Operation safety protection method for semiconductor silicon wafer manufacturing equipment

Abstract

An operation safety protection method for semiconductor silicon wafer manufacturing equipment is suitable for a collaborative operation process among carrying equipment, production equipment and wafer baskets, and comprises the following steps: deploying sensor groups at key parts of the carrying equipment and the production equipment, and collecting equipment action state parameters in real time; the data uploaded by the sensor group are received through the central controller, and pre-check before operation is executed; when the carrying equipment executes a placement action, the central controller synchronously performs dynamic monitoring during operation; if abnormity is detected, the central controller triggers a safety mode and executes an abnormity processing flow, and logic interlocking and safety intervention between the devices are achieved. According to the method, the production efficiency and the equipment utilization rate are improved, the task response time is greatly shortened, the carrying path conflict rate is remarkably reduced, the flexible production capacity is enhanced, order fluctuation and sudden anomalies can be efficiently handled, meanwhile, manual intervention is greatly reduced, and whole-process intelligence and automation of silicon wafer carrying and dispatching are achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of semiconductor manufacturing technology, and in particular relates to a safety protection method for collaborative operation between equipment during semiconductor silicon wafer manufacturing. Background Technology

[0002] In the semiconductor silicon wafer manufacturing process, wafer baskets need to be transported, processed, and then transported again in a cyclical manner, coordinated with production equipment such as slicing machines and cleaning machines using automated guided vehicles (AGVs), robotic arms, and other handling equipment. Current technologies heavily rely on the precise synchronization and real-time feedback of equipment control systems, but in actual operation, two typical risks are frequently encountered: first, time overlap and conflict, where the production equipment starts the processing program before the handling equipment has fully placed the wafer basket, leading to collisions between the robotic arm and the wafer basket, causing damage to the basket or scratches on the silicon wafer surface; second, signal interference, where communication links between equipment are prone to abnormalities, such as electromagnetic interference, data delays, or protocol incompatibility, causing production equipment to misjudge the wafer basket's status, such as mistakenly determining it is in place and starting processing, leading to safety accidents. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a method that can reliably and in real-time ensure the safety of collaborative operations between equipment. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This application provides a method for protecting the safety of semiconductor silicon wafer manufacturing equipment, which solves the safety risks of mechanical collisions and silicon wafer damage that are easily caused by asynchronous action timing and unreliable communication signals during collaborative operations in the prior art.

[0004] To solve at least one of the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical solution adopted in this application is:

[0005] A method for ensuring operational safety in semiconductor silicon wafer manufacturing equipment, applicable to collaborative operations between handling equipment, production equipment, and wafer baskets, comprising the following steps:

[0006] Sensor arrays are deployed at key parts of handling and production equipment to collect equipment operation status parameters in real time.

[0007] The central controller receives data uploaded by the sensor group and performs pre-operation checks.

[0008] While the handling equipment is performing placement operations, the central controller simultaneously performs dynamic monitoring of the operation.

[0009] If an anomaly is detected, the central controller triggers a safety mode and executes an anomaly handling process to achieve logical interlocking and safety intervention between devices.

[0010] Furthermore, the sensor group includes:

[0011] Position sensors installed at the end of the robotic arm of a handling equipment and / or on the positioning platform of a production equipment are used to detect the deviation between the actual position of the tray and the target position.

[0012] A speed sensor integrated into the drive motor of a robotic arm in a material handling device is used to capture changes in the speed of the robotic arm's movement.

[0013] Force sensors installed on the end effector of a robotic arm are used to monitor contact forces during the grasping or placement of a basket.

[0014] Status sensors deployed on the processing chamber doors and / or transmission mechanisms of production equipment are used to monitor whether the production equipment is in an operational state.

[0015] Furthermore, the position sensor is a laser rangefinder or a visual positioning sensor; the force sensor is a strain gauge force sensor; and the status sensor is a proximity switch or a photoelectric sensor.

[0016] Furthermore, the pre-operation checks include:

[0017] When the conveying equipment receives a command to place the tray, the central controller checks the command parameters of the conveying equipment against the current status of the production equipment.

[0018] Read data from the position sensor to determine whether the deviation between the current position of the conveying equipment and the target position is within a preset first safety range;

[0019] If the verification fails or the positional deviation exceeds the first safety range, a pause command is sent to the handling equipment and an alarm is triggered.

