Buffer tank, control method thereof and thin film deposition equipment

Abstract

The invention provides a buffer tank, thin film deposition equipment, a control method of the buffer tank and a computer readable storage medium. The buffer tank comprises: a tank body, the first end of which is connected to a gas source and the second end of which is connected to a process chamber; the air pressure gauge is positioned on the tank body; the flow adjusting mechanism is arranged on a first pipeline between the tank body and the gas source; the controller is configured to collect actually measured air pressure in the tank body through the air pressure gauge; in response to the fact that the actually-measured air pressure is smaller than a preset first air pressure threshold value, the tank body is inflated through the flow adjusting mechanism according to a constant first flow; and in response to the fact that the actually-measured air pressure is larger than or equal to the first air pressure threshold value but smaller than a preset second air pressure threshold value, dynamically determining a second flow according to the difference value between the second air pressure threshold value and the actually-measured air pressure, and inflating the tank body according to the second flow.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of semiconductor manufacturing, and more specifically to a buffer tank, a thin film deposition apparatus, a control method for the buffer tank, and a computer-readable storage medium. Background Technology

[0002] Thin film deposition is a critical step in semiconductor chip manufacturing, and its process quality directly determines the core performance, structural reliability, and long-term stability of the chip. As chip manufacturing processes advance to more advanced nodes such as 3nm and below, the requirements for key indicators such as thin film uniformity, step coverage, and film thickness control accuracy continue to escalate. However, traditional direct delivery of process gases can lead to instantaneous pressure fluctuations within the chamber due to continuous gas consumption and valve switching, disrupting film uniformity and causing thickness deviations. Furthermore, the relatively low pressure within the gas source structure results in slow gas diffusion, failing to guarantee uniform film deposition from the wafer edge to the wafer center. To address these shortcomings, a gas buffer tank located at the front end of the process chamber has been developed. By pre-pressurizing the gas in the buffer tank before injecting it into the chamber, pressure fluctuations within the chamber are eliminated, and the increased pressure difference between the buffer tank and the chamber promotes rapid gas diffusion upon entry, thereby ensuring that the thin film deposition process quality meets the requirements of advanced chip manufacturing processes.

[0003] In existing technologies, the gas buffer tank is connected to a mass flow controller (MFC), and a programmable master controller (PMC) controls the preset flow rate and buffer tank filling time. This ensures that the pressure inside the gas buffer tank reaches the process threshold after filling, thereby delivering a rapid and stable supply of process gas to the deposition chamber. Currently, commonly used buffer tank pressure control methods are mainly divided into flow control and pressure control. If flow control is used to maintain a constant flow rate of gas into the gas buffer tank for a certain period, the pressure in the buffer tank is prone to instability during each pulse of gas delivery to the chamber. Conversely, if pressure control is used to ensure stable pressure within the gas filling tank, the concentration of the chemical gas source will be unstable. Both of these buffer tank pressure control methods negatively impact the final film uniformity and process repeatability, reducing production efficiency and product yield.

[0004] In order to overcome the above-mentioned defects in the existing technology, there is an urgent need in the field for a buffer tank, a thin film deposition equipment, a control method for the buffer tank, and a computer-readable storage medium that can take into account both the pressure stability when the buffer tank delivers pulsed gas to the chamber and the concentration consistency inside the chemical gas source, thereby improving the film formation uniformity and process repeatability of the thin film deposition process, so as to improve the production efficiency and product yield of chip manufacturing. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The following provides a brief overview of one or more aspects to offer a basic understanding of them. This overview is not an exhaustive summary of all conceived aspects, nor is it intended to identify key or decisive elements of all aspects, nor to define the scope of any or all aspects. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of one or more aspects in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed descriptions that follow.

[0006] To overcome the aforementioned deficiencies in the prior art, this invention provides a buffer tank, a thin film deposition apparatus, a control method for the buffer tank, and a computer-readable storage medium. By measuring the gas pressure inside the buffer tank in real time and switching the pressure control mode according to multiple preset gas pressure thresholds, a combination of flow control and pressure control is achieved. This balances the pressure stability when the buffer tank delivers pulsed gas to the chamber with the concentration consistency within the chemical gas source, thereby improving the film deposition uniformity and process repeatability, and ultimately increasing the production efficiency and product yield of chip manufacturing.

