Process Chamber Vibration Detection from Motor Position Errors
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Substrate processing systems face challenges in accurately measuring and controlling vibration within processing chambers, which can interfere with metrology measurements and affect the precision and reliability of substrate processing operations.
Innovation Solution
A method that involves receiving position error data from motors within the processing chamber, preprocessing this data to remove artifacts, transforming it into the frequency domain, and using filters to determine if a vibration fault has occurred, allowing for corrective actions to be taken to mitigate the impact of vibrations on the processing system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If vibration measurement and control systems are implemented in substrate processing chambers, then measurement precision and processing reliability are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses position error data from motor controllers as an intermediary to indirectly measure chamber vibration. Instead of directly measuring vibration with sensors, the system monitors position errors from motors during chamber operations, which correlate with vibration levels. This intermediary approach enables vibration detection without adding dedicated vibration measurement hardware to the chamber.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a digital copy or representation of vibration data by analyzing position error data from motor controllers. The position error data serves as a proxy or copy that contains vibration information, allowing the system to analyze vibration characteristics without physical vibration sensors in the chamber environment.
2Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If additional vibration detection hardware is added to the processing chamber, then vibration detection capability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses existing motor controllers and their position error data to provide vibration detection functionality. The motor controllers, which are already present for substrate table positioning, now also serve the additional function of vibration monitoring. This self-service approach allows the existing hardware to perform multiple functions without requiring separate dedicated vibration sensors.
Solution Approach 2:
The motor controllers are made multi-functional by using them both for their primary purpose of positioning the substrate table and for the secondary purpose of detecting chamber vibration. The position error data from these controllers is analyzed to extract vibration information, making the existing hardware serve universal purposes and eliminating the need for additional specialized equipment.
3Reliability
If real-time vibration monitoring is implemented, then processing reliability is improved, but data processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the relevant vibration information from the position error data through filtering and analysis, separating the useful vibration signals from the raw motor control data. By extracting specific frequency components and vibration characteristics, the system processes only the necessary information rather than handling all raw data, reducing processing complexity while maintaining reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
A method includes receiving, by a processing device, position error data from one or more motors of a process chamber. The method further includes performing preprocessing of the position error data. The method further includes transforming the position error data to a frequency domain. The method further includes determining, based on the frequency domain position error data, that a vibration fault has occurred in connection with the process chamber. The method further includes performing a corrective action in view of the vibration fault.