JP2004327933A - Process data collector - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a process data collector capable of collecting a process data at a high speed without overburdening a SAN mask communication section and capable of collecting the process data associated with a recipe. <P>SOLUTION: In the process data collector 2 for collecting the process data prepared in accordance with an execution value signal sent from a sensor system 19 connected with a network corresponding to a control signal sent to a drive system 18 connected with the network, a monitoring means for monitoring the execution value signal on the network is provided. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a process data collection device for collecting process data in a process such as a semiconductor manufacturing process, and more particularly to a process data collection device capable of collecting process data at high speed without affecting control of the process. It is about.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In the field of semiconductor manufacturing, several different types of process processes are combined in order to improve productivity. Further, even in one process, the process is executed with different settings for each purpose.
[0003]
For example, if the sputtering process is used as a process, if the type and thickness of the target film are different, setting of process conditions such as chamber pressure, substrate heating temperature, RF power, type of gas, gas flow rate, processing time, etc. I need to change. Here, in the semiconductor manufacturing process, it is necessary to combine several different types of processing. Therefore, in order to avoid complexity and perform accurate processing, a recipe in which process processing conditions are set in advance is created, the recipe is stored in a computer for process processing control, and the recipe is stored under computer control. In accordance with the process.
[0004]
However, the created recipe may not be complete, and the performance of the apparatus changes with the aging of the processing apparatus. Therefore, it is necessary to change the contents of the recipe in a timely manner. In particular, by comparing and analyzing the results of the process processing with the process data representing the process during the process, the process analysis is performed, the recipe is updated, and the process processing is optimized. This is an important step from the viewpoint of improvement.
[0005]
FIG. 10 is a functional block diagram showing a process processing apparatus 1 including a conventional process data collecting unit 16. The process processing apparatus 1 includes a controller 11, a drive system 18 (a heater 10a, a pump 10b, and a valve 10c), a sensor system 19 (a temperature sensor 10d, a pressure gauge 10e, and a flow meter 10f), and a control network for a SEMI standard. It has a sensor / actuator network (SAN: Sensor Actor Network, hereinafter referred to as SAN) 10 and a process database 17.
[0006]
The controller 11 includes a recipe 12, a device control unit 13, a SAN master communication unit 14, a host system communication unit 15, and a process data collection unit 16.
[0007]
The device control unit 13 as a master reads the process conditions written in the recipe 12, and sends a control instruction as a command to the drive system 18 as a slave via the SAN master communication unit 14 and the SAN 10. On the other hand, similarly, the sensor system 19 as a slave outputs the control result as a response to the device control unit 13 and the process data collection unit 16 via the SAN 10 and the SAN master communication unit 14.
[0008]
The execution value signal input to the process data collection unit 16 is converted into a process data format and output to the process database 17. The process database 17 outputs process data to the host system 3 via the host system communication unit 15 according to an output instruction from the host system 3. The host system 3 performs a process analysis for comparing and analyzing the input process data and the result of the process processing, outputs the changed recipe data via the host system communication unit 15, and updates the recipe 12.
[0009]
In order to accurately perform the above-described process analysis and to update the recipe 12 rewritten to appropriate process processing conditions, process data including a predetermined amount of execution value signals from the sensor system 19 is required. It is necessary to collect high-speed process data during process processing.
[0010]
On the other hand, if the collected process data is not associated with the recipe, the process data must be associated with the recipe again when performing the process analysis. In such a case, the time spent for the process analysis increases, and the recipe cannot be updated in a timely manner.
[0011]
Therefore, a technique for high-speed process data collection has been disclosed (for example, see Patent Documents 1 and 2).
[0012]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent No. 3356662 [Patent Document 2]
JP-A-8-272433
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, according to the above-described conventional technique, when trying to collect process data at high speed, the SAN master communication unit 14 uses a signal between the device control unit 13, the drive system 18, and the sensor system 19 to collect process data. Since the communication between the unit 16 and the sensor system 19 is carried out in a mixed manner, the load on the SAN master communication unit 14 becomes excessive, and as a result, a sufficient amount of control signal is transmitted to the drive system 18. However, there is a problem that control of the drive system is hindered.
