Bottle storage system and control method thereof

Abstract

The invention discloses a storage bottle system and a control method thereof, the system comprises a storage bottle and a control unit, and the control unit is connected with the storage bottle; the storage bottle comprises a height adjustable structure, and the height adjustable structure is used for adjusting the height of the storage bottle. By means of the system, the height of the liquid steel cylinder can be adjusted, process parameters can be automatically adjusted on line, the replacement and PM period of the steel cylinder can be prolonged, the more efficient and stable deposition process is achieved, and meanwhile manual intervention and operation cost are reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of semiconductor technology, and particularly to a storage bottle system and a control method thereof. Background Art

[0002] In the semiconductor industry, ALD (Atomic Layer Deposition) is a precise process for thin film deposition. Its characteristic is to form an atomic-level thin film on the surface of a substrate by means of layer-by-layer reaction. ALD is carried out using the equipment as shown in Figure 1 The process usually can be divided into the following key steps. Specifically: First, introduce the first chemical precursor into the reaction chamber. This chemical source will react with the surface of the substrate to form the first layer of the thin film; then, introduce an inert gas such as nitrogen or argon into the reaction chamber to purge the reaction chamber, removing the unreacted chemical source and by-products, ensuring a clean environment in the reaction chamber and avoiding affecting the subsequent deposition process; then, introduce the second chemical source, which usually reacts with the first chemical source to further promote the formation of the thin film; finally, introduce the inert gas again for purging to remove the excess chemical source and by-products. By repeatedly performing this series of cyclic steps, a thin film with the required thickness is gradually accumulated.

[0003] In some ALD devices, liquid or solid chemical sources are used as reaction precursors. In this case, a carrier gas will guide the chemical source out of the source container and introduce it into the reaction chamber for reaction. As the process cycle progresses, the total amount of the liquid source gradually decreases, resulting in a drop in the liquid level. Since the volume of the container is fixed, the drop in the liquid level will increase the void space at the top of the container, and this change affects the process stability and deposition quality. To ensure the stability of the thin film quality, many process schemes will be adjusted according to parameters such as the liquid level height and temperature. Therefore, when the liquid level drops outside the predetermined range, it is often necessary to optimize the process by adjusting the intake time, replenishing the source liquid, adjusting the temperature or replacing the source container, etc. However, in the prior art, these adjustment methods have certain limitations, with problems such as a large amount of manual intervention, low automation degree, and difficulty in effectively extending the replacement cycle of liquid cylinders and the PM (Preventive Maintenance Cycle).

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to design a new system to achieve adjustable height of the liquid cylinder, online automatic adjustment of process parameters, and extension of the cylinder replacement and PM cycles, realizing a more efficient and stable deposition process, while reducing manual intervention and operating costs. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of the present invention is to overcome the defects of the prior art and provide a storage bottle system and a control method thereof.

[0006] To solve the above technical problems, the object of the present invention is achieved by the following technical solutions: providing a storage bottle system, including: a storage bottle and a control unit, the control unit is connected to the storage bottle; the storage bottle includes a height adjustable structure for adjusting the height of the storage bottle.

[0007] A further technical solution thereof is: the storage bottle includes a bottle body, an opening is provided below the bottle body, the height adjustable structure is assembled at the opening, and the control unit is connected to the height adjustable structure.

[0008] A further technical solution thereof is: the height adjustable structure includes a power assembly, a base and a compressible ring body, the power source assembly is connected to the base, the base is assembled at one end of the compressible ring body, and the other end of the compressible ring body is assembled at the opening; the power assembly is connected to the control unit.

[0009] A further technical solution thereof is: the compressible ring body includes a corrugated pipe.

[0010] A further technical solution thereof is: the corrugated pipe is welded to the opening, and the corrugated pipe is welded to the base.

[0011] A further technical solution thereof is: the power assembly includes a driving structure and a power source, the driving structure is connected to the base, and the power source is respectively connected to the driving structure and the control unit.

[0012] A further technical solution thereof is: the control unit includes a sensor and a control component, one end of the sensor is built into the storage bottle, the sensor is connected to the control component; the control component is connected to the power source component.

[0013] A further technical solution thereof is: the control component includes a liquid level controller, a power controller and an industrial computer, the power controller is connected to the power assembly; the liquid level controller is connected to the sensor; the industrial computer is respectively connected to the liquid level controller and the power controller.

[0014] A further technical solution thereof is: a valve is connected above the storage bottle.

