JPH1140321A - Controller for semiconductor manufacturing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a controller for a semiconductor manufacturing device which allows its operator effectively to recognize information related to the regulation of heating. SOLUTION: A controlling part 13 regulates electric power which is supplied to a heater based on a controlling target temperature stored in a storage disc 16. Temperature measuring instruments 8, 9 measure an actual temperature as a result of the regulation by the controlling part 13 corresponding to the controlling target temperature; a display controlling part 15 displays the temperature as a bar graph to be modified according to the measurement on a graphic display 17, and the corresponding controlling target temperature mark is also displayed by relating it with the bar graph. In case that an actual temperature exceeding the threshold value stored in the storage disc 16 corresponding to the controlling target temperature is obtained, the display controlling part 15 displays a bar graph to show the actual temperature by differentiating its form from that of the normal state. Thereby, it easily allows an operator to recognize whether or not the regulation of heating is being executed properly in the process.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus for controlling a power supplied to a heater to heat a substrate to be processed and performing a predetermined process such as diffusion CVD or annealing. The present invention relates to a control device that controls display of related information. In the present invention,
The substrates to be processed include not only semiconductor wafers such as silicon wafers but also glass substrates for LCDs and the like, and semiconductor manufacturing equipment also includes manufacturing equipment for performing predetermined processing on the LCD substrates and the like under heating conditions. It is.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Some semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses perform a process involving a heating process such as a diffusion CVD process or an annealing process on a substrate to be processed from a semiconductor wafer or the like. Such a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus has a configuration in which, for example, a circumference of a reaction tube made of quartz or the like formed in a cylindrical shape is covered with a soaking tube made of SiC or the like, and a heater, a heat insulating material, and the like are arranged around the circumference. The substrate to be processed is accommodated in the reaction tube and heated by supplying electric power to the heater.

[0003] A process for performing a predetermined process on a substrate includes, for example, a step of loading a substrate into a reaction tube, a step of raising the inside of the reaction tube to a predetermined process temperature,
Maintaining the inside of the reaction tube at a predetermined process temperature,
Various steps are included in time series, such as a step of lowering the inside of the reaction tube from a predetermined process temperature, a step of extracting a substrate from the inside of the reaction tube, and the like. Conventionally, in each of such processing steps, in order to achieve the required temperature, a temperature measuring device is installed inside and outside the reaction tube, and a signal from these temperature measuring devices is input to the power control unit, The power control unit controls the power supplied to the heater based on the detected temperature to control the internal temperature of the reaction tube to a predetermined value. In some cases, the longitudinal direction of the reaction tube is divided into several regions (zones), the power supply to the heater is controlled for each region, and the temperature of the reaction tube is controlled for each region. During the above-described processing, the operator of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus can obtain signals obtained by converting signals from temperature measuring devices disposed inside and outside the reaction tube into numerical data (temperature values).

[0004]

In the conventional semiconductor manufacturing apparatus as described above, the operator controls the heating control in actual processing based on numerical data obtained by converting a signal from a temperature measuring device. We had to judge whether it was being done. Therefore,
In the process, it was not possible to easily determine whether the heating control was performed according to the initial settings.

Further, in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, the heating control conditions for a subsequent process are tuned (adjusted) in accordance with the state of the executed process to improve the efficiency and quality of the process. However, conventional semiconductor manufacturing equipment cannot easily grasp information on heating control related to the executed or executed processing, which causes a problem that time is required for tuning, and that tuning can be performed properly. The problem that the effect of tuning cannot be obtained without it has also arisen.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional circumstances, and has as its object to provide a control device of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus capable of causing an operator to effectively recognize information relating to heating control. .

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a control device for a semiconductor control device controls a power supply to a heater to heat a substrate to be processed. In a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus that performs a predetermined process, a target value storage unit that holds a target value related to heating control, a power control unit that controls power supplied to a heater based on the target value, and a control result by the power control unit. Measuring means for measuring a value corresponding to the target value, and display control means for displaying an actual measured value on a screen as a bar graph changing by measurement, and displaying a mark of the corresponding target value in association with the bar graph. It is characterized by having.

Here, the target value related to the heating control may be a target value for the directly controlled electric power itself.
It may be a target value for the temperature controlled by controlling the power. Displaying a mark in association with a bar graph means displaying the mark so that the relationship between the actual measurement value represented by the graph and the target value represented by the mark is reflected in the relationship between the display position of the bar graph and the mark. . In addition, the position at which the mark is displayed may be, for example, overlapped with a portion at which the bar graph is displayed, or may be adjacent to the position at which the bar graph is displayed. Any position can be used as long as it can represent the relationship with the target value represented by the mark.

