Process Chamber Maintenance Enable Control for Continuous Substrate Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
In semiconductor device manufacturing, the timing of maintenance processes in substrate processing can affect the quality of substrates, as it may interrupt processing conditions and burden maintenance operators, with existing methods lacking optimal timing control.
Innovation Solution
A method that involves receiving maintenance reservation information and continuing substrate processing until completion, then setting the process chamber to a maintenance enable state after processing is finished, allowing for optimized timing of maintenance without interrupting ongoing processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If maintenance process is performed during substrate processing, then equipment reliability is improved, but processing quality deteriorates due to interrupted processing conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by continuously processing substrates after receiving maintenance reservation information and before the actual maintenance is executed. The process chamber is prepared and kept in a ready state, allowing maintenance to be performed at an optimal time without interrupting the processing flow, thus maintaining both equipment reliability and processing quality.
2Ease of operation
If maintenance timing is decided by maintenance operator, then ease of operation is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to excessive operator burden and uncertain timing optimization
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-service by automatically determining the optimal maintenance timing based on received maintenance reservation information. The control system autonomously decides when to execute maintenance without requiring continuous human intervention or judgment, reducing operator burden while optimizing maintenance timing to maintain high manufacturing throughput.
3Productivity
If maintenance process is postponed, then productivity is improved by avoiding interruptions, but manufacturing precision deteriorates when appropriate timing is missed
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback mechanisms by continuously monitoring processing conditions and comparing them against maintenance reservation information. The control system receives feedback about the current processing state and adjusts the maintenance execution timing accordingly, ensuring that maintenance is performed at the optimal moment that balances productivity maintenance with processing quality requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
Described herein is a technique capable of optimizing a timing of a maintenance process. According to one aspect of the technique of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device including: (a) transferring a substrate to a process chamber, and performing a substrate processing; (b) receiving maintenance reservation information of the process chamber wherein a maintenance timing at which the process chamber enters into a maintenance enable state is determined by the maintenance reservation information; and (c) continuously performing the substrate processing after the maintenance reservation information is received in (b) until the substrate processing in the process chamber related to the maintenance reservation information is completed, stopping one or more substrates including the substrate from being transferred into the process chamber, and thereafter setting the process chamber to the maintenance enable state.