[0015] In addition, in order to overcome the defects of the prior art, the present invention also provides a control method for the above storage bottle system, which is characterized by including:

[0016] When the control unit detects that the liquid level in the storage bottle decreases, the control unit controls the storage bottle to adjust its height.

[0017] The beneficial effects of the present invention compared with the prior art are as follows: The present invention realizes the automatic adjustment of the height of the liquid cylinder through a height-adjustable storage bottle and a control unit connected thereto. The control unit monitors the liquid level change in real time and adjusts the height of the liquid cylinder and the gas flow rate by precisely controlling the motor drive and pneumatic valves to ensure the balance between the liquid surface and the space at the top of the cylinder; this system not only realizes the online automatic adjustment of process parameters, optimizes the deposition process, but also extends the cylinder replacement and PM cycles, thereby improving the efficiency and stability of the system, reducing manual intervention and operating costs.

[0018] The present invention will be further described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings required for the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings in the following description are some embodiments of the present invention. For those of ordinary skill in the art, without creative efforts, other accompanying drawings can also be obtained based on these drawings.

[0020] Figure 1 FIG. 12 is a schematic structural diagram of an ALD device provided by the prior art;

[0021] Figure 2 FIG. 16 is a schematic structural diagram of a storage bottle system provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Description of the reference numerals in the drawings:

[0023] 10. Storage bottle; 11. Base; 12. Compressible ring body; 13. Bottle body; 20. Valve; 30. Sensor; 40. Driving structure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0024] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are some, but not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. All other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative efforts shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0025] It should be understood that when used in this specification and the appended claims, the terms "comprises" and "comprising" indicate the presence of the described features, wholes, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, wholes, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or their combinations.

[0026] It should also be understood that the terms used in the specification of the present invention are merely for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. As used in the specification of the present invention and the appended claims, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" are intended to include the plural forms.

[0027] It should be further understood that the term "and / or" used in the specification of the present invention and the appended claims refers to any combination and all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items, and includes these combinations.

[0028] In the semiconductor industry, atomic layer deposition is a precise thin film deposition process that forms an atomic-level thin film on the surface of a substrate by layer-by-layer reaction. The process includes introducing chemical precursors, purging the reaction chamber, introducing a second chemical source and purging again, and repeating the cycle to gradually form the thin film. However, when using liquid or solid chemical sources, as the source liquid gradually decreases and the liquid level in the container drops, it affects the process stability and the quality of the thin film. Existing adjustment methods have problems such as excessive manual intervention and low automation, and it is difficult to effectively extend the liquid cylinder and preventive maintenance cycle.

[0029] Therefore, the embodiment of the present invention provides a storage bottle system, which realizes adjustable height of the liquid cylinder, online automatic adjustment of process parameters, and extension of the cylinder replacement and PM cycle, realizes a more efficient and stable deposition process, and at the same time reduces manual intervention and operating costs.

[0030] Specifically, the storage bottle system realizes the height adjustment of the liquid cylinder through an adjustable height design; the core is the connection between the control unit and the storage bottle 10, combined with the adjustable height structure, the power component and the compressible ring body 12, allowing online automatic adjustment of process parameters; the system monitors the liquid level through the sensor 30 and the control component, combined with the power controller and the liquid level controller, to realize automatic adjustment and optimization. The design of the valve 20 further enhances the control accuracy of the system, reduces manual intervention, extends the cylinder replacement cycle and the PM cycle, thereby improving the efficiency and stability of the deposition process and reducing the operating costs. In this embodiment, the storage bottle is placed on a platform or the ground using a bracket.

[0031] In order to better understand the above technical solution, the above technical solution will be described in detail below in conjunction with the specification drawings and specific embodiments.

[0032] Please refer to Figure 2 , a storage bottle system, comprising: a storage bottle 10 with adjustable height and a control unit, and the control unit is connected to the storage bottle 10. Specifically, the storage bottle 10 includes an adjustable height structure for adjusting the height of the storage bottle.

[0033] The core feature of this storage bottle system is that the height of the liquid cylinder is adjustable. By controlling the total height of the liquid cylinder, the space between the liquid surface and the top of the cylinder is kept relatively balanced. The system uses a liquid level sensor 30, a control unit, and a liftable tank base 11 to perform intelligent automatic adjustment during liquid storage, thereby achieving stable liquid level control and extending the service life of the liquid cylinder.

