A control method and device of a wafer processing apparatus
By dynamically adjusting the number of virtual wafers used by acquiring equipment status information, the problem of decreased accuracy and stability of wafer processing equipment caused by environmental changes and process drift during long-term operation is solved, achieving efficient improvement in wafer processing quality and equipment stability.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- ADVANCED MATERIALS TECH & ENG INC
- Filing Date
- 2026-04-27
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-31
AI Technical Summary
In existing technologies, wafer processing equipment is prone to decreased processing accuracy and deterioration of process stability during long-term operation due to factors such as changes in the internal environment of the chamber and drift of process parameters. Furthermore, the use of virtual wafers is wasteful or insufficient.
By acquiring the status information of the wafer processing equipment, the required number of virtual wafers is determined based on the equipment status, and the virtual wafers are controlled to be processed in the chamber to calibrate process parameters and stabilize the chamber environment, thus avoiding waste of virtual wafers.
It improves the precision and consistency of wafer processing, reduces the impact of process parameter drift and chamber contamination, enhances wafer yield and overall equipment efficiency, and eliminates the need for manual maintenance and inspection.
Smart Images
Figure CN122497310A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of semiconductor technology, and in particular to a control method and apparatus for wafer processing equipment. Background Technology
[0002] In semiconductor fabrication processes, the operating status of wafer processing equipment (such as plasma etching machines and thin film deposition equipment) directly determines the processing accuracy, yield, and production efficiency of the wafers. As semiconductor processes develop towards refinement and high integration, the requirements for the stability and consistency of wafer processing equipment are becoming increasingly stringent.
[0003] During long-term operation, wafer processing equipment is prone to decreased processing accuracy, deterioration of process stability, and even production failures due to factors such as changes in the internal environment of the chamber (e.g., deposit accumulation on the inner wall), drift in process parameters, and wear and tear of equipment components. Existing technologies typically use bare silicon wafers or "dummy wafers" (wafers without circuitry) for pre-processing the chamber; these wafers do not flow into the finished product. After chamber maintenance or cleaning, the wall surface is unstable. If the product is directly etched, the etching rate and uniformity will be affected. Therefore, using virtual wafers pre-processes allows particles, contaminants, or anomalies to occur preferentially on the virtual wafer, thereby protecting the finished product wafer.
[0004] However, existing technologies typically set a fixed number of virtual wafers and trigger them under fixed conditions, which can easily lead to overuse of virtual wafers, resulting in waste; or insufficient use of virtual wafers, affecting wafer processing yield. Summary of the Invention
[0005] This invention provides a control method and apparatus for wafer processing equipment to avoid the waste of virtual wafers, reduce production costs, and improve wafer processing yield.
[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for controlling a wafer processing apparatus is provided, the method comprising: Obtain the status information of the wafer processing equipment; the status information is used to indicate the operating status of the wafer processing equipment. Determine the number of virtual wafers required for the wafer processing equipment based on the status information; The virtual wafer is placed in the chamber of the wafer processing equipment, and the equipment is controlled to process the virtual wafer.
[0007] Optionally, the number of virtual wafers required by the wafer processing equipment can be determined based on the status information, including: When the status information meets the forced triggering conditions, the number of virtual wafers required by the wafer processing equipment is determined based on the status information; wherein, the forced triggering conditions include one or more of the following: Maintenance and upkeep completed; cleaning completed; number of ignition failures exceeds the preset limit within the preset time.
[0008] Optionally, the number of virtual wafers required by the wafer processing equipment can be determined based on the status information, including: Determine the trigger score based on the status information; The number of virtual wafers required by the wafer processing equipment is determined based on the trigger score and the preset trigger threshold.
[0009] Optionally, the scoring trigger can be determined based on the status information, including: Normalize the status information; The normalized results are weighted and summed to determine the trigger score.
[0010] Optionally, based on the trigger score and a preset trigger threshold, the number of virtual wafers required by the wafer processing equipment is determined, including: If the trigger score is less than the preset trigger threshold, then the number of virtual wafers required by the wafer processing equipment is determined to be zero; If the trigger score is greater than or equal to the preset trigger threshold, then the number of virtual wafers required by the wafer processing equipment is determined to be greater than or equal to 1.
[0011] Optionally, before determining the number of virtual wafers required for the wafer fabrication equipment based on the status information, the method further includes: If the wafer processing equipment is in a prohibited triggering state, it is prohibited to place a virtual wafer in the chamber of the wafer processing equipment; prohibited triggering states include one or more of the following: alarm state, shutdown state, and virtual wafer processing state.
