Multi-channel thermal management device

Abstract

The application provides a multi-channel heat management device, comprising a plurality of temperature input modules, an upper computer, at least one temperature control instruction processing module, and a plurality of temperature control instruction output modules; by arranging the plurality of temperature input modules and the plurality of temperature control instruction output modules, the current temperatures of a plurality of semiconductor devices can be acquired simultaneously, and the plurality of temperature control instructions for regulating the plurality of semiconductor devices can be simultaneously output, so that the plurality of semiconductor devices can be simultaneously regulated.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of temperature control technology, and more specifically to a multi-channel thermal management device. Background Technology

[0002] Temperature is a crucial parameter in industrial production, particularly in chip manufacturing, where it significantly impacts chip quality and yield. With the rapid development of China's semiconductor and integrated circuit industry, even slight undesirable temperature deviations in chip production and processing can severely disrupt chip performance consistency, leading to decreased yield. During chip manufacturing, different stages have varying temperature requirements for semiconductor equipment, necessitating dedicated temperature monitoring equipment for real-time temperature acquisition. Existing thermal management devices can only regulate the temperature of individual semiconductor devices, failing to meet the needs of simultaneous temperature regulation for multiple devices. For example, in the etching process of chip manufacturing, the operating temperature of multiple chambers needs to be monitored. Current temperature control methods require multiple thermal management devices to acquire temperature information for their respective chambers and then operate each individual device separately. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This invention provides a multi-channel thermal management device, which aims to solve the problem that existing thermal management devices cannot perform thermal management on multiple devices simultaneously.

[0004] This invention provides a multi-channel thermal management device, comprising: multiple temperature input modules, a host computer, at least one temperature control command processing module, and multiple temperature control command output modules;

[0005] The plurality of temperature input modules are used to receive a plurality of current temperatures of at least one semiconductor device under test and send the plurality of current temperatures to a host computer. The at least one semiconductor device under test includes a plurality of device chambers, each current temperature corresponds to one device chamber, and each semiconductor device includes at least one chamber.

[0006] The host computer is connected to the plurality of temperature input modules and receives the plurality of current temperatures. The host computer is used to receive user instructions and generate at least one first temperature control instruction based on the user instructions and the plurality of current temperatures.

[0007] The at least one temperature control command processing module is connected to the host computer. The at least one temperature control command processing module is used to receive the at least one first temperature control command and convert the at least one first temperature control command to obtain a plurality of second temperature control commands. The plurality of second temperature control commands are used to adjust the temperature of the at least one semiconductor device under test.

[0008] The plurality of temperature control command output modules are connected to the at least one temperature control command processing module, and the plurality of temperature control command output modules are used to receive and output the plurality of second temperature control commands.

[0009] In some possible embodiments, there are multiple temperature control command processing modules, which are electrically connected to each other in pairs. Each of the multiple temperature control command processing modules is connected to a corresponding multiple temperature input modules. The multiple temperature input modules are used to receive the current temperature of each of the multiple semiconductor devices under test. Each temperature control command processing module receives a first temperature control command for adjusting the temperature of the multiple semiconductor devices under test, and there are multiple first temperature control commands.

[0010] In some possible embodiments, the plurality of temperature control command processing modules includes a target temperature control command processing module, which is connected to at least two of the plurality of temperature control command output modules to simultaneously output at least two second temperature control commands corresponding to the same device under test or the same device chamber to the at least two temperature control command output modules connected to the target temperature control command processing module.

[0011] In some possible embodiments, the plurality of temperature input modules are further configured to receive the operating status information of the at least one semiconductor device under test and send the operating status information to the host computer, wherein the host computer is configured to generate the at least one first temperature control command based on the operating status information, the plurality of current temperatures and the user command.

[0012] In some possible embodiments, the plurality of second temperature control commands include temperature control commands of different output types converted from the same first temperature control command.

[0013] In some possible embodiments, the device further includes a temperature judgment module connected to the plurality of temperature input modules. The temperature judgment module is used to judge the plurality of current temperatures to determine whether the plurality of current temperatures are reliable. If the plurality of current temperatures are reliable, the temperature input modules send the reliable plurality of current temperatures to the host computer.

[0014] In some possible embodiments, the device further includes a communication module, which is connected to the host computer and the plurality of temperature input modules respectively. The plurality of temperature input modules are used to send the plurality of current temperatures to the communication module, and the communication module sends the plurality of current temperatures to the host computer.

[0015] The communication module is connected to the at least one temperature control command processing module. The communication module is used to receive at least one first temperature control command issued by the host computer and send the at least one first temperature control command to the at least one temperature control command processing module.

[0016] In some possible embodiments, the device further includes a plurality of temperature control command execution modules connected to a plurality of temperature control command output modules, the plurality of temperature control command execution modules being used to receive and execute the plurality of second temperature control commands.