[0034] In one embodiment, please refer to Figure 2 , the above-mentioned storage bottle 10 includes a bottle body 13 and a height adjustable structure. An opening is provided below the bottle body 13, and the height adjustable structure is assembled to the opening. The control unit is connected to the height adjustable structure.

[0035] In this embodiment, the storage bottle 10 includes a bottle body 13 and a height adjustable structure. An opening is provided below the bottle body 13, and the control unit is linked to the height adjustable structure through a control connection.

[0036] The bottle body 13, as the main part of the liquid cylinder, stores the liquid chemical source. The opening below the bottle body 13 can be connected to the height adjustable structure, which can adjust the total height of the storage bottle 10 according to the decrease or increase of the liquid to maintain the space balance between the liquid level and the top of the bottle body 13. The control unit is connected to the height adjustable structure and is responsible for receiving the signal from the liquid level sensor 30 and adjusting the height of the bottle body 13 according to the liquid level change.

[0037] In one embodiment, please refer to Figure 2 , the above-mentioned height adjustable structure includes a power assembly, a base 11, and a compressible ring body 12. The power source assembly is connected to the base 11. The base 11 is assembled to one end of the compressible ring body 12, and the other end of the compressible ring body 12 is assembled at the opening; the power assembly is connected to the control unit.

[0038] In this embodiment, the power assembly provides power through a driving structure 40 and a power source. The driving structure 40 is connected to the base 11 to drive the telescopic or retraction of the compressible ring body 12 to adjust the height of the bottle body 13. The base 11 is fixedly connected to one end of the compressible ring body 12 to ensure the stability of the entire structure. The base 11 can be connected to the compressible ring body 12 by welding. The compressible ring body 12 can be telescopic within the stroke range, and the height of the bottle body 13 is adjusted by the telescopic of the bellows, and the sealing performance is maintained during the telescopic process.

[0039] In one embodiment, please refer to Figure 2 , the above-mentioned compressible ring body 12 includes a bellows.

[0040] In one embodiment, please refer to Figure 2 , the above-mentioned bellows is welded to the opening, and the bellows is welded to the base 11.

[0041] In this embodiment, the corrugated pipe is welded to the opening of the bottle body 13, and the base 11 is also welded to the corrugated pipe. This structure ensures the telescopic function of the corrugated pipe and can maintain good sealing performance.

[0042] One end of the corrugated pipe is welded to the opening of the bottle body 13, and the other end is welded to the base 11. In this way, the corrugated pipe can freely expand and contract in the vertical direction while maintaining the sealing of liquid and gas.

[0043] The corrugated pipe is designed to be able to withstand a certain pressure to ensure that the liquid does not leak under different liquid levels. The welding process needs to ensure the stability and sealing performance of the joints.

[0044] In addition, in other embodiments, the above-mentioned height-adjustable structure can also be other structures with compression functions, such as an adjustment structure composed of the base 11 plus a lead screw, etc.

[0045] In one embodiment, please refer to Figure 2 , the above-mentioned power assembly includes a driving structure 40 and a power source. The driving structure 40 is connected to the base 11, and the power source is respectively connected to the driving structure 40 and the control unit.

[0046] In this embodiment, the driving structure 40 is mainly composed of components such as a motor, a lead screw, and a coupling. The motor provides power, and the power is transmitted to the base 11 through the lead screw and the coupling to drive the compressible ring body 12 to expand and contract, thereby adjusting the height of the storage bottle 10. In addition to the electric motor driving the lead screw, a pneumatic device or a hydraulic system can be used to replace the electric drive. The pneumatic device can provide a more stable and economical solution when the requirements for speed and accuracy are not high.

[0047] The power source is generally a motor or a pneumatic device, and the movement direction and feed amount of the driving structure 40 are adjusted through the instructions of the control unit. The electric motor realizes precise control through the motor controller.

[0048] In one embodiment, please refer to Figure 2 , the above-mentioned control unit includes a sensor 30 and a control component. One end of the sensor 30 is built into the storage bottle 10, and the sensor 30 is connected to the control component; the control component is connected to the power source component.

[0049] In this embodiment, the control unit includes a liquid level controller, a power controller, and an industrial computer. The liquid level controller collects the liquid level information through the sensor 30 and transmits it to the industrial computer, and the industrial computer further issues instructions to the power controller to drive the power assembly to make adjustments.