In the control device of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus described above,
The power control means controls the power supplied to the heater based on the target value related to the heating control held by the target value storage means. Then, the measuring means measures a value corresponding to the target value as a control result by the power control means, and the display control means displays the actually measured value on the screen as a bar graph that changes by the measurement, and displays a mark of the corresponding target value. Display in association with the bar graph. Therefore, the operator can instantly grasp whether or not the heating control is appropriately performed in the process through the graph in which the target value and the actually measured value are associated with each other.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor device control apparatus according to the first aspect, further comprising a threshold value storing means for holding a threshold value in which a deviation width from a target value is set. The display control means, when an actual measurement value exceeding a threshold with respect to a target value is obtained, display the actual measurement value on a screen in a form different from a normal form of a bar graph for displaying the actual measurement value. It is characterized by. Here, the form refers to a state that can be visually grasped such as a color, a pattern, and the like. To make the form of the bar graph different from the normal form means that the form of a part or all of the form of the normal bar graph is different. Means to let

[0011] In the control device of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus described above,
When an actual measurement value exceeding the threshold value held in the threshold value storage means is obtained for the target value, the display control means displays the actual measurement value on the screen in a form different from the normal form of the bar graph. Let it. Therefore, when an actual measurement value exceeding the threshold value is obtained, it is displayed on the screen in a form different from the normal state, so that the operator can be alerted.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus for controlling a power supply to a heater to heat a substrate to be processed and perform a predetermined process. Mark storage means for holding a mark to be represented, conversion means for converting a value relating to heating control that changes with time into a held mark, and display control means for displaying the converted mark on a screen. It is characterized by having.

[0013] In the control device of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus described above, the conversion means converts a value related to the heating control which changes with time into a mark held by the mark storage means,
The display control means displays the converted mark on the screen.
Therefore, it is possible for the operator to easily recognize the value related to the heating control that changes with time.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus for controlling a power supply to a heater to heat a substrate to be processed and perform a predetermined process, A timer that measures the time of the temperature fluctuation period in the processing, a stability condition table that holds an allowable range value in which the temperature fluctuation in the temperature fluctuation period is considered to be stable, and a time when the temperature fluctuation in the temperature fluctuation period converges within the allowable range value And display control means for displaying a graph corresponding to the timer value on the display screen. Here, the temperature fluctuation period refers to, for example, a point in time when the boat has been housed in the reaction tube, or a point in time when the temperature-influencing state such as the end point of ramping (heating treatment with a constant temperature gradient) has been eliminated. Hereinafter, it refers to a period during which the control for stabilizing the temperature is performed but the temperature fluctuates.

[0015] In the control device of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus described above,
The timer measures the time of the temperature fluctuation period in the predetermined processing, and the display control means displays a graph according to the timer value when the temperature fluctuation in the temperature fluctuation period converges within the allowable range value held in the stability condition table. Display on the screen. Therefore, it is possible to easily grasp the time at which the temperature fluctuation related to the executed processing converges, and to appropriately and easily reflect the convergence time grasped when setting the heating control for the subsequent processing.

[0016]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An example in which a control device according to one embodiment of the present invention is applied to a vertical semiconductor manufacturing apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 1, a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 1 includes a cylindrical reaction tube 2, a boat 4 that holds a large number of substrates 3 to be processed and is housed inside the reaction tube 2, And a cylindrical heater 5 disposed around the periphery. In the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 1, the boat 4 is moved up and down by an elevator mechanism (not shown) so that a large number of substrates 3 are accommodated in the reaction tube 2 in a state of being loaded in the boat 4 or inside the reaction tube 2. The reaction tube 2 (that is, the substrate 3 housed therein) is heated by supplying power from a power source 7 to a heater wire 6 of a heater 5. Although there is a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus in which a soaking tube is arranged between the reaction tube 2 and the heater 5, there is no soaking tube in this embodiment.

An internal temperature measuring device (measuring means) 8 composed of a thermocouple is provided inside the reaction tube 2, and an external temperature measuring device composed of a thermocouple is provided at the heater portion (ie, outside the reaction tube 2). (Measurement means) 9 is provided. In this embodiment, the longitudinal direction of the reaction tube 2 is divided into four regions (upper,
(Upper middle, lower middle, lower)
In order to control the temperature of the reaction tube 2 for each region by controlling the power supply to the power supply, four external temperature measuring devices 9 are also provided corresponding to these regions.

