A system for stabilizing the flow of gas introduced into the sensor

Abstract

A system for stabilizing the flow of gas introduced into a sensor is disclosed. This system relates to a manufacturing apparatus including a process chamber, a vacuum pump for the process chamber installed to evacuate the internal gas of the process chamber, and a sensor device configured to receive the internal gas of the process chamber through a sensor connection pipe and detect its components. The system also includes a sensor connection pipe and a bypass pipe branching from the sensor connection pipe and allowing a portion of the gas to be directly discharged to the outside without being guided to the sensor. This configuration allows the system to stably supply a portion of the internal gas to the sensor device within a predetermined range per hour regardless of changes in the pressure state of the process chamber. According to the present invention, in a sensor device connected to a process chamber to which a vacuum is applied, such as a semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus, the gas flow stabilization system may be used to prevent a decrease in the reliability of analytical value data due to large changes in the analytical value of the sensor device when the internal pressure of the MS changes suddenly due to pressure fluctuations in the process chamber. This can improve the durability and lifespan of the MS sensor device, reduce the need for repairs and maintenance, and lighten the management burden.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to equipment related to the manufacture of semiconductor devices, and more specifically to a sensor gas flow stabilization system that is added to a sensor device that detects a process state to stabilize the amount of gas (gas flow rate) flowing from a process chamber to the sensor device at an appropriate value. [Background technology]

[0002] Manufacturing equipment for semiconductor devices, display devices, etc. is configured to meet various conditions in order to handle various manufacturing processes. In such processes, deposition (film formation) processes such as PVD and CVD, and etching processes such as dry etching processes, are performed in a low-pressure vacuum environment.

[0003] In this environment, the degree of deposition and etching is directly related to the performance of the completed semiconductor device, and therefore must be very precisely controlled, with almost every element being precisely controlled, including time, temperature, and the amount of source gas supplied.

[0004] Also, various types of sensors are used for each process to sense the completion time of a process or to detect important states or time points of other processes.

[0005] Some sensors are located within the process chamber itself, while others are located outside the process chamber, requiring the element to be detected to be transferred to the sensor in order to sense the state of the process taking place in the process chamber.

[0006] FIG. 1 is a conceptual configuration diagram showing a combination of a process chamber and a sensor apparatus for sensing the process chamber in a conventional semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus.

[0007] Disclosed herein are a process chamber 10, a turbo pump 13 for evacuating the process chamber, a dry pump 14, and a pump connection pipe 15 connected to the vacuum pump and for discharging the internal gas of the process chamber 10 to the outside. Note that the combination of a dry pump and a turbo pump is just one example of a vacuum pump, and vacuum pumps of other types and configurations are also possible.

[0008] Reference numeral 11 denotes a residual gas analyzer, and P1 denotes a vacuum pressure gauge of the process chamber. When information sensed by each of the above-mentioned components is input to a process gas control system 40, the process gas control system gives a control signal to a control valve of a pipe to which a mass flow controller (MFC) 50 is attached, which is attached to a pipe from three gas supply sources A, B, and C, to control the ratio and flow rate of the gas introduced into the process chamber.

[0009] A turbo molecular pump (TMP) 13 and a dry pump 14 are connected to the process chamber 10 in order to exhaust the internal gas and maintain the internal space at a high vacuum. A sensor connection pipe 30 branches off from the pump connection pipe 15 via a connection port 31, and a portion of the internal gas is introduced into the sensor device 20.

[0010] A needle valve (not shown) may be attached to the inlet of the sensor device, and the sensor device may be operated at a rate of about 10 -6 A vacuum pump consisting of a turbo molecular pump and a dry pump combined to maintain a high vacuum state of Torr, and a vacuum pressure gauge (P2) 22 for accurately measuring the internal vacuum level or atmospheric pressure are installed in the sensor device.

[0011] Here, a mass spectrometer (MS) is used as the sensor device 20. There are various types of MS, such as the TOF (Time of Flight) type and the QMS (Quadrupole) type. For example, an ionization mass analyzer separates a sample, obtains information on the components of the sample and information on the molecular structure, and performs quantitative and qualitative analysis of the analyte.

[0012] FIG. 2 is a box-shaped conceptual diagram showing the configuration of an MS.