[0050] Specifically, the liquid level controller receives the signal of the liquid level sensor 30, monitors the liquid level in the bottle in real time, and ensures the accurate transmission of the liquid level information.

[0051] After the power controller receives the instruction from the industrial control computer, it controls the driving direction and speed of the motor, adjusts the power components, and ensures that the height of the storage bottle 10 is adjusted as required.

[0052] As the core of the entire system, the industrial control computer is responsible for processing liquid level data, issuing control instructions, and communicating with the liquid level controller and the power controller. The data processing ability of the industrial control computer can ensure the real-time response and precise regulation of the entire system.

[0053] In one embodiment, please refer to Figure 2 , the above control components include a liquid level controller, a power controller, and an industrial control computer. The power controller is connected to the power components; the liquid level controller is connected to the sensor 30; the industrial control computer is respectively connected to the liquid level controller and the power controller.

[0054] In this embodiment, in the system, the liquid level points that the liquid level sensor 30 can detect are 90%, 70%, 50%, and 30%. When the liquid level reaches 50%, the control system drives the motor to feed upward until the liquid level reaches 90% and stops feeding, completing the adjustment of the liquid level.

[0055] The liquid level sensor 30 is responsible for monitoring the actual liquid level in the bottle body 13 and transmitting data to the liquid level controller. Multiple detection points (90%, 70%, 50%, 30%) of the liquid level enable the system to accurately judge the change of the liquid level.

[0056] When the liquid level reaches the set value (for example, when it reaches 50%), the industrial control computer will send an instruction to the motor controller according to the feedback of the liquid level controller to drive the motor to feed. The motor controller adjusts the feeding direction and feeding amount of the motor according to the instruction of the liquid level control system to ensure that the feeding stops after the liquid level reaches the predetermined value (for example, 90%).

[0057] In this embodiment, for the above sensor 30, it includes a liquid level sensor 30. In addition to the common float type liquid level sensor 30, a capacitive or ultrasonic liquid level sensor 30 can also be used. These sensors 30 have different advantages in different environments, such as being not affected by the physical properties of the liquid (such as density, conductivity, etc.).

[0058] In one embodiment, please refer to Figure 2 , a valve 20 is connected above the above storage bottle 10. Specifically, the valve 20 is a pneumatic valve.

[0059] The pneumatic valve is connected above the storage bottle 10 and is used to control the input of the carrier gas.

[0060] The pneumatic valve is used to control the input of gas and affects the air pressure or the intake rate of the liquid in the liquid cylinder by adjusting the flow rate of the carrier gas. This pneumatic valve is usually composed of different types such as an electric pneumatic valve or a manual pneumatic valve, and is selected according to the system control requirements. It controls the opening or closing of the air flow through an external signal (such as an instruction in the control system). The opening and closing of this pneumatic valve directly affect the gas addition amount of the liquid, thereby adjusting the pressure and liquid level in the liquid cylinder to ensure the stability of liquid storage.

[0061] The pneumatic valve usually consists of a valve body, a valve seat, a pneumatic actuator (such as a cylinder), and a seal. The valve body and the valve seat enable very precise adjustment of the gas flow rate. The pneumatic actuator realizes the opening and closing actions of the valve 20 according to the pneumatic control signal.

[0062] When the pneumatic valve receives a signal from the control unit, the actuator drives the valve 20 to open or close to control the entry and exit of gas. In this system, the adjustment of the opening degree of the valve 20 is associated with the liquid level in the liquid cylinder. By changing the gas flow rate, the liquid level and the liquid surface height are indirectly adjusted to ensure the relative balance between the liquid surface in the liquid cylinder and the top space.

[0063] The liquid level sensor 30 monitors the liquid level information in the storage bottle 10 in real time and provides liquid level data at multiple points such as 90%, 70%, 50%, 30%, etc.

[0064] When the liquid level changes to the set threshold (for example, when it reaches 50%), the system will make adjustments according to the set liquid level control strategy.

[0065] The system collects the liquid level signals from the liquid level sensor 30 through the liquid level controller and transmits them to the industrial control computer; the industrial control computer will decide whether to control the drive unit to make adjustments according to the change of the liquid level signal. When the liquid level drops to 50%, the control system instructs the motor to drive upward. Specifically, this process controls the power source to work through the power controller, and then the drive structure 40 drives the base 11 to move upward, compressing the above-mentioned compressible ring body 12, thereby raising the height of the liquid cylinder until the liquid level reaches 90%.