[0017] In some possible embodiments, the plurality of temperature input modules are further configured to acquire the current ambient temperature and send the current ambient temperature to the host computer;

[0018] The host computer is also used to acquire meteorological data, and combine the meteorological data with the current ambient temperature to determine the heat dissipation requirements of the at least one semiconductor device under test, and optimize the operating status of the at least one semiconductor device according to the heat dissipation requirements.

[0019] In some possible embodiments, the host computer is also used to acquire historical ambient temperature change trends and adaptively adjust the temperature adjustment threshold of the at least one semiconductor device based on the historical ambient temperature change trends.

[0020] This invention provides a multi-channel thermal management device, including multiple temperature input modules, a host computer, at least one temperature control command processing module, and multiple temperature control command output modules. By setting multiple temperature input modules and multiple temperature control command output modules, this invention can simultaneously acquire the current temperature of multiple semiconductor devices and simultaneously output multiple temperature control commands for regulating multiple semiconductor devices, thereby achieving simultaneous regulation of multiple semiconductor devices. Attached Figure Description

[0021] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the multi-channel thermal management device provided by the present invention;

[0023] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the multi-channel thermal management device provided by the present invention;

[0024] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the multi-channel thermal management device provided by the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0025] It should be noted that the principles of the present invention are illustrated by way of example implemented in a suitable computing environment. The following description is based on the specific embodiments of the invention illustrated, and should not be considered as limiting the invention to other specific embodiments not detailed herein. In the following description of the invention, references to "some embodiments" refer to a subset of all possible embodiments; however, it is understood that "some embodiments" can be the same subset or different subsets of all possible embodiments, and can be combined with each other without conflict.

[0026] In the following description of this invention, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used merely to distinguish similar objects and do not represent a specific ordering of objects. It is understood that "first," "second," and "third" can be interchanged in a specific order or sequence where permissible, so that the embodiments of the invention described herein can be implemented in an order other than that illustrated or described herein. Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing embodiments of the invention only and is not intended to limit the invention.

[0027] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0028] Please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 1This is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the multi-channel thermal management device provided by the present invention. The multi-channel thermal management device provided by the present invention includes multiple functional modules such as an input module, a processing module, and an output module, which will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Specifically, the multi-channel thermal management device provided by the present invention includes a temperature input module, which is mainly used to receive the currently detected temperature of the semiconductor device under test (SDT) to determine the next operation of the SDT based on the currently detected temperature, such as raising or lowering the temperature of the SDT. Multiple temperature input modules can be used, each acquiring the current temperature of multiple different SDT devices, or multiple temperature input modules can simultaneously acquire the temperature at different locations on the same SDT device; for example, a semiconductor device includes multiple device chambers, and the multiple temperature input modules provided by the multi-channel thermal management device of the present invention can be used to simultaneously detect the temperature of multiple device chambers to obtain temperature information for multiple device chambers. Generally, one temperature input module can only acquire one temperature. In some embodiments, the multi-channel thermal management device may also include multiple sensors, which may be one or more of thermocouples, thermistors, or potentiometers, or one or more of infrared sensors, thermal imagers, and infrared fiber optic thermometers. In one specific embodiment, the multiple sensors can be multiple temperature sensors, each connected to a multiple temperature input module. The multiple temperature sensors are used to detect multiple current temperatures of at least one semiconductor device under test, and then the detected current temperatures are sent to the multiple temperature input modules, so that the multiple temperature input modules receive multiple current temperatures of at least one semiconductor device under test. Specifically, the multiple temperature sensors can be connected to different semiconductor devices under test to obtain the current temperature corresponding to each device; or the multiple temperature sensors can be connected to the same semiconductor device under test to obtain the temperature of different chambers within the same semiconductor device, thus obtaining multiple current temperatures and achieving precise temperature control of different chambers within the same semiconductor device.

[0029] The multi-channel thermal management device provided by this invention may further include a communication module. This communication module has multiple signal connection channels for signal exchange and transmission with other functional modules. Specifically, the communication module is connected to multiple temperature input modules and a host computer. The current temperature obtained by the multiple temperature input modules is first sent to the communication module, and then transmitted to the host computer via the communication module. The communication module in this invention can convert the electrical signals sent by the temperature input modules into corresponding temperature information and send the converted temperature information to the host computer. In some embodiments, the communication module can use physical interfaces such as EIA485 or DeviceNet bus protocols for signal transmission, or use wireless transmission methods such as Bluetooth or ZigBee protocols to send the corresponding information data. Simultaneously, the communication module in this invention can also output temperature indication signals for user querying, including digital and analog signals, to meet the needs of different users.