[0020] Furthermore, the dynamic monitoring during the operation includes hardware intervention operations, specifically:

[0021] During the placement process of the handling equipment, the central controller compares the data uploaded by the sensor group with the preset command safety threshold in real time;

[0022] If the position sensor data indicates that the position deviation exceeds the preset second safety range, or the force sensor data indicates that the contact force exceeds the preset force threshold, an emergency stop signal is immediately sent to the drive mechanism of the conveying equipment.

[0023] Furthermore, the dynamic monitoring in the operation also includes a system verification operation, specifically:

[0024] The central controller acquires real-time sensor data from the material handling equipment and status sensor data from the production equipment.

[0025] A command to start processing is sent to the production equipment only if both of the following conditions are met:

[0026] (a) Sensor data from the handling equipment confirms that the tray has been stably placed, including: the positional deviation is within a preset small range, the speed is close to being stationary, and the contact force is within a preset safe contact force range;

[0027] (b) Data from the production equipment status sensors confirm that the processing conditions are ready, including: the processing chamber door is closed, the vacuum level meets the standard, and the temperature is stable.

[0028] Furthermore, the condition for the basket to be stably placed is determined by the central controller by comprehensively judging whether the real-time data of the position sensor, speed sensor and force sensor all meet their respective preset stability thresholds.

[0029] Furthermore, the anomaly handling process is triggered when the central controller detects a communication delay timeout or continuous abnormal fluctuations in sensor data, including:

[0030] Control the handling equipment to maintain its current position and lock its joints;

[0031] Control the production equipment to halt all operations and keep its processing chambers sealed;

[0032] At the same time, a prompt message containing the specific fault type is sent to the operating terminal.

[0033] Furthermore, the central controller is a programmable logic controller or an industrial computer, which internally stores and runs interlocking algorithm programs for implementing the pre-operation inspection, dynamic monitoring during operation, and anomaly handling processes.

[0034] Furthermore, the sensor array is connected to the central controller via an industrial Ethernet network.

[0035] This application discloses a method for ensuring operational safety in semiconductor silicon wafer manufacturing equipment. Through the synergy of real-time hardware monitoring and system logic interlocks, it significantly enhances the safety of operations between devices, preventing potential collisions before they occur via high-speed data acquisition and emergency stop mechanisms. Secondly, multi-parameter sensor coverage and anti-interference communication design improve the overall reliability and fault tolerance of the system, enabling it to stably adapt to complex industrial environments. Finally, this solution is primarily achieved by adding standardized peripherals, eliminating the need for large-scale modifications to the main equipment. This achieves high-level safety protection while offering advantages such as ease of implementation and low maintenance costs, effectively ensuring the continuous, efficient, and safe operation of semiconductor production lines. This method improves production efficiency and equipment utilization, significantly shortens task response time, reduces transport path conflict rates, enhances flexible production capabilities, and efficiently responds to order fluctuations and unexpected anomalies. Simultaneously, it greatly reduces manual intervention, achieving full-process intelligent and automated silicon wafer transport and dispatching. Attached Figure Description

[0036] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of the semiconductor silicon wafer manufacturing equipment operation safety protection method in this application. Detailed Implementation

[0037] The present application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0038] This embodiment proposes a safety protection method for semiconductor silicon wafer manufacturing equipment, applicable to collaborative operations between handling equipment, production equipment, and wafer baskets, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the steps include:

[0039] S1. Deploy sensor groups at key parts of handling and production equipment to collect equipment operation status parameters in real time.

[0040] Sensor arrays are deployed on key components of handling and production equipment. These arrays are designed to address critical action points where potential risks may arise during the collaborative operation of the trays between devices. The aim is to comprehensively and in real-time digitally reproduce the physical state of the handling and placement process, providing timely and accurate data input for subsequent pre-checks and dynamic monitoring by the central controller.

[0041] The sensor group includes: a position sensor for detecting the deviation between the actual position and the target position of the tray, typically installed at the end of the robotic arm of the handling equipment and / or the positioning platform of the production equipment; a speed sensor for detecting changes in the moving speed of the robotic arm, integrated into the drive motor of the robotic arm of the handling equipment; a force sensor for monitoring the contact force during the grasping or placing of the tray, installed on the end effector of the robotic arm; and a status sensor for monitoring whether the production equipment is in an operational state, mainly deployed in the processing chamber door and / or transmission mechanism of the production equipment. Among these, the position sensor is generally a laser rangefinder or a visual positioning sensor; the speed sensor is generally an encoder; the force sensor is generally a strain gauge force sensor; and the status sensor is generally a proximity switch or a photoelectric sensor.

