Semiconductor wafer process multi-source heat pump ai adaptive closed dehumidification module and method

Abstract

The application provides a semiconductor wafer process multi-source heat pump AI adaptive closed dehumidification module and method, relates to the technical field of semiconductor manufacturing, and comprises a closed circulation air duct in communication with a semiconductor wafer process microenvironment, wherein a high disturbance dehumidification section, a reheating section and a low disturbance rectification recovery section are sequentially arranged. A circulating fan drives air flow, and a multi-source heat pump system exchanges heat with the dehumidification section and the reheating section. A sensor collects environmental and equipment event parameters, and a control unit adjusts the multi-source heat pump, the fan and an adjustable air flow distribution mechanism in the dehumidification section according to a wet load state. The dehumidification section utilizes spiral diffusion plates and condensation heat exchange components to generate rotary diffusion and through-flow disturbance to separate water vapor; the rectification section reduces air flow disturbance to ensure that the treated air returns to the microenvironment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of semiconductor manufacturing technology, specifically relating to a multi-source heat pump AI adaptive closed-loop dehumidification module and method for semiconductor wafer fabrication. Background Technology

[0002] In semiconductor wafer fabrication processes, wafers typically need to be loaded, transferred, temporarily stored, or connected to process equipment within microenvironments such as the internal space of the EFEM, the space adjacent to the FOUP interface, the space adjacent to the load port, the wafer transport channel, and the internal space of local process enclosures. These microenvironments have high requirements for air conditions, especially humidity levels, dew point stability, and the degree of airflow disturbance. Unstable humidity control can easily lead to the intrusion of external humid air into the target microenvironment, thereby affecting the wafer surface condition, local process consistency, and the reliable operation of related components. Under certain conditions, it may also cause condensation, contamination, or process fluctuations.

[0003] In existing technologies, humidity control typically employs methods such as condensation dehumidification, heat pump dehumidification, reheated air supply, or supplying dry gas to localized spaces to reduce ambient humidity or dew point. However, the microenvironment of semiconductor wafer fabrication processes differs from that of ordinary industrial environments. It not only requires humidity control but also demands that the treated air exhibit low disturbance and good flow field stability upon returning to the target microenvironment. This is to prevent external humid air from re-entering due to airflow turbulence, local flow field instability, or adverse effects on the cleanliness of the microenvironment.

[0004] On the other hand, to improve condensation dehumidification efficiency, existing dehumidification modules typically enhance the heat and mass transfer process between air and the heat exchange surface by increasing air velocity, incorporating airflow guides, or employing enhanced heat exchange structures. However, these enhancement measures often focus on increasing the degree of disturbance within the dehumidification module. If the air subjected to this strong disturbance is directly returned to the microenvironment of the semiconductor wafer fabrication process, it can easily lead to increased airflow fluctuations in the downstream area, which is detrimental to maintaining a stable microenvironment. Therefore, existing technologies generally suffer from the problem of being unable to simultaneously achieve both high dehumidification efficiency and low-disturbance airflow.

[0005] Furthermore, during the operation of semiconductor equipment, events related to changes in moisture load frequently occur, such as FOUP positioning, load port opening or closing, equipment door opening and closing, wafer batch switching, and equipment switching between standby, preheating, operation, and maintenance states. These events often cause rapid changes in the moisture load within the microenvironment. Most existing dehumidification control methods still rely on reactive feedback adjustment, meaning adjustments are made only after the environmental conditions have shifted. This results in response lag and long recovery times, making it difficult to meet the requirements of rapid recovery and stable control in the microenvironment of semiconductor wafer fabrication processes.

[0006] Furthermore, most existing heat pump dehumidification systems employ a single heat source or a relatively simple heat source switching method, which does not fully utilize the heat source in coordination under different operating conditions. As a result, there is still room for improvement in the system's adaptability and operational economy under short-term humidity load changes. Summary of the Invention

[0007] This application provides a multi-source heat pump AI adaptive closed-loop dehumidification module and method for semiconductor wafer fabrication processes to solve one of the aforementioned technical problems.

[0008] The technical solution adopted in this application is as follows: This application provides a semiconductor wafer fabrication multi-source heat pump AI adaptive closed-loop dehumidification module, including: A closed-loop air duct connected to the microenvironment of the semiconductor wafer fabrication process; The high-disturbance dehumidification section, reheat section, and low-disturbance rectification and recovery section are arranged sequentially along the airflow direction of the closed-loop air duct. A circulating fan installed in the closed-loop air duct; A multi-source heat pump system that is heat exchanged with the high-disturbance dehumidification section and the reheat section; The sensor array is used to collect environmental state parameters of the semiconductor wafer fabrication process microenvironment and event state parameters related to the operation of semiconductor equipment; The control unit is electrically connected to the adjustable airflow distribution mechanism in the multi-source heat pump system, the sensor group, the circulating fan, and the high-disturbance dehumidification section, respectively. The high-disturbance dehumidification section includes at least one spiral diffuser assembly, a condenser heat exchange assembly located downstream of the spiral diffuser assembly, and the adjustable airflow distribution mechanism. The condenser heat exchange assembly has a porous flow guiding structure, which is used to form a rotating diffusion flow and a through-flow disturbance flow in the high-disturbance dehumidification section from the return air from the semiconductor wafer process microenvironment, and to condense and precipitate water vapor in the return air on the surface of the condenser heat exchange assembly. The low-disturbance rectification and recovery section includes rectification components for reducing the airflow disturbance degree after being treated by the high-disturbance dehumidification section; The control unit is used to identify the wet load state based on the environmental state parameters and the event state parameters, and adjust the multi-source heat pump system, the circulating fan and the adjustable airflow distribution mechanism so that the air is sent back to the semiconductor wafer process microenvironment after being processed by the high-disturbance dehumidification section, the reheat section and the low-disturbance rectification and recovery section.

[0009] According to one embodiment of this application, the semiconductor wafer fabrication microenvironment is any one of the following: the internal space of the EFEM, the adjacent space of the FOUP interface, the adjacent space of the load port, the wafer transport channel, or the internal space of a local process enclosure.

[0010] According to one embodiment of this application, the spiral diffuser assembly has a spiral diffuser installation angle of 35° to 55°; the spiral diffuser assembly is a two-stage or multi-stage structure, and adjacent spiral diffusers are arranged in the same direction or alternately in opposite directions.

[0011] According to one embodiment of this application, the porous flow guiding structure includes at least one of perforated fins, porous flow guiding plates, porous heat exchange layers sleeved on the outside of heat exchange tubes, and microgroove array structures; the pore diameter of the porous flow guiding structure is 0.2 mm to 2 mm.

[0012] According to one embodiment of this application, a drain assembly is further provided below the condensation heat exchange assembly, the drain assembly being used to directionally collect and seal off the condensed liquid.

[0013] According to one embodiment of this application, the low-disturbance rectification recovery section further includes an end-of-line filter component; the rectification component includes at least one of a honeycomb rectifier, a damping porous plate, and a static pressure chamber, and the end-of-line filter component includes at least one of a HEPA filter, a ULPA filter, and an FFU.

[0014] According to one embodiment of this application, the multi-source heat pump system is connected to at least two cold and heat sources and is provided with a source-side switching valve group; the control unit is used to select the operating source-side combination according to the identified wet load state.

[0015] The second aspect of this application provides a multi-source heat pump AI adaptive closed-loop dehumidification method for semiconductor wafer fabrication, including the following steps: S1. Collect environmental status parameters of the semiconductor wafer fabrication process microenvironment and event status parameters related to the operation of semiconductor equipment; S2. Based on the environmental state parameters and the event state parameters, identify the current wet load state, obtain the current wet load state identification result, and predict the wet load change within a preset time window to obtain the wet load change prediction result. S3. Based on the current wet load status identification result and the wet load change prediction result, adjust the multi-source heat pump system, circulating fan and adjustable airflow distribution mechanism so that the return air from the semiconductor wafer process microenvironment forms a rotating diffusion flow and a through-flow disturbance flow in the high disturbance dehumidification section, and condenses and precipitates moisture on the surface of the condensation heat exchange component. S4. The air processed by the high-disturbance dehumidification section is reheated and then sent back to the semiconductor wafer process microenvironment after the airflow disturbance is reduced by the low-disturbance rectification and recovery section. S5. Re-collect the environmental state parameters, and perform closed-loop correction on the multi-source heat pump system, the circulating fan, and the adjustable airflow distribution mechanism based on the re-collected environmental state parameters.

[0016] According to one embodiment of this application, the environmental state parameters include at least one of temperature parameters, relative humidity parameters, dew point parameters, wind speed parameters, and pressure difference parameters; The event status parameters include at least one of the following: FOUP in position, FOUP out position, load port open, load port closed, equipment door open / closed, wafer batch switching, and equipment standby, preheating, operation, and maintenance states.

[0017] According to one embodiment of this application, when the predicted result of the wet load change indicates that a short-term wet load will occur, the multi-source heat pump system is controlled to improve the dehumidification capacity of the high-disturbance dehumidification section. When the predicted wet load change results indicate that a short-term wet load has occurred, or when the re-collected environmental state parameters deviate from the set control range, the reheating capacity of the reheat section is increased, and the air supply status of the circulating fan and / or the low-disturbance rectifier recovery section is adjusted to shorten the recovery time of the semiconductor wafer process microenvironment.

[0018] Due to the adoption of the above technical solution, the beneficial effects achieved by this application are as follows: This application arranges a high-disturbance dehumidification section, a reheat section, and a low-disturbance rectification and recovery section sequentially along the airflow direction within a closed-loop circulating air duct. The high-disturbance dehumidification section utilizes a spiral diffuser assembly, a condensation heat exchange assembly, and a porous guide structure to create a rotating diffusion flow and a through-flow disturbance flow in the return air, thereby enhancing the heat and mass transfer between the air and the heat exchange surface and improving the condensation and dehumidification efficiency. The low-disturbance rectification and recovery section reduces the airflow disturbance after the previous section through rectification components, ensuring that the air maintains a relatively stable flow state when it is returned to the microenvironment of the semiconductor wafer process, thus effectively balancing dehumidification efficiency and low-disturbance air supply requirements.

[0019] The high-disturbance dehumidification section of this application is provided with at least one stage of spiral diffuser assembly, and a porous flow guide structure is provided in the condenser heat exchange assembly. This causes strong flow field disturbance after the return air enters the condenser heat exchange area, which helps to break the boundary layer, enhance local mixing, and improve the contact efficiency between the air and the condenser heat exchange assembly, thereby improving the condensation and dehumidification capacity per unit time.