[0014]
Further, with the process data having an execution signal amount that does not hinder the control, the host system 3 cannot perform a sufficient process analysis and cannot update the recipe 12 with proper contents.
[0015]
Furthermore, if the collected process data is also stored without being associated with the recipe 12, it is necessary to re-associate the process data with the recipe 12 when performing the process analysis. There is a problem that the time spent increases and the recipe cannot be updated in a timely manner.
[0016]
The present invention has been made in view of the above, and can collect process data at high speed without imposing a load on a SAN master communication unit, and can collect process data associated with a recipe. It is an object of the present invention to obtain a process data collection device that can perform the process.
[0017]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, in a process data collection device according to the present invention, a process data collection device is connected to a network in response to a control signal transmitted to a drive system device connected to the network. A process data collection device that collects process data created based on an execution value signal sent from a sensor system device or a drive system device, wherein a monitor means for monitoring the execution value signal on the network; An associating means for associating process data with a recipe in which process processing conditions are described in advance is provided.
[0018]
According to the present invention, the process data associated with the recipe is collected without the intervention of the controller in the process processing device, so that the control of the drive system device and the monitoring of the sensor system device are not hindered.
[0019]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of a process data collection device according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[0020]
An embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an arrangement relationship of the process data collection device 2 according to the embodiment. Note that, among the components of the process processing apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1, the same components as those in the related art are denoted by the same reference numerals as those in FIG. In FIG. 1, the process data collection device 2 has a function of monitoring a signal communicated via the SAN 10 without passing through the SAN master communication unit 14.
[0021]
The process data collection device 2 inputs process data collection conditions from the device control unit 13 and collects execution value signals from the sensor system 19 via the SAN 10. Then, the obtained execution value signal is converted into process data, the correspondence with the recipe 12 is obtained, a recipe ID is added, and the process data is stored for each recipe ID.
[0022]
Then, if there is a process data output instruction from the host system 3 for the process analysis, the process data collection device 2 outputs the process data to which the recipe ID has been added to the host system 3. The host system 3 performs a process analysis for comparing and analyzing the input process data and the process processing result, sets a new process condition, and updates the recipe 12 via the host system communication unit 15.
[0023]
Here, a specific example of the recipe 12 is shown in FIG. It can be seen that process conditions such as chamber pressure (CH pressure), substrate heating temperature (heating temperature), plasma power (RF power), gas type, gas flow rate, and processing time are different for each recipe ID.
[0024]
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of the process data collection device 2. The process data collection device 2 includes a network monitor unit 20, a process data collection unit 21, a process data storage file 22, a process data upload unit 23, a collection condition table 24, and a collection condition setting unit 25. I have.
[0025]
The network monitor unit 20 has a function of monitoring a signal between the master and the slave via the SAN 10. However, since it does not subscribe to the protocol of the SAN 10, the monitoring can be performed without imposing a load on the controller 11, and the burden on the CPU of the process processing apparatus 1 can be eliminated.
[0026]
Therefore, process data can be extracted at high speed without hindering communication between the master and the slave. The monitored signal has a function of comparing the instruction signal RY from the controller 11 as the master to the drive system 18 as the slave and the process data signal RWR from the sensor system 19 as the slave in the network monitor section 20. ing.
[0027]
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing types of signals flowing between the master and the slave via the SAN 10. The SAN 10 includes a broadcast message 51, a polling message 52, and a polling response message 53. The message described here is an aggregate of signals. For example, the slave is the heater 10a, and the address of the heater 10a is the heater address signal A2.
[0028]
The broadcast message 51 is transmitted from the master to all slaves. In this case, the master is the controller 11 and the slave is the heater 10a. Therefore, the broadcast message 51 includes the controller address signal A1, the heater address signal A2, the status information signal ST1 of the controller 11, the status information signal ST2 of the heater 10a, the instruction signal RY, and the instruction data signal RWW. Have.
[0029]
Here, the status information signals ST1 and ST2 indicate the communication state of the controller 11 and the heater 10a, respectively, the instruction signal RY is a signal for instructing the heater 10a to perform a heating operation, and the instruction data signal RWW is , A heating set temperature data signal for the heater 10a.