[0013] In Fig. 2, the sensor device 20 includes a gas inlet system 23 such as an orifice or valve, or an analytical device such as a chromatograph, an ion source 24, a mass analyzer 25, and a detector 26 in a single envelope 21. When a sample is introduced from the outside, the sample is ionized by electron impact or laser irradiation. The number of ionized samples passing through the mass analyzer and detector per second can be measured, and the detection result data can be transferred to a data system.

[0014] Since the above configuration is well known, further detailed description of the sensor device will be omitted.

[0015] In the above configuration, the sensor device and the process chamber are spatially connected, and the sensor device performs gas analysis in the process chamber to check the progress of the process, measure the end point of the process (EPD: end point detection), monitor the generation of by-products, etc., and by analyzing the process, the amount, ratio, time, etc. of the raw material gas to be injected can be controlled, resulting in effects such as process improvement and time reduction.

[0016] However, in such a configuration, if the conditions inside the process chamber suddenly change depending on the process conditions, the inflow rate of the target sample introduced into the inlet of the MS, which is the sensor device, may change significantly.

[0017] In other words, the pressure in the process chamber during the process is generally 10 -5 Torr or higher, and the vacuum or pressure inside the MS is 5×10 -5 ~5×10 -6 Torr. When the process chamber becomes a lower vacuum than the MS and the pressure increases, the inflow of the sample (internal gas in the process chamber) to the inlet of the sensor device exceeds the increase in the amount of analysis by the sensor, which may cause a stagnation phenomenon in the pipeline (the pipe connecting the process chamber and the sensor device). On the other hand, when the process chamber becomes a higher vacuum than the MS and the pressure drops, the inflow of the sample decreases and the amount of analysis by the sensor also decreases. This can cause a backflow phenomenon in the process chamber, which may act as a particle source for the process chamber. Therefore, measures are required.

[0018] Therefore, it is preferable that the pressure in the process chamber and the internal pressure of the sensor device are kept at the same level, and that the pressure in the process chamber is slightly higher than the internal pressure of the sensor device. However, the pressure in the process chamber changes suddenly depending on the inflow of gas and the like.

[0019] In order to increase the reliability of the measurements and measurement data of the MS sensor device, it is desirable to maintain a constant pressure in the piping space between the sensor device and the process chamber connected to the inlet of the sensor device. Summary of the Invention technical challenges

[0020] Therefore, the present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems that arise in the related art, and its purpose is to provide a gas flow stabilization system that can prevent the sensor's analytical value from changing significantly or the reliability of the analytical value data from decreasing, even if the internal pressure of a sensor device added to a conventional manufacturing apparatus changes suddenly in response to a pressure change in the process chamber. [Means for solving the problem]

[0021] To achieve the above objects, in accordance with the present invention, a sensor gas flow stabilization system is provided.

[0022] A system for stabilizing a sensor gas flow in a manufacturing apparatus, the manufacturing apparatus including a process chamber, a vacuum pump for the process chamber provided for exhausting the internal gas of the process chamber, and a sensor device that receives the internal gas of the process chamber through a sensor connection tube (sensor connection pipe) and detects an element, the sensor gas flow stabilization system having a sensor connection tube and a component disposed in the sensor connection tube, for example a bypass tube that discharges a portion of the gas to the outside without introducing it from the sensor connection tube to the sensor device, and is a system that enables a portion of the internal gas of the process chamber to be stably supplied to the sensor device within a specified range per unit time even if the pressure of the process chamber changes.

[0023] A sensor gas flow stabilization system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a sensor connection tube, an orifice connecting a sensor device and the sensor connection tube, and a bypass tube (bypass pipe) connected to the sensor connection tube at the portion where the orifice and the sensor connection tube are connected.

[0024] In this example, the sensor connection pipe, the bypass pipe, and the sensor device may be connected to three branches of the splitter adapter (branch adapter, distribution adapter), respectively. In this example, an orifice may be fixedly or replaceably attached to the branch that connects the sensor device and the splitter adapter among the three branches.

[0025] In this example, a vacuum pressure gauge may be provided in the sensor connection line and a manually operated vacuum pump may be included in the bypass line as a vacuum pump for the stabilization system.

[0026] In this example, the sensor gas flow stabilization system according to an embodiment of the present invention further includes a valve for controlling or throttling the gas flow, the valve being located in front of the vacuum pump or in front of the orifice for the stabilization system attached to the bypass tube on the sensor connection tube, where "in front" means the portion of the tube where the front of the gas flow passes.