[0020] This application employs a closed-loop airflow system, allowing air to circulate between the semiconductor wafer fabrication microenvironment and the dehumidification module, which helps reduce the adverse effects of the external environment on the target microenvironment. Simultaneously, the air, after being processed by the low-disturbance rectification and recovery section, is returned to the target microenvironment, reducing the disturbance of the return airflow. This helps maintain stable air conditions in areas such as the EFEM internal space, the space adjacent to the FOUP interface, the space adjacent to the load port, the wafer transport channel, or the internal space of local process enclosures.

[0021] This application collects environmental state parameters and event state parameters related to the operation of semiconductor equipment through a sensor array, and the control unit identifies the wet load state based on the above parameters and makes adjustments accordingly. Therefore, it can better adapt to changes in wet load caused by FOUP positioning or departure, load port opening or closing, equipment door opening and closing, wafer batch switching, and changes in equipment operating status, which helps to improve the system's adaptability to short-term wet load fluctuations.

[0022] The control unit of this application is electrically connected to the multi-source heat pump system, the circulating fan, and the adjustable airflow distribution mechanism in the high-disturbance dehumidification section, respectively. It can coordinately adjust the cold and heat source supply capacity, circulating air volume, and airflow distribution in the high-disturbance dehumidification section according to the identified wet load state, thereby improving the timeliness and flexibility of dehumidification control.

[0023] This application sets up a multi-source heat pump system, and in some embodiments, at least two cold and heat sources can be connected. With the help of the source-side switching valve group, the operating source-side combination can be selected according to the wet load status, so that the cold and heat sources can be reasonably called according to different operating conditions, improving the system's operating condition adaptability and helping to improve the overall operating economy.

[0024] This application first collects environmental and event state parameters, then identifies the current moisture load state and predicts moisture load changes within a preset time window. Subsequently, based on the current moisture load state identification results and moisture load change prediction results, it adjusts the multi-source heat pump system, circulating fan, and adjustable airflow distribution mechanism. After the air passes through a high-disturbance dehumidification section, a reheat section, and a low-disturbance rectification and recovery section, it is returned to the target microenvironment. Closed-loop correction is then performed by re-collecting environmental state parameters. This facilitates timely adjustment of system operating conditions before and after short-term moisture load changes, thereby shortening the recovery time of the semiconductor wafer fabrication microenvironment.

[0025] This application re-collects environmental state parameters after air is returned to the microenvironment of the semiconductor wafer process and performs closed-loop correction on the multi-source heat pump system, circulating fan and adjustable airflow distribution mechanism, so that the system can continuously correct the control state according to the actual operation results, which is beneficial to improving the overall control accuracy and operational stability.

[0026] This application also includes a drain assembly located below the condensation heat exchange component, which is used to collect and seal the condensed liquid for discharge, thereby reducing the possibility that the condensate will be carried into the downstream area by the subsequent airflow and further improving the stability of the system operation.

[0027] The low-disturbance rectification recovery section of this application may also include end-of-line filtration components, such as HEPA filters, ULPA filters, or FFUs, thereby reducing airflow disturbance while further improving the cleanliness of the return air, making it more suitable for the application requirements of the microenvironment in semiconductor wafer fabrication processes. Attached Figure Description

[0028] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of this application and form part of this application, illustrate exemplary embodiments of this application and are used to explain this application, but do not constitute an undue limitation of this application. In the drawings: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall module structure provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure and flow field of the high-disturbance dehumidification section provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the low-disturbance rectification recovery section and the terminal filter structure provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 4 A flowchart of a semiconductor wafer fabrication multi-source heat pump AI adaptive closed-loop dehumidification method provided in this application embodiment; Figure label: 1. Semiconductor wafer fabrication microenvironment; 2. Closed-loop air supply duct; 3. High-disturbance dehumidification section; 31. Spiral diffuser assembly; 311. First spiral diffuser; 312. Second spiral diffuser; 32. Condensation heat exchange assembly; 321. Porous flow guide structure; 33. Adjustable airflow distribution mechanism; 34. Drainage assembly; 341. Liquid collection guide channel; 342. Sealed drain connector; 343. Drainage passage; 4. Reheat section; 5. Low-disturbance rectification and recovery section; 51. Static pressure chamber; 52. Rectifying element; 53. Damping perforated plate; 54. Terminal filter component; 541. HEPA filter; 542. ULPA filter; 543. FFU; 6. Circulating fan; 7. Sensor group; 8. Control unit; 9. Multi-source heat pump system; 91. Source-side switching valve group; 92. Heat source; 93. Cold source; 94. Heat exchange pipeline A; 95. Heat exchange pipeline B. Detailed Implementation

[0029] To more clearly illustrate the overall concept of this application, a detailed explanation is provided below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0030] Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of this application. However, this application may also be implemented in other ways different from those described herein. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments of this application and the features thereof can be combined with each other.

[0031] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the "above" or "below" of the second feature can mean that the first and second features are in direct contact, or that the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. In the description of this specification, references to terms such as "an embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described can be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0032] Example 1 like Figure 1 As shown in the embodiment of this application, an AI adaptive closed-loop dehumidification module for a multi-source heat pump in semiconductor wafer fabrication is provided. The module includes a closed-loop circulating air supply duct 2 connected to the semiconductor wafer fabrication microenvironment 1. Along the airflow direction of the closed-loop circulating air supply duct 2, a high-disturbance dehumidification section 3, a reheat section 4, a low-disturbance rectification and recovery section 5, and a circulating fan 6 are sequentially arranged. The circulating fan 6 drives air to circulate between the semiconductor wafer fabrication microenvironment 1 and the closed-loop circulating air supply duct 2, so that the return air from the semiconductor wafer fabrication microenvironment 11 is processed sequentially through the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3, the reheat section 4, and the low-disturbance rectification and recovery section 5 before being returned to the semiconductor wafer fabrication microenvironment 11.

[0033] The high-disturbance dehumidification section 3 includes a spiral diffuser assembly 31, a condenser heat exchange assembly 32, and an adjustable airflow distribution mechanism 3333. The spiral diffuser assembly 31 is used to create a rotating diffusion flow in the return air, the condenser heat exchange assembly 32 is used to condense and precipitate water vapor in the return air, and the adjustable airflow distribution mechanism 33 is used to adjust the airflow distribution within the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3. The reheat section 4 is used to reheat the air dehumidified by the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3; the low-disturbance rectification and recovery section 5 is used to reduce airflow disturbance and allow the air to be returned to the semiconductor wafer fabrication microenvironment 1 in a more stable state.

[0034] like Figure 1As shown, the module also includes a sensor group 7, a control unit 8, and a multi-source heat pump system 9. The sensor group 77 is used to collect environmental state parameters of the semiconductor wafer fabrication microenvironment 1 and event state parameters related to the operation of semiconductor equipment. The control unit 8 is electrically connected to the sensor group 7, the multi-source heat pump system 9, the circulating fan 6, and the adjustable airflow distribution mechanism 33. The multi-source heat pump system 9 includes a source-side switching valve group 91 and can be connected to a heat source 92 and a cold source 93. The multi-source heat pump system 9 is connected to the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3 via heat exchange pipe A94 to provide cooling to the condensation heat exchange component 32; and is connected to the reheat section 4 via heat exchange pipe B95 to provide heat to the reheat section 4. The control unit 88 identifies the wet load state based on the parameters collected by the sensor group 77 and adjusts the multi-source heat pump system 9, the circulating fan 6, and the adjustable airflow distribution mechanism 33 to achieve adaptive control of the closed-loop dehumidification.

[0035] A closed-loop air duct connected to the semiconductor wafer fabrication microenvironment 1; The high-disturbance dehumidification section 3, the reheat section 4, and the low-disturbance rectification and recovery section 5 are arranged sequentially along the airflow direction of the closed-loop air duct. The circulating fan 6 is installed in the closed-loop air duct; A multi-source heat pump system 9 is connected to the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3 and the reheat section 4 for heat exchange.

[0036] Specifically, the closed-loop airflow duct is used to construct a circulating flow path for air between the semiconductor wafer fabrication microenvironment 1 and the dehumidification unit. This allows air from the semiconductor wafer fabrication microenvironment 1 to enter the dehumidification area along a predetermined path, and after dehumidification, reheating, and rectification, it is returned to the semiconductor wafer fabrication microenvironment 1. By using a closed-loop airflow duct instead of a direct open supply and exhaust method, the direct disturbance of external ambient air to the semiconductor wafer fabrication microenvironment 1 can be reduced, and it is beneficial to maintain the stability of the air state within the target area. Here, the semiconductor wafer fabrication microenvironment 1 can be a local space that requires humidity control and airflow stability, such as the internal space of the EFEM, the space adjacent to the FOUP interface, the space adjacent to the load port, the wafer transport channel, or the internal space of a local process enclosure.

[0037] Along the airflow direction of the closed-loop air duct, a high-disturbance dehumidification section 3, a reheat section 4, and a low-disturbance rectification and recovery section 5 are sequentially arranged. The high-disturbance dehumidification section 3 is located in the area before the return air enters the processing module and is mainly used for enhanced dehumidification of the return air. Specifically, the return air from the semiconductor wafer fabrication microenvironment 11 first enters the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3. In this area, through the cooperation of the flow field disturbance structure and the condensation heat exchange structure, water vapor in the air condenses and precipitates on the cold surface, thereby reducing the air's moisture content. Since the main function of this section is to improve heat and mass transfer efficiency, relatively strong flow disturbances are allowed in this area to enhance the contact effect between the air and the heat exchange surface.

[0038] The reheat section 4 is located downstream of the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3 and is used to reheat the air processed by the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3. Since the air temperature typically decreases after condensation and dehumidification in the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3, directly sending the low-temperature air back to the semiconductor wafer fabrication microenvironment 1 may adversely affect the temperature stability of the target space and the local process environment. Therefore, this application sets up a reheat section 4 after the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3 to restore the dehumidified air to a suitable temperature range before it is sent back to the target space. The reheat section 4 can be connected to a multi-source heat pump system 9 for heat exchange, allowing the system to provide heat for raising the air temperature.