[0030] Please refer to Figure 1The multi-channel thermal management device also includes a host computer, which is equipped with a computer system for controlling and monitoring slave devices or other terminal semiconductor devices. In this invention, it is mainly used to generate control commands for the semiconductor device under test based on its current temperature, primarily temperature control commands to adjust the temperature of the semiconductor device under test. Specifically, multiple temperature input modules are connected to the host computer and send multiple received current temperatures to the host computer. The host computer determines the temperature control command for the semiconductor device under test based on the received multiple current temperatures. In some embodiments, the host computer can also receive commands directly input by the user and combine the user commands and multiple current temperatures to determine a first temperature control command for the semiconductor device under test; wherein, the first temperature control command is mainly a command to shut down, heat, cool, alarm, or perform other operations on the semiconductor device. In a specific embodiment, the step of the host computer generating the first temperature control command for the semiconductor device under test based on multiple current temperatures and commands may include: the host computer processes the received current temperature data, because electrical signals need to be converted into temperature data, and errors may exist during signal transmission and conversion. Then, the user-inputted commands are parsed, such as when the user clicks a button or inputs a value on the host computer's interface, directly determining the target temperature the semiconductor device under test (DUT) wants to achieve. Specifically, if the user inputs a target temperature of 40°C for the DUT on the host computer's interface, this is done. After parsing and determining the DUT's current actual temperature and the target temperature determined by the user command, the actual and target temperatures are compared to determine whether temperature regulation is needed and the extent of regulation. In some embodiments, if the current temperature is lower than the target temperature, a heating command can be generated based on a pre-stored or loaded control algorithm in the host computer; if the current temperature is higher than the target temperature, a cooling command can be generated based on a pre-stored or loaded control algorithm in the host computer. In some embodiments, a control signal can be calculated using a PID (Proportional-Integral-Derivative) control algorithm, which generates the control command for regulating the DUT.

[0031] In other embodiments, even without user input, preset status information of the semiconductor device under test (DUT) can be obtained. This preset status information typically includes, but is not limited to, the preset operating temperature (i.e., the aforementioned target temperature), signal output power, and output frequency of the semiconductor device. Control commands for regulating the DUT can also be generated using this preset status information. For this invention, the preset status information corresponding to different semiconductor devices can be stored separately in each semiconductor device's own storage module, such as a hard drive. When multiple temperature input modules transmit the detected current temperature of the semiconductor device to the host computer via a communication module, the preset status information stored within the semiconductor device itself can also be transmitted to the communication module. Therefore, the temperature input module in this invention can not only receive multiple current temperatures of at least one semiconductor device, but also receive operating status information of at least one DUT, primarily obtaining the preset operating temperature from the operating status information. In some embodiments, when the DUT includes multiple device chambers, the operating status information of the semiconductor device also includes the preset operating temperatures corresponding to each of the multiple device chambers; when the DUT does not include multiple chambers, the operating status information can include a unique preset operating temperature corresponding to the entire semiconductor device. Multiple temperature input modules also need to send the received current temperatures and at least one operating device information to the communication module, which then sends them to the host computer.

[0032] Therefore, the communication module in this invention can actually receive multiple current temperatures of at least one semiconductor device under test, as well as a preset operating temperature corresponding to each semiconductor device under test. The communication module can divide the received multiple current temperatures and multiple preset operating temperatures, grouping the current temperatures and preset operating temperatures of the same semiconductor device or the same chamber into the same temperature set, and sending the divided multiple temperature sets to the host computer. In some embodiments, each current temperature and preset operating temperature belonging to the same semiconductor device or the same chamber is provided with a unique temperature identifier, and multiple current temperatures and multiple preset operating temperatures can be divided according to the temperature identifier. Specifically, taking two semiconductor devices under test as an example, the current temperatures corresponding to the two semiconductor devices under test are AT1 and BT2, and the preset operating temperatures corresponding to the two devices are AT3 and BT4. According to the temperature identifiers A and B, the temperatures can be divided into two temperature sets (AT1, AT2) and (BT1, BT2). If a semiconductor device includes multiple chambers requiring temperature control, additional temperature identifiers can be added for each chamber. For example, if the semiconductor device includes two chambers with detected current temperatures of Aa1T5 and Aa2T6, and preset operating temperatures of Aa1T7 and Aa2T8 for the two chambers, then based on temperature identifiers a1 and a2, the four temperatures can be divided into two temperature sets: (Aa1T5, Aa1T7) and (Aa2T6, Aa2T8). In other embodiments, other methods can also be used to divide the temperatures; the specific method is not limited here.

[0033] In some embodiments, the temperature input module can simultaneously send the detected current temperature and the preset operating temperature corresponding to the semiconductor device to the communication module, which then divides the temperature set. In other embodiments, the temperature input module itself can also divide the temperature set; that is, the temperature input module simultaneously obtains the current temperature and the preset operating temperature of the semiconductor device, packages the current temperature and the preset operating temperature into a single temperature set, and sends the temperature set to the communication module. Assigning the temperature division operation to the semiconductor device can significantly reduce the amount of data that the communication module needs to process, improving the communication efficiency of the communication module. In other embodiments, the temperature input module can also first send the detected current temperature to the host computer via the communication module, and then the host computer determines whether it has received a user-input command; if the host computer determines that it has not received a user command, the temperature input module then sends the preset operating temperature to the host computer via the communication module.

