Supply control system for multiple tanks

Abstract

A supply control system for a tank used in a semiconductor manufacturing process is disclosed. The supply control system for the tank according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a plurality of tanks for storing large amounts of process material used in semiconductor manufacturing; main supply pipes configured to communicate with secondary supply pipes respectively coupled to the plurality of tanks and supply the process material to semiconductor manufacturing equipment; a plurality of flow control devices included in each of the secondary supply pipes and configured to control a flow rate of the process material discharged from each of the plurality of tanks; sensors included in the main supply pipe and configured to measure in real time the process material flow rate and process material supply pressure supplied from each of the plurality of tanks to the semiconductor manufacturing equipment; a backup section coupled to the main supply pipe and configured to supplementarily discharge the stored process material so that the process material is steadily supplied to the semiconductor manufacturing equipment; and a controller configured to control the plurality of flow control devices and the backup section based on information related to the process material flow rate measured by the sensors or information related to the process material supply pressure so that a set process material flow rate is supplied to the semiconductor manufacturing equipment through the main supply pipe.

Description

Technical Field

[0004]

[0001] Cross - Reference to Related Applications This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 080282, filed on September 18, 2020, entitled "Supply Control System for ISO Tanks" and Korean Patent Application No. 10 - 2020 - 0120450, filed on September 18, 2020, entitled "Supply Control System for ISO Tanks" (both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety).

[0002] The present disclosure relates to a supply control system for a plurality of tanks, and the plurality of tanks are configured to stably supply process materials from a plurality of tanks for storing process materials used for manufacturing semiconductors to semiconductor manufacturing equipment.

Background Art

[0003] The process material supply system currently installed in semiconductor manufacturing plants is generally configured to couple a plurality of tanks to semiconductor manufacturing equipment through only one supply line. This is disadvantageous in that it is difficult to individually control the plurality of tanks to regulate the discharge amount of chemical products supplied to the semiconductor manufacturing equipment, and the process material is supplied through only a specific tank.

[0004] Furthermore, in the above case, periodic management of the plurality of tanks is not incorporated, and when it is not systematic, it is difficult for the operator to accurately recognize when the stored process material runs out and arbitrarily adjust when the tank should be replaced.

[0005] The result is that when these disadvantages occur simultaneously and multiple tanks must be replaced at the same time, even though continuous supply of chemical products is important for the semiconductor manufacturing process, the entire management line may be stopped.

Summary of the Invention

[0006] This disclosure provides a supply control system for a process material delivery system, which can control the flow rate of process material discharged from each of several tanks installed to supply process material used for semiconductor manufacturing to semiconductor manufacturing equipment, efficiently manage the replacement cycle of each of the several tanks by checking and controlling the remaining amount of process material, and stably supply a fixed amount of process material required by semiconductor manufacturing equipment to the semiconductor manufacturing equipment even if a particular tank is replaced or a pipe malfunction occurs.

[0007] This can be achieved by a supply control system for tanks according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The supply control system includes a plurality of tanks for storing process materials used for semiconductor manufacturing; a main supply pipe configured to flow through sub-supply pipes coupled to each of the plurality of tanks and to supply process materials to semiconductor manufacturing equipment; a plurality of flow control devices, each included in the sub-supply pipe and configured to control the flow rate of process materials discharged from each of the plurality of tanks; a sensor included in the main supply pipe and configured to measure in real time the flow rate and process material supply pressure of process materials supplied from each of the plurality of tanks to the semiconductor manufacturing equipment; a backup section coupled to the main supply pipe and configured to supplementarily discharge stored process materials so that process materials are stably supplied to the semiconductor manufacturing equipment; and a controller configured to control the plurality of flow control devices and the backup section based on information regarding the flow rate or process material supply pressure measured by the sensors so that a set process material flow rate is supplied through the main supply pipe to the semiconductor manufacturing equipment.

[0008] The controller can be configured to control multiple flow control devices to operate at separate opening rates so that process materials stored in multiple tanks are discharged from each of the multiple tanks at separate flow rates, and the multiple tanks are emptied sequentially.

[0009] Multiple tanks and backup sections may include at least one of load cells or pressure sensors to estimate the remaining amount of stored process material, the load cells being configured to measure the weight of each of the multiple tanks and backup sections as it changes in response to the discharge of stored process material, and the pressure sensors being configured to measure the internal pressure of each of the multiple tanks and backup sections as it changes in response to the discharge of stored process material.

[0010] The controller can be configured to control a backup unit to supply additional process material when there are abnormalities in the information regarding process material flow rate and process material supply pressure measured by the sensors.

[0011] The controller can be configured to control the operation of a backup unit to supplement the supply of process material while one of the tanks is being replaced as the process material in the tanks sequentially becomes empty.