[0039] The low-disturbance rectification and recovery section 5 is located downstream of the reheat section 4 and is used to restore the flow field of the air after the aforementioned treatment. Specifically, since the air undergoes strong rotational diffusion and cross-flow disturbances in the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3, its flow state usually has a large turbulent component. If this type of high-disturbance airflow is directly sent back to the semiconductor wafer process microenvironment 1, it can easily affect the stability of the airflow distribution in the target space. Therefore, this application further provides a low-disturbance rectification and recovery section 5, which adjusts the airflow state through rectification components, so that the airflow direction tends to be consistent, the velocity distribution tends to be uniform, and the disturbance degree is reduced before entering the semiconductor wafer process microenvironment 1, thus making it more suitable for application in the semiconductor wafer process microenvironment 1.

[0040] A circulating fan 6 is installed in the closed-loop circulation duct. The circulating fan 6 provides driving force for airflow within the closed-loop circulation duct, enabling air to circulate between the semiconductor wafer fabrication microenvironment 1 and the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3, reheat section 4, and low-disturbance rectification and recovery section 5. Furthermore, the circulating fan 6 can adjust its operating speed or output airflow under the control of the control unit 8, thereby changing the airflow speed and circulation volume within the closed-loop circulation duct to adapt to air handling requirements under different humidity load conditions. For example, when a high humidity load is detected or an increase in humidity load is predicted, the operating capacity of the circulating fan 6 can be increased to enhance air circulation and dehumidification response speed; while when the humidity load is low or the system is in a maintenance state, the operating intensity of the circulating fan 6 can be appropriately reduced to reduce energy consumption.

[0041] It also includes a multi-source heat pump system 9 connected to the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3 and the reheat section 4 for heat exchange. The multi-source heat pump system 9 is used to provide cooling to the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3 and heating to the reheat section 4. That is, the multi-source heat pump system 9 acts as a cold source 93, providing cooling capacity to the condensation heat exchange structure in the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3 so that water vapor in the return air condenses and precipitates on the corresponding heat exchange surface; on the other hand, it acts as a heat source 92, providing heat to the reheat section 4 so that the dehumidified air can be restored to a preset temperature range before being sent back to the semiconductor wafer process microenvironment 1. By connecting the same multi-source heat pump system 9 to both the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3 and the reheat section 4 for heat exchange, the synergy of cooling and heating utilization can be achieved in the system structure, which is beneficial to improving the overall energy utilization efficiency.

[0042] Furthermore, the multi-source heat pump system 9 is called "multi-source" because it can be connected to two or more cold and heat sources 92 or heat exchange sources 92, and can be selected or switched according to operating conditions. For example, in some embodiments, the multi-source heat pump system 9 can be connected to at least two of the following: plant chilled water, process equipment cooling water, compressor condensation heat recovery, air source, intermediate water circuit, or cooling tower water circuit. The control unit 8 can adjust the operation mode of the multi-source heat pump system 9 according to the wet load state of the semiconductor wafer process microenvironment 1, the equipment operating state, or environmental changes, so that the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3 and the reheat section 4 can obtain a more suitable supply of cold and heat under different operating conditions.

[0043] This application establishes a closed-loop air duct connected to the semiconductor wafer fabrication process microenvironment 1. Within this closed-loop air duct, a high-disturbance dehumidification section 3, a reheat section 4, and a low-disturbance rectification and recovery section 5 are sequentially arranged along the airflow direction. Combined with a circulating fan 6 and a multi-source heat pump system 9, the air can complete the processing of "return air entry - enhanced dehumidification - temperature recovery - rectification and disturbance reduction - return to the microenvironment" under closed-loop conditions, thereby taking into account air dehumidification efficiency, air supply stability, and applicability to the semiconductor wafer fabrication process microenvironment 1.

[0044] Sensor group 7 is used to collect environmental status parameters of the semiconductor wafer fabrication microenvironment 1 and event status parameters related to the operation of semiconductor equipment; The control unit 8 is electrically connected to the multi-source heat pump system 9, the sensor group 7, the circulating fan 6, and the adjustable airflow distribution mechanism 33 in the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3, respectively. The high-disturbance dehumidification section 3 includes at least one spiral diffuser assembly 31, a condensation heat exchange assembly 32 located downstream of the spiral diffuser assembly 31, and the adjustable airflow distribution mechanism 33. The condensation heat exchange assembly 32 has a porous flow guiding structure 321, which is used to form a rotating diffusion flow and a through-flow disturbance flow in the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3 of the return air, and to condense and precipitate water vapor in the return air on the surface of the condensation heat exchange assembly 32.

[0045] like Figure 2 As shown, the high-turbulence dehumidification section 33 includes a spiral diffuser assembly 31, a condenser heat exchange assembly 32, an adjustable airflow distribution mechanism 33, and a drain assembly 34. The spiral diffuser assembly 31 may include a first spiral diffuser 311 and a second spiral diffuser 312, which are sequentially arranged along the airflow direction to guide, diffuse, and turbulent the return air entering the high-turbulence dehumidification section 33, causing the return air to form a rotating diffused flow. The spiral diffuser assembly 31 can have a two-stage or multi-stage structure, and its spiral diffuser installation angle can be 35° to 55° to achieve a better balance between turbulence enhancement and flow resistance control.

[0046] The condensing heat exchange component 32 is located downstream of the spiral diffuser assembly 31, and has a porous flow guide structure 321. The porous flow guide structure 321 is used to create a through-flow disturbance in the return air within the condensing heat exchange component 32, thereby enhancing the heat and mass transfer between the air and the condensing heat exchange surface, causing water vapor in the return air to condense and precipitate on the surface of the condensing heat exchange component 32. An adjustable airflow distribution mechanism 33 is located downstream of the condensing heat exchange component 32 or on the outlet side of the high-disturbance dehumidification section 33, and is used to adjust the local airflow distribution and air volume allocation within the high-disturbance dehumidification section 33.

[0047] like Figure 2 As shown, the drain assembly 34 is located below the condensation heat exchange assembly 32. The drain assembly 34 includes a liquid collection guide channel 341, a sealed drain connector 342, and a drain passage 343. The condensate precipitated on the surface of the condensation heat exchange assembly 32 falls into the liquid collection guide channel 341 under gravity and is discharged through the sealed drain connector 342 into the drain passage 343. By setting up the drain assembly 34, the condensed liquid can be directionally collected and discharged in a sealed manner, reducing the risk of condensate remaining in the high-turbulence dehumidification section 3, undergoing secondary evaporation, or being carried back into the downstream area by the airflow.

[0048] Specifically, the module includes a sensor group 7. The sensor group 7 is used to collect environmental state parameters of the semiconductor wafer process microenvironment 11 and event state parameters related to the operation of the semiconductor equipment, so as to provide a data basis for subsequent wet load status identification, wet load change judgment and control adjustment.

[0049] The environmental state parameters refer to parameters that characterize the current air state, flow state, or isolation state from the external environment of the semiconductor wafer fabrication microenvironment 1. In some embodiments, the environmental state parameters may include at least one of temperature parameters, relative humidity parameters, dew point parameters, wind speed parameters, and pressure difference parameters. The temperature parameter is used to characterize the temperature state of the air within the target microenvironment; the relative humidity parameter is used to characterize the relative humidity level of the air within the target microenvironment; the dew point parameter is used to characterize the absolute moisture content of the air and the risk of condensation; the wind speed parameter is used to characterize the airflow state within the target microenvironment or within a closed-loop airflow duct; and the pressure difference parameter is used to characterize the pressure difference state of the semiconductor wafer fabrication microenvironment 1 relative to the external environment or adjacent space, reflecting the sealing state of the microenvironment and the risk of external humid air infiltration.

[0050] In some embodiments, temperature, relative humidity, and dew point parameters can be obtained by temperature and humidity sensors located inside the semiconductor wafer process microenvironment 1, near the return air vent, near the supply air vent, or inside the closed-loop air duct; wind speed parameters can be obtained by wind speed sensors located in the supply air path, return air path, or a local area of ​​the target microenvironment; differential pressure parameters can be obtained by differential pressure sensors located between the semiconductor wafer process microenvironment 1 and the external environment, or between the semiconductor wafer process microenvironment 1 and adjacent spaces. It should be understood that the types of environmental state parameters and the locations of the sensors can be set according to the type, spatial structure, and control requirements of the semiconductor wafer process microenvironment 1, and this application does not limit them in this regard.

[0051] The event status parameters refer to status parameters related to the operation of the semiconductor equipment and potentially causing changes in the moisture load of the semiconductor wafer fabrication microenvironment 1. In some embodiments, the event status parameters may include at least one of the following: FOUP in position, FOUP out position, load port open, load port closed, equipment door open / closed, wafer batch switching, and equipment standby, preheating, operation, and maintenance states. These event status parameters can be acquired through communication with the semiconductor equipment control system, door actuator, FOUP interface module, load port control module, or host computer system, or through status detection elements, limit switches, position sensors, or switch quantity acquisition units. Any event status that reflects changes in moisture load during the operation of the semiconductor equipment can be input into the control system as the event status parameters.

[0052] The module also includes a control unit 8, which is electrically connected to the multi-source heat pump system 9, the sensor group 7, the circulating fan 6, and the adjustable airflow distribution mechanism 33 in the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3. The control unit 8 is used to receive environmental state parameters and event state parameters collected by the sensor group 7, and to coordinate and control the multi-source heat pump system 9, the circulating fan 6, and the adjustable airflow distribution mechanism 33 based on the environmental state parameters and event state parameters.

[0053] Specifically, the control unit 8 can determine the air condition of the current semiconductor wafer process microenvironment 11 based on the environmental state parameters collected by the sensor group 7, and combine this with event state parameters to determine the current operating stage of the semiconductor equipment and whether there are any events that may cause changes in the moisture load. Based on this, the control unit 8 can output control commands to the multi-source heat pump system 9 to adjust the cooling capacity of the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3 and the heating capacity of the reheat section 4; simultaneously, the control unit 8 can also output control commands to the circulating fan 6 to change the air circulation volume in the closed-loop air duct; and output control commands to the adjustable airflow distribution mechanism 33 in the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3 to adjust the distribution pattern and local disturbance intensity of the return air in the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3. Through the above control relationships, the entire closed-loop dehumidification module can adaptively adjust according to the actual state of the semiconductor wafer process microenvironment 1.

[0054] The high-disturbance dehumidification section 3 includes at least one stage of spiral diffuser assembly 31, a condenser heat exchanger assembly 32 located downstream of the spiral diffuser assembly 31, and the adjustable airflow distribution mechanism 33. The spiral diffuser assembly 31 is disposed in the front region after the return air enters the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3, and is used to reconstruct the flow field of the return air from the semiconductor wafer process microenvironment 1. Specifically, the spiral diffuser assembly 31 can give the return air, which originally flows along the mainstream direction, a certain tangential component, thereby forming a rotating diffusion flow before entering the condenser heat exchanger assembly 32. By setting at least one stage of spiral diffuser assembly 31, the flow path of the return air in the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3 can be increased, improving the contact opportunity between the air and the downstream condenser heat exchanger assembly 32, and providing a basis for the subsequent formation of enhanced heat and mass transfer flow field conditions.