[0042] By deploying a hardware network consisting of position, speed, force, and equipment status sensors at critical parts of equipment at risk of collision and damage, and establishing a high-speed, reliable real-time data link, digital perception of complex collaborative operations between semiconductor manufacturing equipment can be achieved.

[0043] S2. Receive data uploaded by the sensor group through the central controller and perform pre-operation checks.

[0044] Based on the real-time sensor data acquired in step S1, especially the equipment status and initial position, and combined with predetermined work instructions, the feasibility and safety of this collaborative operation are simulated and verified in advance at the logical level. This involves a comprehensive safety check proactively performed by the central controller before the handling equipment officially begins the physical action of placing the silicon wafer basket.

[0045] The central controller is a programmable logic controller (PLC) or an industrial computer (IPC), which internally stores and runs interlocking algorithm programs to implement the pre-operation inspection, dynamic monitoring during operation, and anomaly handling processes. The sensor group is connected to the central controller via an industrial Ethernet network. The central controller receives sensor data via the industrial Ethernet network at a sampling frequency of no less than 1 kHz and uses an electromagnetic interference-resistant communication protocol for data transmission to ensure low latency and high reliability of data in complex workshop environments.

[0046] Pre-operation checks include:

[0047] When the material handling equipment receives a placement instruction for the tray, the central controller verifies the instruction parameters of the material handling equipment against the current state of the production equipment. The purpose is to ensure that the collaborative operation is logically consistent; that is, the action the material handling equipment is about to perform matches the current physical state of the production equipment. This effectively prevents logical conflicts such as the production equipment still processing while the material handling equipment has already received a placement instruction, thus eliminating risks from a planning perspective.

[0048] The central processing unit reads and analyzes real-time data from the position sensors deployed on the handling equipment, calculates the deviation between the current position of the handling equipment and the target position in the instruction, and determines whether the deviation between the current position of the handling equipment and the target position is within a preset first safety range.

[0049] If the verification fails or the positional deviation exceeds the first safety range, a pause command is sent to the handling equipment and an alarm is triggered to notify the operator.

[0050] The process is only allowed to proceed if both of the above conditions are met. If either condition is not met, the process will be forcibly interrupted before the action begins. By identifying and intercepting risks caused by asynchronous equipment states, improper initial positioning, etc., before the physical action occurs, every collaborative operation is ensured to start from a verified safety baseline, laying the foundation for real-time dynamic monitoring in subsequent operations. This step achieves proactive risk prevention, avoiding blind operation of the system under known unsafe conditions.

[0051] S3. When the handling equipment performs the placement action, the central controller synchronously performs dynamic monitoring of the operation.

[0052] Dynamic monitoring during operations includes hardware intervention and system verification, which together form a real-time, proactive, and multi-layered safety protection network.

[0053] Hardware intervention is designed to respond to sudden anomalies as quickly as possible and prevent collisions; specifically:

[0054] During the placement process of the handling equipment, the central controller receives data streams from position, speed, and force sensors thousands of times per second in real time. It then performs millisecond-level continuous comparisons between the data uploaded by these sensor groups and the preset safety thresholds for the current operation. The aim is to achieve instantaneous and continuous safety assessment of the equipment's movement status, providing a basis for immediate intervention.

[0055] The safety threshold range can be dynamically adjusted according to different process stages, and the central controller supports a self-learning optimization mechanism based on historical operating data to continuously improve the accuracy of safety judgment and response efficiency.

[0056] If the position sensor data indicates a position deviation exceeding a preset second safety range, or the force sensor data indicates a contact force exceeding a preset force threshold, the central controller immediately sends an emergency stop signal to the drive mechanism of the conveying equipment, directly cutting off the motor power or triggering mechanical braking. When an imminent collision or crushing is detected, the system directly forces a stop in the fastest and safest way to address safety protection operations in response to sudden mechanical failures.

[0057] The system verification operation aims to ensure the absolute correctness of the collaborative logic and prevent accidental startup; specifically:

[0058] The central controller acquires real-time sensor data from the handling equipment and status sensor data from the production equipment. It only sends a command to the production equipment to allow processing to begin when both of the following conditions are met simultaneously:

[0059] (a) Sensor data from the handling equipment confirms that the tray has been stably placed, including: positional deviation within a preset small range, speed close to rest, and contact force within a preset safe contact force range. The purpose is to verify the quality and stability of the placement action. The condition for stable placement of the tray is determined by the central controller by comprehensively judging whether the real-time data from the position sensor, speed sensor, and force sensor all meet their respective preset stability thresholds.