[0012] If the system comprises multiple tanks, including a first tank, a second tank, a third tank, and a fourth tank, the controller can be configured to control each of the multiple flow control devices based on the process material flow rates set to be supplied through the main supply pipe to the semiconductor manufacturing equipment, such that the first, second, third, and fourth tanks discharge 40%, 30%, 20%, and 10% of the process material flow rate, respectively.

[0013] The controller can be configured to control each of several flow control devices based on the process material flow rates set to be supplied through the main supply pipe to the semiconductor manufacturing equipment, such that when the replacement of the first tank is completed as the process material stored in the first tank is depleted, the first, second, third, and fourth tanks discharge 10%, 40%, 30%, and 20% of the process material flow rate, respectively.

[0014] According to a supply control system for tanks in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure, a plurality of flow control devices configured to control the flow rate of process material discharged from each of a plurality of tanks for storing process material used to manufacture semiconductors, contained in a sub-supply pipe, and a backup section coupled to the main supply pipe and configured to supplementarily discharge process material to ensure a stable supply of process material, can each be controlled by a controller based on the process material flow rate and process material supply pressure measured in real time by sensors in the main supply pipe. This allows checking and controlling the remaining amount of process material in each of the plurality of tanks, efficiently managing the replacement cycle of each of the plurality of tanks, and ensuring a stable supply of a fixed amount of process material required for semiconductor manufacturing equipment even if one of the plurality of tanks is replaced or a pipe malfunction occurs. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a schematic block diagram showing the overall configuration of a supply control system for a tank according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a flowchart illustrating a series of processes when process materials stored in a tank according to the embodiment of Figure 1 are supplied to semiconductor manufacturing equipment. [Figure 3] Figure 3 illustrates an operating state in which process materials stored in multiple tanks are discharged from each of the multiple tanks at different flow rates, so that the multiple tanks are emptied sequentially, according to the embodiment of Figure 1. [Figure 4] Figure 4 illustrates the operating state of the backup unit when an abnormality occurs while process materials are being supplied to semiconductor manufacturing equipment according to the embodiment shown in Figure 3. [Figure 5] Figure 5 illustrates the operating state in which the process material is delivered at a changed flow rate after the tank has been replaced for process material supply according to the embodiment of Figure 3. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0016] Preferred embodiments of this disclosure are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed descriptions of relevant known technologies are omitted where they may obscure the content of embodiments according to this disclosure.

[0017] For clarification, the object referred to previously or hereafter as a "tank" may include any sealed container made of stainless steel, Cr-Mo alloy steel such as alloy 4130, nickel, aluminum, or other suitable material capable of withstanding pressures from 0 Torr to >3000 psig. The internal volume of a tank may range from less than 1 liter to 22,500 liters or more.

[0018] Furthermore, for clarification, what is referred to previously or hereafter as “process material” may be any material used in the manufacture of semiconductors. This may include materials stored or delivered in solid, liquid, gas, liquefied compressed gas, or supercritical fluid phases.

[0019] Finally, for clarification, the components referred to previously or hereafter as “flow control equipment” may include any means of varying the volume or pressure of process material flowing through or out of a process material delivery system used in semiconductor manufacturing. These types of components may include mass flow controllers, proportional control valves, pressure control valves (regulating valves), limiting inlets, and pneumatically operated valves. The controlled flow rate may range from 0 liters / min to over 2000 liters / min. The pressure may range from 0 Torr to >3000 psig.

[0020] Figure 1 is a schematic block diagram illustrating the overall configuration of a tank supply control system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 2 is a flowchart illustrating a series of processes when process material stored in a tank according to the embodiment of Figure 1 is supplied to semiconductor manufacturing equipment; Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating the operating state when process material stored in a plurality of tanks shown in Figure 1 is discharged from each of the plurality of tanks at a different flow rate so that the plurality of tanks are emptied sequentially; Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating the operating state of a backup unit in case of an abnormality when supplying process material to semiconductor manufacturing equipment according to the embodiment of Figure 3; and Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating the operating state when process material is delivered at a changed flow rate after the tank has been replaced for supplying process material according to the embodiment of Figure 3.

[0021] Terms specifying direction in the description and claims of this disclosure, such as “upper,” “lower,” “left and right,” “front,” and “rear,” are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this disclosure, but are defined based on the relative positions between the drawings and the components for the sake of clarity, and the three axes are interchangeable and correspond to each other when rotated, and this applies unless otherwise specified.