[0055] The condensing heat exchange component 32 is located downstream of the spiral diffuser assembly 31 and is used to condense water vapor in the return air onto its surface under the cooling effect provided by the multi-source heat pump system 9. In some embodiments, the condensing heat exchange component 32 may include heat exchange tubes, finned structures, and a porous flow guide structure 321 disposed around the finned structure and / or heat exchange tubes. The porous flow guide structure 321 may be perforated fins, porous guide plates, a porous heat exchange layer sleeved on the outside of the heat exchange tubes, a micro-groove array structure, or other structures that can enable the airflow to form a through-flow path locally. By setting the porous flow guide structure 321, the airflow no longer flows around the condensing heat exchange component 32 in only one direction, but can form flow forms such as through-flow, splitting, and remixing in local areas, thereby forming a flow field state combining rotating diffusion flow and through-flow disturbance flow in the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3.

[0056] The return air from the semiconductor wafer fabrication microenvironment 11, within the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3, first forms a rotating diffusion flow under the action of the spiral diffuser assembly 31, and then forms a through-flow disturbance flow as it flows through the condensation heat exchange assembly 32 with a porous guide structure 321. Since the rotating diffusion flow improves the uniformity of return air distribution and retention within the heat exchange area, and the through-flow disturbance flow enhances local mixing and boundary layer renewal, the combination of these two flows improves the heat and mass transfer capacity between the return air and the surface of the condensation heat exchange assembly 32, making it easier for water vapor in the return air to condense and precipitate on the surface of the condensation heat exchange assembly 32. Thus, the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3 can achieve enhanced condensation dehumidification treatment of the return air in a closed-loop airflow duct.

[0057] The adjustable airflow distribution mechanism 33 is disposed in the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3 and is used to adjust the airflow distribution entering the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3 or flowing through a local area of ​​the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3. In some embodiments, the adjustable airflow distribution mechanism 33 may be an adjustable guide vane, a variable opening damper, a zoned perforated plate, an adjustable louver structure, or other mechanisms capable of changing the airflow distribution state. The control unit 8 can adjust the opening, angle, or distribution ratio of the adjustable airflow distribution mechanism 33 according to the current environmental state parameters and event state parameters of the semiconductor wafer process microenvironment 1, so as to change the local flow velocity and flow field distribution of the return air in the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3, thereby realizing the adjustment of the dehumidification capacity of the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3.

[0058] Sensor group 7 is used to collect various parameters reflecting the current air condition and equipment operation events of the semiconductor wafer process microenvironment 1. Control unit 8 controls multi-source heat pump system 9, circulating fan 6 and adjustable airflow distribution mechanism 33 based on the parameters. The high-disturbance dehumidification section 3, through the cooperation of spiral diffuser assembly 31, condenser heat exchange assembly 32 and porous guide structure 321, makes the return air from the semiconductor wafer process microenvironment 1 form a rotating diffusion flow and through-flow disturbance flow in this area, and realizes the condensation and precipitation of water vapor on the surface of condenser heat exchange assembly 32, thereby providing core functional support for dehumidification treatment in the entire closed circulation duct.

[0059] The low-disturbance rectification and recovery section 5 includes a rectification component for reducing the airflow disturbance degree after being treated by the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3; The control unit 8 is used to identify the wet load state according to the environmental state parameters and the event state parameters, and adjust the multi-source heat pump system 9, the circulating fan 6 and the adjustable airflow distribution mechanism 33 so that the air is sent back to the semiconductor wafer process microenvironment 11 after being processed by the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3, the reheat section 4 and the low-disturbance rectification and recovery section 5.

[0060] like Figure 3 As shown, the low-disturbance rectification and recovery section 5 is located downstream of the reheat section 44 and is used to rectify, equalize, reduce disturbances, and filter the air after it has been treated by the high-disturbance dehumidification section 33 and the reheat section 44. The low-disturbance rectification and recovery section 5 may include a static pressure chamber 51, a rectification element 52, a damping perforated plate 53, and a terminal filter component 54. The static pressure chamber 51 is used to buffer and equalize the air entering the low-disturbance rectification and recovery section 5, so that the airflow transitions from a high-disturbance state to a relatively stable state.

[0061] The rectifier element 52 can be a honeycomb rectifier to constrain the airflow direction and reduce airflow non-uniformity. The damping perforated plate 53 can be disposed downstream of the rectifier element 52 to further reduce airflow velocity fluctuations and make the velocity distribution of the air supply cross section more uniform. The terminal filter component 54 is disposed at the end or downstream of the low-disturbance rectification recovery section 5. The terminal filter component 54 may include at least one of a HEPA filter 541, a ULPA filter 542, and an FFU 543. The terminal filter component 54 is used to remove particulate matter from the air and, together with the rectifier element 52 and the damping perforated plate 53, forms a low-disturbance, uniform, and clean air supply state.

[0062] like Figure 3 As shown, when air flows from left to right through the low-disturbance rectification and recovery section 5, it first enters the static pressure chamber 51 in a state of greater airflow disturbance. After static pressure stabilization and flow equalization, it enters the rectifier element 52 for primary rectification, then passes through the damped porous plate 53 for damping and flow stabilization, and finally undergoes precision filtration through the end filter component 54. Thus, before the air is returned to the semiconductor wafer process microenvironment 1, its flow direction tends to be consistent, its velocity distribution tends to be uniform, its disturbance level is reduced, and its cleanliness is improved, thereby helping to maintain a stable air state in the semiconductor wafer process microenvironment 1.

[0063] Specifically, the module includes a low-disturbance rectification and recovery section 5. Located downstream of the reheat section 4, the low-disturbance rectification and recovery section 5 does not further enhance dehumidification of the air, but rather restores and reshapes the airflow state after treatment by the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3, reducing the degree of air disturbance before it is returned to the semiconductor wafer process microenvironment 1. Since the return air from the semiconductor wafer process microenvironment 1 has already undergone the combined effects of rotating diffusion flow and through-flow disturbance flow in the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3, the air typically retains a strong turbulent component and uneven velocity distribution after condensation and dehumidification. If this highly disturbed air is directly returned to the semiconductor wafer process microenvironment 1, it can easily lead to aggravated local flow field fluctuations within the target space, thereby affecting the stability of the air state. Therefore, this invention, by setting the low-disturbance rectification and recovery section 5 after the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3, allows the air to complete the transition from a highly disturbed state to a low-disturbance state before entering the target microenvironment.

[0064] The low-disturbance rectification and recovery section 5 includes a rectification component. The rectification component is used to reduce the airflow disturbance degree after being treated by the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3. Here, "reducing airflow disturbance degree" means that after the air flows through the rectification component, its flow direction tends to be consistent, the local turbulence component is weakened, and the velocity distribution tends to be uniform, thereby forming an airflow state that is more suitable for being returned to the semiconductor wafer process microenvironment 1.

[0065] The rectifying components may include a honeycomb rectifyer, a damping perforated plate 53, a static pressure chamber 51, or other structures capable of rectifying, equalizing, and reducing airflow disturbance. The honeycomb rectifyer can constrain the airflow direction through multiple small channels extending along the airflow direction, thereby weakening the lateral turbulence component; the damping perforated plate 53 can distribute and dampen local airflow through uniformly distributed through-holes to reduce velocity differences between different regions; the static pressure chamber 51 can expand the local flow space, allowing air to achieve pressure equalization before entering the downstream region. One or more of the above rectifying components can be used individually or in combination to adjust and restore airflow disturbance according to different application scenarios.

[0066] The low-disturbance rectification and recovery section 5 can first be equipped with a static pressure chamber 51 to initially equalize the pressure of the reheated air, and then a honeycomb rectifier can be set up to further unify the airflow direction. In other embodiments, a damping perforated plate 53 can also be set downstream of the honeycomb rectifier to further improve the velocity uniformity on the air supply cross section. Through the above settings, the air is gradually restored from a high-disturbance dehumidification state to a low-disturbance, more uniform air supply state before being sent back to the semiconductor wafer process microenvironment 11, thereby reducing the flow field impact on the target microenvironment such as the internal space of the EFEM, the space adjacent to the FOUP interface, the space adjacent to the load port, the wafer transport channel, or the internal space of the local process enclosure.

[0067] The module also includes a control unit 8. The control unit 8 is used to identify the wet load state based on the environmental state parameters and the event state parameters, and to adjust the multi-source heat pump system 9, the circulating fan 6, and the adjustable airflow distribution mechanism 33 so that the air is sent back to the semiconductor wafer process microenvironment 1 after being processed by the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3, the reheat section 4, and the low-disturbance rectification and recovery section 5.

[0068] The environmental state parameters characterize the current air and flow conditions of the semiconductor wafer fabrication microenvironment 1, while the event state parameters characterize state changes related to moisture load variations during semiconductor equipment operation. After receiving the parameters collected by the sensor group 7, the control unit 8 can determine the current moisture load state. Here, "identifying the moisture load state" refers to determining the current moisture load condition of the semiconductor wafer fabrication microenvironment 1 based on the current air conditions reflected by the environmental state parameters and the equipment operating conditions reflected by the event state parameters. For example, it can be determined whether the target microenvironment is in a relatively stable state, a moisture load increase state, a short-term moisture load impact state, or a recovery state. It should be understood that the specific algorithm for the control unit 8 to identify the moisture load state does not constitute a limitation of the present invention; it can be implemented using methods such as preset threshold comparison, logical rule judgment, or model judgment based on historical data.

[0069] After identifying the wet load state, the control unit 8 coordinates and adjusts the multi-source heat pump system 9, the circulating fan 6, and the adjustable airflow distribution mechanism 33. Specifically, the control unit 8 can adjust the cooling capacity of the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3 and the heating capacity of the reheat section 4 by adjusting the multi-source heat pump system 9; it can adjust the air circulation volume and airflow velocity in the closed-loop air duct by adjusting the circulating fan 6; and it can adjust the local distribution state and flow field disturbance intensity of the return air in the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3 by adjusting the adjustable airflow distribution mechanism 33 in the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3. Through the coordinated adjustment of the above-mentioned multiple actuators, the return air is enhanced in the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3, restored to a suitable temperature in the reheat section 4, and then its disturbance is reduced in the low-disturbance rectification and recovery section 5 before being sent back to the target microenvironment.

