Intelligent vacuum pump control method and system for pecvd apparatus

Abstract

This application discloses an intelligent vacuum pump control method and system for PECVD equipment, belonging to the field of semiconductor manufacturing equipment technology. It includes: a vacuum evacuation step, using a vacuum pump group to evacuate the reaction chamber of the PECVD equipment; and a throttle valve soft-start sub-step, dynamically configuring a preset throttle valve rotation step size and a preset throttle valve rotation interval time corresponding to the current position of the throttle valve, based on the real-time position of the throttle valve connecting the vacuum pump group and the reaction chamber detected by a throttle valve position sensor, and then adjusting the throttle valve according to the preset throttle valve rotation step size and preset throttle valve rotation interval time until the throttle valve is rotated to a predetermined opening degree. This application, through a soft-start step based on throttle valve position feedback, implements a small step size and long delay strategy in the small opening range of the pressure differential-sensitive throttle valve, effectively avoiding physical damage to the precision components inside the chamber caused by high pressure differential airflow.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of semiconductor manufacturing equipment technology, and in particular to an intelligent vacuum pump control method and system for PECVD equipment. Background Technology

[0002] In PECVD (Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition) processes, establishing a stable vacuum environment is a critical prerequisite for film deposition. Existing vacuum pumping technologies typically employ preset timing sequences to control the start and stop of pump units and valves.

[0003] In practical applications of existing technologies, the cavity is usually at atmospheric pressure during the initial stage of vacuuming, while the pump side is at extremely low pressure. If the main pump valve or throttle valve is opened directly at this time, the huge instantaneous pressure difference will generate high-speed airflow impact, which can easily cause the mechanical stress of the precision ceramic components (such as heating base, mask plate, etc.) in the cavity to overload and break.

[0004] Therefore, how to design a vacuum pump control method that can avoid physical damage to precision components inside the cavity caused by high pressure differential airflow during vacuuming has become a technical problem that urgently needs to be solved in this field. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the problem that the high pressure differential airflow causes physical damage to the precision components inside the cavity during the vacuuming process in the existing technology, this application mainly provides an intelligent vacuum pump control method and system for PECVD equipment.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the first technical solution adopted in this application is: to provide an intelligent vacuum pump control method for PECVD equipment, which includes: a vacuum pumping step, using a vacuum pump group to evacuate the reaction chamber of the PECVD equipment, including a throttle valve soft start sub-step, dynamically configuring a preset throttle valve rotation step and a preset throttle valve rotation interval time corresponding to the current position of the throttle valve, based on the real-time position of the throttle valve that connects the vacuum pump group and the reaction chamber detected by the throttle valve position sensor, and then adjusting the throttle valve with the preset throttle valve rotation step and the preset throttle valve rotation interval time until the throttle valve is rotated to a predetermined opening degree.

[0007] The second technical solution adopted in this application is: providing an intelligent vacuum pump control system for PECVD equipment, comprising: a vacuum pump group for evacuating the reaction chamber of the PECVD equipment; a throttle valve for connecting the vacuum pump group to the reaction chamber; a throttle valve position sensor; and a control module for dynamically configuring a preset throttle valve rotation step size and a preset throttle valve rotation interval time corresponding to the real-time position of the throttle valve detected by the throttle valve position sensor, and then adjusting the throttle valve with the preset throttle valve rotation step size and the preset throttle valve rotation interval time until the throttle valve is rotated to a predetermined opening degree.

[0008] The beneficial effects that the technical solution of this application can achieve are as follows: This application designs an intelligent vacuum pump control method and system for PECVD equipment. The method implements a strategy of small step size and long delay in the small opening range of the pressure difference-sensitive throttle valve through a multi-stage slow start step based on the position feedback of the throttle valve. This effectively eliminates the impact of high pressure gas flow on the ceramic parts in the reaction chamber and solves the problem of component breakage caused by traditional rigid opening. Attached Figure Description

[0009] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0010] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating a specific embodiment of an intelligent vacuum pump control method for PECVD equipment according to this application; Figure 2 This is a picture of a high-pressure gauge pipe with a pressure range of 1000 torr; Figure 3 It is a picture of an atmospheric vacuum switch; Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating a specific embodiment of an intelligent vacuum pump control method for PECVD equipment according to this application; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a specific embodiment of an intelligent vacuum pump control system for PECVD equipment according to this application.

[0011] The accompanying drawings illustrate specific embodiments of this application, which will be described in more detail below. These drawings and descriptions are not intended to limit the scope of the concept in any way, but rather to illustrate the concept of this application to those skilled in the art through reference to particular embodiments. Detailed Implementation

[0012] The preferred embodiments of this application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, so that the advantages and features of this application can be more easily understood by those skilled in the art, thereby providing a clearer and more definite definition of the scope of protection of this application.