[0007] Specifically, the buffer tank provided according to a first aspect of the present invention includes: a tank body, a first end of which is connected to a gas source, and a second end of which is connected to a process chamber; a pressure gauge located in the tank body; a flow regulating mechanism disposed in a first pipeline between the tank body and the gas source; and a controller configured to: acquire a measured gas pressure in the tank body via the pressure gauge; in response to the measured gas pressure being less than a preset first gas pressure threshold, inflate the tank body via the flow regulating mechanism at a constant first flow rate; and in response to the measured gas pressure being greater than or equal to the first gas pressure threshold but less than a preset second gas pressure threshold, dynamically determine a second flow rate based on the difference between the second gas pressure threshold and the measured gas pressure, and inflate the tank body at the second flow rate.

[0008] Furthermore, in some embodiments of the present invention, the second pressure threshold is the rated working pressure of the buffer tank supplying air to the process chamber, and the first pressure threshold is determined according to a preset ratio of the second pressure threshold, wherein the preset ratio is between 60% and 90%.

[0009] Furthermore, in some embodiments of the present invention, the step of inflating the tank at a constant first flow rate via the flow regulating mechanism includes: determining an inflation duration based on the difference between the first air pressure threshold and the measured air pressure; and inflating the tank at a constant flow rate based on the inflation duration and the first flow rate to raise the measured air pressure to the first air pressure threshold.

[0010] Furthermore, in some embodiments of the present invention, the flow regulating mechanism includes a mass flow controller and a first valve, wherein the step of filling the tank with gas at a constant first flow rate via the flow regulating mechanism includes: adjusting the first valve to a first opening degree corresponding to the first flow rate; acquiring the measured flow rate of gas in the first pipeline via the mass flow controller; and adjusting the control amount of the mass flow controller according to the difference between the measured flow rate and the first flow rate.

[0011] Furthermore, in some embodiments of the present invention, the flow regulation mechanism includes a mass flow controller and a first valve, wherein the step of dynamically determining the second flow rate based on the difference between the second pressure threshold and the measured pressure, and filling the tank with gas according to the second flow rate includes: dynamically determining the second opening degree corresponding to the first valve and the second flow rate corresponding to the second opening degree based on the difference between the second pressure threshold and the measured pressure; adjusting the first valve to the second opening degree, and collecting the measured flow rate of the gas in the first pipeline via the mass flow controller; and adjusting the control quantity of the mass flow controller based on the difference between the measured flow rate and the second flow rate.

[0012] Furthermore, in some embodiments of the present invention, a second valve is provided between the tank and the process chamber, and the controller is further configured to: close the first valve in response to the measured gas pressure being greater than or equal to the second gas pressure threshold to prevent the gas source from filling the tank; open the second valve in response to receiving a control command to supply gas to the process chamber to supply gas to the process chamber; and reopen the first valve in response to the measured gas pressure being less than or equal to a preset third gas pressure threshold to allow the gas source to fill the tank, wherein the third gas pressure threshold is not greater than the second gas pressure threshold.

[0013] Furthermore, in some embodiments of the present invention, the controller is further configured with a preset alarm range and is configured to: monitor whether the measured air pressure exceeds the alarm range in response to the opening of the second valve; and close the first valve and the second valve in response to the monitoring result that the measured air pressure exceeds the alarm range, and output an alarm signal.

[0014] Furthermore, in some embodiments of the present invention, the controller includes a programmable logic controller (PLC), and / or the gas source is selected from a precursor source or a reaction gas source for the thin film deposition process.

[0015] Furthermore, the thin film deposition apparatus provided according to the second aspect of the present invention includes: a gas source; a process chamber; and any of the buffer tanks provided by the first aspect of the present invention.

[0016] Furthermore, the control method for the buffer tank provided by the third aspect of the present invention includes the following steps: acquiring a measured air pressure in the tank body via a pressure gauge of any buffer tank provided by the first aspect of the present invention; in response to the measured air pressure being less than a preset first air pressure threshold, inflating the tank body at a constant first flow rate via a flow regulating mechanism; and in response to the measured air pressure being greater than or equal to the first air pressure threshold but less than a preset second air pressure threshold, dynamically determining a second flow rate based on the difference between the second air pressure threshold and the measured air pressure, and inflating the tank body at the second flow rate.