[0012] Optionally, the status information includes one or more of the following: idle time of the wafer processing equipment, number of wafers produced, plasma reaction time, process parameters, and production events within a preset time period.
[0013] Optionally, after placing the virtual wafer in the chamber of the wafer processing equipment and controlling the wafer processing equipment to process the virtual wafer, the process includes: The wafer to be processed is placed in the chamber of the wafer processing equipment.
[0014] Optionally, after placing the virtual wafer in the chamber of the wafer processing equipment and controlling the wafer processing equipment to process the virtual wafer, the method further includes: It communicates with the host computer via a communication interface to transmit the operating status of the wafer processing equipment to the host computer.
[0015] According to another aspect of the present invention, a control device for a wafer processing apparatus is provided, the control device comprising: The information acquisition module is used to acquire the status information of the wafer processing equipment; the status information is used to indicate the operating status of the wafer processing equipment. The virtual wafer quantity determination module is used to determine the number of virtual wafers required by the wafer processing equipment based on status information. The control processing module is used to place the virtual wafer in the chamber of the wafer processing equipment and control the wafer processing equipment to process the virtual wafer.
[0016] The technical solution of this invention obtains information indicating the operating status of the wafer processing equipment and determines the required number of virtual wafers based on the actual status information of the equipment. This avoids waste of virtual wafers and ensures that virtual wafer processing can accurately solve the problems existing in the equipment. It can effectively calibrate the process parameters of the equipment and stabilize the chamber environment, reduce the impact of process parameter drift, chamber contamination and other factors on processing quality, significantly improve the accuracy and consistency of wafer processing, and thus improve the wafer yield. Moreover, the entire control process does not require manual maintenance and inspection, thus improving the overall efficiency and stability of the wafer processing equipment.
[0017] It should be understood that the description in this section is not intended to identify key or essential features of the embodiments of the present invention, nor is it intended to limit the scope of the invention. Other features of the invention will become readily apparent from the following description. Attached Figure Description
[0018] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.
[0019] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of a control method for a wafer processing equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a flowchart of another control method for wafer processing equipment provided according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a flowchart of another control method for wafer processing equipment provided according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a flowchart of another control method for wafer processing equipment provided according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a control device for a wafer processing equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation
[0020] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present invention, the technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.
[0021] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," etc., in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this invention are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate so that the embodiments of the invention described herein can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion; for example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that comprises a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units explicitly listed, but may include other steps or units not explicitly listed or inherent to such processes, methods, products, or apparatus.
[0022] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating a control method for a wafer processing equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is applicable to the control of wafer processing equipment. The control method for the wafer processing equipment can be executed by a control device for the wafer processing equipment, which can be implemented in hardware and / or software. Figure 1 As shown, the control method for this wafer processing equipment includes: S110. Obtain the status information of the wafer processing equipment; the status information is used to indicate the operating status of the wafer processing equipment.
[0023] Specifically, status information can be acquired through the device's built-in sensors and data acquisition modules, ensuring the real-time nature and accuracy of data acquisition.
[0024] In optional embodiments of the present invention, the status information includes one or more of the following within a preset time period: idle time of the wafer processing equipment, number of wafers produced, plasma reaction time, process parameters, and production events. The preset time period can be a pre-set time interval for acquiring the status information of the wafer processing equipment. The preset time period can be flexibly set according to actual production conditions, and a time period that comprehensively reflects changes in the equipment's operating status can be selected to ensure the representativeness and completeness of the acquired status information. For example, the preset time period could be 30 minutes after the end of the last wafer production cycle.
[0025] The system acquires the status information of the wafer processing equipment within a preset time period. The status information comprehensively covers key parameters in equipment operation, process execution, and production, including: idle time of the wafer processing equipment, wafer production quantity, plasma reaction time, process parameters, and production events.
[0026] In optional embodiments of the present invention, process parameters include one or more of the following: reflection power offset, pressure standard deviation, and number of ignition failures; production events include one or more of the following: maintenance, cleaning, production process, and production batch.