[0070] In this application, the control unit 8 does not simply drive the individual components to operate independently, but rather ensures that the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3, reheat section 4, and low-disturbance rectification and recovery section 5 form a synergistic relationship within the overall air handling chain. That is, after identifying the current humidity load state through environmental and event state parameters, the control unit 8 must consider not only improving dehumidification capacity but also ensuring the stability of the treated air supply. For example, when the humidity load state indicates that the target microenvironment has high humidity or is about to experience a humidity load surge, the control unit 8 can increase the cooling capacity supply of the multi-source heat pump system 9 to the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3, and improve the operating capacity of the circulating fan 6 or adjust the adjustable airflow distribution mechanism 33 to enhance heat and mass transfer in the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3. After the air has been dehumidified, it passes through the reheat section 4 and the low-disturbance rectification and recovery section 5, ensuring that the returned air meets both humidity handling requirements and air supply stability requirements. Thus, the air sequentially completes the processing steps of "enhanced dehumidification—temperature recovery—flow field rectification—return to the target microenvironment" in the closed-loop circulation duct.

[0071] Therefore, the coordinated control of the rectifier component in the low-disturbance rectification and recovery section 5 and the control unit 8 ensures that the air processed by the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3 will not return directly to the semiconductor wafer process microenvironment 1 in a high-disturbance state. Instead, it will first reduce the airflow disturbance through rectification and recovery before being sent back to the target space, thus balancing dehumidification efficiency and air stability of the target microenvironment.

[0072] According to one embodiment of this application, the semiconductor wafer fabrication microenvironment 1 is any one of the following: the internal space of EFEM, the adjacent space of FOUP interface, the adjacent space of load port, the wafer transport channel, or the internal space of a local process enclosure.

[0073] According to one embodiment of this application, the spiral diffuser assembly 31 has a spiral diffuser installation angle of 35° to 55°; the spiral diffuser assembly 31 has a two-stage or multi-stage structure, and adjacent spiral diffusers are arranged in the same direction or alternately in opposite directions.

[0074] Specifically, the spiral diffuser assembly 31 in the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3 includes one or more spiral diffusers arranged sequentially along the airflow direction. The spiral diffusers guide, diffuse, and turbulent the return air entering the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3, causing the airflow, which originally flows primarily axially, to acquire a tangential component before entering the downstream condenser heat exchange assembly 32, thereby forming a rotating diffusion flow. By setting the spiral diffuser assembly 31, the flow path of the return air within the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3 can be increased, the distribution of the return air in the condenser heat exchange area can be improved, and the contact effect between the air and the surface of the condenser heat exchange assembly 32 can be enhanced.

[0075] The spiral diffuser assembly 31 has a spiral diffuser installation angle of 35° to 55°. Here, the installation angle refers to the tilt angle of the guide surface of the spiral diffuser relative to the mainstream airflow direction or relative to a reference plane perpendicular to the mainstream airflow direction. By limiting the installation angle to the range of 35° to 55°, a better balance can be achieved between guiding capacity, turbulence intensity, and airflow resistance.

[0076] Specifically, when the installation angle is small, the tangential guiding effect of the spiral diffuser on the return air is relatively weak. The intensity of the rotating diffusion flow formed by the return air after passing through this structure is limited, which is not conducive to fully improving the uniformity of air distribution and heat and mass transfer capacity in the downstream condensation heat exchange area. On the other hand, when the installation angle is too large, although the deflection and diffusion effects of the airflow will be enhanced, it may also lead to a significant increase in local flow resistance, or even flow field separation or large pressure drop that is detrimental to the stable operation of the system. Therefore, this invention sets the installation angle of the spiral diffuser to 35° to 55°, so that the spiral diffuser can effectively guide the return air to form a diffusion flow with a certain rotational component, while avoiding excessively high flow resistance caused by an excessively large guiding angle.

[0077] In some preferred embodiments, the installation tilt angle can be further selected in the range of 40° to 50°, so as to balance the turbulence enhancement effect in the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3 and the overall operational stability of the system.

[0078] The spiral diffuser assembly 31 has a two-stage or multi-stage structure. That is, two or more spiral diffusers can be sequentially arranged in the airflow direction, allowing the return air to undergo multiple guiding and amplifying effects before entering the condensing heat exchange assembly 32. By employing a two-stage or multi-stage structure, the return air can gradually establish a rotating diffusion flow within the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3, rather than relying solely on a single-stage guiding structure to reconstruct the flow field. Compared to a single-stage structure, a multi-stage structure is more conducive to extending the turbulence path of the return air in the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3 and enhancing the flow uniformity and local mixing degree of the return air when entering the condensing heat exchange assembly 32.

[0079] Adjacent spiral diffusers are arranged in the same direction. "Same direction arrangement" means that the tangential direction of airflow applied by adjacent spiral diffusers is basically the same, so that the rotational tendency of the return air continues to accumulate in the same direction after passing through multiple spiral diffusers in sequence. With this arrangement, the return air can form a more pronounced continuous rotating diffusion flow before entering the condenser heat exchanger 32, which is beneficial for enhancing the overall turbulence effect. It is particularly suitable for operating conditions that require increasing the contact intensity between the air in the high-turbulence dehumidification section 3 and the surface of the condenser heat exchanger 32.

[0080] Adjacent spiral diffusers are arranged in a reverse alternating pattern. "Reverse alternating arrangement" means that adjacent spiral diffusers apply opposite tangential guidance directions to the airflow, causing the rotation direction of the return air to alternate as it continuously passes through each stage of the diffusers. This arrangement allows for the readjustment of the local airflow distribution while maintaining a certain level of turbulence, thereby reducing the potential for flow deviation caused by the continuous accumulation of a single rotation direction and resulting in a more uniform overall distribution of the return air before it enters the condenser heat exchanger 32. Therefore, the reverse alternating arrangement is more advantageous in simultaneously enhancing turbulence while maintaining flow field balance and controlling local flow resistance.

[0081] In other words, the unidirectional arrangement focuses more on enhancing the continuous rotating diffusion effect, while the reverse alternating arrangement focuses more on improving the uniformity of airflow distribution while maintaining the turbulence effect. In practical applications, the number of stages and arrangement of the spiral diffuser can be selected according to the spatial dimensions of the high-turbulence dehumidification section 3, the structural form of the condenser heat exchange component 32, the target dehumidification capacity, and the allowable pressure drop range.

[0082] By setting the installation angle of the spiral diffuser plate to 35° to 55° and making the spiral diffuser plate assembly 31 adopt a two-stage or multi-stage structure, and by arranging adjacent spiral diffusers in the same direction or alternately in opposite directions as needed, the present invention enables the return air from the semiconductor wafer process microenvironment 1 to form a more suitable rotating diffusion flow state before entering the condensation heat exchange assembly 32, thereby providing favorable conditions for the subsequent formation of through-flow disturbance flow in the condensation heat exchange assembly 32 region, improving heat and mass transfer capabilities, and achieving enhanced condensation and dehumidification.

[0083] According to one embodiment of this application, the porous flow guiding structure 321 includes at least one of perforated fins, porous flow guiding plates, porous heat exchange layers sleeved on the outside of heat exchange tubes, and microgroove array structures; the pore diameter of the porous flow guiding structure 321 is 0.2 mm to 2 mm.

[0084] Specifically, the condensing heat exchange component 32 has a porous flow guiding structure 321. The porous flow guiding structure 321 is used to change the local flow pattern of the return air in the area of ​​the condensing heat exchange component 32, so that when the air flows through the condensing heat exchange component 32, it not only flows around the outside of the heat exchange surface, but also forms through flow, split flow, remixing and local turbulent flow in the local area, thereby enhancing the heat and mass transfer between the air and the surface of the condensing heat exchange component 32 and improving the condensation and dehumidification capacity.

[0085] Specifically, without the porous guide structure 321, the airflow path is relatively simple when passing through a conventional heat exchange component, easily forming a relatively stable boundary layer near the heat exchange surface. This results in insufficient local air renewal rate, which is not conducive to further improving the condensation heat exchange efficiency. However, this invention, by incorporating the porous guide structure 321 in the condensation heat exchange component 32, creates localized flow and turbulence as the return air passes through it. This breaks the relatively stable boundary layer formed near the heat exchange surface and enhances the exchange and mixing of air between different areas, making it easier for water vapor in the return air to condense and precipitate on the surface of the condensation heat exchange component 32.

[0086] The porous flow guiding structure 321 includes at least one of perforated fins, porous flow guiding plates, a porous heat exchange layer sleeved on the outside of the heat exchange tube, and a micro-groove array structure.

[0087] The perforated fins refer to fin structures with multiple through holes formed on the fin body. By forming through holes in the fins, some airflow can pass through the fin body instead of just flowing along the channels between the fins, thus creating cross-flow and local remixing flow near the fins. This improves the airflow renewal capacity on the fin surface and enhances the heat and mass transfer effect in the fin area.

[0088] The porous guide plate refers to a plate-like structure with multiple guide holes, which can be arranged upstream of the condensing heat exchange component 32, at internal intervals, or in local flow channels. When return air flows through the porous guide plate, it disperses the airflow into multiple local sub-flows, allowing some of these sub-flows to pass through the guide holes and thus altering the airflow field distribution and local flow direction. This structure allows for a more uniform air distribution upon entering the heat exchange area and creates turbulent flow in localized areas, thereby improving the overall surface utilization of the heat exchange component.

[0089] The porous heat exchange layer surrounding the heat exchange tube refers to a heat exchange enhancement layer located on the outer periphery of the heat exchange tube and having pores or through-holes. This porous heat exchange layer can be directly applied to the surface of the heat exchange tube or disposed in a localized area between the heat exchange tube and the fins. By providing this porous heat exchange layer, when the airflow flows near the outer surface of the heat exchange tube, localized flow and micro-scale disturbances can be formed within this layer, thereby enhancing the air renewal and heat and moisture exchange capacity of the area surrounding the heat exchange tube.

[0090] The microgroove array structure refers to an array structure formed by combining multiple microgrooves and micropores on the peripheral surface of flow guides, heat exchange layers, fins, or heat exchange tubes. This structure allows airflow to undergo local deflection, splitting, and merging at a microscale when flowing through corresponding areas, thereby further enhancing local airflow disturbance and heat and mass transfer capabilities. Compared to simple large-hole through-hole structures, the microgroove array structure can regulate airflow at a smaller scale, making it more effective in balancing turbulence enhancement and flow resistance control.