[0060] (b) Data from the production equipment status sensors confirms that the processing conditions are ready, including: the processing chamber door is closed, the vacuum level is met, and the temperature is stable. The purpose is to confirm that the production equipment itself is in a safe operating internal condition.

[0061] An authorization command to start processing is sent to the production equipment's control system only when both conditions—confirmation of the placement status of the handling equipment and confirmation of the production equipment's readiness status—are met simultaneously. If either condition is not met, the authorization command will remain blocked. The start-up of the production equipment depends not only on its own readiness signal but also on authorization from the handling equipment confirming successful placement. This fundamentally resolves time overlap conflicts caused by signal interference, communication delays, or unilateral misjudgments, and is a crucial condition for ensuring the absolute safety of multi-equipment collaborative operations.

[0062] This step involves the central controller synchronously and in parallel executing hardware intervention and system verification operations throughout the placement process of the handling equipment. The hardware intervention operation compares sensor data with safety thresholds in real time and triggers an emergency stop when thresholds are exceeded, achieving millisecond-level rapid prevention of physical collision risks. The system verification operation comprehensively assesses the placement stability of the handling equipment and the readiness status of the production equipment, authorizing the production equipment to start only when both conditions are met, thus achieving interlocking of the collaborative logic between the equipment. Together, these two operations form a comprehensive, real-time, dynamic safety protection system, ensuring that the collaborative operation is completed safely and accurately under controlled conditions.

[0063] S4. If an anomaly is detected, the central controller triggers the safety mode and executes the anomaly handling process to achieve logical interlocking and safety intervention between devices.

[0064] The anomaly handling process is triggered when the central controller detects a communication delay exceeding a set time limit, continuous abnormal fluctuations in sensor data, or protocol parsing failure. The central controller simultaneously sends the highest-priority control commands to both the handling equipment and the production equipment, achieving instantaneous physical isolation and state freeze of the risk. It forcibly executes the following actions, including:

[0065] In safety mode, the control device maintains its current position and locks its joints. This means that the control device immediately stops all movements, maintains its current position, and locks its joints, preventing it from moving unexpectedly due to gravity, inertia, or false signals.

[0066] Controlling the production equipment to stop all operations and keep its processing chamber closed means controlling the production equipment to immediately stop all operations and keep the processing chamber closed to prevent external interference from entering or internal components from moving unexpectedly.

[0067] Simultaneously, the central controller sends a prompt message containing the specific fault type to the operating terminal to guide maintenance personnel in quickly locating the source of the problem. In safe mode, the central controller continuously prohibits all automatic or remote operation start commands; this includes keeping material handling equipment and production equipment locked and preventing automatic recovery. Authorized maintenance personnel must complete the troubleshooting and repair on-site and then perform a fault reset on the operating terminal or press the dedicated reset button to exit safe mode. This typically requires restarting the complete work process from step S1 or step S2.

[0068] When the system determines that it can no longer safely execute the predetermined work process, it cannot simply stop the current instruction. Instead, it must proactively and systematically control and maintain all relevant equipment in a deterministic safe state according to a preset procedure, while providing clear fault information. This prevents the anomaly from escalating, ensures on-site safety, and creates conditions for manual intervention and recovery. This achieves closed-loop management from anomaly occurrence, risk containment, fault diagnosis to safe recovery, greatly improving the risk resistance and accident handling efficiency of the entire collaborative operation system.

[0069] This application discloses a method for ensuring operational safety in semiconductor silicon wafer manufacturing equipment. Through the synergy of real-time hardware monitoring and system logic interlocks, it significantly enhances the safety of operations between devices, preventing potential collisions before they occur via high-speed data acquisition and emergency stop mechanisms. Secondly, multi-parameter sensor coverage and anti-interference communication design improve the overall reliability and fault tolerance of the system, enabling it to stably adapt to complex industrial environments. Finally, this solution is primarily achieved by adding standardized peripherals, eliminating the need for large-scale modifications to the main equipment. This achieves high-level safety protection while offering advantages such as ease of implementation and low maintenance costs, effectively ensuring the continuous, efficient, and safe operation of semiconductor production lines. This method improves production efficiency and equipment utilization, significantly shortens task response time, reduces transport path conflict rates, enhances flexible production capabilities, and efficiently responds to order fluctuations and unexpected anomalies. Simultaneously, it greatly reduces manual intervention, achieving full-process intelligent and automated silicon wafer transport and dispatching.