[0017] Furthermore, the computer-readable storage medium provided according to the fourth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, when the computer instructions are executed by a processor, the control method for the buffer tank provided by the third aspect of the present invention is implemented. Attached Figure Description

[0018] The above-described features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood after reading the following detailed description of embodiments of the present disclosure in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, components are not necessarily drawn to scale, and components having similar related characteristics or features may have the same or similar reference numerals.

[0019] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a buffer tank piping structure according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0020] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the control flow of a buffer tank according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0021] Figure label: Tank 11 Barometer 12 Flow regulating mechanism 13 Controller 14 Gas source 15 Process Chamber 16 Detailed Implementation

[0022] The following specific embodiments illustrate the implementation of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present invention from the content disclosed in this specification. Although the description of the present invention is presented in conjunction with preferred embodiments, this does not mean that the features of the invention are limited to these embodiments. On the contrary, the purpose of describing the invention in conjunction with embodiments is to cover other options or modifications that may be derived based on the claims of the present invention. To provide a thorough understanding of the invention, many specific details will be included in the following description. The invention may also be implemented without using these details. Furthermore, to avoid confusion or obscuring the focus of the invention, some specific details will be omitted in the description.

[0023] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0024] Furthermore, the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "top," "bottom," "horizontal," and "vertical" used in the following description should be understood as the orientations shown in the relevant paragraphs and accompanying drawings. These relative terms are for illustrative purposes only and do not imply that the described apparatus must be manufactured or operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as limiting the invention.

[0025] It is understood that although terms such as "first," "second," and "third" may be used herein to describe various components, regions, layers, and / or parts, these components, regions, layers, and / or parts should not be limited by these terms, and these terms are only used to distinguish different components, regions, layers, and / or parts. Therefore, the first components, regions, layers, and / or parts discussed below may be referred to as second components, regions, layers, and / or parts without departing from some embodiments of the present invention.

[0026] In existing technologies, the gas buffer tank is connected to a mass flow controller (PMC). The PMC controls the preset flow rate and buffer tank filling time, ensuring that the pressure inside the gas buffer tank reaches the process threshold after filling, thus delivering a rapid and stable supply of process gas to the deposition chamber. Currently, common buffer tank pressure control methods are mainly divided into flow control and pressure control. If flow control is used to maintain a constant flow rate of gas into the gas buffer tank for a certain period, the pressure in the buffer tank is prone to instability during each pulse of gas delivery to the chamber. Conversely, if pressure control is used to ensure stable pressure within the gas filling tank, the concentration of the chemical gas source will be unstable. Both of these buffer tank pressure control methods negatively impact the final film uniformity and process repeatability, reducing production efficiency and product yield.

[0027] To overcome the aforementioned deficiencies in the prior art, this invention provides a buffer tank, a thin film deposition apparatus, a control method for the buffer tank, and a computer-readable storage medium. By measuring the gas pressure inside the buffer tank in real time and switching the pressure control mode according to multiple preset gas pressure thresholds, a combination of flow control and pressure control is achieved. This balances the pressure stability when the buffer tank delivers pulsed gas to the chamber with the concentration consistency within the chemical gas source, thereby improving the film deposition uniformity and process repeatability, and ultimately increasing the production efficiency and product yield of chip manufacturing.

[0028] In some non-limiting embodiments, the buffer tank provided in the first aspect of the present invention can be installed in the thin film deposition apparatus provided in the second aspect of the present invention.

[0029] In some non-limiting embodiments, when the computer instructions stored on the computer-readable storage medium provided in the fourth aspect of the present invention are executed by a processor, the control method of the buffer tank provided in the third aspect of the present invention is implemented via the buffer tank provided in the first aspect of the present invention.

[0030] Please refer to the reference. Figures 1-2 .

[0031] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a buffer tank piping structure according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0032] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the control flow of a buffer tank according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0033] like Figure 1 As shown, the buffer tank provided by the first aspect of the present invention includes a tank body 11, a pressure gauge 12, a flow regulating mechanism 13, and a controller 14.

[0034] In some embodiments, the first end of the tank 11 is connected to the gas source 15, and the second end is connected to the process chamber 16.

[0035] Specifically, in some embodiments, the gas source 15 is selected from the precursor gas source of the thin film deposition process.

[0036] Optionally, in some embodiments, the gas source 15 is selected from the reaction gas source of the thin film deposition process.