[0091] In some embodiments, the porous flow guiding structure 321 may employ only one of the above structures. For example, only perforated fins may be used as the porous flow guiding structure 321 to achieve flow disturbance in the fin region; or only porous guide plates may be used to adjust the local distribution of airflow before it enters the condenser heat exchange assembly 32.

[0092] In other embodiments, the porous flow guiding structure 321 may also employ a combination of two or more of the structures described above. For example, perforated fins and porous flow guiding plates may be simultaneously provided in the condensing heat exchange assembly 32 to jointly alter the airflow distribution at both the overall and local scales; a porous heat exchange layer may also be provided on the outside of the heat exchange tube, supplemented by a micro-groove array structure, to further enhance the local heat and mass transfer process around the heat exchange tube. This invention does not limit the specific combination of the porous flow guiding structure 321, as long as it enables the airflow to form through-flow disturbances within the condensing heat exchange assembly 32 area and enhances the condensation and dehumidification effect.

[0093] The aperture of the porous flow guiding structure 321 is 0.2 mm to 2 mm. Here, the aperture can be a characteristic size of a through-hole, localized flow guiding hole, or equivalent flow channel in a perforated fin, porous flow guide plate, porous heat exchange layer, or micro-groove array structure. By limiting the aperture to the range of 0.2 mm to 2 mm, the porous flow guiding structure 321 can achieve a better balance between turbulence enhancement and flow resistance control.

[0094] Specifically, when the aperture is less than 0.2 mm, although the local disturbance effect may be enhanced, the flow cross section is too small, making it more difficult for the airflow to pass through the pores, which can easily lead to a significant increase in overall flow resistance and is not conducive to the smooth flow of air in the condenser heat exchange component 32. Furthermore, the aperture is too small and may increase the processing difficulty and the risk of blockage in practical applications.

[0095] When the aperture is greater than 2 mm, although the resistance of air passing through the pores decreases, the local guiding and turbulence effects will be weakened accordingly. The airflow is more likely to form a coarser flow path, which is not conducive to the formation of sufficient boundary layer disruption and local mixing near the heat exchange surface. Therefore, its effect on enhancing heat and mass transfer is limited.

[0096] Therefore, setting the aperture to 0.2mm to 2mm is beneficial for the porous flow guiding structure 321 to form effective local flow and disturbance without causing excessive flow resistance and problems that are not conducive to engineering implementation.

[0097] Furthermore, in some embodiments, when a greater emphasis is placed on improving local turbulence capability, an orifice diameter range close to the lower limit can be selected; while when a greater emphasis is placed on reducing flow resistance or adapting to larger airflow conditions, an orifice diameter range close to the upper limit can be selected. By rationally selecting the orifice size and the form of the porous flow guiding structure 321 according to different operating conditions, the condensing heat exchange component 32 can achieve a better heat and mass transfer enhancement effect in the high-turbulence dehumidification section 3.

[0098] Therefore, by providing at least one porous flow guiding structure 321 in the condensation heat exchange assembly 32, including perforated fins, porous guide plates, porous heat exchange layers sleeved on the outside of the heat exchange tube, and micro-groove array structure, and setting its aperture to 0.2 mm to 2 mm, this application can enable the return air from the semiconductor wafer process microenvironment 1 to form a more sufficient through-flow disturbance flow in the condensation heat exchange assembly 32 area, enhance the heat and mass transfer process between the air and the condensation heat exchange surface, and thereby improve the efficiency of water vapor condensation and precipitation on the surface of the condensation heat exchange assembly 32 in the return air.

[0099] According to one embodiment of this application, a drain assembly 34 is further provided below the condensation heat exchange assembly 32, the drain assembly 34 being used to directionally collect and seal off the condensed liquid.

[0100] Specifically, the module also includes a drain assembly 34 disposed below the condensation heat exchange assembly 32. Since the return air from the semiconductor wafer fabrication microenvironment 1, after passing through the condensation heat exchange assembly 32 in the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3, will have water vapor condense and precipitate on the surface of the condensation heat exchange assembly 32, and detach from the surface of the condensation heat exchange assembly 32 in the form of droplets, liquid films, or confluenced liquids, it is necessary to collect and drain the condensate in a timely manner. The drain assembly 34, disposed below the condensation heat exchange assembly 32, is used to receive the condensate detached from the surface of the condensation heat exchange assembly 32, preventing the condensate from accumulating disorderly in the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3, or being re-entrained into subsequent areas under the action of airflow, thereby affecting the system's operational stability and air handling effect.

[0101] The drainage assembly 34 is used for the directional collection and closed discharge of condensed liquid. Directional collection refers to the use of structures such as a collection tray, guide channel, and guide surface to direct the condensate in a predetermined direction towards the drainage location. Closed discharge refers to the use of a closed drainage port, drainage pipeline, liquid seal structure, or sealed drainage passage to allow the condensate to be discharged through a relatively closed path. These features reduce the risk of condensate stagnation, secondary evaporation, or re-entrainment within the equipment, and improve the operational stability of the reheat section 4 and the low-disturbance rectification and recovery section 5.

[0102] According to one embodiment of this application, the low-disturbance rectification recovery section 5 further includes an end filter component 54; the rectification component includes at least one of a honeycomb rectifier, a damping porous plate 53 and a static pressure chamber 51, and the end filter component 54 includes at least one of a HEPA filter 541, a ULPA filter 542 and an FFU 543.

[0103] Specifically, the low-disturbance rectification and recovery section 5 further includes a terminal filter component 54. The rectification component in the low-disturbance rectification and recovery section 5 may include at least one of a honeycomb rectifier, a damping porous plate 53, and a static pressure chamber 51. The honeycomb rectifier is used to constrain the airflow direction and reduce the lateral turbulence component; the damping porous plate 53 is used to uniformly distribute the airflow and weaken local velocity differences; and the static pressure chamber 51 is used to perform pressure equalization and flow field buffering before the air enters the downstream region. By setting one or more of the above rectification components, the air treated by the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3 can be gradually restored from a high-disturbance state to a lower-disturbance, more uniform airflow state, thereby reducing the impact of air on the flow field stability of the target space when it is returned to the semiconductor wafer process microenvironment 11.

[0104] The terminal filter component 54 includes at least one of a HEPA filter 541, a ULPA filter 542, and an FFU 543. The terminal filter component 54 is disposed in or downstream of the low-disturbance rectification and recovery section 5 to further remove particulate matter from the air after rectification and recovery, thereby improving the air cleanliness returned to the semiconductor wafer fabrication microenvironment 11. The HEPA filter 541 and ULPA filter 542 can be used to meet different cleanliness level requirements, while the FFU 543, in addition to its filtering function, can also help to form a more stable terminal airflow state. By combining the rectification component with the terminal filter component 54, this application can not only reduce the airflow disturbance after treatment by the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3, but also improve the cleanliness of the returned air, making it more suitable for application in semiconductor wafer fabrication microenvironments 1 such as the internal space of EFEM, the space adjacent to the FOUP interface, the space adjacent to the load port, the wafer transport channel, or the internal space of a local process enclosure.

[0105] According to one embodiment of this application, the multi-source heat pump system 9 is connected to at least two cold and heat sources 92 and is provided with a source-side switching valve group 91; the control unit 8 is used to select the operating source-side combination according to the identified wet load state.

[0106] Specifically, the multi-source heat pump system 9 is connected to at least two cold and heat sources 92 and is equipped with a source-side switching valve assembly 91. Here, "at least two cold and heat sources 92" means that the multi-source heat pump system 9 does not rely solely on a single cold source 93 or heat source 92 for operation, but can connect to two or more source-side media capable of providing cooling and / or heating, such as plant chilled water, process equipment cooling water, compressor condensation heat recovery, air source, intermediate water circuit, or cooling tower water circuit, depending on the actual operating conditions. The source-side switching valve assembly 91 is used to connect, disconnect, or switch different source-side pathways, enabling the multi-source heat pump system 9 to select a single source side for operation or to select multiple source sides for combined operation, thereby providing the required cooling capacity to the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3 and the required heating capacity to the reheat section 4.

[0107] The control unit 8 is used to select the operating source-side combination based on the identified wet load state. That is, after receiving environmental and event state parameters and identifying the current wet load state, the control unit 8 can further determine the degree of cooling and heating demand under the current operating conditions, and accordingly control the source-side switching valve group 91 to select the appropriate combination of cold and heat sources 92. When the identification result indicates a high wet load or an imminent short-term wet load, a source-side combination with a faster response speed and stronger energy supply capacity can be selected as the operating source side; when the identification result indicates a stable or low wet load, a source-side combination with lower operating costs or higher heat recovery efficiency can be selected as the operating source side. Through the above settings, the multi-source heat pump system 9 can flexibly adjust the source-side energy supply mode according to different wet load states, thereby balancing dehumidification capacity, reheat demand, and system operating economy.

[0108] like Figure 4 As shown, the second aspect of this application provides a multi-source heat pump AI adaptive closed-loop dehumidification method for semiconductor wafer fabrication, comprising the following steps: S1. Collect environmental state parameters of the semiconductor wafer process microenvironment 11 and event state parameters related to the operation of semiconductor equipment; S2. Based on the environmental state parameters and event state parameters, identify the current wet load state, obtain the current wet load state identification result, and predict the wet load change within a preset time window, obtain the wet load change prediction result; S3. Based on the current wet load state identification result and the wet load change prediction result, adjust the multi-source heat pump system 9, the circulating fan 6, and the adjustable airflow distribution mechanism 33 so that the return air forms a rotating diffusion flow and a through-flow disturbance flow in the high-disturbance dehumidification section 33, and condenses and precipitates moisture on the surface of the condensing heat exchange component 32; S4. Reheat the air after it has been treated by the high-disturbance dehumidification section 33, and send it back to the semiconductor wafer process microenvironment 11 after the airflow disturbance degree is reduced by the low-disturbance rectification and recovery section 55; S5. Collect the environmental state parameters again, and perform closed-loop correction on the multi-source heat pump system 9, the circulating fan 6, and the adjustable airflow distribution mechanism 33 based on the collected environmental state parameters.