[0022] The tank supply control system 100 according to one embodiment of this disclosure is not applied to the conventional small-volume, point-supply method for supplying process material G (chemical product) stored in each of the small cylinders to semiconductor manufacturing equipment 10 via a supply cabinet, but rather to a large-volume, centralized supply method utilizing multiple tanks 110a to 110d. Therefore, the flow rate GF of the process material discharged from each of the tanks 110a to 110d can be individually controlled, the replacement cycle of each of the tanks 110a to 110d can be efficiently managed, and even if one of the tanks 110a to 110d is replaced or a problem occurs in the pipe, a fixed amount of process material required by the semiconductor manufacturing equipment 10 can be stably supplied.

[0023] To specifically implement the above functions and features, a supply control system for a tank according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, for example, as shown in FIG. 1, includes a plurality of tanks 110a to 110d, a main supply pipe 120a, a sub-supply pipe 120b, flow control devices 130a to 130d, a sensor 140, a flow meter 142, a backup part 150, and a controller 160, and implements a series of processes shown in FIG. 2 so that the process material (chemical product) is stably supplied to the semiconductor manufacturing equipment 10.

[0024] In this case, the semiconductor manufacturing equipment 10 can be, for example, a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) device for receiving a process material and chemically depositing a coating material on the surface of a substrate, an etching device for etching a deposition part, or a device for cleaning an etched part.

[0025] In the present disclosure, a plurality of tanks having the same storage capacity can be installed to ensure that the process material is stably supplied to the semiconductor manufacturing equipment 10 for a long time.

[0026] The tanks 110a to 110d each include, for example, an outlet configured to be coupled to the sub-supply pipe 120b and discharge the stored process material to the outside as described below, a cylindrical structure frame (not shown) for supporting an edge, and a load cell 112 and a pressure sensor 114 for estimating the remaining amount of the stored process material.

[0027] At this time, the load cell 112 can be a component for estimating the remaining amount of the stored process material by measuring the weight of each of the tanks 110a to 110d that changes in response to the discharge of the stored process material, and can be various commercially available products including a piezoelectric element positioned between the installation surface on which the tanks 110a to 110d are placed and the tanks 110a to 110d.

[0028] The estimation of the remaining amount of process material stored in each of the tanks 110a to 110d using the load cell 112 can be performed by the controller 160 described below, which receives information on the weight of each of the tanks 110a to 110d measured by the load cell 112 in real time or at set time intervals while electrically coupled with the load cell 112.

[0029] For example, the controller 160 can estimate the remaining amount of process material in each of the tanks 110a to 110d by calculating the weight ratio between tanks 110a to 110d, which is measured in real time while the process material is being discharged, based on the initial weight of each of the tanks 110a to 110d that are filled with process material.

[0030] The pressure sensor 114 can be a component for measuring the internal pressure of each of the tanks 110a to 110d, which can change in accordance with the discharge of stored process material from each of the tanks 110a to 110d, in order to complementarily estimate the remaining amount of process material stored in the tanks 110a to 110d in cooperation with the load cell 112, and can be any of the various commercially available products for generating a preset electrical signal in accordance with the internal pressure of each of the tanks 110a to 110d, by being installed to circulate with the internal space of each of the tanks 110a to 110d.

[0031] The remaining amount of process material in each of the tanks 110a to 110d can also be estimated by the controller 160 described below, which receives information on the pressure between tanks 110a to 110d measured by the pressure cell 114 in real time or at predetermined time intervals, while electrically coupled with the pressure sensor 114.

[0032] For example, the controller 160 can estimate the remaining amount of process material in each of the tanks 110a to 110d by calculating the pressure ratio of each tank 110a to 110d, which is measured in real time while discharging the process material, based on the initial pressure of each of the tanks 110a to 110d that are filled with process material.

[0033] The main supply pipe 120a can be a component equivalent to a pipe that connects the multiple tanks 110a to 110d to the manufacturing equipment 10, ensuring that the process material discharged from the multiple tanks 110a to 110d is supplied to the manufacturing equipment 10. Specifically, as shown in Figure 1, the main supply pipe 120a can supply process material to the semiconductor manufacturing equipment 10 by flowing through multiple sub-supply pipes 120b, each of which is connected to the respective outlets of the multiple tanks 110a to 110d.

[0034] The main supply pipe 120a may include, for example, a plurality of pipes divided into predetermined set lengths, a plurality of VCRs (fasteners) for sealing and joining the plurality of pipes, and a regulator and manual / automatic valves positioned between the plurality of pipes.

[0035] The flow control devices 130a to 130d can be components installed in each of the auxiliary supply pipes 120b to control the flow rate GF of process material discharged from each of the multiple tanks 110a to 110d, and can be electrically coupled to the controller 160 and act in response to control commands from the controller 160 to control the flow rate GF of process material discharged from the corresponding one of the multiple tanks 110a to 110d or to prevent the discharge of process material.