[0037] Optionally, in some embodiments, the gas source 15 is selected from the carrier gas source of the thin film deposition process.

[0038] Optionally, in some embodiments, the gas source 15 is selected from the purge gas source of the thin film deposition process.

[0039] In some embodiments, the pressure gauge 12 is connected to the tank 11 to obtain the gas pressure inside the tank 11 in real time.

[0040] In some embodiments, the flow regulating mechanism 13 is provided in the first pipeline between the tank 11 and the gas source 15.

[0041] In some embodiments, the controller 14 is configured to: acquire the measured air pressure in the tank 11 via the pressure gauge 12; in response to the measured air pressure being less than a preset first air pressure threshold, inflate the tank 11 with air at a constant first flow rate via the flow regulating mechanism 13; and in response to the measured air pressure being greater than or equal to the first air pressure threshold but less than a preset second air pressure threshold, dynamically determine a second flow rate based on the difference between the second air pressure threshold and the measured air pressure, and inflate the tank 11 with air at the second flow rate.

[0042] Thus, the present invention measures the gas pressure in the buffer tank in real time using a pressure gauge 12, and compares the measured gas pressure in the tank with multiple preset pressure thresholds using a controller 14. Based on the judgment result, the control method of the pressure in the buffer tank is selected to combine the flow control method and the pressure control method. This takes into account the pressure stability when the buffer tank delivers pulse gas to the process chamber 16 and the concentration consistency inside the chemical gas source, thereby ensuring the uniformity of film formation and the repeatability of the thin film deposition process, and improving the production efficiency and product yield of chip manufacturing.

[0043] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the second pressure threshold is the rated operating pressure at which the buffer tank supplies air to the process chamber 16.

[0044] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the first air pressure threshold is determined based on a preset ratio of the second air pressure threshold, wherein the preset ratio is between 60% and 90%.

[0045] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the step of inflating the tank 11 at a constant first flow rate via the flow regulating mechanism 13 includes: determining the inflation duration based on the difference between a first pressure threshold and the measured pressure inside the tank measured by the pressure gauge 12; and inflating the tank 11 at a constant flow rate based on the inflation duration and the first flow rate to raise the measured pressure to the first pressure threshold.

[0046] Specifically, in some embodiments, the first pressure threshold is between 0 and 100 Torr.

[0047] Preferably, in some embodiments, the first pressure threshold is 60 Torr.

[0048] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the flow regulating mechanism 13 includes a mass flow controller and a first valve.

[0049] Furthermore, in some embodiments, inflating the tank 11 at a constant first flow rate via the flow regulating mechanism 13 includes the following steps: Step S01: Adjust the first valve to the first opening degree corresponding to the first flow rate.

[0050] Step S02: Collect the measured flow rate of the gas in the first pipeline via a mass flow controller.

[0051] Step S03: Based on the difference between the measured flow rate and the first flow rate, adjust the control quantity of the mass flow controller to control the measured flow rate at the first flow rate.

[0052] Thus, this invention combines a first valve with a lower adjustment frequency with a mass flow controller with a higher adjustment frequency. The valve is used to coarsely adjust the gas flow in the pipeline so that the measured gas flow is close to the first flow. Then, the mass flow controller collects the measured gas flow and performs fine adjustment based on the difference between the measured flow and the first flow. This allows the measured gas flow to be precisely controlled at the first flow, thereby extending the service life of the valve and the mass flow controller while improving the accuracy of gas flow control.

[0053] Furthermore, in some embodiments, dynamically determining the second flow rate based on the difference between the second pressure threshold and the measured pressure, and filling the tank 11 with air according to the second flow rate includes the following steps: Step S11: Based on the difference between the second air pressure threshold and the measured air pressure, dynamically determine the second opening degree corresponding to the first valve, and the second flow rate corresponding to the second opening degree.

[0054] Specifically, in some embodiments, the second pressure threshold is between 0 and 100 Torr.

[0055] Preferably, in some embodiments, the second pressure threshold is 80 Torr.

[0056] Step S12: Adjust the first valve to the second opening degree and collect the measured flow rate of the gas in the first pipeline via the mass flow controller.

[0057] Step S13: Adjust the control quantity of the mass flow controller according to the difference between the measured flow rate and the second flow rate, so as to control the measured flow rate at the second flow rate.

