Substrate Processing Apparatus Inter-Process Conditioning Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
In semiconductor wafer processing, determining the necessity of inter-process conditioning between different film forming processes in the same chamber is often manual and prone to errors, leading to adverse effects on subsequent processes or reduced throughput.
Innovation Solution
A substrate processing apparatus and method that automatically determine the need for inter-process conditioning by analyzing process group numbers and using a lookup table to decide on cleaning and precoating operations based on the preceding and subsequent processes, ensuring the chamber environment is prepared optimally.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual determination of inter-process conditioning is performed, then process flexibility is maintained, but determination accuracy deteriorates due to human error
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically determines the necessity of inter-process conditioning by itself, using the control unit to compare process group numbers and query the lookup table without human intervention. This self-determination mechanism eliminates manual errors while maintaining operational simplicity through automated decision-making based on pre-stored conditioning rules.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual mechanical decision-making process is replaced by an automated information processing system. The control unit electronically compares process group numbers and queries the lookup table stored in memory, substituting human cognitive processes with automated computational logic to achieve more accurate and consistent determination results.
2Reliability
If inter-process conditioning is always performed, then subsequent process quality is ensured, but throughput deteriorates due to unnecessary conditioning operations
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of uniformly applying conditioning to all process transitions, the system applies conditioning selectively based on the specific combination of preceding and subsequent process groups. The lookup table stores conditioning necessity information tailored to each process pair, ensuring conditioning is performed only where actually needed to maintain subsequent process quality while avoiding unnecessary operations that would reduce throughput.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of conditioning application from a constant (always performed) to a variable (conditionally performed based on process group comparison). By dynamically determining conditioning necessity based on process parameters and querying the lookup table, the system optimizes the balance between ensuring subsequent process quality and maintaining high throughput by eliminating redundant conditioning operations.
3Productivity
If different kinds of processes are continuously performed in one chamber, then throughput is improved, but residual gas and deposits adversely affect subsequent processes
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary determination of conditioning necessity before executing the subsequent process by comparing process group numbers and querying the lookup table. This advance decision-making allows the system to prepare appropriate conditioning operations in advance, ensuring residual gas and deposits are removed before they can adversely affect the subsequent process, while maintaining continuous operation for high throughput.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from process group information to automatically determine whether conditioning is needed. By continuously monitoring the process sequence and comparing process group numbers against the lookup table, the system receives feedback about the current process state and automatically adjusts by initiating appropriate conditioning operations to eliminate harmful residual gas and deposits before they impact subsequent processes.
Data Source
AI summary
A control unit of a substrate processing apparatus controls a process to be performed in a chamber. The process includes a step of performing a preceding first process; a step of performing a subsequent second process after performing the first process; a step of determining whether to perform an inter-process conditioning, for arranging the environment in the chamber, during a period between the end of the first process and the start of the second process, based on information on the first process and information on the second process; and a step of performing the inter-process conditioning prior to the second process when it is determined in the determining step that the inter-process conditioning is to be performed.