[0013] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used merely to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising..." does not exclude the presence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.

[0014] In the PECVD process, establishing a stable vacuum environment is a critical prerequisite for film deposition. Existing vacuum pumping technologies typically use preset timing sequences to control the start and stop of pump units and valves.

[0015] In practical applications, existing technologies have the following significant drawbacks: First, in the initial stage of vacuuming, the inside of the cavity is usually at atmospheric pressure, while the pump side is at extremely low pressure. If the main pump valve or throttle valve is opened directly at this time, the huge instantaneous pressure difference will generate high-speed airflow impact, which can easily cause the mechanical stress of the precision ceramic components (such as heating base, mask plate, etc.) inside the cavity to overload and break. Secondly, in order to cover the measurement range from atmospheric pressure to high vacuum, the system needs to be equipped with multiple barometers with different ranges. Existing technologies often lack dynamic barometer protection logic, which causes high-precision thin-film gauges to be frequently exposed to high-pressure gas flow, resulting in zero drift or sensor damage. Furthermore, the existing control logic lacks awareness of the system's real-time physical state. Regardless of the current vacuum level of the cavity, it redundantly executes from the first step. Moreover, when the actuator experiences occasional lag, the system usually triggers an alarm and shutdown directly, causing the ongoing process wafers to be scrapped, which seriously affects production efficiency and yield.

[0016] Therefore, designing a vacuum pump control method and system that can avoid physical damage to precision components inside the cavity caused by high pressure differential airflow during the initial stage of pressure reduction and vacuuming, realize automated protection of precision gauges under wide-range air pressure monitoring, and solve problems such as low execution efficiency and frequent process interruptions caused by lack of state recognition and insufficient fault tolerance during vacuuming has become a technical problem that urgently needs to be solved in this field.

[0017] The inventive concept of this application is as follows: Implement a multi-stage slow-start throttle valve algorithm based on throttle valve position feedback; employ a small step size and long delay strategy in the pressure difference-sensitive opening range to eliminate the impact of airflow on the ceramic components in the reaction chamber; utilize cross-switching pressure points to achieve asynchronous linkage and isolation protection of dual-range gauges, ensuring that the high-precision gauge does not come into contact with high-pressure airflow throughout the depressurization process; establish a multi-parameter fusion vacuum pre-detection mechanism, achieving dynamic skipping of the depressurization sequence by comprehensively judging pump signals, atmospheric switches, and upstream pressure, thus shortening non-production time of the equipment; introduce a flexible fault-tolerant architecture with logical suspension function, transforming deterministic alarms into a retryable interactive mode, reducing the risk of process scrapping caused by single actuator fluctuations.

[0018] The technical solutions of this application and how they solve the aforementioned technical problems will be described in detail below with specific embodiments. The specific embodiments described below can be combined with each other to form new embodiments. The same or similar ideas or processes described in one embodiment may not be repeated in other embodiments. The embodiments of this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0019] Figure 1 This paper illustrates a specific embodiment of an intelligent vacuum pump control method for PECVD equipment according to this application.

[0020] exist Figure 1 In the specific embodiment shown, the intelligent vacuum pump control method for PECVD equipment includes: a vacuum pumping step S110, which uses a vacuum pump group to evacuate the reaction chamber of the PECVD equipment, including a throttle valve soft start sub-step S111, which dynamically configures a preset throttle valve rotation step size and a preset throttle valve rotation interval time corresponding to the current position of the throttle valve, based on the real-time position of the throttle valve that connects the vacuum pump group and the reaction chamber detected by the throttle valve position sensor, and then adjusts the throttle valve with the preset throttle valve rotation step size and the preset throttle valve rotation interval time until the throttle valve is rotated to a predetermined opening degree.

[0021] exist Figure 1 In the specific implementation shown, the method uses a multi-stage slow-start step based on the position feedback of the throttle valve to implement a strategy of small step size and long delay in the small opening range of the pressure difference-sensitive throttle valve, which effectively eliminates the impact of high pressure airflow on the ceramic components in the reaction chamber and solves the problem of component breakage caused by traditional rigid opening.

[0022] exist Figure 1In the specific embodiment shown, the vacuuming step S110 involves using a vacuum pump unit to evacuate the reaction chamber of the PECVD equipment. The vacuum pump unit typically includes a backing pump and a molecular pump. The backing pump, i.e., a mechanical pump, is responsible for evacuating the reaction chamber from atmospheric pressure to a low vacuum pressure state, approximately 100 Pa. The molecular pump is responsible for evacuating the reaction chamber from the low vacuum pressure state to a high vacuum pressure state, approximately less than 10 Pa. -3 Pa.