[0027] Specifically, process parameters are those that affect wafer processing quality and equipment operational stability. These parameters include reflection power offset, pressure standard deviation, and the number of ignition failures. Other process parameters may include flow rate standard deviation, temperature offset, statistical process control limit exceedance level, and particle anomaly level. Reflection power offset refers to the deviation between the plasma reflection power and the preset standard reflection power during wafer processing. It directly reflects the stability of the plasma reaction; a larger offset indicates a more unstable plasma state, which can easily lead to a decrease in the precision of wafer etching, deposition, and other processes. Pressure standard deviation refers to the degree of pressure fluctuation within the wafer processing equipment chamber over a preset time period. A larger pressure standard deviation indicates a more unstable chamber pressure, which can affect the density and uniformity of the plasma. The number of ignition failures refers to the number of times the plasma ignition process fails within a preset time period. Ignition failures can lead to process interruptions, affecting production efficiency and potentially causing damage to equipment components. It also reflects the operational status of the equipment's ignition system or plasma generation system.
[0028] Production events are critical events that occur during equipment operation, directly impacting equipment condition and process stability. Among these, the frequency and quality of maintenance directly affect equipment operating status and lifespan. Inadequate or untimely cleaning can lead to deposit buildup within the wafer chamber, affecting process parameter stability and wafer processing quality. The production process refers to the specific process scheme used in wafer processing; different processes have different requirements for equipment operating parameters, and process switching can cause changes in equipment condition. A production batch refers to the number of wafers processed under the same process conditions; the size of the production batch and the duration of continuous production affect equipment fatigue and operational stability.
[0029] S120. Determine the number of virtual wafers required by the wafer processing equipment based on the status information.
[0030] Specifically, the number of virtual wafers is generally negatively correlated with the operating status of the equipment. That is, the worse the operating status of the equipment, the more virtual wafers are required; the better the operating status of the equipment, the fewer virtual wafers are required, and sometimes virtual wafers may not even be needed.
[0031] Based on the acquired status information of the wafer processing equipment, a pre-set analysis model can be used to comprehensively evaluate the equipment's operating status and determine the required number of virtual wafers. Alternatively, each status information point can be quantified, with a weight assigned to each status parameter. Then, based on the quantified parameters and their corresponding weights, a comprehensive equipment status score is calculated. Finally, the required number of virtual wafers is determined according to the correlation between the comprehensive score and the number of virtual wafers. For example, the pre-set comprehensive equipment status score can be divided into four levels, corresponding to four different virtual wafer quantity levels. The corresponding number of virtual wafers is determined based on the level corresponding to the comprehensive equipment status score.
[0032] S130. Place the virtual wafer in the chamber of the wafer processing equipment and control the wafer processing equipment to process the virtual wafer.
[0033] Specifically, after determining the required number of virtual wafers for the wafer processing equipment based on the status information, the necessary number of virtual wafers are placed in the chamber of the wafer processing equipment. The equipment is then controlled to process the virtual wafers according to preset process parameters. Virtual wafers are wafers with the same size and material as actual wafers but are not used in actual production. Their purpose is to calibrate the equipment's process parameters or stabilize the chamber environment during processing, thereby optimizing the equipment's operating status. During virtual wafer processing, the equipment's operating parameters remain consistent with those during actual production, ensuring that virtual wafer processing accurately reflects the equipment's actual operating status.
[0034] The technical solution of this invention obtains information indicating the operating status of the wafer processing equipment and determines the required number of virtual wafers based on the actual status information of the equipment. This avoids waste of virtual wafers and ensures that virtual wafer processing can accurately solve the problems existing in the equipment. It can effectively calibrate the process parameters of the equipment and stabilize the chamber environment, reduce the impact of process parameter drift, chamber contamination and other factors on processing quality, significantly improve the accuracy and consistency of wafer processing, and thus improve the wafer yield. Moreover, the entire control process does not require manual maintenance and inspection, thus improving the overall efficiency and stability of the wafer processing equipment.
[0035] Figure 2 This is a flowchart of another control method for wafer processing equipment provided according to an embodiment of the present invention, such as... Figure 2 As shown, the control method for this wafer processing equipment includes: S210. Obtain the status information of the wafer processing equipment; the status information is used to indicate the operating status of the wafer processing equipment.
[0036] In an optional embodiment of the present invention, if the wafer processing equipment is in a prohibited triggering state, then placing a virtual wafer in the chamber of the wafer processing equipment is prohibited; the prohibited triggering state includes one or more of an alarm state, a shutdown state, and a virtual wafer processing state.
