens the cleaning cycle and downtime and improves production efficiency and automation level.

[0009] To achieve the above purpose, the technical solution of the present application is: an automated cleaning control method for semiconductor manufacturing equipment, comprising opening an N2 valve to introduce nitrogen, using the nitrogen as a start signal; if nitrogen is detected, triggering an RPC switching process:

[0010] Open the cooling water valve to pre-cool the clean gas transmission pipeline;

[0011] Under no-fault conditions, close valve A, open valve B and valve FC, and confirm through the first feedback signal; valve A is located between the gas box and the local RPC, valve B is located between the gas box and the Foreline RPC, and valve FC is located between the Foreline RPC and the foreline vacuum line, and the foreline vacuum line is connected to the chamber;

[0012] The IOC control signal at the machine end is seamlessly transferred from the local RPC to the Foreline RPC through the relay;

[0013] The machine side controls the ignition operation of the Foreline RPC to efficiently clean the fore-vacuum tube Foreline and the lower wall of the chamber. The cleaning process adopts a time control mode. If the nitrogen gas is interrupted during this process, the IOC control signal on the machine side switches from the Foreline RPC back to the local RPC through a relay, and detects the second feedback signal to ensure that the switch is successful.

[0014] In one embodiment, the valve A and valve B are both connected to a Foreline controller, wherein valve A is a normally open valve and valve B is a normally closed valve, and both are driven by gas output from a solenoid valve.

[0015] In one of the embodiments, the first feedback signal is obtained through the pressure switch at the air outlet of valve A and valve B and the magnetic switch on the FC valve. The pressure switch is installed on the air pipe of the solenoid valve output gas. If a pressure value is detected, it means that valve A and valve B have successfully completed the state switching; if a magnetic signal is detected, the FC valve is opened; when no pressure value or magnetic signal is detected, an alarm is issued.

[0016] In one of the embodiments, the second feedback signal is obtained through the pressure switch at the air outlet of valve A and valve B and the magnetic switch on the FC valve. The pressure switch is installed on the air pipe of the solenoid valve output gas. If the pressure value is detected, it means that valve A and valve B have successfully completed the state switching; if the magnetic signal is not detected, the FC valve is closed; when the pressure value is not detected or the magnetic signal is detected, an alarm is issued.

[0017] In one embodiment, the N2 valve is located on a newly added client pipeline in the gas box, and a pressure sensor connected to a Foreline controller is provided on the pipeline, and the Foreline controller is also connected to the Foreline RPC and the N2 valve.

[0018] In one embodiment, before nitrogen is introduced, the machine end controls the execution of the local RPC ignition operation to efficiently clean the upper wall of the chamber; after the cleaning is completed, the nitrogen at the machine end enters the newly added client pipeline.

[0019] In one of the embodiments, the clean gas transmission pipeline is provided with a first cooling water block and a second cooling water block located on both sides of the FC valve.

[0020] In one embodiment, the water cooling structure of the Foreline RPC is connected to a first cooling water block via a cooling water flow meter, the first cooling water block is connected to a second cooling water block, and the second cooling water block is connected back to the water cooling structure of the Foreline RPC.

[0021] In one of the embodiments, when the RPC switching process is triggered, if the switch sensor on the clean gas transmission pipeline detects a water leak, the Foreline RPC is not ready, the FC valve or valve A or valve B switch operation times out, the cooling water flow meter detects that the process is out of limit, and the temperature sensor on the clean gas transmission pipeline detects that the temperature is out of limit, then the Foreline controller triggers the alarm mechanism and sends a shutdown signal to the machine, while cutting off the Ready signal of the local RPC.

[0022] In one of the embodiments, after the Foreline RPC is powered on, the N2 valve is in an open state, and when an alarm occurs, the N2 valve is closed in time.

[0023] The present invention adopts the above technical solution, and can achieve the following technical effects:

[0024] 1) The introduction of automation mechanism realizes the automatic control of Foreline RPC. After the chamber cleaning process is completed, the Foreline cleaning process is automatically started without manual intervention, which greatly reduces the labor intensity of operators.

[0025] 2) Foreline's cleaning process uses a time control mode to ensure the accuracy and consistency of the cleaning cycle. This precise control helps improve the operating efficiency of the equipment and the quality of the completion of production tasks.

[0026] 3) It has a real-time alarm function. Once an abnormal situation is detected, it will immediately trigger a safe shutdown, and can notify the operator through sound and light alarms, ensuring timely detection and processing of fault information.

[0027] 4) Real-time monitoring and feedback of key parameters in the cleaning process can help to promptly identify and resolve potential problems, ensuring stable operation of the equipment and smooth progress of production tasks.

[0028] 5) After cleaning, the machine automatically resumes normal operation and performs production tasks, reducing production downtime caused by waiting for cleaning and improving overall production efficiency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0030] Figure 1 Switching to Foreline RPC flow chart in automated cleaning control method for semiconductor manufacturing equipment;

[0031] Figure 2 Switching to local RPC flow chart in automated cleaning control method for semiconductor manufacturing equipment;

[0032] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a triggering alarm mechanism in an automated cleaning control method for semiconductor manufacturing equipment;

[0033] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure involved in the automated cleaning control method for semiconductor manufacturing equipment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] In order to make the technical problems, technical solutions and beneficial effects to be solved by the present application more clearly understood, the present application is further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present application and are not used to limit the present application.