[0036] Multiple flow control devices 130a to 130d can be commercially available electronically controlled valves that can be realized by various methods, for example, by changing the cross-sectional size, i.e., the opening ratio, of the pipe through which the fluid such as process material flows, or by variably forming bypass pipes.

[0037] On the other hand, the flow control devices 130a to 130d described above are commercially available products integrated with a flow meter 142 for measuring the flow rate GF of the process material flowing through the auxiliary supply pipe 120b, and are preferably configured to transmit information regarding the corresponding process material flow rate GF to the controller 160. This is to check whether the process material corresponding to a specific flow rate is being discharged when the process material in each of the tanks 110a to 110d is set to a different flow rate and discharged at this flow rate, as shown in Figure 3.

[0038] The sensor 140 can be a component installed in the main supply pipe 120a to check whether the process material flow rate GF required for the semiconductor manufacturing equipment 10 is accurately supplied from each of the tanks 110a to 110d. By controlling the flow rate control devices 130a to 130d as described above, it can be operated to measure in real time the process material flow rate GF and process material supply pressure actually supplied to the semiconductor manufacturing equipment 10 through the main supply pipe 120a.

[0039] As shown in Figure 1, the sensor 140 may include, for example, a flow meter 142 for measuring the amount of process material flowing through the main supply pipe 120 to the semiconductor manufacturing equipment 10, and a pressure sensor 144 for measuring the internal pressure of the main supply pipe 120a in cooperation with the flow meter 142 to complementarily estimate whether or not there is an abnormality in the process material flow rate GF.

[0040] In this case, the flow meter 142 may be any of the various commercially available products that use differential pressure, area, electronic methods or ultrasound, for example, and the pressure sensor 144 may be any of the various commercially available products that emit a preset electrical signal according to the internal pressure of the main supply pipe 120a as described above.

[0041] As described above, both the information regarding the process material flow rate GF measured by the flow meter 142 and the information regarding the process material supply pressure measured by the pressure sensor 144 can be transmitted to the controller 160 and used to measure malfunctions or failures of the flow control equipment 130a to 130d or, for example, process material leakage from pipe connections.

[0042] The backup section 150 can be a component installed to stably supply process materials to the semiconductor manufacturing equipment 10, and may include, for example, a backup tank 150a, a flow control device 150b, a load cell 152, and a pressure sensor 154, as shown in Figure 1.

[0043] In this case, the backup tank 150a can be a component for discharging stored process materials when there is an abnormality in the supply of process materials to the semiconductor manufacturing equipment 10, and can be installed to circulate with the main supply pipe 120a while storing process materials in it, similar to tanks 110a to 110d.

[0044] In this case, the storage capacity of backup tank 150a can be the same as that of tanks 110a to 110d, and can be appropriately changed if necessary, for example, by taking into account the number of tanks 110a to 110d and the flow rate GF of process material supplied to semiconductor manufacturing equipment 10.

[0045] The flow control device 150b is a component for controlling the flow rate GF of the process material discharged from the backup tank 150a, the load cell 152 is a component for measuring the weight of the backup tank 150a, and the pressure sensor 154 is a component for sensing the internal pressure of the backup tank 150a. The above components can have the same configuration as the flow control devices 130a to 130d, the load cell 112, and the pressure sensor 114 described above, except for where they are installed.

[0046] The backup unit 150 can be electrically coupled to the controller 160 and selectively and supplementally discharge the process material stored in the main supply pipe 120a after passing through the flow control device 150b, in accordance with the measurement and operation control by the controller 160. As a result, the backup unit 150 can stably supply a set fixed amount of process material flow rate GF to the semiconductor manufacturing equipment 10.

[0047] On the other hand, the load cell 152 and pressure sensor 154 included in the backup section 150 can be installed, similar to the tanks 110a to 110d, to estimate the remaining amount of process material stored in the backup tank 150a.

[0048] The controller 160 can be electrically connected to, for example, the load cells 112, 152 and pressure sensors 114, 144, 154 of tanks 110a to 110d, the flow control equipment 130a to 130d, the sensor 140, and the backup unit 150, respectively, and can provide control power and signals to these components to control their operation, and can also receive and process measurement information or data. The controller 160 may include, for example, a modular information processing unit such as a microcontroller unit (MCU), microcomputer, Arduino, or programmable logic control (PLC), and may include, for example, a display (not shown) for communicating processed information and an input device (not shown) for user settings.

[0049] The controller 160 controls each of the components it is coupled to, and the series of processes and algorithms that can process the transmitted and received data can be coded in programming languages ​​such as C, C++, and Java®, as well as machine code, which are readable by the information processing unit.

[0050] At this time, the coded algorithms for the series of operations and data processing performed by the controller 160 can be created in various ways and forms by those skilled in the art, so a detailed explanation thereof will be omitted.

