Substrate Processing Apparatus Recipe Protection Cancellation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional substrate processing apparatuses require waiting until a specific number of wafers are processed before modifying plasma process recipes, leading to significant time consumption and potential productivity losses due to the need to stop processing and transfer wafers.

Innovation Solution

A substrate processing apparatus with a recipe protection unit that allows for real-time modification of processing conditions during the processing of a specific number of substrates, including a protection cancellation feature to enable changes without stopping the process, and a transfer recipe protection unit to prevent erroneous transfers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If recipe modification is prohibited during substrate processing to ensure process stability, then processing reliability is improved, but examination time increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocess stabilityVSAvoidexamination time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the substrate processing system into multiple independent processing units (first processing unit, second processing unit, etc.). Each unit can have its recipe modified independently without affecting other units. This allows recipe examination to proceed while other substrates continue processing, resolving the contradiction between maintaining stability and enabling timely examination.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a protection cancellation unit that can selectively cancel recipe protection in advance for specific processing units. This allows the system to prepare for recipe modification by canceling protection for one unit while maintaining it for others, enabling controlled recipe examination without compromising overall process stability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Manufacturing precision

If all substrates must be processed before recipe modification to maintain batch consistency, then manufacturing precision is improved, but productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebatch consistencyVSAvoidprocessing throughput

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

By dividing the processing system into multiple independent units, the patent enables parallel processing where different substrate batches can be processed simultaneously under different recipes. This maintains batch consistency within each unit while improving overall productivity through concurrent operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent enables continuous recipe examination and modification by allowing one processing unit to undergo recipe changes while other units continue processing without interruption. This maintains productive action across the system rather than halting all processing for recipe examination.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Reliability

If recipe protection is maintained throughout substrate processing to prevent errors, then reliability is improved, but adaptability decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveerror preventionVSAvoidrecipe flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic recipe protection where the protection status can be changed from protected to unprotected state through the protection cancellation unit. This dynamic adjustment allows the system to maintain error prevention when needed while enabling recipe flexibility when examination is required, resolving the contradiction between reliability and adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies recipe protection selectively to specific processing units rather than uniformly across the entire system. The protection cancellation unit can cancel protection for individual units while maintaining it for others, allowing local adaptability without compromising overall system reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS8190281B2Substrate processing apparatus, method for examining substrate processing conditions, and storage medium

Publication Date: 2012.05.29 TOKYO ELECTRON LTD

AI summary

A substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate processing unit for performing a process on substrates; a recipe protection unit for prohibiting processing conditions for the process from being changed while the process is being performed on a specific number of substrates; a protection cancellation unit for canceling a prohibition of a change in the process to allow the processing conditions to be changed while the process is being performed on the specific number of substrates; and a modifying unit for modifying the processing conditions. Further, a method for examining substrate processing conditions includes a protection cancellation step of canceling a prohibition of a change in the process to allow the processing conditions to be changed while the process is being performed on the specific number of substrates; and a modifying step of modifying the processing conditions.