[0023] exist Figure 1 In the specific embodiment shown, the throttle valve soft-start sub-step S111 dynamically configures the preset throttle valve rotation step size and preset throttle valve rotation interval time corresponding to the current position of the throttle valve, which connects the vacuum pump group and the reaction chamber, based on the real-time position of the throttle valve detected by the throttle valve position sensor. This preset throttle valve rotation step size and preset throttle valve rotation interval time are then used to adjust the throttle valve until it is rotated to a predetermined opening degree. In PECVD equipment, there are typically two parallel evacuation channels between the reaction chamber and the vacuum pump group: a rough evacuation channel and a high vacuum channel. The rough evacuation channel is sequentially connected to the reaction chamber, the forepump (mechanical pump), and the exhaust channel. The opening of the rough evacuation channel is controlled by a rough evacuation valve, which includes a fast evacuation valve and a slow evacuation valve. The high vacuum channel is sequentially connected to the reaction chamber, the molecular pump, the forepump (mechanical pump), and the exhaust channel. The main evacuation valve and the throttle valve are connected in series between the reaction chamber and the molecular pump to control the conduction state of the high vacuum channel. The two channels are connected in parallel and can be opened and closed independently. Once the reaction chamber is evacuated to a low vacuum pressure, the molecular pump in the vacuum pump unit needs to be activated to continue evacuating the reaction chamber, which is the high vacuum evacuation stage. During this stage, the high vacuum channel is open, specifically the main evacuation valve is open, the throttle valve is usually fully open or involved in regulation, the rough evacuation channel is closed, and the rough evacuation valve is closed. The evacuation path is as follows: reaction chamber, main evacuation valve, throttle valve, molecular pump, backing pump, and exhaust channel.

[0024] exist Figure 1 In the specific embodiment shown, the real-time position of the throttle valve detected by the throttle valve position sensor is specifically the gap angle between the valve core and the valve seat of the throttle valve. In PECVD equipment, the most commonly used types of throttle valves are swing valves and butterfly valves.

[0025] In one specific embodiment of this application, the vacuuming step, which uses a vacuum pump group to evacuate the reaction chamber of the PECVD equipment, includes: a pre-vacuum evacuation step, in which the pre-pump in the vacuum pump group evacuates the reaction chamber to a preset low vacuum pressure value, that is, the reaction chamber is evacuated from atmospheric pressure to a low vacuum pressure state; and a high vacuum evacuation step, in which the molecular pump in the vacuum pump group evacuates the reaction chamber to a preset target vacuum value, that is, the reaction chamber is evacuated from a low vacuum pressure state to a high vacuum pressure state.

[0026] In this specific embodiment, when the pre-vacuum pressure regulating step begins, the throttling valve slow-start step also begins simultaneously. In the initial stage of vacuuming, the reaction chamber is typically at atmospheric pressure, while the vacuum pump unit is at extremely low pressure. If the main pump valve or throttling valve is opened directly at this time, the huge instantaneous pressure difference will generate a high-speed airflow impact, which can easily cause the delicate ceramic components inside the chamber, such as heating seats and mask plates, to shatter due to mechanical stress overload. By using a slow-start throttling valve to balance the pressure difference between the reaction chamber and the vacuum pump unit in the initial stage of vacuuming, physical damage to the delicate components inside the chamber from the high-pressure airflow during the initial pressure reduction is avoided, solving the problem of component breakage caused by traditional rigid opening.

[0027] In this specific embodiment, after stopping the execution of the forestage vacuum pressure regulating step, the high-vacuum pressure regulating step is started simultaneously with the throttle valve slow-start step. During the process of the vacuum pump unit switching from the forestage pump operation state to the molecular pump operation state, the pressure difference between the airflow channels on both sides of the forestage pump and the molecular pump can cause the airflow to impact the reaction chamber and the precision components inside the vacuum pump unit. The slow-start throttle valve balances the pressure difference, effectively mitigating the impact of the airflow on the ceramic components inside the chamber. During this throttle valve slow-start process, the predetermined opening degree of the throttle valve is typically 100%.

[0028] In one specific embodiment of this application, the throttle valve soft-start step includes: determining the real-time opening degree of the throttle valve based on its real-time position; and dynamically configuring a preset throttle valve rotation step size and preset throttle valve rotation interval time corresponding to the current throttle valve opening degree, based on the real-time opening degree of the throttle valve and a preset correspondence between the throttle valve opening degree and the throttle valve rotation step size and the throttle valve rotation interval time. The real-time opening degree of the throttle valve is calculated based on its real-time position, and the throttle valve opening degree ranges from 0 to 100%.