[0051] However, to illustrate what series of control operations are used via the controller 160 according to one embodiment of this disclosure in order to stably supply and manage the set process material flow rate GF from multiple tanks 110a to 110d to the semiconductor manufacturing equipment 10, refer to Figures 2 to 5 below.

[0052] First, as shown in Figure 2, the controller 160 receives information regarding the process material flow rate GF to be continuously supplied to the semiconductor manufacturing equipment 10 via an input device and stores the received information. At this time, the process material flow rate GF to be continuously supplied to the semiconductor manufacturing equipment 10 can be set or determined by the operator, for example, by considering the overall scale or operating status of the semiconductor manufacturing equipment 10.

[0053] For example, if the daily process material flow rates GF supplied over a week are 50, 55, 50, 60, 55, 55, and 55 (in GPM or LPM), the final process material flow rate GF can be set as 65.14 = 54.28 (average value) x 1.2 (safety factor) (100% GF in Figure 3).

[0054] As described above, the process material flow rate GF set to be supplied to the semiconductor manufacturing equipment 10 is a set value that can be converted to the corresponding process material supply pressure and can be arbitrarily changed depending on the situation, and can be used as a reference for control operations by the controller 160 (S100).

[0055] Next, when the process material flow rate GF to be continuously supplied to the semiconductor manufacturing equipment 10 is set, the controller 160 controls each of the flow rate control devices 130a to 130d according to the respective flow rates of the tanks 110a to 110d, as shown in Figure 2, so that the process material is supplied to the semiconductor manufacturing equipment 10.

[0056] In this case, as shown in Figure 3, if four tanks, namely the first, second, third, and fourth tanks 110a to 110d, are installed, and assuming that the process material flow rate GF previously set to be supplied to the semiconductor manufacturing equipment 10 is 100%, then each of the tanks 110a to 110d can be set to supply process material in the ratios of 40%, 30%, 20%, and 10%, respectively.

[0057] As described above, by discharging the process materials stored in each of the four tanks 110a to 110d at separate flow rates, the process materials in tanks 110a to 110d can be emptied and replaced sequentially, rather than simultaneously.

[0058] Since tanks 110a to 110d are replaced sequentially, process materials are supplied to the semiconductor manufacturing equipment 10 efficiently and stably without interruption, and multiple tanks 110a to 110d can be maintained efficiently.

[0059] The controller 160 controls multiple flow control devices 130a to 130d to operate with separate opening ratios so that they can reflect the respective flow rates of the tanks 110a to 110d set as described above (S200).

[0060] Next, as shown in Figure 2, the controller 160 measures and monitors the process material flow rate GF and process material supply pressure supplied to the semiconductor manufacturing equipment 10 via the main supply pipe 120a through the sensor 140. At this time, the measurement by the sensor 140 can be performed in real time or at periodic intervals under the control of the controller 160 (S300).

[0061] Next, as shown in Figure 2, in the process of monitoring the process material flow rate GF and process material supply pressure measured when the material is supplied to the semiconductor manufacturing equipment 10 through the main supply pipe 120a, the controller 160 determines whether or not an abnormality exists, that is, whether or not the measured process material flow rate GF (or measured process material supply pressure) is the same as the set process material flow rate (or set process material supply pressure) within a predetermined range.

[0062] Here, the predetermined range can be changed according to the conditions of the manufacturing process or on-site operation, and can be determined within a range of 5% to 10% based on the process material flow rate GF (or process material supply pressure) set to be supplied to the semiconductor manufacturing equipment 10.

[0063] First, at this stage, if the controller 160 determines that the measured process material flow rate GF (or measured process material supply pressure) falls below the set process material flow rate GF (or set process material supply pressure) by a predetermined range, the controller 160 controls the operation of the backup unit 150 as shown in Figure 4. That is, the controller 160 controls the backup unit 150 to open the flow control device 150b so that the process material flow rate GF corresponding to the shortage (15% GF in Figure 4) is replenished to the main supply pipe 120a by the backup tank 150a.

[0064] When there is a deficiency (15% GF in Figure 4) in the process material flow rate GF (measured process material supply pressure) measured based on the set process material flow rate GF (or set process material supply pressure), this control for the backup unit 150 is immediately implemented.

[0065] However, if the shortage of process material flow rate GF is not temporary but persists for a predetermined period (e.g., 1 minute) or longer, the controller 160 cancels the above-mentioned control for the backup unit 150 and switches to control to increase the opening ratio of each of the flow control devices 130a to 130d installed in each of the tanks 110a to 110d so that the process material flow rate GF corresponding to the shortage (15% GF in Figure 4) is replenished to the main supply pipe 120a.