[0037] Specifically, before determining the number of virtual wafers required by the wafer processing equipment based on the status information, it is first determined whether the wafer processing equipment is in a state where virtual wafer triggering is prohibited. If the wafer processing equipment is in a state where triggering is prohibited, then it is prohibited to place the virtual wafers in the chamber of the wafer processing equipment, and it should exit immediately without generating any virtual wafer triggering behavior.
[0038] Prohibited trigger states include one or more of the following: alarm state, shutdown state, and virtual wafer processing state. An alarm state refers to a state where the wafer processing equipment triggers an alarm signal due to a malfunction (such as component damage or abnormal parameter exceedances). In this state, equipment operation poses a safety hazard, and forcibly performing virtual wafer processing would exacerbate equipment damage or even cause a safety accident. A shutdown state refers to a state where the wafer processing equipment is stopped; the equipment is not in a ready-to-work state and cannot perform normal virtual wafer processing. A virtual wafer processing state refers to a state where the wafer processing equipment is currently performing virtual wafer processing, avoiding repeated virtual wafer processing that leads to resource waste and excessive equipment wear. By setting prohibited trigger states, invalid processing under abnormal conditions can be effectively avoided, ensuring equipment operational safety while rationally utilizing virtual wafer resources.
[0039] S220. When the status information meets the forced triggering conditions, determine the number of virtual wafers required by the wafer processing equipment based on the status information; wherein, the forced triggering conditions include one or more of the following: maintenance is completed; cleaning is completed; the number of ignition failures within a preset time is greater than the preset number.
[0040] Specifically, the system determines whether the mandatory triggering conditions are met based on the acquired status information. If the status information meets the mandatory triggering conditions, the number of virtual wafers required by the wafer processing equipment needs to be determined based on the status information, and virtual wafer processing operations must be performed subsequently. If the status information does not meet the mandatory triggering conditions, the number of virtual wafers is determined based on a comprehensive evaluation of the equipment's operating status. For example, if the status information does not meet the mandatory triggering conditions, and the wafer processing equipment is not in a prohibited triggering state, a trigger score is determined based on the status information. Then, the number of virtual wafers required by the wafer processing equipment is determined based on the trigger score and a preset trigger threshold. For instance, if the trigger score is less than the preset trigger threshold, no virtual wafers need to be set; if the trigger score is greater than the preset trigger threshold, the number of virtual wafers required by the wafer processing equipment is determined based on the degree to which the trigger score exceeds the preset trigger threshold.
[0041] Forced triggering conditions include one or more of the following: completion of maintenance, completion of cleaning, and a greater than preset number of ignition failures within a preset time period. After maintenance, the operating status changes, requiring virtual wafer processing to calibrate equipment parameters and ensure the equipment returns to optimal operating condition, preventing fluctuations in processing quality caused by direct production after maintenance. After cleaning, the internal environment of the chamber changes, and parameters such as pressure and plasma distribution may deviate. Virtual wafer processing can quickly stabilize the chamber environment and ensure consistency in subsequent processes. If the number of ignition failures exceeds the preset number within a preset time period (e.g., more than 3 ignition failures within 30 minutes), it indicates an abnormality in the equipment's ignition system or plasma generation system. Virtual wafer processing can prevent the fault from escalating and ensure the equipment can be put into normal production. By setting forced triggering conditions, virtual wafer calibration can be ensured under critical conditions, further improving equipment operational stability and processing quality.
[0042] S230. Place the virtual wafer in the chamber of the wafer processing equipment and control the wafer processing equipment to process the virtual wafer.
[0043] Figure 3 This is a flowchart of another control method for wafer processing equipment provided according to an embodiment of the present invention, such as... Figure 3 As shown, the control method for this wafer processing equipment includes: S310. Obtain the status information of the wafer processing equipment; the status information is used to indicate the operating status of the wafer processing equipment.
[0044] S320. Determine the trigger score based on the status information.
[0045] Specifically, the trigger score comprehensively reflects whether the chamber has been unused for a long time, whether sufficient production disturbances have accumulated, and whether the current process parameters are stable. It does not rely on a single state information and avoids over-triggering. The trigger score can be set from 0 to 100 points. The higher the score, the stronger the necessity for virtual wafer processing calibration of the equipment; conversely, no calibration is required, thus effectively avoiding problems of over-triggering or untimely triggering.
[0046] In an optional embodiment of the present invention, S320, determining the trigger score based on the status information includes: normalizing the status information; and weighting and summing the normalized results to determine the trigger score.