[0109] In some implementations, when the prediction result of the wet load change indicates that a short-term wet load will occur, the control unit 8 controls the multi-source heat pump system 9 to increase the dehumidification capacity of the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3; when the prediction result of the wet load change indicates that a short-term wet load has already occurred, or when the re-acquired environmental state parameters deviate from the set control range, the control unit 8 increases the reheat capacity of the reheat section 44 and adjusts the air supply state corresponding to the circulating fan 66 and / or the low-disturbance rectification recovery section 5 to shorten the recovery time of the semiconductor wafer process microenvironment 11. Figure 4 S1 to S5 in the diagram are only used to indicate the sequence of method steps and are not used as structural diagram labels.

[0110] It should be noted that S1 collects environmental status parameters of the semiconductor wafer fabrication microenvironment 1 and event status parameters related to the operation of semiconductor equipment.

[0111] Specifically, the first step is to "collect environmental state parameters of the semiconductor wafer fabrication process microenvironment 1 and event state parameters related to the operation of the semiconductor equipment". The environmental state parameters characterize the current air and airflow conditions of the semiconductor wafer fabrication process microenvironment 1. In some embodiments, these parameters may include at least one of temperature, relative humidity, dew point, wind speed, and differential pressure. Temperature, relative humidity, and dew point parameters reflect the temperature and humidity conditions and condensation risk within the target microenvironment; wind speed reflects the airflow conditions; and differential pressure reflects the pressure difference between the semiconductor wafer fabrication process microenvironment 1 and the external environment or adjacent space, thus characterizing the sealing condition and the risk of humid air infiltration. These environmental state parameters can be acquired by corresponding sensors installed inside the semiconductor wafer fabrication process microenvironment 1, in the return air path, the supply air path, or in a closed-loop circulation duct.

[0112] The event status parameters are used to characterize state information that may cause changes in wet load during the operation of semiconductor equipment. In some embodiments, they may include at least one of the following: FOUP in position, FOUP out position, load port open, load port closed, equipment door open / closed, wafer batch switching, and equipment standby, preheating, operation, and maintenance states. These event status parameters can be acquired through communication with the semiconductor equipment control system, door actuator, FOUP interface module, load port control module, or host computer system, or through status detection elements or switch quantity acquisition units. By simultaneously acquiring environmental status parameters and event status parameters, a data foundation can be provided for subsequent identification of the current wet load state and prediction of wet load changes within a preset time window.

[0113] S2. Based on the environmental state parameters and the event state parameters, identify the current wet load state, obtain the current wet load state identification result, and predict the wet load change within a preset time window to obtain the wet load change prediction result.

[0114] Specifically, after acquiring the environmental state parameters and the event state parameters, the step of "identifying the current wet load state based on the environmental state parameters and the event state parameters, obtaining the current wet load state identification result, and predicting the wet load change within a preset time window to obtain the wet load change prediction result" is executed. Here, "identifying the current wet load state" refers to determining the current wet load conditions of the semiconductor wafer process microenvironment 1 based on the air conditions reflected by the currently collected environmental state parameters and the equipment operating status reflected by the event state parameters. The current wet load state identification result can be used to characterize the current microenvironment as being in at least one of the following states: stable state, rising wet load state, short-term wet load impact state, or recovery state. This identification process can be implemented through preset threshold comparison, logical rule judgment, or judgment based on a model established from historical samples; this application does not limit this approach.

[0115] Based on identifying the current moisture load status, the system also predicts moisture load changes within a preset time window, obtaining a moisture load change prediction result. Here, the preset time window can be a time range pre-set by the control system, used to predict in advance whether the moisture load of the semiconductor wafer process microenvironment 1 will change in the subsequent period and the trend of the change. The moisture load change prediction result can be used to characterize at least one of short-term moisture load occurrence, moisture load change trend, and moisture load change intensity. By simultaneously obtaining the current moisture load status identification result and the moisture load change prediction result, the control unit 8 can not only grasp the current moisture load level of the semiconductor wafer process microenvironment 1, but also predict subsequent moisture load changes in advance, thereby providing a basis for subsequent adjustment of the multi-source heat pump system 9, the circulating fan 6, and the adjustable airflow distribution mechanism 33.

[0116] S3. Based on the current wet load status identification result and the wet load change prediction result, adjust the multi-source heat pump system 9, the circulating fan 6 and the adjustable airflow distribution mechanism 33 so that the return air from the semiconductor wafer process microenvironment 1 forms a rotating diffusion flow and a through-flow disturbance flow in the high disturbance dehumidification section 3, and condenses and precipitates moisture on the surface of the condensation heat exchange component 32.

[0117] Specifically, after obtaining the current wet load status identification result and the wet load change prediction result, the step of "adjusting the multi-source heat pump system 9, the circulating fan 6, and the adjustable airflow distribution mechanism 33 according to the current wet load status identification result and the wet load change prediction result" is executed. Specifically, the control unit 8 coordinates and adjusts the cooling and heating supply capacity of the multi-source heat pump system 9, the operating intensity of the circulating fan 6, and the opening or attitude of the adjustable airflow distribution mechanism 33 according to the current wet load status of the semiconductor wafer process microenvironment 1 and the wet load change trend within a preset time window. Among them, the adjustment of the multi-source heat pump system 9 is used to change the cooling supply level of the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3, the adjustment of the circulating fan 6 is used to change the air circulation volume and flow velocity in the closed circulation duct, and the adjustment of the adjustable airflow distribution mechanism 33 is used to change the local distribution state and disturbance intensity of the return air in the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3, so that the air handling capacity of the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3 is adapted to the current wet load demand.

[0118] Through the above adjustments, the return air from the semiconductor wafer process microenvironment 1 forms a rotating diffusion flow and a through-flow disturbance flow within the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3, and condenses and precipitates moisture on the surface of the condensation heat exchange component 32. Specifically, the return air forms a rotating diffusion flow under the action of the spiral diffuser assembly 31, and forms a through-flow disturbance flow when flowing through the condensation heat exchange component 32 with a porous guide structure 321. This enhances the flow field disturbance and air renewal capability of the return air in the condensation heat exchange area, improves the heat and mass transfer between the air and the surface of the condensation heat exchange component 32, and makes it easier for water vapor in the return air to condense and precipitate on the surface of the condensation heat exchange component 32. Through this step, the dehumidification capacity of the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3 can be dynamically adjusted according to different moisture load conditions and moisture load change trends, thereby improving the system's response capability to moisture load changes in the semiconductor wafer process microenvironment 11.

[0119] S4. The air processed by the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3 is reheated and then sent back to the semiconductor wafer process microenvironment 1 after the airflow disturbance is reduced by the low-disturbance rectification and recovery section 5.

[0120] Specifically, after the return air undergoes condensation and dehumidification in the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3, the process involves "reheating the air treated in the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3, reducing airflow disturbance in the low-disturbance rectification and recovery section 5, and then returning it to the semiconductor wafer fabrication microenvironment 11." Since the air's moisture content decreases and its temperature typically drops after passing through the condensation heat exchange component 32 in the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3, directly returning this low-temperature air to the semiconductor wafer fabrication microenvironment 1 might be detrimental to the stable control of the air state within the target microenvironment. Therefore, this invention includes a reheat section 4 after the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3 to reheat the dehumidified air, restoring it to a suitable temperature before returning it to the target microenvironment. This reheating can be achieved by providing heat from a multi-source heat pump system 9, thus ensuring that the air meets temperature recovery requirements after dehumidification.

[0121] The reheated air continues into the low-disturbance rectification and recovery section 5. In this section, the airflow is restored and shaped by rectification components to reduce the residual airflow disturbance after treatment in the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3. In other words, the air in the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3 forms a strong rotating diffusion flow and through-flow disturbance to improve dehumidification efficiency. However, before being returned to the semiconductor wafer fabrication microenvironment 1, it needs to pass through the low-disturbance rectification and recovery section 5 to make its flow direction more consistent and its velocity distribution more uniform, thus returning it to the target microenvironment in a less disturbed and more stable state. Through the above reheating and rectification recovery treatment, not only can the air meet the temperature requirements after dehumidification, but the impact of the returned airflow on the flow field stability of the target microenvironment, such as the EFEM internal space, the space adjacent to the FOUP interface, the space adjacent to the load port, the wafer transport channel, or the internal space of a local process enclosure, can also be reduced.

[0122] S5. Re-collect the environmental state parameters, and perform closed-loop correction on the multi-source heat pump system 9, the circulating fan 6, and the adjustable airflow distribution mechanism 33 based on the re-collected environmental state parameters.

[0123] Specifically, after the air is processed through the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3, the reheat section 4, and the low-disturbance rectification and recovery section 5 and then returned to the semiconductor wafer fabrication microenvironment 1, the step of "re-collecting the environmental state parameters and performing closed-loop correction on the multi-source heat pump system 9, the circulating fan 6, and the adjustable airflow distribution mechanism 33 based on the re-collected environmental state parameters" is executed. Specifically, the re-collected environmental state parameters reflect the actual environmental state after the air is returned to the target microenvironment, thereby determining whether the aforementioned adjustment measures have achieved the expected control effect. If the re-collected environmental state parameters indicate that the temperature, relative humidity, dew point, wind speed, pressure difference, or other environmental conditions of the target microenvironment still deviate from the set requirements, it indicates that the current system operating parameters still need further adjustment.

[0124] The closed-loop correction refers to the control unit 8 readjusting the operating states of the multi-source heat pump system 9, the circulating fan 6, and the adjustable airflow distribution mechanism 33 based on the re-collected environmental state parameters, so that the system output gradually approaches the expected control target. Specifically, the cooling capacity of the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3 and the heat supply capacity of the reheat section 4 can be corrected by adjusting the multi-source heat pump system 9; the air circulation volume and flow velocity in the closed-loop air duct can be corrected by adjusting the circulating fan 6; and the local distribution state and disturbance intensity of the return air in the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3 can be corrected by adjusting the adjustable airflow distribution mechanism 33. Through the above closed-loop correction, the air handling process of the present invention is not limited to a one-time adjustment, but can continuously optimize operating parameters according to the actual environmental state after treatment, thereby improving the control accuracy, responsiveness, and operational stability of the semiconductor wafer process microenvironment 1.

[0125] According to one embodiment of this application, the environmental state parameters include at least one of temperature parameters, relative humidity parameters, dew point parameters, wind speed parameters, and pressure difference parameters; The event status parameters include at least one of the following: FOUP in position, FOUP out position, load port open, load port closed, equipment door open / closed, wafer batch switching, and equipment standby, preheating, operation, and maintenance states.