[0066] In this case, increasing the opening ratio of each flow control device 130a to 130d installed in each of the tanks 110a to 110d can be done simultaneously for all flow control devices 130a to 130d in a ratio of 4:3:2:1 corresponding to the flow rates of 40%, 30%, 20%, and 10% of the tanks 110a to 110d. If the depletion of a specific process material in one of the tanks 110a to 110d is a priority requirement, control can be implemented to increase the opening ratio of only one of the flow control devices 130a to 130d corresponding to that specific tank 110a to 110d.

[0067] The aforementioned deficiency in process material flow rate GF can be caused by various factors, including temporary delays in the semiconductor manufacturing equipment 10, improper fastening of the main supply pipe 120a or the sub-supply pipe 120b, problems inside the tanks 110a to 110d, and temperature changes in the surrounding environment (S410).

[0068] Conversely, at this stage, if the controller 160 determines that the measured process material flow rate GF (or measured process material supply pressure) is within a predetermined range or more than the set process material flow rate GF (or set process material supply pressure), the controller 160 controls each of the flow control devices 130a to 130d installed in each of the tanks 110a to 110d.

[0069] In other words, the controller 160 reduces the opening ratio of each of the flow control devices 130a to 130d installed in each of the tanks 110a to 110d, so as to prevent the process material flow rate GF from tanks 110a to 110d from being excessively discharged into the main supply pipe 120a.

[0070] In this case, the reduction in the opening ratio of each flow control device 130a to 130d installed in each of the tanks 110a to 110d can be performed simultaneously for all flow control devices 130a to 130d in a ratio of 4:3:2:1 corresponding to the flow rates of 40%, 30%, 20%, and 10% of the tanks 110a to 110d. If it is necessary to suppress the depletion of process material in a specific tank among the tanks 110a to 110d, the control can be performed by reducing the opening ratio of only one of the flow control devices 130a to 130d corresponding to that specific tank among the tanks 110a to 110d.

[0071] The aforementioned oversupply of process material flow rate GF can also be caused by various factors such as working conditions in the semiconductor manufacturing equipment 10, improper fastening of the main supply pipe 120a or sub-supply pipe 120b, problems inside tanks 110a to 110d, and temperature changes in the surrounding environment (S420).

[0072] As described above, when the process material flow rate GF is replenished and controlled, the controller 160 measures the process material flow rate GF and process material supply pressure supplied to the semiconductor manufacturing equipment 10 through the main supply pipe 120a via the sensor 140, and thereby monitors whether the replenishment and control of the process material flow rate GF are being carried out normally (S400).

[0073] Next, as shown in Figure 2, the controller 160 receives information regarding the weight and internal pressure of each of the tanks 110a to 110d, measured by load cells 112 and pressure sensors 114 installed in each of the tanks 110a to 110d, in real time or at predetermined time intervals. The controller then estimates or calculates the remaining amount of process material in each of the tanks 110a to 110d, and continues to monitor the remaining amount of process material in each of the tanks 110a to 110d (S500).

[0074] At this time, the remaining amount of process material estimated using the load cell 112 can be estimated by comparing the initial weight of each of the tanks 110a to 110d measured when the process material is completely filled with the weight of each of the tanks 110a to 110d measured in real time while the process material is being discharged, and by calculating the ratio obtained by applying predetermined parameters to the comparison result.

[0075] Furthermore, the remaining amount of process material estimated using pressure sensors 114 and 154 can be estimated by comparing the initial pressure of each tank 110a to 110d measured when the process material is completely filled with the pressure of each tank 110a to 110d measured in real time while the process material is being discharged, and by calculating the ratio obtained by applying predetermined parameters to the comparison result.

[0076] Next, as shown in Figures 2 and 5, the controller 160 monitors the remaining amount of process material in each of the tanks 110a to 110d and determines whether or not the process material in a particular tank 110a is depleted (S600).

[0077] If it is determined that the process material in a particular tank 110a has been depleted, the controller 160 can perform the necessary operations to enable the replacement of that particular tank 110a. For example, the controller 160 can send a signal or notification to inform a central system (not shown) or an operator of the semiconductor manufacturing equipment 10 that the particular tank 110a needs to be replaced (S610).

[0078] In response to this exchange signal or notification from the controller 160, while a specific tank 110a (first tank) is being replaced, the controller 160 additionally controls each of the remaining semiconductor manufacturing equipment 10 so that each maintains a set process material flow rate GF.

[0079] In this case, additional control by the controller 160 can be performed by controlling the backup unit 150 so that the process material is replenished by the backup unit 150.

[0080] At this time, the controller 160 controls the flow rate control device 150b of the backup tank 150a so that the backup tank 150a discharges a process material flow rate GF (e.g., 40% GF) corresponding to the process material flow rate (e.g., 40% GF in Figure 3) that was previously supplied by the tank 110a (first tank) being replaced into the main supply pipe 120a.