[0058] Thus, by combining a first valve with a lower adjustment frequency with a mass flow controller with a higher adjustment frequency, after dynamically determining the second flow rate and the second opening degree, the present invention first uses the valve to coarsely adjust the gas flow rate in the pipeline so that the measured gas flow rate is close to the second flow rate. Then, the mass flow controller collects the measured gas flow rate and performs fine-tuning based on the difference between the measured flow rate and the second flow rate to control the measured flow rate at the second flow rate. This further extends the service life of the valve and the mass flow controller and improves the accuracy of gas flow control in the pipeline.

[0059] Furthermore, in some embodiments, a second valve is provided between the tank 11 and the process chamber 16, and the controller 14 is further configured to close the first valve in response to the measured gas pressure being greater than or equal to the second gas pressure threshold, so as to prevent the gas source 15 from charging the tank 11.

[0060] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the controller 14 is also configured to: in response to receiving a control command to supply gas to the process chamber 16, open a second valve to supply gas to the process chamber 16.

[0061] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the controller 14 is also configured to: in response to the measured air pressure being less than or equal to a preset third air pressure threshold, reopen the first valve to allow the air source to fill the tank, wherein the third air pressure threshold is not greater than the second air pressure threshold.

[0062] Specifically, in some embodiments, the third pressure threshold is between 0 and 100 Torr.

[0063] Preferably, in some embodiments, the third pressure threshold is 79.5 Torr.

[0064] Thus, by setting a third gas pressure threshold for the controller 14 and dynamically adjusting the opening and closing of the valve according to multiple gas pressure thresholds, the present invention maintains the gas pressure value in the buffer tank at a stable level with the process gas pressure, thereby improving the pressure stability when the buffer tank delivers pulse gas to the process chamber 16, ensuring the film formation uniformity and process repeatability of the thin film deposition process, and thereby improving the production efficiency and product yield of chip manufacturing.

[0065] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the controller 14 is also configured with a preset alarm range and is configured to: in response to the opening of the second valve, monitor whether the measured air pressure exceeds the alarm range.

[0066] Specifically, in some embodiments, the preset alarm range is 95% to 105% of the second air pressure threshold.

[0067] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the controller 14 is also configured to stop monitoring the gas pressure inside the buffer tank in response to the closing of the second valve.

[0068] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the controller 14 is also configured to: in response to a monitoring result that the measured air pressure exceeds the alarm range, close the first valve and the second valve, stop the process in the process chamber 16, and output an alarm signal.

[0069] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the controller includes a PLC.

[0070] Thus, by using a PLC to adjust the valve opening based on the measured gas pressure in the buffer tank, this invention can effectively reduce control delay time, improve the control accuracy of gas flow in the pipeline, and thereby improve the production efficiency and product yield of semiconductor chip processing.

[0071] Furthermore, the thin film deposition apparatus provided by the second aspect of the present invention includes a gas source 15, a process chamber 16, and any of the buffer tanks provided by the first aspect of the present invention.

[0072] The working principle of the buffer tank described above will be described below with reference to some embodiments of the buffer tank control method. Those skilled in the art will understand that these embodiments of the control method are merely non-limiting implementations provided by the present invention, intended to clearly demonstrate the technical concept of the invention and provide some specific solutions convenient for public implementation, rather than limiting all working methods of the buffer tank. Similarly, the buffer tank described above is also merely a non-limiting implementation provided by the present invention and does not constitute a limitation on the execution order or the object of operation of the steps in the following control method.

[0073] like Figure 2 As shown, the control method for the buffer tank provided in the third aspect of the present invention includes the following steps: Step S21: Collect the measured air pressure in the tank 11 of any of the buffer tanks provided by the first aspect of the present invention via the air pressure gauge 12.

[0074] Step S22: In response to the measured air pressure being less than the preset first air pressure threshold, the tank 11 is filled with air at a constant first flow rate via the flow regulating mechanism 13.

[0075] Step S23: In response to the measured air pressure being greater than or equal to the first air pressure threshold, but less than the preset second air pressure threshold, the second flow rate is dynamically determined based on the difference between the second air pressure threshold and the measured air pressure, and the tank 11 is filled with air according to the second flow rate.

[0076] Furthermore, the fourth aspect of the present invention provides a computer-readable storage medium having computer instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implement the buffer tank control method provided by the third aspect of the present invention.