[0027] The sensor gas flow stabilization system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a divided structure (separate structure), which may include a vacuum pressure gauge attached to the sensor connection pipe for measuring pressure, a bypass pipe, a vacuum pump attached to the pipe, a control valve attached to the bypass pipe, and a controller for sensing the pressure of the vacuum pressure gauge and controlling the control valve.

[0028] At this time, the control valve can be controlled by a controller using a proportional control method or a PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) control method. Effect of the Invention

[0029] The sensor gas flow stabilization system according to the present invention can prevent problem situations such as a large change in the analytical value of the sensor while the internal pressure of the MS, which is a sensor device connected to a process chamber to which a vacuum is applied, changes rapidly in response to a pressure change in the process chamber, or a decrease in the reliability of the analytical value data due to a delay in the sensor device sensing the current state of the process chamber.

[0030] The sensor gas flow stabilization system of the present invention can reduce the maintenance burden by extending the life of the MS sensor device and reducing the need for maintenance. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0031] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing a combination of a process chamber and a sensor apparatus for sensing the process chamber in a conventional semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus.

[0032] [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram for explaining the MS as a sensor device.

[0033] [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram showing the configuration of a gas flow stabilization system and its periphery according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram showing the configuration of a gas flow stabilizing system and its surroundings according to another embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0035] The present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the drawings.

[0036] FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram showing a sensor gas flow (gas flow rate) stabilization system and its peripheral components of a semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] Compared with the stabilization system of the conventional semiconductor device manufacturing equipment, the stabilization system according to the embodiment of the present invention further includes an orifice 230 formed at the end of a sensor connection pipe 300 that connects the process chamber 100 and the sensor device 200 via a port, a bypass pipe 315 attached to the part where the orifice is formed, and a manually operable dry pump 330 attached to the bypass pipe. An operator can control the flow rate of gas through the dry pump 330 and a valve attached thereto while monitoring a vacuum pressure gauge attached to each position. The stabilization system according to the embodiment of the present invention may further include a control valve 320 attached to the front side of the dry pump 330 for the stabilization system, and a control valve 325 attached to a part of the sensor connection pipe close to the orifice.

[0038] Here, the inlet of the dry pump 330 for the stabilization system (apparatus) is connected to the sensor connection tube (pipe) 300 via a section of pipe fitted with an orifice 230, and the outlet of the dry pump, together with the outlet of the sensor apparatus, is connected to the process chamber vacuum line 150 on the exhaust side of the vacuum pump 140 for the process chamber coupled to the process chamber 100, allowing gas to be exhausted into the apparatus vacuum line 160.

[0039] Also, although not explicitly shown in the drawings, the sensor connection pipe, bypass pipe, and sensor device may each be connected to three branches of a splitter adapter (distribution device), and in this example, an orifice may be fixedly or replaceably attached to one of the three branches that connects the splitter adapter and the sensor device.

[0040] A dry pump 330 for the stabilization system, spatially connected to the sensor connection pipe (sensor connection tube) 300, removes (exhausts) residual gas that has not flowed into the sensor device (MS) 200 from the sensor connection tube 300. The orifice 230 is attached to the pipe at the inlet of the sensor device 200, and controls the flow rate of the gas introduced into the sensor device 200 in the pipe uniformly.

[0041] With this configuration, the present invention can prevent data distortion caused by pressure changes in the process chamber 100 and data delays caused by dead space (dead volume) in the sensor connection tube 300.

[0042] This embodiment can maintain the stability of the sensor device 200 compared to the prior art. However, since the dry pump 330 for the stabilization system is manually controlled by an operator, it is necessary to adjust the size of the orifice 230 according to the pressure condition of the process chamber 100 when replacing the orifice, and it is difficult to quickly respond to a sudden change in pressure of the process chamber 100.

[0043] Of course, if an adjustable needle valve (not shown) is installed at the inlet of the sensor device 200 instead of the orifice 230, such inconvenience can be alleviated, but this is still insufficient for rapid response.

[0044] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an embodiment in which a distributed configuration (distributed structure, divided structure) is attached to a sensor connection pipe 400 between a process chamber 100 and a sensor device 200 as a stabilization system for a gas flow (gas flow rate).