[0034] It should be noted that if the host computer simultaneously receives the current temperature and the preset operating temperature from the temperature input module, and also receives a command directly input by the user, the host computer needs to compare the preset operating temperature and the user command to determine their priority and decide whether to generate the first temperature control command based on the user command or the preset operating temperature. In the aforementioned embodiment, after receiving the user command, the host computer first needs to judge the user command to determine its rationality; only if the user command is rational can the first temperature control command be generated based on the user command to avoid accidental triggering. In some embodiments, judging the rationality of the user command may include: parsing the user command to determine the upper or lower limit temperature of the semiconductor device under test after adjustment based on the user command; comparing the threshold temperature of the semiconductor device with the upper or lower limit temperature to determine whether the upper or lower limit temperature is rational. For example, suppose the user command is to increase the temperature of the semiconductor device by 40°C, but if the adjustment is carried out according to the user command, the final temperature of the semiconductor device will reach 90°C, exceeding the threshold temperature of the semiconductor device of 85°C; therefore, it can be determined that the user command is unreasonable, and the first temperature control command cannot be generated based on the user command. If the user instruction is to reduce the temperature of the semiconductor device by 10°C, and the final temperature of the semiconductor device is 12°C if the adjustment is carried out according to the user instruction, which is greater than the threshold temperature of 10°C for the semiconductor device, then it can be determined that the user instruction is reasonable, and the first temperature control instruction can be generated based on the user instruction.

[0035] In other words, for the host computer provided by this invention, the host computer is mainly used to receive and determine whether the user command is reasonable, and to receive multiple current temperatures and operating status information (mainly preset operating temperature) corresponding to at least one semiconductor device sent by the temperature input module. However, the host computer may not necessarily receive the user command. If the host computer does not receive the user command, it needs to generate a first temperature control command based on multiple current temperatures and operating status information. If the host computer receives the user command, it first needs to determine the reasonableness of the user command. Under the premise that the user command is reasonable, it then generates a first temperature control command based on the user command, multiple current temperatures, and operating status information. In some embodiments, if the host computer receives the user command, multiple current temperatures, and operating status information simultaneously, after determining that the user command is reasonable, it then determines the priority of the user command and the operating status information to determine the temperature with the higher priority, and then generates a first temperature control command based on the temperature with the higher priority. Generally speaking, the priority of the user command (temperature) is higher than the priority of the operating status information (preset operating temperature); therefore, under the premise that the user command is reasonable, if the host computer receives the user command and the operating status information simultaneously, it can directly use the user command with the higher priority to generate a first temperature control command.

[0036] In one specific embodiment, multiple temperature input modules can send multiple received current temperatures to a host computer, which then receives user commands. If the host computer determines the user command is valid, it combines the user command and the multiple current temperatures to generate a first temperature control command. If the host computer determines the user command is invalid, it generates and sends an operating status information acquisition command to the temperature input modules to obtain the operating status information of the semiconductor device under test. Based on the preset operating temperature and the current temperature in the operating status information, it then generates a first temperature control command. Similarly, if the host computer does not receive a user command, it also acquires the operating status information of the semiconductor device and generates a first temperature control command based on the preset operating temperature and the current temperature in the operating status information.

[0037] The multi-channel thermal management device provided by this invention further includes at least one temperature control command processing module, which receives a first temperature control command generated by a host computer. Specifically, the temperature control command module is directly connected to a communication module for indirect connection to the host computer, and receives at least one first temperature control command generated by the host computer via the communication module. The temperature control command processing module can also convert the at least one first temperature control command into multiple second temperature control commands, which are direct commands for adjusting the temperature of at least one semiconductor device. The multi-channel thermal management device provided by this invention also includes multiple temperature control command output modules, which are connected to at least one temperature control command processing module and are mainly used to receive and output multiple second temperature control commands. Specifically, the multiple temperature control command output modules in this invention are mainly used to output multiple second temperature control commands, which include temperature control commands of different output types converted from the same first temperature control command. For example, the first temperature control command is to increase the current temperature of the semiconductor device to 35°C. This same first control command can be converted into two different second temperature control commands: the first second temperature control command increases the current temperature of the semiconductor device by 10°C, and the second second temperature control command controls the indicator light to turn red and flash. Therefore, the multiple temperature control command output modules in this invention can simultaneously output different types of temperature control commands for the same device, enabling users to obtain timely temperature control information related to the semiconductor device.