[0066] During the whole process, the pneumatic valve controls the input of the carrier gas, adjusts the gas flow rate in a timely manner, and maintains the air pressure balance in the liquid cylinder. Especially when the liquid level in the liquid cylinder drops, the valve 20 can control the gas intake amount to ensure the stability of the gas environment in the liquid storage tank.

[0067] During the operation of the system, no manual intervention is required. The liquid level sensor 30 cooperates with the liquid level controller to monitor and adjust the liquid level in real time. When the liquid level reaches a certain set point (for example, 90%), the liquid level control system will achieve precise liquid level adjustment and change of the storage tank height through the pneumatic valve and the motor control unit, and finally complete the automatic adjustment process.

[0068] In this embodiment, the pneumatic valve is one of the core components of the entire automatic adjustment system. It not only adjusts the air pressure in the liquid cylinder by controlling the input of air flow, but also ensures the balance between the liquid level and the top space of the cylinder in cooperation with the liquid level sensor 30 and the control system. Its working principle is closely coordinated with the automatic adjustment of the liquid level control system, thereby realizing the height adjustment of the liquid cylinder and the gas management of the storage tank, ensuring the efficient and stable operation of the system.

[0069] In this embodiment, the above-mentioned cylinder 13 can be a steel cylinder, and of course, it can also be a cylinder 13 made of other materials.

[0070] The above-mentioned storage cylinder system realizes the automatic adjustment of the height of the liquid cylinder through the height-adjustable storage cylinder 10 and the control unit connected thereto. The control unit monitors the liquid level change in real time and adjusts the height and gas flow of the liquid cylinder by precisely controlling the motor drive and the pneumatic valve to ensure the balance between the liquid level and the top space of the cylinder; this system not only realizes the online automatic adjustment of process parameters, optimizes the deposition process, but also extends the cylinder replacement and PM cycle, thereby improving the efficiency and stability of the system, reducing manual intervention and operating costs.

[0071] In one embodiment, a control method for the above-mentioned storage cylinder system is further provided, which is characterized by including:

[0072] When the control unit detects that the liquid level in the storage cylinder 10 decreases, the control unit controls the storage cylinder 10 to perform height adjustment.

[0073] It should be noted that those skilled in the art can clearly understand that the specific implementation process of the above-mentioned control method of the storage cylinder system can refer to the corresponding description in the foregoing system embodiment. For the sake of convenience and brevity of description, it will not be elaborated here.

[0074] As mentioned above, the above is only the specific implementation manner of the present invention, but the protection scope of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed by the present invention can easily think of various equivalent modifications or substitutions, and these modifications or substitutions should be covered within the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention should be subject to the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A storage bottle system, characterized in that, It comprises: a storage bottle and a control unit, wherein the control unit is connected to the storage bottle; the storage bottle comprises a height-adjustable structure, and the height-adjustable structure is used to adjust the height of the storage bottle.

2. The storage bottle system according to claim 1, wherein The storage bottle comprises a bottle body, an opening is arranged at the bottom of the bottle body, the height-adjustable structure is assembled at the opening, and the control unit is connected to the height-adjustable structure.

3. The storage bottle system according to claim 2, wherein The height-adjustable structure includes a power assembly, a base and a compressible ring body, the power source assembly is connected to the base, the base is assembled at one end of the compressible ring body, and the other end of the compressible ring body is assembled at the opening; the power assembly is connected to the control unit.

4. A storage bottle system according to claim 3, characterized in that, The compressible ring body includes a bellows.

5. A storage bottle system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The bellows is welded to the opening, and the bellows is welded to the base.

6. A storage bottle system according to any one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that The power assembly includes a driving structure and a power source. The driving structure is connected to the base, and the power source is connected to the driving structure and the control unit respectively.

7. A storage bottle system according to claim 6, wherein The control unit includes a sensor and a control component. One end of the sensor is built into the storage bottle, and the sensor is connected to the control component; the control component is connected to the power source component.

8. A storage bottle system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The control component includes a liquid level controller, a power controller and an industrial computer. The power controller is connected to the power component; the liquid level controller is connected to the sensor; and the industrial computer is connected to the liquid level controller and the power controller respectively.

9. A storage bottle system according to claim 1, characterized in that, A valve is connected above the storage bottle.

10. A control method for a storage bottle system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, include: When the control unit detects that the liquid level in the storage bottle decreases, the control unit controls the storage bottle to adjust its height.

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