[0029] In one specific embodiment of this application, the preset correspondence between the throttle valve opening degree, the throttle valve rotation step size, and the throttle valve rotation interval time includes: the throttle valve rotation step size increases as the throttle valve opening degree increases, and the throttle valve rotation interval time decreases as the throttle valve opening degree increases. Implementing a small step size and long delay strategy in the pressure differential sensitive small opening range of the throttle valve can effectively eliminate the impact of airflow on the ceramic components in the reaction chamber; implementing a large step size and short delay strategy in the large opening range of the throttle valve allows for phased, precise control of the throttle valve's start-up time and speed until the throttle valve is fully open.

[0030] In one specific embodiment of this application, the preset correspondence between the throttle valve opening degree, the throttle valve rotation step size, and the throttle valve rotation interval time includes: dividing the range of the throttle valve opening degree into multiple consecutive opening degree intervals, each opening degree interval corresponding to its own preset throttle valve rotation step size and preset throttle valve rotation interval time; and arranging the multiple consecutive opening degree intervals sequentially according to the direction of the throttle valve from closed to fully open, with the later the opening degree interval is arranged, the longer the preset throttle valve rotation step size and the shorter the corresponding preset throttle valve rotation interval time. Based on the real-time opening degree of the throttle valve, the throttle valve startup process is divided into multiple stages, each startup stage matching a throttle valve opening degree interval. Within the current opening degree interval, the corresponding throttle valve rotation step size and throttle valve rotation interval time are fixed or continuous values. The larger the throttle valve opening value within the opening degree interval, the longer the corresponding preset throttle valve rotation step size and the shorter the corresponding preset throttle valve rotation interval time.

[0031] In one specific embodiment of this application, the throttle valve soft-start step includes: dividing the throttle valve start-up process into four nonlinear dynamic intervals based on the real-time position feedback of the throttle valve. In the first opening range (0%-10%), targeting the stage with the largest initial pressure difference, the throttle valve rotation step size is set to 5%, and the throttle valve rotation interval time is a forced wait of 4.0 seconds after each action; In the second opening range (10%-30%), the pressure difference begins to decrease, the throttle valve rotation step increases to 10%, and the throttle valve rotation interval time decreases to 3.0 seconds; In the third opening range (30%-60%), the system enters a balanced transition period, with the throttle valve rotation step increasing to 15% and the throttle valve rotation interval time decreasing to 2.0 seconds. In the fourth opening range (60%-100%), the system enters the safe zone, increasing the throttle valve rotation step size to 20% and reducing the throttle valve rotation interval to 1.0 second. In each cycle, the current opening of the throttle valve is read, and the corresponding throttle valve rotation step size and throttle valve rotation interval are dynamically matched until the valve is fully open.

[0032] In one specific embodiment of this application, the preset correspondence between the throttle valve opening degree, the throttle valve rotation step length, and the throttle valve rotation interval time includes calculating the throttle valve rotation step length and the throttle valve rotation interval time based on the throttle valve opening degree using a preset linear or nonlinear function formula.

[0033] In one specific embodiment of this application, the vacuuming step includes: a pre-vacuum pressure regulating step, in which the reaction chamber is evacuated to a preset gauge switching pressure threshold based on the real-time monitoring of the gas pressure in the reaction chamber via the high-pressure gauge tube protection valve connected to the reaction chamber; a gauge switching step, in which the high-pressure gauge tube protection valve is closed and the high-precision gauge tube protection valve connecting the high-precision gauge tube to the reaction chamber is opened when the gas pressure in the reaction chamber drops to the preset gauge switching pressure threshold; and a high-vacuum pressure regulating step, in which the reaction chamber is further evacuated using a vacuum pump unit based on the real-time monitoring of the gas pressure in the reaction chamber via the high-precision gauge tube until the gas pressure in the reaction chamber drops to a preset target vacuum value. By utilizing the safe cross-switching pressure point, i.e., the preset gauge switching pressure threshold, asynchronous linkage and isolation protection of the dual-range gauge tubes are achieved, ensuring that the high-precision gauge tube does not come into contact with the high-pressure gas flow during the entire depressurization process, physically eliminating the risk of sensor overload, extending sensor life, and ensuring measurement accuracy.

[0034] In this specific embodiment, the pre-vacuum pressure regulating step involves evacuating the reaction chamber to a preset gauge switching pressure threshold based on the real-time monitoring of the gas pressure within the reaction chamber via a high-pressure gauge tube connected to the reaction chamber through a high-pressure gauge tube protection valve. A high-pressure gauge tube is a vacuum gauge used to measure gas pressure in a closed space. Its pressure range is relatively large, covering measurements from atmospheric pressure to high vacuum, but its measurement accuracy in the high vacuum gas pressure measurement range is not high. To meet the accuracy requirements, multiple pressure gauge tubes with different ranges need to be configured. This method uses a high-pressure gauge tube and a high-precision gauge tube to monitor the gas pressure in the reaction chamber, and uses asynchronous switching logic to protect the high-precision gauge tube from damage caused by exposure to high-pressure gas flow. The preset gauge switching pressure threshold is used to switch from the high-pressure gauge tube to the high-precision gauge tube, ensuring that the high-precision gauge tube does not come into contact with the gas pressure value of the reaction chamber during the depressurization process.