[0047] Specifically, because different types of state information have different dimensions or value ranges, directly calculating the trigger score will lead to biased results. Therefore, it is necessary to first normalize the state information, mapping the values of various types of state information to the 0-1 range to eliminate the influence of dimensions. Normalization methods can include linear normalization or standard deviation normalization.
[0048] After normalizing the status information, the normalized results are weighted and summed to determine the trigger score. At least some status information has different weighting coefficients. During the weighted summation, the weighting coefficients are set according to the degree of influence of each type of status information on the necessity of equipment calibration; the higher the degree of influence, the larger the weighting coefficient. For example, idle time reflects changes in chamber status, and the weighting coefficient can be set to 0.15-0.25; wafer production quantity reflects the cumulative production disturbance, and the weighting coefficient can be set to 0.1-0.2; plasma reaction time reflects chamber loss, and the weighting coefficient can be set to 0.1-0.15; the weighting coefficients for reflected power offset, pressure standard deviation, or flow standard deviation can be set to 0.25-0.35; the weighting coefficients for statistical process control limit exceedance levels and particle anomaly levels can be set to 0.2-0.3; and the weighting coefficient for process switching can be set to 0.05-0.1. Based on the weighting coefficients set according to the degree of influence of the above-mentioned status information on the necessity of equipment calibration, the normalized results are weighted and summed to determine the trigger score. The trigger score calculated in this way can more accurately reflect the actual state of the device, providing a reliable basis for determining the number of virtual wafers in the future.
[0049] S330. Determine the number of virtual wafers required by the wafer processing equipment based on the trigger score and the preset trigger threshold.
[0050] Specifically, the preset trigger threshold is the critical value for determining whether the equipment needs virtual wafer processing calibration. It can be set comprehensively based on factors such as equipment model, process requirements, and historical operating data, and can also be flexibly adjusted according to the actual production scenario. Comparing the trigger score with the preset trigger threshold can determine whether the current state of the equipment can meet the accuracy requirements of normal wafer processing. If the trigger score is lower than the preset trigger threshold, it indicates that the equipment state is stable and no calibration is required. If the trigger score is greater than or equal to the preset trigger threshold, it indicates that the equipment state has a deviation and calibration is required through virtual wafer processing. The higher the trigger score, the more virtual wafers are needed to ensure the calibration effect.
[0051] In an optional embodiment of the present invention, S330, determining the number of virtual wafers required by the wafer processing equipment based on the trigger score and the preset trigger threshold includes: if the trigger score is less than the preset trigger threshold, then determining that the number of virtual wafers required by the wafer processing equipment is zero; if the trigger score is greater than or equal to the preset trigger threshold, then determining that the number of virtual wafers required by the wafer processing equipment is greater than or equal to 1.
[0052] Specifically, when the trigger score is less than a preset trigger threshold (e.g., 50 points), it indicates that the equipment chamber is stable, production disturbances are minimal, and process parameter fluctuations are within acceptable limits, meeting normal wafer processing requirements. Therefore, virtual wafer processing is unnecessary, and the number of virtual wafers is set to zero to avoid unnecessary calibration operations and save equipment operating time and energy. When the trigger score is greater than or equal to the preset trigger threshold, it indicates that the equipment needs calibration. The number of virtual wafers is set according to the specific value of the trigger score. For example, when the trigger score is between 50 and 70 points, one virtual wafer is required for basic calibration; when the trigger score is between 71 and 90 points, two virtual wafers are required to ensure calibration effectiveness; and when the trigger score is between 91 and 100 points, three or more virtual wafers are required to calibrate the equipment status and eliminate deviations. By reasonably setting the number of virtual wafers, accurate calibration of the equipment status can be achieved, while avoiding resource waste caused by excessive use of virtual wafers.
[0053] S340. Place the virtual wafer in the chamber of the wafer processing equipment and control the wafer processing equipment to process the virtual wafer.
[0054] In an optional embodiment of the present invention, after placing the virtual wafer in the chamber of the wafer processing equipment and controlling the wafer processing equipment to process the virtual wafer, the method includes: placing the wafer to be processed in the chamber of the wafer processing equipment.