[0035] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "disposed on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or indirectly on the other element. When an element is referred to as being "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or indirectly connected to the other element.

[0036] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined. "Several" means one or more, unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0037] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "length", "width", "thickness", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", etc., indicating the orientation or position relationship are based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation on the present application.

[0038] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0039] The present invention integrates Foreline RPC on the existing machine to realize the automatic control of Clean Foreline and PV (pressure / vacuum). The introduction of automation mechanism ensures that the Foreline cleaning process is automatically started after the chamber cleaning process is completed without manual intervention. The Foreline cleaning process adopts a time control mode to ensure the accuracy and consistency of the cleaning cycle. After the cleaning is completed, the machine automatically resumes normal operation and performs production tasks.

[0040] See also Figure 1-2 This embodiment provides an automated cleaning control method for semiconductor manufacturing equipment, including: after the Foreline RPC is powered on, the N2 valve is in an open state; the machine end controls the execution of the ignition operation of the local RPC to efficiently clean the upper wall of the chamber; after the cleaning is completed, the nitrogen at the machine end enters the newly added client pipeline, and the nitrogen is used as a start signal; if nitrogen is detected, the RPC switching process is triggered:

[0041] Open the cooling water valve to pre-cool the clean gas transmission pipeline; if no nitrogen is detected, it will remain on standby and ensure that the cooling water valve is closed to save energy and prevent potential damage;

[0042] Under no-fault conditions, close valve A, open valve B and valve FC, and confirm through the first feedback signal; valve A is located between the gas box and the local RPC, valve B is located between the gas box and the Foreline RPC, and valve FC is located between the Foreline RPC and the foreline vacuum line, and the foreline vacuum line is connected to the chamber;

[0043] The IOC control signal at the machine end is seamlessly transferred from the local RPC to the Foreline RPC through the relay;

[0044] The machine side controls the ignition operation of the Foreline RPC to efficiently clean the fore-vacuum tube Foreline and the lower wall of the chamber. The cleaning process adopts a time control mode. If the nitrogen gas is interrupted during this process, the IOC control signal on the machine side switches from the Foreline RPC back to the local RPC through a relay, and detects the second feedback signal to ensure that the switch is successful.

[0045] It should be noted that the existing machine is in manual mode. After startup, all valves automatically return to their initial state. At the same time, the IOC on the machine switches the control signal to the local RPC and activates the shutdown alarm as a safety warning.

[0046] As a preferred implementation provided in this embodiment, the valves A and B are connected to the Foreline controller, wherein the valve A is a normally open valve and the valve B is a normally closed valve, and both are driven by the output gas of a solenoid valve. The first feedback signal is obtained through the pressure switch at the outlet of the valve A and valve B, and the magnetic switch on the FC valve. The pressure switch is installed on the gas pipe of the solenoid valve output gas. If the pressure value is detected, it means that the valve A and valve B have successfully completed the state switching; if the magnetic signal is detected, the FC valve is open; when the pressure value or magnetic signal is not detected, an alarm is issued. The second feedback signal is obtained through the pressure switch at the outlet of the valve A and valve B, and the magnetic switch on the FC valve. The pressure switch is installed on the gas pipe of the solenoid valve output gas. If the pressure value is detected, it means that the valve A and valve B have successfully completed the state switching; if the magnetic signal is not detected, the FC valve is closed; when the pressure value is not detected or the magnetic signal is detected, an alarm is issued.

[0047] As a preferred implementation scheme provided in this embodiment, the N2 valve is located on a newly added client pipeline in the gas box, and a pressure sensor connected to a Foreline controller is provided on the pipeline, and the Foreline controller is also connected to the ForelineRPC and the N2 valve.

[0048] As a preferred implementation scheme provided in this embodiment, the clean gas transmission pipeline is respectively provided with a first cooling water block and a second cooling water block located on both sides of the FC valve; the water cooling structure of the Foreline RPC is connected to the first cooling water block through a cooling water flow meter, the first cooling water block is connected to the second cooling water block, and the second cooling water block is connected back to the water cooling structure of the ForelineRPC.

[0049] As a preferred implementation provided in this embodiment, Figure 3 As shown, when the RPC switching process is triggered, if the switch sensor on the clean gas transmission pipeline detects water leakage, the Foreline RPC is not ready, the FC valve or valve A B switch operation times out, the cooling water flow meter detects that the process is out of limit, and the temperature sensor on the clean gas transmission pipeline detects that the temperature is out of limit, the Foreline controller triggers the alarm mechanism and sends a shutdown signal to the machine, while cutting off the Ready signal of the localRPC. When the alarm mechanism is triggered, the N2 valve is closed in time, and an audible and visual alarm can be performed to notify the operator in an intuitive way to ensure that the fault information is detected and handled in time. In the fault-free state, the user can reset the alarm mechanism by pressing the reset button. However, if there is an unresolved fault, the alarm state will remain until the fault is completely eliminated. This design ensures that clear and timely feedback can be provided in any case to ensure the safety of operators and the smooth operation of the production line.