[0035] In this specific embodiment, during the gauge switching sub-step, when the gas pressure in the reaction chamber drops to a preset gauge switching pressure threshold, the high-pressure gauge protection valve is closed, and the high-precision gauge protection valve, which connects the high-precision gauge to the reaction chamber, is opened. The gauge protection valve is a device specifically designed to protect the vacuum gauge. Its main function is to physically isolate the gauge from the reaction chamber or vacuum system when it is not participating in pressure measurement, preventing direct exposure to corrosive gases, particulate contamination, or sudden pressure surges. The gauge protection valve is closed for isolation when the gauge is not measuring and opened for connection when the gauge is measuring. This method uses a high-pressure gauge and a high-precision gauge to monitor the gas pressure in the reaction chamber and protects the high-precision gauge through asynchronous switching logic, preventing damage from exposure to high-pressure gas flow.

[0036] In this specific embodiment, the high-vacuum air conditioning step involves using a vacuum pump unit to continuously evacuate the reaction chamber based on the real-time monitoring of the gas pressure within the reaction chamber using a high-precision gauge, until the gas pressure inside the reaction chamber decreases to a preset target vacuum value. Then, the molecular pump in the vacuum pump unit is activated to further reduce the gas pressure in the reaction chamber to the preset target vacuum value, which is the chamber pressure value required for subsequent process flows.

[0037] In one specific embodiment of this application, when the gas pressure in the reaction chamber exceeds a preset gauge switching pressure threshold, the high-precision gauge protection valve is forcibly closed, and the gas pressure in the reaction chamber is monitored only using the high-pressure gauge. After the gas pressure in the reaction chamber drops to the preset gauge switching pressure threshold during the pre-stage vacuum depressurization step, a sequence of actions is executed: first closing the high-pressure gauge protection valve, then opening the high-precision gauge protection valve. This ensures that the high-precision gauge does not come into contact with the high-pressure airflow during the depressurization process, physically eliminating the risk of sensor overload, extending hardware lifespan, and guaranteeing measurement accuracy.

[0038] In one specific embodiment of this application, the high-pressure gauge tube has a measurement range of 0 to 1000 Torr, and the high-precision gauge tube has a measurement range of 0 to 10 Torr. 1 Torr is equal to 133.322 Pascals (Pa).

[0039] High-pressure gauge pipe with a pressure range of 1000 torr, such as Figure 2 As shown, its air pressure measurement range is 0 to 1000 torr.

[0040] In one specific embodiment of this application, the vacuuming step further includes: simultaneously performing the gauge switching step, opening a throttle valve and adjusting its opening to balance the pressure difference during the gauge switching step and slow down the rate of pressure change in the reaction chamber. The pressure difference is the pressure difference between the reaction chamber and the downstream side of the throttle valve or the inlet side of the vacuum pump unit. A throttle valve is a control valve that adjusts gas flow and pressure by changing the flow cross-section. Its working principle is to precisely control the gas flow area by changing the gap between the valve core and the valve seat, i.e., the opening, thereby dynamically maintaining accurate and stable gas pressure in the reaction chamber. A larger throttle valve opening results in a larger flow area, a larger gas extraction rate per unit time, and a higher rate of pressure drop in the reaction chamber; conversely, a smaller throttle valve opening results in a smaller flow area, a smaller gas extraction rate per unit time, and a lower rate of pressure drop in the reaction chamber.

[0041] In this specific embodiment, after the gas pressure in the reaction chamber drops to a preset gauge switching gas pressure threshold, while executing the sequence of actions of first closing the high-pressure gauge protection valve and then opening the high-precision gauge protection valve, a throttle valve is opened, and the opening degree of the throttle valve is adjusted to balance the pressure difference, so as to maintain the gas pressure stability in the reaction chamber and slow down the rate of gas pressure change in the reaction chamber. In the above operation, the required opening degree of the throttle valve is relatively small.

[0042] In one specific embodiment of this application, the vacuuming step further includes: simultaneously performing the gauge switching step, opening the throttle valve and adjusting the throttle valve opening to balance the pressure difference in the gauge switching step and slow down the rate of change of gas pressure in the reaction chamber, wherein the pressure difference is a parameter characterizing the pressure difference determined based on the current gas pressure value in the reaction chamber, the operating status of the vacuum pump group, and the opening of the throttle valve.