[0055] Specifically, once virtual wafer processing is complete and the equipment status calibration is passed, the actual wafer to be processed can be placed in the equipment chamber for normal wafer processing. Through virtual wafer calibration, the equipment chamber status and process parameters have been restored to a stable state, effectively ensuring the processing accuracy and product yield of the wafer to be processed, and avoiding wafer defects caused by equipment status deviations. If the equipment status still does not meet the requirements after virtual wafer processing, a second calibration can be performed by increasing the number of virtual wafers until the equipment status is qualified before placing the actual wafer to be processed into the wafer processing equipment chamber.
[0056] Figure 4 This is a flowchart of another control method for wafer processing equipment provided according to an embodiment of the present invention, such as... Figure 4 As shown, the control method for this wafer processing equipment includes: S410. Obtain the status information of the wafer processing equipment; the status information is used to indicate the operating status of the wafer processing equipment.
[0057] S420. Determine the number of virtual wafers required by the wafer processing equipment based on the status information.
[0058] S430. Place the virtual wafer in the chamber of the wafer processing equipment and control the wafer processing equipment to process the virtual wafer.
[0059] S440 communicates with the host computer via a communication interface and transmits the operating status of the wafer processing equipment to the host computer.
[0060] Specifically, the communication interface is a Generic Equipment Model (GEM) interface, including E94, E40, E87, and E90, ensuring stable communication between the equipment and the host computer. E94 is used for control operation management; E40 for process operation management; E87 for carrier management; and E90 for wafer or substrate tracking. The transmitted wafer processing equipment's operational status includes, but is not limited to, the equipment's current operating status, trigger scores, the number of virtual wafers processed, real-time process parameter data, and the processing progress of the wafers to be processed. After receiving the above information, the host computer can remotely monitor and schedule the wafer processing equipment. When equipment malfunctions, the host computer can promptly issue warnings and notify personnel to handle the situation. Simultaneously, the host computer can aggregate the operational status of multiple devices, achieving overall production line control, optimizing production scheduling, and improving production efficiency. Furthermore, the transmitted operational status data can be stored, providing data support for subsequent equipment maintenance and process optimization. The communication interface connects with the host computer, making the host computer's control process over the wafer processing equipment visible and the jobs schedulable. The scheduling process follows the E94, E40, E87 and E90 specifications, improving the overall efficiency and stability of the wafer processing equipment.
[0061] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a control device for a wafer processing equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 As shown, the control device of the wafer processing equipment includes: The information acquisition module 10 is used to acquire the status information of the wafer processing equipment; the status information is used to indicate the operating status of the wafer processing equipment.
[0062] Specifically, the information acquisition module 10 is used to acquire the status information of the wafer processing equipment within a preset time period. The status information comprehensively covers the key parameters of equipment operation, process execution and production process, including: idle time of the wafer processing equipment, wafer production quantity, plasma reaction time, process parameters and one or more production events.
[0063] The virtual wafer quantity determination module 20 is used to determine the number of virtual wafers required by the wafer processing equipment based on the status information.
[0064] Specifically, the virtual wafer quantity determination module 20, based on the acquired status information of the wafer processing equipment, can comprehensively evaluate the operating status of the equipment through a preset analysis model, and thus determine the required number of virtual wafers. The number of virtual wafers is generally negatively correlated with the operating status of the equipment; that is, the worse the operating status of the equipment, the more virtual wafers are required; the better the operating status of the equipment, the fewer virtual wafers are required, and sometimes virtual wafers may not even be needed.
[0065] The control processing module 30 is used to place the virtual wafer in the chamber of the wafer processing equipment and control the wafer processing equipment to process the virtual wafer.
[0066] Specifically, the control processing module 30, after determining the required number of virtual wafers for the wafer processing equipment based on status information, places the required number of virtual wafers into the chamber of the wafer processing equipment and controls the equipment to process the virtual wafers according to preset process parameters. The virtual wafers are wafers with the same size and material as the actual wafers being processed, but are not used in actual production. Their function is to calibrate the equipment's process parameters or stabilize the chamber environment during processing, thereby optimizing the equipment's operating status. During virtual wafer processing, the equipment's operating parameters remain consistent with those during actual production, ensuring that virtual wafer processing accurately reflects the equipment's actual operating status.
[0067] The technical solution of this invention uses an information acquisition module to obtain multi-dimensional information indicating the operating status of the wafer processing equipment. A virtual wafer quantity determination module determines the required number of virtual wafers based on the actual equipment status information, avoiding waste and ensuring that virtual wafer processing accurately addresses equipment problems. By controlling the processing module to process virtual wafers, the equipment's process parameters can be effectively calibrated and the chamber environment stabilized, reducing the impact of process parameter drift and chamber contamination on processing quality. This significantly improves the accuracy and consistency of wafer processing, thereby increasing wafer yield. Furthermore, the entire control process requires no manual maintenance or inspection, enhancing the overall efficiency and stability of the wafer processing equipment.