[0038] In the above embodiments, different temperature control command output modules output different types of temperature control commands. For example, one temperature control command output module outputs a heating command, another outputs a cooling command, and yet another is connected to an indicator light to control the indicator light to remain constantly lit or flashing. Before the temperature control command processing module in this invention outputs the second temperature control command to different temperature control command output modules, it first needs to obtain the working status and connection status of each temperature control command output module to determine what type of second temperature control command the first temperature control command needs to be converted into, and to which temperature control command output module the second command should be output to. Specifically, at least one temperature command processing module can identify multiple temperature control command output modules connected to itself, obtain the working status and command output type of the multiple temperature control command output modules, and convert the first temperature control command into multiple second temperature control commands corresponding to the multiple temperature control command output modules based on their working status and command output types. For example, a temperature command processing module is connected to two temperature control command output modules. Both temperature control command output modules are in normal working condition and output heating commands and alarm commands respectively. The temperature command processing module can convert a first temperature control command into a heating command and an alarm command, and send two second temperature control commands to the corresponding two temperature control command output modules. In some embodiments, the first temperature control command corresponding to a temperature control command processing module may not correspond to the second temperature control command that the temperature control command output module can output; for example, the first temperature control command requires heating a semiconductor device, but the temperature control command output module connected to the temperature control command processing module can only output a cooling command. In this case, the temperature control command processing module can establish a connection with a new temperature control command output module based on the first temperature control command to ensure that the first temperature control command can be correctly converted into an outputtable second temperature control command.

[0039] In some embodiments, there can be multiple temperature control command processing modules, which are interconnected in pairs and also connected to a host computer. These multiple temperature control command processing modules can receive first temperature control commands generated by the host computer for different semiconductor devices or different chambers within the same semiconductor device. Typically, one temperature control command processing module acquires only one first temperature control command, while simultaneously connecting to multiple temperature control command output modules and converting the first temperature control command into multiple second temperature control commands, enabling a single first temperature control command to output multiple different types of second temperature control commands. However, it should be noted that a single temperature control command processing module can also be connected to only one other temperature control command processing module, where the module only needs to convert the first temperature control command into one second temperature control command.

[0040] In some embodiments, the multi-channel thermal management device provided by the present invention further includes a temperature judgment module, which is connected to multiple temperature input modules. The temperature judgment module is mainly used to judge multiple detected current temperatures to determine whether the multiple current temperatures are reliable, that is, to determine whether the multiple current temperatures are correct. In some embodiments, judging whether the current temperature is reliable may include: acquiring the current ambient temperature and the current working state and working duration of the semiconductor device; determining the temperature rise of the semiconductor device based on the working state and working duration of the semiconductor device; and determining whether the current temperature corresponding to the semiconductor device is reliable based on the temperature rise and the current ambient temperature. Specifically, most devices generate heat and rise in temperature during operation. Therefore, if the current working state and working duration of the semiconductor are determined, the temperature rise of the semiconductor device can be further determined; for example, the semiconductor device heats up by 0.6°C after working for one hour. Combined with the current ambient temperature, such as 20°C, it can be determined that the current temperature of the semiconductor is approximately in the temperature range of 20°C-22°C. If the detected current temperature of the semiconductor device is 30°C, which is far higher than 22°C, it indicates that the detected temperature is unreliable, and unreliable temperatures cannot be sent to the host computer. It's important to note that determining the reliability of a semiconductor device's current temperature based on the temperature rise and ambient temperature is not simply a matter of adding the ambient temperature and the temperature rise, then comparing the sum to the current temperature. Furthermore, semiconductor devices have an upper limit to their temperature rise during operation; they won't rise indefinitely. For example, a semiconductor device might rise 0.6°C after one hour of operation, but as operating time increases, the temperature will not rise continuously, at most only by 10-15°C.

[0041] The multi-channel thermal management device provided by this invention also includes multiple temperature control command execution modules, which are respectively connected to multiple temperature control command output modules. These modules primarily receive and execute multiple second temperature control commands; the second temperature control commands are commands that the execution modules can directly execute. For example, if the second temperature control command is to heat a semiconductor device, the execution module, upon receiving the second temperature control command, can directly execute a deheating command to heat the semiconductor device.

[0042] In the aforementioned embodiments, multiple temperature input modules acquire the current temperature of different semiconductor devices or different chambers within the same semiconductor device, enabling simultaneous temperature regulation of multiple semiconductor devices or chambers using a multi-channel thermal management device. In other embodiments, multiple temperature input modules can also acquire the temperature of the same location (or the same chamber) within the same semiconductor device. By comparing the current temperatures acquired by different temperature input modules, precise temperature control of the same location or chamber can be achieved. For example, in chip fabrication, to improve chip yield, it is necessary to strictly control the temperature during chip processing, specifically the temperature in each processing chamber. Therefore, different temperature sensors can be used to detect the temperature of the same processing chamber, and then input to the host computer through multiple temperature input modules. The host computer compares the measured current temperatures of the processing chambers and calculates based on the user-set temperature deviation value. If the deviation between the multiple current temperatures and the temperature deviation value exceeds a preset value, the host computer can generate a corresponding alarm signal (or control command) and prompt the user to promptly repair or replace the connected temperature sensors to ensure the accuracy of temperature measurement.