[0043] In one specific embodiment of this application, the vacuuming step further includes: closing the high-precision gauge protection valve when the gas pressure in the reaction chamber is greater than a preset gas pressure threshold, thereby preventing the high-precision gauge from being damaged by exposure to high-pressure gas flow.

[0044] In one specific embodiment of this application, the vacuuming step further includes: simultaneously initiating a throttling valve slow-start sub-step when starting the high-vacuum pressure regulating sub-step. During the high-vacuum pressure regulating stage, the reaction chamber is evacuated using a molecular pump in the vacuum pump assembly. This requires opening the high-vacuum channel, which is controlled in series by the main evacuation valve and the throttling valve. Specifically, the main evacuation valve is open, and the throttling valve is typically fully open or participates in regulation. Because the pressure at the molecular pump and the high-vacuum channel is inconsistent with the gas pressure inside the reaction chamber, high-pressure gas flow can impact the reaction chamber and the precision components inside the vacuum pump assembly. Using a position feedback-based slow-start method to open the throttling valve helps balance the pressure difference and mitigates the impact of the gas flow on the ceramic components inside the chamber.

[0045] In one specific embodiment of this application, the vacuuming step further includes a vacuum pre-check step. Based on signals indicating whether the vacuum pump unit is running, the gas pressure value in the reaction chamber monitored by the high-pressure gauge, the signal indicating whether the atmospheric vacuum switch is closed, and the pre-stage pressure value of the vacuum pump unit monitored by the pre-stage pressure gauge, the system determines whether the reaction chamber is in a vacuum state. If it is not in a vacuum state, the vacuuming step is executed. After receiving the vacuuming command, the system first runs the vacuum pre-check module to perform a global status scan, rather than directly starting the vacuum pump unit to reduce pressure. If the system determines that the reaction chamber is already in a vacuum state, it opens the throttle valve to 100% and skips all pressure adjustment steps; if the reaction chamber does not meet the vacuum state determination, it enters the preset pressure adjustment step. By establishing a multi-parameter fusion vacuum pre-check mechanism, comprehensively judging the pump signal, atmospheric switch, and pre-stage pressure, dynamic skipping of the pressure reduction sequence is achieved, significantly shortening the non-productive time of the equipment.

[0046] In this specific embodiment, the Atmospheric Vacuum Switch (ATM Switch) is an electronic switch function integrated into the vacuum gauge (tube). Its function is to monitor whether the gas pressure in the reaction chamber reaches or approaches atmospheric pressure, approximately 100,000 Pa. When the gas pressure in the reaction chamber reaches a set threshold, the switch outputs an on or off signal.

[0047] Atmospheric vacuum switch, such as Figure 3 As shown.

[0048] In this specific embodiment, the foreline pressure gauge monitors the gas pressure in the foreline of the vacuum pump assembly. The foreline is the pipeline between the outlet of the main pump (molecular pump) and the inlet of the foreline pump (mechanical pump). Monitoring the foreline pressure protects the molecular pump, whose internal blades rotate at extremely high speeds, reaching tens of thousands of revolutions per minute, and must operate in a high vacuum environment. If the foreline pressure is too high, for example, exceeding 10 Torr, it will lead to an excessive number of gas molecules, causing the pump blades to overheat and be damaged due to friction. Therefore, the control system monitors the foreline pressure in real time, and immediately alarms or shuts down the molecular pump if it exceeds the limit. Monitoring the foreline pressure also helps determine the performance of the mechanical pump; the operating status of the foreline mechanical pump can be determined by the foreline pressure value. For example, an abnormally high pressure may indicate that the mechanical pump oil needs to be replaced, there is a leak in the pump body, or the pumping efficiency has decreased.

[0049] In one specific embodiment of this application, the vacuum pre-check step includes: determining that the reaction chamber is in a vacuum state when the signal indicating whether the vacuum pump group is running is "running," the gas pressure value in the reaction chamber monitored by the high-pressure gauge is lower than a preset target vacuum value, the signal indicating whether the atmospheric vacuum switch is closed is "closed," and the pre-stage pressure value of the vacuum pump group is lower than a preset pre-stage pressure value; otherwise, determining that the reaction chamber is not in a vacuum state, and performing a vacuuming step. The vacuum pre-check step, by comprehensively judging the pump signal, atmospheric switch, and pre-stage pressure, achieves dynamic skipping of the pressure reduction sequence, shortens non-production time of the equipment, and helps reduce process costs.