The temperatures (actually measured temperatures) detected by the internal temperature measuring device 8 and the external temperature measuring device 9 are input to the temperature / display control section 10 as analog value detection signals. These detection signals are subjected to power control processing as described below. Then, an output signal as a result of performing the power control process from the temperature / display control unit 10 is output to the thyristor 11, and the thyristor 11 adjusts the power supplied from the power supply 7 to each area of the heater 5. Therefore, the control device including the internal and external temperature measuring devices 8 and 9, the temperature / display control unit 10, and the thyristor 11 causes the heating temperature of the heater 5 of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 1 to be the detected temperature of the temperature measuring devices 8 and 9. It is controlled based on.

The temperature / display control unit 10 is a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 1
The A / D conversion unit 12, the control unit 13, the analysis unit 14, the display control unit 15, the storage disk unit 16, and the A / D conversion unit 12, as shown in FIG.
A graphic display unit 17.

The A / D converter 12 converts analog detection signals from the internal temperature measuring device 8 and the external temperature measuring device 9 into digital signals. The control unit 13 performs PID control (proportional, integral, and derivative) according to the digital signal converted by the A / D converter 12 and the control target temperature stored in the storage disk unit 16, and controls the power by the thyristor 11. A signal representing a target power amount to be controlled is output. The control target temperature is represented by a relationship with the time from the start of the process, and this relationship is illustrated by a line SV in FIG.
become that way. Although the control target temperature shown in FIG. 3 is for the inside of the reaction tube 2, a control target temperature for realizing the control target temperature is set for each region of the heater 5.

FIG. 3 shows "Step 1" in which the inside of the reaction tube 2 is heated to a predetermined temperature before the boat 4 is driven.
"Step 2" in which the boat 4 in which the substrate 3 is inserted is accommodated in the reaction tube 2, and "Step 3" in which the internal temperature of the reaction tube 2 is ramped (heated with a constant temperature gradient) to a process temperature. And "Step 4" for performing a heat treatment on the substrate 3 while maintaining the process temperature, and "Step 5" for ramping the internal temperature of the reaction tube 2 to a predetermined temperature. Things.

The analysis unit 14 determines the internal temperature of the reaction tube 2 represented by the digital signal converted by the A / D conversion unit 12,
The time from the time when the boat 4 is housed until the gap between the control target temperature for the inside of the reaction tube 2 held in the storage disk unit 16 and the difference converges within the allowable range of the stability condition table shown in FIG. That is, the timer measures the settling time: the period (A) shown in FIG. 3 and the time from the end of the ramping by the control unit 13 (that is, the settling time: the period (A) shown in FIG. 3).

The display control unit 15 includes a signal representing a power value received from a wattmeter (not shown) for measuring the power output by the thyristor 11, a digital signal converted by the A / D conversion unit 12, and Based on information such as a control target temperature set in the storage disk unit 16, a display process of information relating to heating control, which will be described later, is performed and displayed on the graphic display unit 17. Here, the target storage unit, the threshold storage unit, and the mark storage unit described in the claims are configured by the storage disk unit 16 described above, and the conversion units described in the claims are configured by the display control unit 15 described above.

Next, the operation of the above-described control device will be described. According to this control device, when the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 1 executes a series of processes shown in FIG. 3 according to a process process schedule set by a recipe or the like under the control of the controller, the internal temperature measurement device 8 and the external temperature measurement The detection signal from the detector 9 is sequentially input to the temperature / display controller 10 via the A / D converter 12. In the temperature / display control unit 10, based on the detection signal, the control unit 13 controls the thyristor 11 so that the temperature inside the reaction tube becomes the control target temperature (the line SV shown in FIG. 3) set in the storage disk unit 16. And the thyristor 11 controls the amount of power supplied to the heater 5. In FIG. 3, the actual internal temperature of the reaction tube 2 by the above-described control is shown by a line PV.