[0045] Here, an automatically controlled gas flow stabilization system is installed instead of the gas flow stabilization system having the bypass pipe and the dry pump 330 illustrated in Fig. 3. This gas flow stabilization system includes a first automatic valve 451 and a second automatic valve 452 attached to a port where the gas of the process chamber 100 is introduced into the sensor connection pipe 400, the first automatic valve 451 being an on / off valve performing a shutdown function, and the second automatic valve 452 being a flow control valve or a pressure control valve. The first automatic valve and the second automatic valve are controlled by a stabilization system controller (control device) 440 that receives a sensing signal of a vacuum pressure gauge (P2) 420.

[0046] The gas flow stabilization system further includes a dry pump 430 for the stabilization system attached to a branch or bypass pipe 415 branching off from the sensor connection pipe 400 near the orifice 230, and a third automatic valve 453 attached to the bypass pipe 415. As shown in FIG. 3, the outlet of the dry pump 430 for the stabilization system, together with the outlet of the sensor device 200, is connected to the process chamber vacuum line 150 on the exhaust (back) side of the vacuum pump 140 for the process chamber coupled to the process chamber 100, so that gas is discharged to the vacuum line 160 of the device. The third automatic valve and the dry pump 430 for the stabilization system may be controlled by the controller 440 of the stabilization system by receiving a sensing signal from the vacuum pressure gauge (P2) 420 for the stabilization system.

[0047] Alternatively, the stabilization system controller 440 may be connected to an operator interface 460 as shown in FIG. 4 and controlled by an operator at a remote location, allowing for remote control.

[0048] Furthermore, the stabilization system controller 440 may have a scheduler function that interacts with a timer and may be configured to operate according to a pre-entered program. In this example, the stabilization system controller 440 controls the equipment and can operate / stop components of the stabilization system, such as valves and vacuum pumps, at pre-reserved times, and can transmit / receive signals to / from the sensor device MS to link with the sensor device, making it possible to start / stop the operation of the stabilization system controller 440 at a predetermined time.

[0049] For example, the stabilization system controller allows an operator to remotely control the MS and the distributed configuration simultaneously, and can use a scheduler function to open the on / off valve 451 and automatic valve 452 at predetermined times to cause the MS to perform measurements only when chamber gas is being supplied, and can also completely close these valves to stop the MS from measuring.

[0050] With the above configuration, the gas flow stabilization system according to the present invention can automatically control the sample gas so that it is introduced uniformly into the MS, regardless of changes in the process pressure inside the process chamber.

[0051] An orifice or a metering valve is provided at the inlet of the sensor device to uniformly control the amount of gas flowing into the sensor device. Furthermore, the gas flow stabilization system according to the present invention uses a branch pipe connected to the sample line (piping) and a dry pump attached to the branch pipe to exhaust residual gas that is not introduced into the sensor device, thereby preventing data delays.

[0052] In addition, the vacuum pressure gauge of the stabilization system attached to the connecting piping constantly transmits the pressure value to the controller, and the controller controls each automatic valve so that the pressure in the connecting piping is maintained constant regardless of the pressure in the process chamber.

[0053] The automatically controlled valve will be described in more detail below. The automatically controlled valve may be a conventionally used ALD valve (atomic layer deposition valve) or a proportional control valve capable of controlling a minute flow rate.

[0054] Since ALD valves have been used for a long time, it is easy to adopt existing products and to build a system with them. Such automatic valves can include a pulse width modulation (PWM) circuit. In the case of such PWM control, the controller receives the pressure in front of the dry pump in the piping (pressure inside the piping) and determines the opening and closing cycle of the automatic valve through feedback.

[0055] However, ALD valves have the disadvantages of severe pressure decay below 10 Hz, a very short valve lifespan, and a large and complex structure.

[0056] On the other hand, the proportional control valve may include a metering valve as a flow control valve and a server actuator for automatically controlling the flow rate of the metering valve. The proportional control valve may also include a vacuum pressure gauge for measuring the degree of vacuum, similar to the ALD valve.

[0057] This proportional control valve linearly controls the opening and closing amount by the opening and closing action, so pressure damping does not occur, stable control is possible using a proven fixed quantity valve, its lifespan is not shortened because it has the same lifespan as the valve body, and it can be heated for installation. However, in order to configure this new proportional control valve, it is necessary to develop a combination of a controller suitable for the proportional control valve.