[0043] The multi-channel thermal management device provided by this invention can also use multiple temperature input modules to acquire the current ambient temperature and send it to a host computer via a communication module. The host computer can also acquire meteorological data and, in conjunction with the meteorological data and the current ambient temperature, determine the heat dissipation requirements of at least one semiconductor device under test, and optimize the operating state of at least one semiconductor device based on these requirements. Specifically, the host computer can acquire meteorological data to determine possible changes in ambient temperature over a future period. For example, if it is likely to rain and cool down within the next two hours, it can be determined that the ambient temperature is likely to decrease within the next two hours. At this time, the acquired current ambient temperature is relatively high, and since the ambient temperature will decrease within the next two hours, the temperature of the semiconductor device under test will also decrease. Therefore, the operating state of the semiconductor device can be appropriately adjusted, for example, by controlling the semiconductor device to operate at a certain power for a period of time. It should be noted that optimizing the operating state of the semiconductor device here mainly involves regulating the output power of the semiconductor device, rather than directly adjusting the temperature of the semiconductor device, such as heating or cooling. In other embodiments, the host computer can also acquire historical ambient temperature change trends and adaptively adjust the temperature adjustment threshold of at least one semiconductor device based on these historical trends. The temperature adjustment threshold primarily refers to the range within which the temperature of a semiconductor device can be adjusted when controlling its temperature; for example, the temperature of a semiconductor device can only fluctuate within the range of 20℃-85℃. In the aforementioned embodiments, when generating a temperature control command based on the current temperature and user instructions, it is necessary to determine the rationality of the user instruction based on the semiconductor device's temperature threshold. Only when the user instruction is rational, i.e., the adjusted temperature remains within the preset temperature range, can a temperature control command be generated based on the user instruction. In this invention, historical ambient temperature change trends can be obtained, and the temperature adjustment threshold of at least one semiconductor device can be adaptively adjusted based on these trends. In a specific embodiment, if the semiconductor device operates under high ambient temperatures for a long time, such as in summer when heat dissipation is difficult, the temperature adjustment threshold can be appropriately lowered based on historical ambient temperature change trends. Conversely, if the semiconductor device operates under low ambient temperatures for a long time, such as in winter, the temperature adjustment threshold can be appropriately increased based on historical ambient temperature change trends. By adaptively adjusting the semiconductor device's temperature adjustment threshold, more precise temperature control of the semiconductor device can be achieved.

[0044] like Figure 2 The diagram shown is a schematic representation of another embodiment of the multi-channel thermal management device provided by the present invention. Figure 2In the illustrated embodiment, the multi-channel thermal management device includes two temperature input modules: a first temperature input module and a second temperature input module; it also includes two temperature control command processing modules: a first temperature control command processing module and a second temperature control command processing module. The first temperature input module is connected to the first temperature control command processing module, and the second temperature input module is connected to the second temperature control command processing module; the first and second temperature input modules respectively input data into the first and second temperature control command processing modules connected to them; the multi-channel thermal management device also includes four temperature control command output modules: a first temperature control command output module, a second temperature control command output module, and a fourth temperature control command output module. Figure 2In this system, the first temperature input module and the second temperature input module are connected to different temperature sensors (not shown in the figure). The two temperature sensors are connected to two different semiconductor devices to obtain their temperatures. The two temperature sensors send the detected temperatures to the first and second temperature input modules, respectively. The first and second temperature input modules then send the two current temperatures to a host computer (not shown in the figure) via a communication module. The host computer receives the two current temperatures from the communication module and obtains user commands for the two semiconductor devices, such as a command to increase the temperature by 10°C for one semiconductor device and a command to decrease the temperature by 12°C for the other. Based on the two current temperatures and the two user commands, the host computer needs to determine whether the user commands are reasonable and, if so, generate two first temperature control commands. In one specific embodiment, if the two current temperatures are 30℃ and 65℃, and raising the temperature by 10℃ from 30℃ results in a temperature of 40℃, which is still within the range of 20℃-85℃, then the user instruction to raise the temperature by 10℃ is reasonable. Similarly, lowering the temperature by 12℃ from 65℃ results in a temperature of 53℃, which is still within the range of 20℃-85℃, so the user instruction to lower the temperature by 12℃ is reasonable. At this point, the host computer needs to generate two first temperature control instructions for the two user input instructions. These two first temperature control instructions are used to adjust the temperature of two different semiconductor devices, respectively. The host computer also needs to use a communication module to send the two first temperature control instructions to a first temperature control processing module and a second temperature control processing module, respectively. The first and second temperature control processing modules typically only receive one first temperature control instruction. After receiving the first temperature control command, the first temperature control processing module can further determine the temperature control command output modules connected to it, such as the first and second temperature control command output modules, and determine their signal output types. For example, if the first temperature control command output module outputs a heating command, and the second temperature control command output module outputs a command to display heating (e.g., the indicator light turns red), then the first temperature control processing module can convert the first temperature control command into a second temperature control command corresponding to the signal output types of the first and second temperature control command output modules, and output the two second temperature control commands to the first and second temperature control command output modules respectively. By observing the indicator light turn red, it can be determined that the current output is a heating command. For another first temperature control command, the second temperature control command processing module also needs to determine the temperature control command output modules connected to it, such as the third and fourth temperature control command output modules, and further determine their signal output types. For example, if the third temperature control command outputs a cooling command, and the third temperature control command output module outputs a command to display cooling (e.g., the indicator light turns blue), then the first temperature control processing module can determine the second temperature control command output module connected to it.The second temperature control processing module can then convert the received first temperature control command into a second temperature control command corresponding to the signal output types of the third and fourth temperature control command output modules, and output the two second temperature control commands to the third and fourth temperature control command output modules respectively. At this point, observing the indicator light turn blue confirms that the current output is a cooling command. The first and second temperature control command output modules output different types of second output commands derived from the same first temperature control command; while the third and fourth temperature control command output modules output different types of second output commands derived from another first temperature control command. This allows for the display of the same command's signal content through different channels, achieving multiple output forms of the same command, facilitating timely access to the command information output by the first temperature control command. In this invention, the temperature control output commands are directly executable, and the multi-channel thermal management device also includes a temperature control command execution module, which is connected to the four temperature control command output modules to execute different second temperature control commands.