The temperature / display control unit 10 performs the following process of displaying information related to heating control simultaneously with the above-described power control process. That is, the display control unit 15
However, the temperature represented by the digital signal converted by the A / D conversion unit 12 is sequentially displayed on the graphic display unit 17 as a bar graph b shown in FIG. 5A having a length corresponding to the temperature value, and the temperature is displayed. The control target temperature of the storage disk unit 16 for the measured area is displayed as a mark a shown in FIG. 5A at a position corresponding to the control target temperature in a portion where the bar graph b is displayed. Note that the P range (proportional band) in the PID control by the control unit 13 is also displayed on the graphic display unit 17 together with the mark a and the bar graph b indicated by a broken line c. FIG. 5B shows a display example of the graphic display unit 17. Thereby, the operator of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 1 can easily compare and grasp the control target temperature and the corresponding actual temperature.

When the temperature represented by the digital signal converted by the A / D converter 12 is separated from the control target temperature by the threshold value held in the storage disk unit 16 (so-called overshoot) In (2), the display control unit 15 causes the graphic display unit 17 to display the temperature as a bar graph different from the normal form. In this embodiment, the storage disk unit 16 has a threshold of 100 ° C. and 2
00 ° C. is held, and the display control unit 15 sets the temperature to 100 ° C. or more from the control target temperature in FIG.
6A is displayed on the graphic display section 17 as a yellow bar graph d in which the temperature exceeds the control target temperature.
A portion exceeding the control target temperature shown in (a) is displayed on the graphic display section 17 as a red bar graph e.
FIG. 6B shows a display example by the graphic display unit 17. Thereby, the operator of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 1 can easily grasp that the actual temperature is far from the control target temperature.

Further, the display control unit 15 converts the power amount represented by the signal received from the wattmeter into a length corresponding to the power amount as shown in FIG.
The graphic display unit 17 is used as a bar graph g shown in FIG.
And the control target power amount for which the control unit 13 instructed the thyristor 11 to output is displayed as a mark f shown in FIG. 7A at a position corresponding to the control target power amount in the displayed portion of the bar graph g. Let it. FIG. 7B shows a display example by the graphic display unit 17. Thereby, the operator of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 1 can easily compare and grasp the control target power amount serving as the control target and the actually output power amount, and the thyristor 11
Can be easily recognized when an abnormality occurs.

The display control unit 15 converts the ramping rate (temperature gradient at the time of ramping) set in the storage disk unit 16 into an arrow (mark) shown in FIG. 8A according to the temperature gradient. And display it. Here, the arrow to be converted is stored in the storage disk unit 16, and the display control unit 15 determines that if the ramping rate is positive,
If the ramping rate is negative while converting it to an arrow rising to the right and displaying it on the graphic display unit 17,
The image is converted into a downward-sloping arrow and displayed on the graphic display unit 17. Note that the greater the absolute value of the ramping rate, the greater the absolute value of the inclination of the arrow is converted to an arrow. FIG. 8B shows a display example of the graphic display unit 17. Thereby, the operator of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 1 can easily and appropriately recognize what the ramping rate is.

Further, the display control unit 15 controls the A / D conversion unit 1
The temperature change at each sampling interval of the temperature represented by the digital signal converted by 2 is calculated, and the temperature change is converted into an arrow shown in FIG. 9A and displayed according to the temperature change. Note that the arrow for this temperature change is also substantially the same as the above-described ramping rate, and a description thereof will be omitted. FIG. 9B shows a display example of the graphic display unit 17. Thereby, the operator of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 1 can easily and appropriately recognize the actual state of the temperature change.

The display control unit 15 displays the settling time measured by the analyzing unit 14 as a graph of a scale corresponding to the settling time as shown in FIG.
7 is displayed.

Here, the process of measuring the settling time by the analyzer 14 will be described with reference to FIG. In the present embodiment, the settling time measurement process is started when the boat 4 is completely accommodated in the reaction chamber 2 or when the end of the ramping is detected.

First, the analysis unit 14 determines whether or not the flag is "1" (step S1). If the flag is not "1", it indicates that the process has just started. Therefore, the flag is set to “1”, and the time when the processing is started (that is, the time when the boat is accommodated,
Alternatively, the time at the end of the ramping is recorded (steps S2 and S3).

On the other hand, if the flag is "1", it indicates that the processing has already been executed, and in this case, A
The difference between the internal temperature of the reaction tube 2 represented by the digital signal converted by the / D conversion unit 12 and the control target temperature held in the storage disk unit 16 converges within the allowable range of the stability condition table shown in FIG. It is analyzed whether or not there is (step S4).

