Redundant Gas Supply Control for Continuous Semiconductor Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gas supply systems for semiconductor manufacturing face interruptions due to faults in the control apparatus, leading to abrupt gas supply cessation, inability to sense process gas pressure and cylinder weight, and inability to actuate heaters, resulting in inaccurate monitoring by the central control room.
Innovation Solution
A gas supply system that employs digital and analog sensors to monitor flame, temperature, and pressure information, with a main and sub-controller setup to maintain continuous gas flow and heater control, ensuring uninterrupted gas supply even during faults, and transmitting vital information to the monitoring system for accurate condition assessment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a fault occurs in the control apparatus, then the gas supply is interrupted, but the process continues with abrupt gas supply cessation causing process defects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by detecting faults in the control apparatus before they cause gas supply interruption. The system monitors the control apparatus status and generates a process signal to maintain the valve in an open state proactively, preventing abrupt gas supply cessation and ensuring continuous process operation.
2Measurement precision
If analog signals are used for sensing, then the control apparatus can operate, but pressure and weight information cannot be accurately received
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces analog signal processing with digital signal processing. Digital sensors and processors are used to accurately measure and process pressure and weight information, providing precise measurement capabilities while enabling more robust signal handling and analysis compared to analog systems.
3Loss of information
If the main controller fails, then communication with the central control room is lost, but monitoring is required for accurate system status
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary backup communication system that operates independently of the main controller. When the main controller fails, this intermediary system maintains communication with the central control room, ensuring continuous transmission of system status information and preventing information loss.
4Temperature
If heaters are not actuated during faults, then gas liquifying occurs, but temperature control is needed to prevent this
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies feedback control by continuously monitoring temperature conditions and automatically actuating heaters when temperature drops indicate risk of gas liquifying. The system responds to temperature feedback signals to maintain gas in the desired phase state, preventing liquification during fault conditions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Prevents process failures by ensuring continuous gas supply, monitors gas pressure and heater conditions, and maintains accurate system status reporting, even during main controller malfunctions, allowing for precise control and safe operation.
Implementation Method 1
it is not possible to actuate a heater that is able to prevent liquifying of the process gas
Implementation Method 2
senses the process gas pressure and cylinder weight
Implementation Method 3
senses the process gas pressure and cylinder weight
Data Source
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AI summary
The gas supply system of this invention is furnished with a cylinder apparatus having a pneumatic valve that supplies process gas to a process chamber, and a solenoid valve that opens or closes said pneumatic valve by supplying or stopping the flow of valve actuating gas to said pneumatic valve; and a gas supply control apparatus that controls the actuation of the solenoid valve. In addition, said gas supply control apparatus comprises a main controller that controls the actuation of said solenoid valve during normal operation, and a sub-controller that senses an abnormal state of said main controller and if an abnormality is sensed, controls the actuation of said solenoid valve instead of said main controller.