[0077] In summary, this invention provides a buffer tank, a thin film deposition apparatus, a control method for the buffer tank, and a computer-readable storage medium. By measuring the gas pressure inside the buffer tank in real time and switching the pressure control mode according to multiple preset pressure thresholds, a combination of flow control and pressure control is achieved. This balances the pressure stability when the buffer tank delivers pulsed gas to the chamber with the concentration consistency within the chemical gas source, thereby improving the film uniformity and process repeatability of the thin film deposition process, and ultimately increasing the production efficiency and product yield of chip manufacturing.

[0078] Although the methods described above are illustrated and depicted as a series of actions for the sake of simplicity, it should be understood and appreciated that these methods are not limited by the order of the actions, as some actions may occur in a different order and / or concurrently with other actions from the illustrations and descriptions herein or not illustrated and described herein but which may be understood by those skilled in the art, according to one or more embodiments.

[0079] Those skilled in the art will understand that information, signals, and data can be represented using any of a variety of different techniques and skills. For example, the data, instructions, commands, information, signals, bits, symbols, and chips described throughout the above description can be represented by voltage, current, electromagnetic waves, magnetic fields or magnetic particles, light fields or optical particles, or any combination thereof.

[0080] Those skilled in the art will further appreciate that the various illustrative logic blocks, modules, circuits, and algorithm steps described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented as electronic hardware, computer software, or a combination of both. To clearly illustrate this interchangeability between hardware and software, the various illustrative components, blocks, modules, circuits, and steps are described above in a generalized manner in terms of their functionality. Whether such functionality is implemented as hardware or software depends on the specific application and the design constraints imposed on the overall system. Those skilled in the art may implement the described functionality in different ways for each specific application, but such implementation decisions should not be construed as departing from the scope of the invention.

[0081] Although the controller described in the above embodiments can be implemented through a combination of software and hardware, it is understood that the controller can also be implemented in software or hardware. For hardware implementation, the controller can be implemented using one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), processors, controllers, microcontrollers, microprocessors, other electronic devices for performing the above functions, or a selection of combinations of the above devices. For software implementation, the controller can be implemented using independent software modules such as procedures and functions running on a general-purpose chip, each module performing one or more functions and operations described herein.

[0082] The various illustrative logic modules and circuits described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented or performed using a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. The general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but in alternatives, it may be any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. The processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, such as a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, multiple microprocessors, one or more microprocessors cooperating with a DSP core, or any other such configuration.

[0083] The steps of the methods or algorithms described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein may be embodied directly in hardware, in a software module executed by a processor, or in a combination of both. The software module may reside in RAM memory, flash memory, ROM memory, EPROM memory, EEPROM memory, registers, hard disk, removable disk, CD-ROM, or any other form of storage medium known in the art. An exemplary storage medium is coupled to a processor such that the processor can read and write information to / from the storage medium. In an alternative, the storage medium may be integrated into the processor. The processor and storage medium may reside in an ASIC. The ASIC may reside in a user terminal. In an alternative, the processor and storage medium may reside as discrete components in the user terminal.

[0084] In one or more exemplary embodiments, the described functionality may be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof. If implemented in software as a computer program product, the functionality may be stored or transmitted as one or more instructions or code on or through a computer-readable medium. A computer-readable medium includes both computer storage media and communication media, encompassing any medium that facilitates the transfer of a computer program from one location to another. A storage medium may be any available medium accessible to a computer. By way of example and not limitation, such a computer-readable medium may include RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disc storage, disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and is accessible to a computer. Any connection is also legitimately referred to as a computer-readable medium. For example, if the software is transmitted from a website, server, or other remote source using coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, digital subscriber line (DSL), or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave, then the coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, DSL, or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave are included in the definition of a medium. As used in this article, disk and disc include compact discs (CDs), laser discs, optical discs, digital multi-purpose discs (DVDs), floppy disks, and Blu-ray discs. Disks typically reproduce data magnetically, while discs reproduce data optically using lasers. Combinations of these should also be included within the scope of computer-readable media.