[0050] In one specific embodiment of this application, the throttle valve soft-start sub-step includes: dividing the full opening range of the throttle valve into multiple consecutive opening intervals; when the current opening of the throttle valve is in a first opening interval, adjusting the throttle valve using a first throttle valve rotation step size and a first throttle valve rotation interval time; when the current opening of the throttle valve is in a second opening interval greater than the first opening interval, adjusting the throttle valve using a second throttle valve rotation step size and a second throttle valve rotation interval time; wherein, the second throttle valve rotation step size is greater than the first throttle valve rotation step size, and the second throttle valve rotation interval time is less than the first throttle valve rotation interval time. Based on the real-time position feedback of the throttle valve, the starting process of the throttle valve is divided into multiple stages, each starting stage matching a throttle valve opening interval, and within the current opening interval, the corresponding throttle valve rotation step size and throttle valve rotation interval time are fixed values.

[0051] In one specific embodiment of this application, the vacuuming step further includes a resilient fault-tolerant sub-step, which suspends the current sequence and allows the operator to manually trigger a retry command when the start-stop operation of the vacuum pump group and / or the adjustment operation of the pneumatic valve array are found to have timed out.

[0052] In this specific embodiment, by introducing buffered judgment logic, after the instruction is issued, the system cyclically checks the sensor feedback status for timeout verification within a preset time. If the timeout is not met, the system does not directly return an error but suspends and retryes, suspending the current sequence and allowing the operator to manually trigger the retry command. The resilient fault-tolerant module effectively filters false alarms caused by communication interruptions or mechanical lags, greatly improving the continuity of process operation. By introducing a resilient fault-tolerant architecture with logical suspension function, the system transforms deterministic alarms into a retryable interaction mode, reducing the risk of process scrapping caused by single actuator fluctuations.

[0053] Figure 4 The flowchart of a specific embodiment of the intelligent vacuum pump control method for PECVD equipment of this application is shown.

[0054] exist Figure 4 In the specific embodiment shown, the system applies an intelligent vacuum pump control method for PECVD equipment according to this application to control the vacuum pump group to perform vacuuming operation on the reaction chamber.

[0055] exist Figure 4In the specific embodiment shown, the system employs a throttle valve soft-start step based on throttle valve position feedback. This strategy, involving small steps and long delays within the pressure-sensitive small opening range of the throttle valve, effectively eliminates the impact of airflow on the ceramic components in the reaction chamber, resolving the component breakage problem caused by traditional rigid opening. By utilizing preset gauge switching pressure thresholds, asynchronous linkage and isolation protection of dual-range gauges are achieved, ensuring that the high-precision gauge does not come into contact with high-pressure airflow throughout the depressurization process. This physically eliminates the risk of sensor overload, extends sensor lifespan, and guarantees measurement accuracy. A multi-parameter fusion vacuum pre-detection mechanism is established, dynamically skipping the depressurization sequence by comprehensively judging pump signals, atmospheric switches, and upstream pressure, significantly shortening non-production time. A flexible fault-tolerant architecture with logical suspension functionality is introduced, transforming deterministic alarms into retryable interactive modes, reducing the risk of process scrap due to single actuator fluctuations.

[0056] Figure 5 This application illustrates a specific embodiment of an intelligent vacuum pump control system for PECVD equipment.

[0057] exist Figure 5 In the specific embodiment shown, the intelligent vacuum pump control system for PECVD equipment includes: a vacuum pump group 501 for evacuating the reaction chamber of the PECVD equipment; a throttle valve 502 for connecting the vacuum pump group 501 to the reaction chamber; a throttle valve position sensor 503; and a control module 504 for dynamically configuring a preset throttle valve rotation step size and a preset throttle valve rotation interval time corresponding to the real-time position of the throttle valve 502 detected by the throttle valve position sensor 503, and then adjusting the throttle valve 502 with the preset throttle valve rotation step size and the preset throttle valve rotation interval time until the throttle valve 502 is rotated to a predetermined opening degree.

[0058] The intelligent vacuum pump control system for PECVD equipment provided in this application can be used to execute the intelligent vacuum pump control method for PECVD equipment described in any of the above embodiments. Its implementation principle and technical effect are similar, and will not be repeated here.

[0059] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed apparatus and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection between apparatuses or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0060] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0061] The above description is merely an embodiment of this application and does not limit the patent scope of this application. Any equivalent structural transformations made using the content of this application's specification and drawings, or direct or indirect applications in other related technical fields, are similarly included within the patent protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A method for intelligent vacuum pump control for a PECVD apparatus, characterized in that, include: The vacuuming step involves using a vacuum pump unit to evacuate the reaction chamber of the PECVD equipment, including: The throttle valve soft start step involves dynamically configuring a preset throttle valve rotation step size and a preset throttle valve rotation interval time corresponding to the current position of the throttle valve, based on the real-time position of the throttle valve connecting the vacuum pump group and the reaction chamber detected by the throttle valve position sensor. The throttle valve is then adjusted using the preset throttle valve rotation step size and the preset throttle valve rotation interval time until the throttle valve is rotated to a predetermined opening degree.