[0050] The Foreline RPC system is integrated on semiconductor manufacturing equipment (such as lithography machines, etc.) to realize the automated cleaning control of the front vacuum pipeline Foreline and the chamber Chamber. After each process run, the machine automatically detects the chamber cleaning status. Once the chamber cleaning is completed, the Foreline RPC system will automatically start the Foreline cleaning process. The cleaning process is carried out according to the preset time mode to ensure that the residues and contaminants in the pipeline are completely removed. After the cleaning is completed, it returns to the standby state to prepare for the next production run. The entire process does not require manual intervention, which improves production efficiency and automation level.

[0051] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, rather than to limit it. Although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or make equivalent replacements for some of the technical features therein. However, these modifications or replacements do not deviate the essence of the corresponding technical solutions from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application.

Claims

1. An automated cleaning control method for semiconductor manufacturing equipment, characterized in that: This includes opening the N2 valve to introduce nitrogen, using the nitrogen as a start signal; if nitrogen is detected, the RPC switching process is triggered: Open the cooling water valve to pre-cool the clean gas transmission pipeline; Under no-fault conditions, close valve A, open valve B and valve FC, and confirm through the first feedback signal; valve A is located between the gas box and the local RPC, valve B is located between the gas box and the Foreline RPC, and valve FC is located between the Foreline RPC and the foreline vacuum line, and the foreline vacuum line is connected to the chamber; The IOC control signal at the machine end is seamlessly transferred from the local RPC to the Foreline RPC through the relay; The machine side controls the ignition operation of the Foreline RPC to efficiently clean the fore-vacuum tube Foreline and the lower wall of the chamber. The cleaning process adopts a time control mode. If the nitrogen gas is interrupted during this process, the IOC control signal on the machine side switches from the Foreline RPC back to the local RPC through a relay, and detects the second feedback signal to ensure that the switch is successful.

2. The method for controlling the automated cleaning of semiconductor manufacturing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The valve A and valve B are both connected to the Foreline controller, wherein valve A is a normally open valve and valve B is a normally closed valve, and both are driven by the output gas of a solenoid valve.

3. The method for controlling the automated cleaning of semiconductor manufacturing equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that: The first feedback signal is obtained through the pressure switch at the air outlet of valve A and valve B and the magnetic switch on the FC valve. The pressure switch is installed on the air pipe of the solenoid valve output gas. If the pressure value is detected, it means that valve A and valve B have successfully completed the state switching; if the magnetic signal is detected, the FC valve is opened; when no pressure value or magnetic signal is detected, an alarm is issued.

4. The automatic cleaning control method for semiconductor manufacturing equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that: The second feedback signal is obtained through the pressure switch at the air outlet of valve A and valve B and the magnetic switch on the FC valve. The pressure switch is installed on the air pipe of the solenoid valve output gas. If the pressure value is detected, it means that valve A and valve B have successfully completed the state switching; if the magnetic signal is not detected, the FC valve is closed; when the pressure value is not detected or the magnetic signal is detected, an alarm is issued.

5. The automatic cleaning control method for semiconductor manufacturing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The N2 valve is located on a newly added client pipeline in the gas box, and a pressure sensor connected to a Foreline controller is provided on the pipeline. The Foreline controller is also connected to the Foreline RPC and the N2 valve.

6. The automatic cleaning control method for semiconductor manufacturing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: Before nitrogen is introduced, the machine side controls the ignition of the local RPC to efficiently clean the upper wall of the chamber. After cleaning, the nitrogen at the machine side enters the newly added client pipeline.

7. The automated cleaning control method for semiconductor manufacturing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The clean gas transmission pipeline is provided with a first cooling water block and a second cooling water block located on both sides of the FC valve.

8. The automatic cleaning control method for semiconductor manufacturing equipment according to claim 7, characterized in that: The water cooling structure of the ForelineRPC is connected to the first cooling water block through a cooling water flow meter, the first cooling water block is connected to the second cooling water block, and the second cooling water block is connected back to the water cooling structure of the Foreline RPC.

9. The automatic cleaning control method for semiconductor manufacturing equipment according to claim 8, characterized in that: When the RPC switching process is triggered, if the switch sensor on the clean gas transmission pipeline detects water leakage, the Foreline RPC is not ready, the FC valve or valve A and valve B switch operation times out, the cooling water flow meter detects that the process is out of limit, and the temperature sensor on the clean gas transmission pipeline detects that the temperature is out of limit, the Foreline controller triggers the alarm mechanism and sends a shutdown signal to the machine, while cutting off the Ready signal of the local RPC.

10. The automatic cleaning control method for semiconductor manufacturing equipment according to claim 5, characterized in that: After Foreline RPC is powered on, the N2 valve is open. When an alarm occurs, close the N2 valve in time.

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