[0085] The prior description of this disclosure is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use this disclosure. Various modifications to this disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other variations without departing from the spirit or scope of this disclosure. Therefore, this disclosure is not intended to be limited to the examples and designs described herein, but should be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A surge tank characterized in that, The application relates to a gas supply system for a process chamber, comprising: a tank having a first end connected to a gas source and a second end connected to the process chamber; a gas pressure gauge arranged in the tank; a flow regulating mechanism arranged in a first pipeline between the tank and the gas source; and a controller configured to: collect a measured gas pressure in the tank via the gas pressure gauge; in response to the measured gas pressure being less than a preset first gas pressure threshold, supply the tank with gas at a constant first flow rate via the flow regulating mechanism; and in response to the measured gas pressure being greater than or equal to the first gas pressure threshold but less than a preset second gas pressure threshold, dynamically determine a second flow rate according to a difference between the second gas pressure threshold and the measured gas pressure, and supply the tank with gas at the second flow rate.

2. The surge tank of claim 1, wherein, The second gas pressure threshold is a rated working gas pressure of the tank for supplying gas to the process chamber, and the first gas pressure threshold is determined according to a preset ratio of the second gas pressure threshold, wherein the preset ratio is between 60% and 90%.

3. The surge tank of claim 1, wherein, The step of supplying the tank with gas at a constant first flow rate via the flow regulating mechanism comprises: determining a gas supply duration according to a difference between the first gas pressure threshold and the measured gas pressure; and supplying the tank with gas at a constant current according to the gas supply duration and the first flow rate, so as to raise the measured gas pressure to the first gas pressure threshold.

4. The surge tank of claim 1, wherein, The flow regulating mechanism comprises: a mass flow controller and a first valve, wherein the step of supplying the tank with gas at a constant first flow rate via the flow regulating mechanism comprises: adjusting the first valve to a first opening degree corresponding to the first flow rate; collecting a measured flow rate of gas in the first pipeline via the mass flow controller; and adjusting a control amount of the mass flow controller according to a difference between the measured flow rate and the first flow rate.

5. The surge tank of claim 1, wherein, The flow regulating mechanism comprises a mass flow controller and a first valve, wherein the step of dynamically determining a second flow rate according to a difference between the second gas pressure threshold and the measured gas pressure, and supplying the tank with gas at the second flow rate comprises: dynamically determining a second opening degree of the first valve corresponding to the second flow rate, and a second flow rate corresponding to the second opening degree, according to a difference between the second gas pressure threshold and the measured gas pressure; adjusting the first valve to the second opening degree, and collecting a measured flow rate of gas in the first pipeline via the mass flow controller; and adjusting a control amount of the mass flow controller according to a difference between the measured flow rate and the second flow rate.

6. The surge tank of claim 4 or 5, wherein, The tank and the process chamber are further provided with a second valve, and the controller is further configured to: in response to the measured gas pressure being greater than or equal to the second gas pressure threshold, close the first valve to prevent the gas source from supplying gas to the tank; in response to receiving a control instruction for supplying gas to the process chamber, open the second valve to supply gas to the process chamber; and in response to the measured gas pressure being less than or equal to a preset third gas pressure threshold, reopen the first valve to allow the gas source to supply gas to the tank, wherein the third gas pressure threshold is not greater than the second gas pressure threshold.

7. The surge tank of claim 6, wherein, The controller is further configured with a preset alarm interval, and is configured to: monitor whether the measured air pressure exceeds the alarm interval in response to opening of the second valve; and in response to a monitoring result that the measured air pressure exceeds the alarm interval, close the first valve and the second valve, and output an alarm signal.

8. The surge tank of claim 1, wherein, The controller comprises a PLC, and / or The gas source is selected from a precursor source or a reaction gas source of a thin film deposition process.

9. A thin film deposition apparatus, characterized by, It comprises: a gas source; a process chamber; and a buffer tank as claimed in any one of claims 1-8.

10. A control method of a surge tank, characterized by, It comprises the following steps: collecting a measured air pressure in a tank body of a buffer tank as claimed in any one of claims 1-8 via an air pressure gauge of the buffer tank; in response to the measured air pressure being less than a preset first air pressure threshold, charging the tank body with air at a constant first flow rate via a flow rate adjusting mechanism; and in response to the measured air pressure being greater than or equal to the first air pressure threshold but less than a preset second air pressure threshold, dynamically determining a second flow rate according to a difference between the second air pressure threshold and the measured air pressure, and charging the tank body with air at the second flow rate.

11. A computer readable storage medium having stored thereon computer instructions, wherein, The computer instructions, when executed by a processor, implement a control method of a buffer tank as claimed in claim 10.

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