[0081] Furthermore, unlike this, additional control by the controller 160 can be performed by controlling the remaining tanks 110b to 110d so that process material is replenished by the remaining tanks 110b to 110d, excluding tank 110a (the first tank) which is being replaced.

[0082] At this time, the controller 160 increases the opening ratio of one of the flow control devices 130b to 130d so that one of the remaining tanks 110b to 110d discharges the process material flow rate (e.g., 40%GF in Figure 3) that was previously supplied by the tank 110a (first tank) being replaced into the main supply pipe 210a. This discharge can be carried out by assigning an additional flow rate (referring to Figure 3, an additional 20%GF in the case of 30%GF, an additional 13.3% in the case of 20%GF, and an additional 6.7% in the case of 10%) to each of the remaining tanks 110b to 110d based on their respective assigned flow rates (30%GF, 20%GF, and 10%GF in Figure 3).

[0083] Finally, as shown in Figures 2 and 5, when the replacement of tank 110a (first tank) is complete, the controller 160 controls each of the flow control devices 130a to 130d according to the predetermined flow rates of each of the tanks 110a to 110d so that the process material is supplied to the semiconductor manufacturing equipment 10.

[0084] In this case, unlike in Figure 3 above, as shown in Figure 5, when four tanks 110a to 110d, i.e., the first, second, third, and fourth tanks 110a to 110d, are installed, the determined flow rate of each of the tanks 110a to 110d can be changed by the controller 160 so that the process material in the remaining tanks 110b to 110d is sequentially emptied, excluding the replaced first tank 110a.

[0085] Specifically, the controller 160 controls each of the flow control devices 130a to 130d so that the first, second, third, and fourth tanks 110a to 110d discharge 10%, 40%, 30%, and 20% of the process material flow rate GF, respectively, based on the process material flow rate GF (100% GF) set or determined to be supplied to the semiconductor manufacturing equipment 10 through the main supply pipe 120a.

[0086] As described above, unlike in Figure 3, the process material stored in each of the four tanks 110a to 110d is discharged at a modified flow rate, preventing two or more of the four tanks 110a to 110d from being replaced simultaneously. As a result, the process material in tanks 110a to 110d is emptied and replaced sequentially, rather than simultaneously, allowing for an efficient and stable supply of process material to the semiconductor manufacturing equipment 10 without interruption.

[0087] The reflection of the modified flow rates in each of the tanks 110a to 110d as described above can be achieved by the controller 160 controlling the multiple flow control devices 130a to 130d so that each operates with a different opening ratio, and the subsequent process can be carried out continuously by repeating the above process as shown in Figure 2.

[0088] The supply control system 100 for tanks of this disclosure operates according to a series of control operations of the controller 160 as described above, and can effectively address, for example, the problem of uneven discharge of process materials due to differences in internal pressure between multiple tanks 110a to 110d, and the problem of the quality of process materials in some of the tanks 110a to 110d due to long-term non-use or insufficient use.