[0058] Further, in addition to the components in these embodiments, the gas flow stabilization system according to the embodiments of the present invention may include a heat jacket or other type of heater attached to the connecting pipes or valves, and may control the temperature of the connecting pipes and distributed components to prevent process by-products from accumulating in the pipes and to prevent pressure changes due to temperature changes in the space from changing the analytical values ​​(measurements or sensed values) of the sensor device.

[0059] In this example, the controller can also control the temperature of the pipe via this heater. In this case, a temperature sensor is attached to an orifice, a valve at the inlet of the connecting pipe, or a sensor device, and transmits the temperature of the gas in the connecting pipe, in a component connected to the connecting pipe, or in the connecting pipe to the controller.

[0060] Next, the control device (controller) of the stabilization system required for automatic control will be described in more detail. The control device is configured to automatically control all components of the gas flow stabilization system, or to automatically control some limited components and manually control some components. The control device may receive pressure information from the sensor connection tube and automatically control an automatic valve for controlling the amount of gas introduced from the process chamber, or may manually control a vacuum pump attached to a bypass tube or a valve attached to the vacuum pump.

[0061] The control device may have an automatic valve control function and a heater control function, and the heater control may be recognized as a temperature control function. Furthermore, the control device may control a dry pump, which is a vacuum pump combined with a piping, in an on / off manner.

[0062] The control device may be a computer for directly controlling each of the above components, or may be combined with an existing computer to control each of the above components by transmitting control signals via the computer. Of course, in this case, the computer must include a program, which is software, for receiving signals from the control device and generating and transmitting signals for controlling each of the components.

[0063] Although the present invention has been described through limited embodiments, this is provided only to facilitate the overall understanding of the present disclosure, and the present disclosure is not limited to the exemplary embodiments. It will be understood that various modifications and changes may be made from the present description by those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains.

[0064] Therefore, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications and equivalents can be made therein without departing from the technical spirit and scope of the present invention, and such changes, modifications and equivalents are within the scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. 1. A system for stabilizing a sensor gas flow in a manufacturing tool, comprising: The manufacturing apparatus includes a process chamber, a vacuum pump for the process chamber provided for exhausting an internal gas of the process chamber, and a sensor device for receiving the internal gas of the process chamber through a sensor connection pipe and detecting an element; The sensor gas flow stabilization system comprises: The sensor connection tube; a bypass pipe for discharging a part of the gas in the sensor connection pipe to the outside without introducing it into the sensor device so that a part of the internal gas of the process chamber can be stably supplied to the sensor device within a predetermined range per unit time through the sensor connection pipe even if the pressure of the process chamber changes, The sensor connection pipe and the sensor device are connected via an orifice provided at the end of the sensor connection pipe, the bypass pipe is connected to the end of the sensor connection pipe to which the orifice connecting the sensor connection pipe and the sensor device is attached, and a vacuum pump for the stabilization system is attached to the bypass pipe.

2. In claim 1, a vacuum pressure gauge for the stabilization system for measuring gas pressure in the sensor connection tube; The vacuum pump for the stabilization system is configured to allow manual control of the vacuum pressure gauge for the stabilization system.

3. In claim 1, a vacuum pressure gauge for the stabilization system that measures gas pressure in the sensor connection tube; an automatic valve attached to an inlet portion of the sensor connection tube for receiving the internal gas of the process chamber; A control device that receives pressure information detected by the vacuum pressure gauge for the stabilization system, adjusts gas inflow via the automatic valve, and further controls operation of the vacuum pump for the stabilization system.

4. In claim 3, The automatic valve is controlled by the controller for the stabilization system in a proportional control manner or a pulse width control (PWM) manner.

5. In claim 3 or 4, A system in which the sensor connection pipe or the automatic valve is provided with a heater and a temperature sensor, and a control device for the stabilization system receives temperature information from the temperature sensor and controls the operation of the heater.

6. In claim 2, an automatic valve attached to an inlet for receiving the internal gas of the process chamber into the sensor connection tube; a controller that receives pressure information sensed by the vacuum pressure gauge for the stabilization system and adjusts gas inflow via the automatic valve.

7. In any one of claims 1 to 4 and 6, the sensor connection pipe, the bypass pipe, and the sensor device are respectively connected to three branches of one branch adapter; The orifice is attached to a branch connecting the branch adapter and the sensor device.

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