[0045] like Figure 3 The diagram shown is a schematic representation of another embodiment of the multi-channel thermal management device provided by the present invention. Figure 3In the illustrated embodiment, different types of input sensors can acquire different information to input into the input module. For example, one input sensor can input "none, thermocouple, RTD (100Ω, 1KΩ), thermistor (5KΩ, 10KΩ, 20KΩ, 40KΩ), process (V, mV, mA), or 1K potentiometer," while another output sensor can input "none, CT, thermocouple, RTD (100Ω, 1KΩ), thermistor (5KΩ, 10KΩ, 20KΩ, 40KΩ), process (V, mV, mA), or 1K potentiometer." The two output sensors input the acquired information into two different input modules, which then send the acquired information to the host computer via a communication module. The host computer generates different control commands based on the acquired information and sends the two different control commands to different command processing modules. The first control command obtained by one instruction processing module can be "(optional - ramp / soak up to 4 files, 40 steps)". This instruction processing module converts the first control command into two second control commands and sends them to two different instruction output modules respectively. The information output by one second control command can be "Output 1: None, switched DC / open collector, 5A mechanical relay (C type), process or 0.5ASSR (A type)", and the corresponding operation is: off, heating, cooling, retransmission, alarm, duplex or event. The information output by the other second control command can be "Output 2: None, 15A arc-free, switched DC, 5A mechanical relay (A type) or 0.5ASSR (A type)", and the corresponding operation is: off, heating, cooling, alarm or event. Similarly, for another instruction processing module, the acquired first control instruction can be converted into two different second control instructions and sent to two different instruction output modules. The information output by one second control instruction can be "Output 3: None, Switched DC / Open Collector, 5A Mechanical Relay (C-type), Process or 0.5ASSR (A-type)", with the corresponding operation being: Off, Heating, Cooling, Retransmission, Alarm, Duplex or Event. The information output by the other second control instruction can be "Output 4: None, 15A Arc-free, Switched DC, 5A Mechanical Relay (A-type) or 0.5ASSR (A-type)", with the corresponding operation being: Off, Heating, Cooling, Alarm, Event or Limit.

[0046] exist Figure 3The system also includes a communication board, or communication module, which contains multiple communication channels for communication with other functional modules. For example, the communication board can communicate using Modbus RTU / TCP, DeviceNet, EthereNet / IP / Profbus protocols, or the EIA-485 communication standard. The power output is 100V-200V AC, 20V-26V AC, or 12V-40V AC. The communication board can communicate with the controller, i.e., the host computer, which may contain a RUI, EZ-ZONE controller, PLC, PC, or HMI control. Figure 3 The system also includes a human-machine interface (HMI) module with multiple buttons for user selection, including but not limited to: reset control, idle setpoint, spectrum adjustment, alarm clearing, manual / automatic mode, control mode, remote setpoint enable, keyboard lock, forced alarm, loop and alarm disable, configuration file disable, configuration file keep / continue, configuration file start / stop, restore user settings, time input, and numeric buttons. Users can input different commands by selecting different buttons, which are then transmitted to the host computer via the communication board.

[0047] For the thermal aisle management device provided by this invention, the information acquired and transmitted by the sensor includes, but is not limited to, temperature data, and the generated control commands are not limited to temperature control commands for regulating temperature. The thermal aisle management device provided by this invention can simultaneously control multiple semiconductor devices, and is not limited to simultaneously regulating the temperature of multiple semiconductor devices.

