Substrate Processing Controller Prioritizing Production Over Maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current substrate processing apparatuses face inefficiencies in production due to manual maintenance of load lock chambers, leading to decreased productivity and operation rates, especially when automatic maintenance recipes conflict with production recipes.
Innovation Solution
A configuration that includes a process chamber, a vacuum transfer chamber, a depressurizable preparatory chamber, and a controller that prioritizes and temporarily stops maintenance recipes to execute production recipes, allowing for continuous operation and efficient use of load lock chambers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual maintenance of load lock chambers is performed, then maintenance can be executed, but production efficiency decreases and operation rate drops
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables automatic maintenance execution without operator intervention. The controller automatically determines maintenance timing based on processing counts or time, selects appropriate load lock chambers, and executes maintenance recipes autonomously, allowing the system to service itself while maintaining production continuity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically selects which load lock chamber to maintain based on real-time operational status. When a production recipe is executing, the controller identifies an idle load lock chamber for maintenance, and can switch maintenance targets dynamically to avoid conflicts with production activities.
2Reliability
If a maintenance recipe using a pump is executed in one load lock chamber, then maintenance is performed, but other load lock chambers cannot execute exhaust processing recipes
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the single pump's service capacity across multiple segmented load lock chambers. By maintaining one chamber while others remain operational for production, the system segments the pump's workload temporally and spatially, allowing parallel maintenance and production activities in different chambers.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple load lock chambers are configured with identical pump connection capabilities, making each chamber universally capable of both production and maintenance functions. This multi-functionality allows any chamber to serve either purpose depending on real-time needs.
3Productivity
If production recipes are prioritized over maintenance recipes, then productivity is maintained, but maintenance timing may be delayed
Solution Approach 1:
The controller continuously monitors the execution status of both production and maintenance recipes across all load lock chambers. Based on this feedback, the controller dynamically adjusts maintenance scheduling, selecting chambers that are idle or will become idle soon, ensuring maintenance occurs promptly without disrupting production flow.
Data Source
AI summary
A configuration that maintains productivity and can automatically execute and control recipes includes a process chamber that processes a substrate, a first transfer chamber in which the substrate is transferred in a vacuum state, a second transfer chamber in which the substrate is transferred in an atmospheric pressure state, a depressurizable preparatory chamber connecting the first transfer chamber and the second transfer chamber, and a controller that executes a maintenance recipe in the preparatory chamber and a production recipe in the process chamber, respectively, in which, when the controller receives an instruction for executing the production recipe during execution of the maintenance recipe, the controller temporarily stops the maintenance recipe and preferentially executes the production recipe, and continuously executes the temporarily stopped maintenance recipe, after completion of the production recipe.