[0089] While preferred embodiments of this disclosure are described, various modifications thereto will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the specification. Therefore, it should be clear that this disclosure intends to encompass such modifications or changes within the scope of the claims. The following embodiments can be cited as examples of the present invention. (Note 1) A supply control system for a tank, Multiple tanks for storing large quantities of process materials used in semiconductor manufacturing, A main supply pipe is connected to each of the aforementioned multiple tanks and is configured to flow through a sub-supply pipe to supply process materials to semiconductor manufacturing equipment, Each of the auxiliary supply pipes contains a plurality of flow control devices configured to control the flow rate of process material discharged from each of the plurality of tanks, A sensor included in the main supply pipe and configured to measure in real time the flow rate and process material supply pressure of the process material supplied from each of the plurality of tanks to the semiconductor manufacturing equipment, A backup section connected to the main supply pipe and configured to supplementally discharge the stored process material so that the process material is stably supplied to the semiconductor manufacturing equipment, A controller configured to control the plurality of flow control devices and the backup unit based on information regarding the process material flow rate or the process material supply pressure measured by the sensor, so that the set process material flow rate is supplied to the semiconductor manufacturing equipment through the main supply pipe, A supply control system for tanks, equipped with the following features. (Note 2) The tank supply control system according to Appendix 1, wherein the controller is configured to control the plurality of flow control devices to operate at different opening ratios so that process materials stored in the plurality of tanks are discharged from the plurality of tanks at different flow rates and the plurality of tanks are sequentially emptied. (Note 3) A supply control system for tanks according to Appendix 2, wherein the plurality of tanks and the backup section include at least one of a load cell or a pressure sensor for estimating the remaining amount of stored process material, the load cell is configured to measure the weight of each of the plurality of tanks and the backup section as it changes in response to the discharge of stored process material, and the pressure sensor is configured to measure the internal pressure of each of the plurality of tanks and the backup section as it changes in response to the discharge of stored process material. (Note 4) The supply control system for a tank as described in Appendix 2, wherein the controller is configured to control the backup portion to supply additional process material when there is an abnormality in the information regarding the process material flow rate and the information regarding the process material supply pressure measured by the sensor. (Note 5) The tank supply control system according to Appendix 2, wherein the controller is configured to control the backup portion to supplement the supply of process material while one of the multiple tanks is being replaced as the process material in the multiple tanks becomes sequentially empty. (Note 6) A supply control system for tanks as described in Appendix 2, wherein the plurality of tanks include a first tank, a second tank, a third tank, and a fourth tank, the controller is configured to control each of the plurality of flow control devices such that the first, second, third, and fourth tanks discharge 40%, 30%, 20%, and 10% of the process material flow rate, respectively, based on the process material flow rate set to be supplied through the main supply pipe to the semiconductor manufacturing equipment. (Note 7) A tank supply control system according to Appendix 6, wherein the controller is configured to control each of the plurality of flow control devices such that the first, second, third, and fourth tanks discharge 10%, 40%, 30%, and 20% of the process material flow rate, respectively, when the replacement of the first tank is completed due to the depletion of the process material stored in the first tank, based on the process material flow rate set to be supplied through the main supply pipe to the semiconductor manufacturing equipment. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0090] 10: Semiconductor manufacturing equipment G: Process materials GF: Process material flow rate 100: Supply control system for tanks 110a~110d: Tanks, i.e., the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th tanks 112, 152: Load cell 114, 144, 154: Pressure sensors 120a: Main supply pipe 120b: Auxiliary supply pipe 130a~130d: Flow control equipment 140: Sensor 142:Flowmeter 150: Backup section 150a: Backup tank 150b:Flow control equipment 160: Controller

Claims

1. A supply control system for a tank, Multiple tanks for storing large quantities of process materials used in semiconductor manufacturing, A main supply pipe is connected to each of the aforementioned multiple tanks and is configured to flow through a sub-supply pipe to supply process materials to semiconductor manufacturing equipment, Each of the auxiliary supply pipes contains a plurality of flow control devices configured to control the flow rate of process material discharged from each of the plurality of tanks, A sensor included in the main supply pipe and configured to measure in real time the flow rate and process material supply pressure of the process material supplied from each of the plurality of tanks to the semiconductor manufacturing equipment, A backup section connected to the main supply pipe and configured to supplementally discharge the stored process material so that the process material is stably supplied to the semiconductor manufacturing equipment, A controller configured to control the plurality of flow control devices and the backup unit based on information regarding the process material flow rate or the process material supply pressure measured by the sensor, so that the set process material flow rate is supplied to the semiconductor manufacturing equipment through the main supply pipe, Equipped with, A tank supply control system, wherein the controller is configured to control the plurality of flow control devices to operate at different opening ratios so that process materials stored in the plurality of tanks are discharged from the plurality of tanks at different flow rates and the plurality of tanks are sequentially emptied.

2. A supply control system for tanks according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of tanks and the backup section include at least one of a load cell or a pressure sensor for estimating the remaining amount of stored process material, the load cell is configured to measure the weight of each of the plurality of tanks and the backup section as it changes in response to the discharge of stored process material, and the pressure sensor is configured to measure the internal pressure of each of the plurality of tanks and the backup section as it changes in response to the discharge of stored process material.

3. The supply control system for a tank according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to control the backup portion to supply additional process material when there is an abnormality in the information regarding the process material flow rate and the information regarding the process material supply pressure measured by the sensor.

4. The tank supply control system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to control the backup portion to supplementally supply process material while one of the plurality of tanks is being replaced as the process material in the plurality of tanks becomes sequentially empty.

5. A supply control system for tanks according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of tanks include a first tank, a second tank, a third tank, and a fourth tank, the controller is configured to control each of the plurality of flow control devices such that the first, second, third, and fourth tanks discharge 40%, 30%, 20%, and 10% of the process material flow rate, respectively, based on the process material flow rate set to be supplied through the main supply pipe to the semiconductor manufacturing equipment.

6. The tank supply control system according to claim 5, wherein the controller is configured to control each of the plurality of flow control devices such that the first, second, third, and fourth tanks discharge 10%, 40%, 30%, and 20% of the process material flow rate, respectively, when the replacement of the first tank is completed due to the depletion of the process material stored in the first tank, based on the process material flow rate set to be supplied through the main supply pipe to the semiconductor manufacturing equipment.

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