[0070] The embodiments of this application have been described in detail above. These descriptions are merely preferred embodiments and should not be construed as limiting the scope of this application. All equivalent variations and modifications made within the scope of this application should still fall within the patent coverage of this application.

Claims

1. A method for ensuring operational safety in semiconductor silicon wafer manufacturing equipment, applicable to the collaborative operation process between handling equipment, production equipment, and wafer baskets, characterized in that the steps include... include: Sensor arrays are deployed at key parts of handling and production equipment to collect equipment operation status parameters in real time. The central controller receives data uploaded by the sensor group and performs pre-operation checks. While the handling equipment is performing placement operations, the central controller simultaneously performs dynamic monitoring of the operation. If an anomaly is detected, the central controller triggers a safety mode and executes an anomaly handling process to achieve logical interlocking and safety intervention between devices.

2. The method for ensuring operational safety of semiconductor silicon wafer manufacturing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sensor group includes: Position sensors installed at the end of the robotic arm of a handling equipment and / or on the positioning platform of a production equipment are used to detect the deviation between the actual position of the tray and the target position. A speed sensor integrated into the drive motor of a robotic arm in a material handling device is used to capture changes in the speed of the robotic arm's movement. Force sensors installed on the end effector of a robotic arm are used to monitor contact forces during the grasping or placement of a basket. Status sensors deployed on the processing chamber doors and / or transmission mechanisms of production equipment are used to monitor whether the production equipment is in an operational state.

3. The method for ensuring operational safety of semiconductor silicon wafer manufacturing equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that, The position sensor is a laser rangefinder or a visual positioning sensor; the force sensor is a strain gauge force sensor; and the status sensor is a proximity switch or a photoelectric sensor.

4. The method for ensuring operational safety of semiconductor silicon wafer manufacturing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pre-operation checks include: When the conveying equipment receives a command to place the tray, the central controller checks the command parameters of the conveying equipment against the current status of the production equipment. Read data from the position sensor to determine whether the deviation between the current position of the conveying equipment and the target position is within a preset first safety range; If the verification fails or the positional deviation exceeds the first safety range, a pause command is sent to the handling equipment and an alarm is triggered.

5. A method for ensuring operational safety in semiconductor silicon wafer manufacturing equipment according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The dynamic monitoring during the operation includes hardware intervention operations, specifically: During the placement process of the handling equipment, the central controller compares the data uploaded by the sensor group with the preset command safety threshold in real time; If the position sensor data indicates that the position deviation exceeds the preset second safety range, or the force sensor data indicates that the contact force exceeds the preset force threshold, an emergency stop signal is immediately sent to the drive mechanism of the conveying equipment.

6. A method for ensuring operational safety in semiconductor silicon wafer manufacturing equipment according to claim 5, characterized in that, The dynamic monitoring in the operation also includes system verification operations, specifically: The central controller acquires real-time sensor data from the material handling equipment and status sensor data from the production equipment. A command to start processing is sent to the production equipment only if both of the following conditions are met: (a) Sensor data from the handling equipment confirms that the tray has been stably placed, including: the positional deviation is within a preset small range, the speed is close to being stationary, and the contact force is within a preset safe contact force range; (b) Data from the production equipment status sensors confirm that the processing conditions are ready, including: the processing chamber door is closed, the vacuum level meets the standard, and the temperature is stable.

7. A method for ensuring operational safety in semiconductor silicon wafer manufacturing equipment according to claim 5, characterized in that, The condition under which the basket is stably placed is determined by the central controller by comprehensively judging whether the real-time data from the position sensor, speed sensor, and force sensor all meet their respective preset stability thresholds.

8. The method for ensuring operational safety of semiconductor silicon wafer manufacturing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The anomaly handling process is triggered when the central controller detects a communication delay timeout or continuous abnormal fluctuations in sensor data, including: Control the handling equipment to maintain its current position and lock its joints; Control the production equipment to halt all operations and keep its processing chambers sealed; At the same time, a prompt message containing the specific fault type is sent to the operating terminal.

9. A method for ensuring operational safety in semiconductor silicon wafer manufacturing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The central controller is a programmable logic controller or an industrial computer, which internally stores and runs interlocking algorithm programs for implementing the pre-operation inspection, dynamic monitoring during operation, and anomaly handling processes.

10. A method for ensuring operational safety in semiconductor silicon wafer manufacturing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sensor array is connected to the central controller via an industrial Ethernet network.

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