As a result, when it is analyzed that the temperature has converged, the temperature fluctuation can be considered to be stable, so that the settling time between the current time and the time when the processing is started is calculated (step S5), and the flag is set. Is returned to the initial value “0”, and the settling time is passed to the display control unit 15 for display and output (steps S6 and S7). On the other hand, if it is analyzed that the convergence has not occurred, it is detected whether or not the preset monitoring time has expired (step S8). If the time has not elapsed, the above processing (step S1, Step S4) is repeated. If the time is up, the flag is returned to "0" and the process is terminated (step S6).

The settling time thus obtained is displayed on the graphic display unit 17 as described above, so that the operator of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus 1 can easily grasp the settling time and perform the subsequent processing. Tuning for heating control can be performed easily and quickly.

In the above-described embodiment, an example in which the present invention is applied to a vertical semiconductor manufacturing apparatus has been described. However, the type of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus to which the present invention can be applied is not particularly limited. The present invention can be applied to a manufacturing apparatus. Further, in the above-described embodiment, an example in which the internal temperature measuring device and the external temperature measuring device are provided has been described. However, in the present invention, it is sufficient that a measuring unit capable of measuring the actual heating temperature of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is provided. However, the present invention is not particularly limited to the above example.

[0037]

As described above, in the control apparatus of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention, the measured value is displayed on the screen as a bar graph which changes by measurement, and the mark of the corresponding target value is associated with the bar graph. Since the display is performed, the operator of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus can instantly grasp whether or not the heating control is appropriately performed in the process through a graph in which the target value and the actually measured value are associated with each other. Further, in the control device of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention, when an actual measurement value exceeding a predetermined threshold set in advance with respect to the target value is obtained, the form of a bar graph displaying the actual measurement value is changed to a normal form. Since it is displayed on the screen in a different form, the operator can be alerted more strongly.

Further, in the control device of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention, since the value relating to the heating control which changes with the lapse of time is displayed on the screen by a mark, the heating control which changes with the lapse of time. Can be easily recognized by the operator. Further, in the control device of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention, a graph according to the timer value at the time when the temperature fluctuation in the temperature fluctuation period converges within the predetermined allowable range value is displayed on the screen. The operator can easily grasp the time during which the temperature fluctuation relating to the processing converges. Therefore,
When setting the heating control for the subsequent processing, it can be reflected quickly and easily, and the processing efficiency of the subsequent processing can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a control device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a control target temperature according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a stability condition table according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a temperature status display according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating display of overshoot according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a power status display according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating display of a ramping rate according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a display of a temperature change according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating display of a settling time according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a settling time calculation process according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1. Semiconductor manufacturing equipment, 2. Reaction tube, 3.
・ Substrate, 4 ・ ・ Boat, 5 ・ ・
Heater, 8 internal temperature measuring device,
9. External temperature measuring device, 10. Temperature and display control device, 11. Thyristor, 12
..A / D converter, 13 control unit
14. analysis unit, 15 display control unit,
16. storage disk unit, 17 graphic display unit.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus for performing predetermined processing by heating a substrate to be processed by controlling electric power supplied to a heater, wherein target value storage means for holding a target value related to heating control; Power control means for controlling the power supplied to the heater based on the data, measuring means for measuring a value corresponding to a target value as a control result by the power control means, and displaying the actually measured value on a screen as a bar graph which changes by the measurement. And a display control means for displaying a mark of a corresponding target value in association with the bar graph. 2. The control apparatus for a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: threshold storage means for storing a threshold value that sets a deviation width from a target value; A control device for a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, wherein when a measured value exceeding a threshold value is obtained, a form of a bar graph displaying the measured value is displayed on a screen in a form different from a normal form. 3. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus for performing predetermined processing by heating a substrate to be processed by controlling electric power supplied to a heater, a mark storage means for holding a mark indicating a rate of change, and A control device for a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, comprising: conversion means for converting a value relating to heating control that changes by the change into a held mark; and display control means for displaying the converted mark on a screen. 4. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus for performing predetermined processing by heating a substrate to be processed by controlling electric power supplied to a heater, comprising: a timer for measuring a time of a temperature fluctuation period during the predetermined processing; A display that displays on the screen a stability condition table that holds an allowable range value for assuming that the temperature fluctuation during the temperature fluctuation period is stable, and a graph corresponding to the timer value when the temperature fluctuation during the temperature fluctuation period converges within the allowable range value. A control device for a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, comprising: a control unit.