[0126] Specifically, the environmental state parameters include at least one of temperature, relative humidity, dew point, wind speed, and differential pressure. The temperature parameter characterizes the temperature state of the air within the semiconductor wafer fabrication microenvironment 1; the relative humidity parameter characterizes the relative humidity level in the air; the dew point parameter characterizes the absolute moisture content of the air and the risk of condensation; the wind speed parameter characterizes the airflow state within the target microenvironment or in a closed-loop circulation duct; and the differential pressure parameter characterizes the pressure difference between the semiconductor wafer fabrication microenvironment 1 and the external environment or adjacent space, reflecting the sealing status of the target microenvironment and the risk of external humid air infiltration. In some embodiments, the above environmental state parameters can be acquired by corresponding sensors installed inside the semiconductor wafer fabrication microenvironment 1, in the return air path, the supply air path, or in the closed-loop circulation duct. By acquiring these environmental state parameters, an air state data basis can be provided for wet load status identification, wet load change prediction, and subsequent closed-loop correction.

[0127] The event status parameters include at least one of the following: FOUP in position, FOUP out position, load port open, load port closed, equipment door open / closed, wafer batch switching, and equipment standby, preheating, operation, and maintenance states. These event status parameters characterize event information that may cause changes in wet load during the operation of the semiconductor equipment. Specifically, FOUP in position and FOUP out position characterize whether the wafer transfer box has entered or left the predetermined interface position; load port open and load port closed characterize whether the interface area is in an open and connected state; equipment door open / closed characterize whether a local space is connected to an external area; wafer batch switching characterizes the process of material or operating cycle changes; and equipment standby, preheating, operation, and maintenance states characterize the current operating stage of the semiconductor equipment. These event status parameters can be obtained through communication with the semiconductor equipment control system, door actuator, FOUP interface module, load port control module, or host computer system, or through status detection elements or switch quantity acquisition units. By combining these event status parameters with environmental status parameters, the current wet load state can be identified more accurately, and the subsequent wet load change trend can be predicted.

[0128] According to one embodiment of this application, when the predicted result of the wet load change indicates that a short-term wet load will occur, the multi-source heat pump system 9 is controlled to improve the dehumidification capacity of the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3. When the predicted wet load change results indicate that a short-term wet load has occurred, or when the re-acquired environmental state parameters deviate from the set control range, the reheating capacity of the reheating section 4 is increased, and the air supply status corresponding to the circulating fan 6 and / or the low-disturbance rectification recovery section 5 is adjusted to shorten the recovery time of the semiconductor wafer process microenvironment 1.

[0129] Specifically, when the predicted change in moisture load indicates that a short-term moisture load will occur, the multi-source heat pump system 9 is controlled to increase the dehumidification capacity of the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3. Here, "a short-term moisture load will occur" refers to a situation where, based on the analysis of environmental and event state parameters, it is determined that the moisture load in the semiconductor wafer process microenvironment 1 will show an upward trend or a sudden change within a preset time window. Examples include an imminent arrival of the FOUP, the opening of the load port, the opening of the equipment door, or a wafer batch change. In this case, the control unit 8 can adjust the multi-source heat pump system 9 in advance to increase the cooling capacity provided to the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3, giving the condenser heat exchange component 32 a stronger condensation and dehumidification capacity, thus enabling the return air to complete dehumidification more quickly after entering the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3. By pre-enhancing the dehumidification capacity in this way, more favorable processing conditions can be established before the short-term moisture load actually acts on the target microenvironment, reducing the impact of subsequent moisture load shocks on the air state stability of the semiconductor wafer process microenvironment 1.

[0130] When the predicted results of the moisture load change indicate that a short-term moisture load has occurred, or when the re-acquired environmental state parameters deviate from the set control range, the reheating capacity of the reheating section 4 is increased, and the air supply status corresponding to the circulating fan 6 and / or the low-disturbance rectification recovery section 5 is adjusted to shorten the recovery time of the semiconductor wafer process microenvironment 1. In other words, when the target microenvironment has been impacted by a short-term moisture load, or when the environmental state parameters such as temperature, relative humidity, dew point, wind speed, and differential pressure parameters re-acquired after treatment have not yet returned to the expected range, the control unit 8 not only continues to maintain the dehumidification effect of the high-disturbance dehumidification section 3, but also further increases the heat supply capacity of the reheating section 4, allowing the dehumidified air to recover to a suitable temperature state more quickly. Simultaneously, by adjusting the air supply status corresponding to the circulating fan 6 and / or the low-disturbance rectification recovery section 5, the air circulation volume, air supply intensity, or air supply uniformity is changed, allowing the treated air to return to the target microenvironment in a more suitable state. By combining the above-mentioned reheat enhancement and air supply state adjustment, the recovery process of the semiconductor wafer process microenvironment 1 from a short-term wet load shock state to a stable state can be accelerated, thereby shortening the recovery time and improving the dynamic response capability of the system.

[0131] A third aspect of this application provides an electronic device, including a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the processor executes the program to implement the method described in any of the first aspects above.

[0132] Furthermore, the logical instructions in the aforementioned memory can be implemented as software functional units and sold or used as independent products, and can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of the present invention, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or a part of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of the present invention. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory, random access memory, magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0133] On the other hand, the present invention also provides a computer program product, the computer program product including a computer program, the computer program being stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, and when the computer program is executed by a processor, the computer is able to perform the methods provided by the above methods.

[0134] In another aspect, the present invention also provides a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, is implemented to perform the methods provided by the above methods.

[0135] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner. The same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referred to each other. Each embodiment focuses on describing the differences from other embodiments.

[0136] The above description is merely an embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit the scope of this application. Various modifications and variations can be made to this application by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the scope of the claims of this application.

Claims

1. A semiconductor wafer fabrication multi-source heat pump AI adaptive closed-loop dehumidification module, characterized in that, include: A closed-loop air duct connected to the microenvironment of the semiconductor wafer fabrication process; The high-disturbance dehumidification section, reheat section, and low-disturbance rectification and recovery section are arranged sequentially along the airflow direction of the closed-loop air duct. A circulating fan installed in the closed-loop air duct; A multi-source heat pump system that is heat exchanged with the high-disturbance dehumidification section and the reheat section; The sensor array is used to collect environmental state parameters of the semiconductor wafer fabrication process microenvironment and event state parameters related to the operation of semiconductor equipment; The control unit is electrically connected to the adjustable airflow distribution mechanism in the multi-source heat pump system, the sensor group, the circulating fan, and the high-disturbance dehumidification section, respectively. The high-disturbance dehumidification section includes at least one spiral diffuser assembly, a condenser heat exchange assembly located downstream of the spiral diffuser assembly, and the adjustable airflow distribution mechanism. The condenser heat exchange assembly has a porous flow guiding structure, which is used to form a rotating diffusion flow and a through-flow disturbance flow in the high-disturbance dehumidification section from the return air from the semiconductor wafer process microenvironment, and to condense and precipitate water vapor in the return air on the surface of the condenser heat exchange assembly. The low-disturbance rectification and recovery section includes rectification components for reducing the airflow disturbance degree after being treated by the high-disturbance dehumidification section; The control unit is used to identify the wet load state based on the environmental state parameters and the event state parameters, and adjust the multi-source heat pump system, the circulating fan and the adjustable airflow distribution mechanism so that the air is sent back to the semiconductor wafer process microenvironment after being processed by the high-disturbance dehumidification section, the reheat section and the low-disturbance rectification and recovery section.

2. The module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The semiconductor wafer fabrication microenvironment is any one of the following: the internal space of EFEM, the space adjacent to the FOUP interface, the space adjacent to the load port, the wafer transport channel, or the internal space of a local process enclosure.

3. The module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The spiral diffuser assembly has a spiral diffuser installation angle of 35° to 55°; the spiral diffuser assembly is a two-stage or multi-stage structure, with adjacent spiral diffusers arranged in the same direction or alternately arranged in opposite directions.

4. The module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The porous flow guiding structure includes at least one of perforated fins, porous flow guiding plates, porous heat exchange layers sleeved on the outside of heat exchange tubes, and microgroove array structures; the pore diameter of the porous flow guiding structure is 0.2 mm to 2 mm.

5. The module according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a drain assembly located below the condensation heat exchange assembly, which is used to collect and seal the condensed liquid for discharge.

6. The module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The low-disturbance rectification recovery section further includes an end-of-line filter component; the rectification component includes at least one of a honeycomb rectifier, a damping porous plate, and a static pressure chamber, and the end-of-line filter component includes at least one of a HEPA filter, a ULPA filter, and an FFU.

7. The module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The multi-source heat pump system is connected to at least two heat sources and is equipped with a source-side switching valve group; the control unit is used to select the operating source-side combination according to the identified wet load state.

8. A method for adaptive closed-loop dehumidification using a multi-source heat pump based on any one of claims 1 to 7 in semiconductor wafer fabrication, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1. Collect environmental status parameters of the semiconductor wafer fabrication process microenvironment and event status parameters related to the operation of semiconductor equipment; S2. Based on the environmental state parameters and the event state parameters, identify the current wet load state, obtain the current wet load state identification result, and predict the wet load change within a preset time window to obtain the wet load change prediction result. S3. Based on the current wet load status identification result and the wet load change prediction result, adjust the multi-source heat pump system, circulating fan and adjustable airflow distribution mechanism so that the return air from the semiconductor wafer process microenvironment forms a rotating diffusion flow and a through-flow disturbance flow in the high disturbance dehumidification section, and condenses and precipitates moisture on the surface of the condensation heat exchange component. S4. The air processed by the high-disturbance dehumidification section is reheated and then sent back to the semiconductor wafer process microenvironment after the airflow disturbance is reduced by the low-disturbance rectification and recovery section. S5. Re-collect the environmental state parameters, and perform closed-loop correction on the multi-source heat pump system, the circulating fan, and the adjustable airflow distribution mechanism based on the re-collected environmental state parameters.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The environmental state parameters include at least one of temperature, relative humidity, dew point, wind speed, and pressure difference. The event status parameters include at least one of the following: FOUP in position, FOUP out position, load port open, load port closed, equipment door open / closed, wafer batch switching, and equipment standby, preheating, operation, and maintenance states.

10. The method according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that, When the predicted result of the wet load change indicates that a short-term wet load will occur, the multi-source heat pump system is controlled to improve the dehumidification capacity of the high-disturbance dehumidification section. When the predicted wet load change results indicate that a short-term wet load has occurred, or when the re-collected environmental state parameters deviate from the set control range, the reheating capacity of the reheat section is increased, and the air supply status of the circulating fan and / or the low-disturbance rectifier recovery section is adjusted to shorten the recovery time of the semiconductor wafer process microenvironment.

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