[0048] The technical solutions provided by the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above. Specific examples have been used in the embodiments of the present invention to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of the embodiments of the present invention. The description of the above embodiments is only for the purpose of helping to understand the methods and core ideas of the embodiments of the present invention. At the same time, for those skilled in the art, there will be changes in the specific implementation methods and application scope based on the ideas of the embodiments of the present invention. Therefore, the content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation on the embodiments of the present invention.

[0049] It should be noted that when the above embodiments of the present invention are applied to specific products or technologies, and user-related data is involved, user permission or consent is required, and the collection, use and processing of related data must comply with the relevant laws, regulations and standards of the relevant countries and regions.

Claims

1. A multi-channel thermal management device, characterized in that, include: Multiple temperature input modules, host computer, at least one temperature control command processing module, and multiple temperature control command output modules; The multiple temperature input modules are used to acquire multiple current temperatures of multiple different semiconductor devices under test, and send the multiple current temperatures to the host computer. The multiple different semiconductor devices under test include multiple device chambers, each current temperature corresponds to one device chamber, and each semiconductor device under test includes at least one chamber. The host computer is connected to the plurality of temperature input modules and receives the plurality of current temperatures. The host computer is used to receive user instructions and generate at least one first temperature control instruction based on the user instructions and the plurality of current temperatures. The at least one temperature control command processing module is connected to the host computer. The at least one temperature control command processing module is used to receive at least one first temperature control command generated by the host computer for different semiconductor devices under test, and to convert the at least one first temperature control command to obtain a plurality of second temperature control commands. The plurality of second temperature control commands are used to adjust the temperature of the plurality of different semiconductor devices under test. The plurality of temperature control command output modules are connected to the at least one temperature control command processing module, and the plurality of temperature control command output modules are used to receive and output the plurality of second temperature control commands. The plurality of temperature input modules are also used to receive the operating status information of the plurality of different semiconductor devices under test, and send the operating status information to the host computer. The host computer is used to generate at least one first temperature control command based on the operating status information, the plurality of current temperatures and the user command. The multi-channel thermal management device also includes multiple temperature sensors, which are connected to multiple temperature input modules respectively. The multiple temperature sensors are one or more of the following: thermocouples, thermistors, potentiometers, infrared sensors, thermal imagers, and infrared fiber optic thermometers.

2. The multi-channel thermal management device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The temperature control command processing module comprises multiple modules, which are electrically connected in pairs. Each temperature control command processing module is connected to one of the multiple temperature input modules. The multiple temperature input modules are used to receive the current temperature of each of the multiple semiconductor devices under test. Each temperature control command processing module receives a first temperature control command for adjusting the temperature of the multiple semiconductor devices under test, and there are multiple first temperature control commands.

3. The multi-channel thermal management device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The plurality of temperature control command processing modules include a target temperature control command processing module. The target temperature control command processing module is connected to at least two of the plurality of temperature control command output modules to simultaneously output at least two second temperature control commands corresponding to the same device under test or the same device chamber to the at least two temperature control command output modules connected to the target temperature control command processing module.

4. The multi-channel thermal management device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The plurality of second temperature control commands include temperature control commands of different output types converted from the same first temperature control command.

5. The multi-channel thermal management device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The device further includes a temperature judgment module, which is connected to the plurality of temperature input modules. The temperature judgment module is used to judge the plurality of current temperatures to determine whether the plurality of current temperatures are reliable. If the plurality of current temperatures are reliable, the temperature input modules send the reliable plurality of current temperatures to the host computer.

6. The multi-channel thermal management device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The device further includes a communication module, which is connected to the host computer and the plurality of temperature input modules respectively. The plurality of temperature input modules are used to send the plurality of current temperatures to the communication module, and the communication module sends the plurality of current temperatures to the host computer. The communication module is connected to the at least one temperature control command processing module. The communication module is used to receive at least one first temperature control command issued by the host computer and send the at least one first temperature control command to the at least one temperature control command processing module.

7. The multi-channel thermal management device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The device further includes multiple temperature control command execution modules, which are connected to multiple temperature control command output modules. The multiple temperature control command execution modules are used to receive and execute the multiple second temperature control commands.

8. The multi-channel thermal management device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The plurality of temperature input modules are also used to acquire the current ambient temperature and send the current ambient temperature to the host computer; The host computer is also used to acquire meteorological data, and combine the meteorological data with the current ambient temperature to determine the heat dissipation requirements of the multiple different semiconductor devices under test, and optimize the operating status of the multiple different semiconductor devices under test according to the heat dissipation requirements.

9. The multi-channel thermal management device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The host computer is also used to acquire historical ambient temperature change trends and adaptively adjust the temperature adjustment thresholds of the multiple different semiconductor devices under test based on the historical ambient temperature change trends.

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