[0068] The control device of the wafer processing equipment in this embodiment of the invention is used to execute the control method of the wafer processing equipment in this embodiment of the invention, and has corresponding functional modules and beneficial effects.
[0069] In an optional embodiment of the present invention, the control device of the wafer processing equipment may further include a communication module. The communication module includes a communication interface for communicating with a host computer and transmitting the operating status of the wafer processing equipment to the host computer.
[0070] It should be understood that the various forms of processes shown above can be used, with steps reordered, added, or deleted. For example, the steps described in this invention can be executed in parallel, sequentially, or in different orders, as long as the desired result of the technical solution of this invention can be achieved, and this is not limited herein.
[0071] The specific embodiments described above do not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of this invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that various modifications, combinations, sub-combinations, and substitutions can be made according to design requirements and other factors. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this invention should be included within the scope of protection of this invention.
Claims
1. A control method for wafer processing equipment, characterized in that, include: Acquire status information of the wafer processing equipment, the status information being used to indicate the operating status of the wafer processing equipment; The number of virtual wafers required by the wafer processing equipment is determined based on the status information; The virtual wafer is placed in the chamber of the wafer processing equipment, and the wafer processing equipment is controlled to process the virtual wafer.
2. The control method for wafer processing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, Determining the number of virtual wafers required by the wafer processing equipment based on the status information includes: When the status information meets the forced triggering conditions, the number of virtual wafers required by the wafer processing equipment is determined based on the status information; wherein, the forced triggering conditions include one or more of the following: Maintenance and upkeep completed; cleaning completed; number of ignition failures exceeds the preset limit within the preset time.
3. The control method for wafer processing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, Determining the number of virtual wafers required by the wafer processing equipment based on the status information includes: Determine the trigger score based on the status information; The number of virtual wafers required by the wafer processing equipment is determined based on the trigger score and the preset trigger threshold.
4. The control method for wafer processing equipment according to claim 3, characterized in that, Determine the trigger score based on the status information, including: The state information is normalized. The normalized results are weighted and summed to determine the trigger score.
5. The control method for wafer processing equipment according to claim 3, characterized in that, Based on the trigger score and a preset trigger threshold, the number of virtual wafers required by the wafer processing equipment is determined, including: If the trigger score is less than the preset trigger threshold, then the number of virtual wafers required by the wafer processing equipment is determined to be zero; If the trigger score is greater than or equal to the preset trigger threshold, then the number of virtual wafers required by the wafer processing equipment is determined to be greater than or equal to 1.
6. The control method for wafer processing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, Before determining the number of virtual wafers required by the wafer processing equipment based on the status information, the method further includes: If the wafer processing equipment is in a prohibited triggering state, then placing a virtual wafer in the chamber of the wafer processing equipment is prohibited; the prohibited triggering state includes one or more of the following: alarm state, shutdown state, and virtual wafer processing state.
7. The control method for wafer processing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The status information includes one or more of the following within a preset time period: idle time of the wafer processing equipment, number of wafers produced, plasma reaction time, process parameters, and production events.
8. The control method for wafer processing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, After placing the virtual wafer in the chamber of the wafer processing equipment and controlling the wafer processing equipment to process the virtual wafer, the process includes: The wafer to be processed is placed in the chamber of the wafer processing equipment.
9. The control method for wafer processing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, After placing the virtual wafer in the chamber of the wafer processing equipment and controlling the wafer processing equipment to process the virtual wafer, the process further includes: The wafer processing equipment is connected to a host computer via a communication interface to transmit its operating status to the host computer.
10. A control device for wafer processing equipment, characterized in that, A control method for performing the wafer processing equipment according to any one of claims 1-9, wherein the control device for the wafer processing equipment comprises: The information acquisition module is used to acquire the status information of the wafer processing equipment; the status information is used to indicate the operating status of the wafer processing equipment. A virtual wafer quantity determination module is used to determine the number of virtual wafers required by the wafer processing equipment based on the status information. A control processing module is used to place a virtual wafer in the chamber of the wafer processing equipment and control the wafer processing equipment to process the virtual wafer.