2. The intelligent vacuum pump control method for a PECVD apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The throttle valve soft-start sub-step includes: The real-time opening degree of the throttle valve is determined based on its real-time position. Based on the real-time opening of the throttle valve and the preset correspondence between the throttle valve opening and the throttle valve rotation step size and the throttle valve rotation interval time, the preset throttle valve rotation step size and the preset throttle valve rotation interval time corresponding to the current throttle valve opening are dynamically configured.

3. The intelligent vacuum pump control method for a PECVD apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, The preset correspondence between the throttle valve opening degree and the throttle valve rotation step size and the throttle valve rotation interval time includes: The rotation step size of the throttle valve increases as the opening degree of the throttle valve increases, and the rotation interval time of the throttle valve decreases as the opening degree of the throttle valve increases.

4. The intelligent vacuum pump control method for PECVD equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that, The preset correspondence between the throttle valve opening degree and the throttle valve rotation step size and the throttle valve rotation interval time includes: The throttle valve opening range is divided into multiple continuous opening intervals. Each opening interval is respectively set with its own preset throttle valve rotation step size and preset throttle valve rotation interval time. The multiple consecutive opening intervals are arranged sequentially according to the direction of the throttle valve from closed to fully open. The later the opening interval is arranged, the longer the rotation step of the preset throttle valve and the shorter the rotation interval of the preset throttle valve.

5. The intelligent vacuum pump control method for PECVD equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The vacuuming step includes: In the pre-stage vacuum air conditioning step, the reaction chamber is evacuated to a preset gauge switching pressure threshold based on the real-time monitoring of the air pressure in the reaction chamber via the high-pressure gauge tube protection valve connected to the reaction chamber. In the gauge switching sub-step, when the gas pressure in the reaction chamber drops to the preset gauge switching gas pressure threshold, the high-pressure gauge protection valve is closed, and the high-precision gauge protection valve that connects the high-precision gauge to the reaction chamber is opened. In the high-precision vacuum chamber pressure step, based on the real-time monitoring of the gas pressure in the reaction chamber by the high-precision gauge, the vacuum pump group is used to continue to evacuate the reaction chamber until the gas pressure in the reaction chamber is reduced to a preset target vacuum value.

6. The intelligent vacuum pump control method for PECVD equipment according to claim 5, characterized in that, The vacuuming step also includes: While performing the gauge switching sub-step, the throttle valve is opened and its opening degree is adjusted to balance the pressure difference in the gauge switching sub-step and slow down the rate of pressure change in the reaction chamber. The pressure difference is the pressure difference between the reaction chamber and the downstream side of the throttle valve or the inlet side of the vacuum pump group.

7. The intelligent vacuum pump control method for PECVD equipment according to claim 5, characterized in that, The vacuuming step also includes: When the high-fidelity air conditioning pressure step is started, the throttle valve soft start step is also started.

8. The intelligent vacuum pump control method for PECVD equipment according to claim 5, characterized in that, The vacuuming step also includes: The vacuum pre-check step determines whether the reaction chamber is in a vacuum state based on the signal indicating whether the vacuum pump group is running, the gas pressure value in the reaction chamber monitored by the high-pressure gauge, the signal indicating whether the atmospheric vacuum switch is closed, and the front pressure value of the vacuum pump group monitored by the front pressure gauge. If it is not in a vacuum state, the vacuum pumping step is performed.

9. The intelligent vacuum pump control method for PECVD equipment according to claim 8, characterized in that, The vacuum pre-inspection step includes: When the signal indicating whether the vacuum pump unit is running is "running", the gas pressure value in the reaction chamber monitored by the high-pressure gauge is lower than the preset target vacuum value, the signal indicating whether the atmospheric vacuum switch is closed is "closed", and the front pressure value of the vacuum pump unit is lower than the preset front pressure value, the reaction chamber is determined to be in a vacuum state; otherwise, the reaction chamber is determined not to be in a vacuum state, and the vacuuming step is executed.

10. An intelligent vacuum pump control system for PECVD equipment, characterized in that, include: Vacuum pump set, which is used to evacuate the reaction chamber of PECVD equipment; A throttle valve, used to connect the vacuum pump assembly to the reaction chamber; Throttle valve position sensor; The control module is used to dynamically configure a preset throttle valve rotation step size and a preset throttle valve rotation interval time corresponding to the real-time position of the throttle valve detected by the throttle valve position sensor, and then adjust the throttle valve with the preset throttle valve rotation step size and the preset throttle valve rotation interval time until the throttle valve is rotated to a predetermined opening degree.

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