[0030]
Further, since the polling message 52 is a request message in response to the drive system 18 and the sensor system 19 specified by the controller 11, it has a controller address signal A1 and a heater address signal A2.
[0031]
Further, since the polling response message 53 is a message corresponding to the above-described polling message 52, the controller address signal A1, the heater address signal A2, the status information signals ST1 and ST2, the operation state signal RX, And a data signal RWR.
[0032]
The operation state signal RX is a signal indicating whether or not the heater 10a is performing a heating operation, and the process data signal RWR is a temperature data signal of the heater 10a when the polling message 52 is received.
[0033]
FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating signal processing in the network monitor unit 20. First, a message is received from the SAN 10 (step S101). Next, the type of the message is determined, and the broadcast message 51, the polling response message 53, and another message are selected (step S102).
[0034]
The instruction signal RY is extracted from the message determined to be the broadcast message 51 (step S103). On the other hand, from the message determined to be the polling response message 53, the process data signal RWR and the controller address signal A1 are extracted (step S104). Further, in the polling response message 53, a corresponding range of the process data signal RWR is specified from the controller address signal A1 (step S105).
[0035]
Then, the instruction signal RY and the process data signal RWR are updated with the instruction signal RY extracted from the broadcast message 51 and the process data signal RWR extracted from the polling response message 53, respectively (step S106). If the message type check (step S102) determines that the message is another message, the message is discarded. Then, the instruction signal RY and the process data signal RWR are updated as needed.
[0036]
In the above-described polling, the process data signal RWR for the drive system 18 is obtained, but the process data signal RWR for the sensor system 19 can be obtained by similar polling.
[0037]
Next, as shown in FIG. 2, the process data collection unit 21 reads the execution value signal RWR based on the collection condition table 24, creates a series of process data, and stores it in the process data storage file 22. Note that the collection condition table 24 is set from the process processing apparatus 1 via the collection condition setting unit 25, but can also be set directly by manual operation.
[0038]
FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram showing the contents of the collection condition table 24. The collection condition table 24 includes an executing recipe 60, a process data ID 61, a remote I / O resource 62, a sampling cycle 63, a trigger condition 64, and a target recipe 65.
[0039]
The recipe ID is an identifier of the recipe, and the executing recipe 60 is a recipe ID being executed by the process processing apparatus 1. The process data ID 61 is an identifier of the process data, and the process data ID 61 indicates the process data to be collected. The remote I / O resource 62 is a process data signal RWR in the SAN 10 corresponding to the process data ID 61. The sampling cycle 63 is a cycle for collecting the process data signal RWR. The trigger condition 64 includes a start trigger and a stop trigger, and sets a start condition and a stop condition for collecting the process data signal RWR, respectively. As shown in FIG. 5, the instruction signal RY may be used as a condition. The target recipe 65 is a recipe ID associated with the process data ID 61, and a plurality of recipe IDs can be specified.
[0040]
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the start and stop of the collection of the process data signal RWR in the process data collection unit 21. The process data collection unit 21 reads and inputs the instruction signal RY and the process data signal RWR updated by the network monitor unit 20. Then, a trigger condition instruction signal RY is extracted (step S201). The trigger condition instruction signal RY determines whether or not the instruction signal RY includes the trigger condition 64, and extracts the signal if the trigger condition 64 is included. Next, the presence / absence of a trigger is determined by collating with the instruction signal RY specified in the trigger condition 64 of the collection condition table 24 (step S202). If no trigger is generated, the process directly returns to the extraction of the trigger condition instruction signal RY (step S201).
[0041]
If it is determined that the trigger is a start trigger in the determination of the occurrence of the trigger (step S202), and the executing recipe 60 corresponds to the target recipe 65, the collection of the corresponding process data signal RWR is started (step S203). If the stop trigger is determined, the collection of the corresponding process data signal RWR is stopped (step S204). When the collection of the process data signal RWR is stopped, the collected process data signal RWR is stored in the process data storage file 22 as process data.
[0042]
Further, a process of storing the process data in the process data storage file 22 by associating the recipe ID with the process data ID 61 will be described in detail. In the collection condition table 24 shown in FIG. 5, for example, it is assumed that process data of CHA_Press02 in the process data ID 61 is collected. When the start trigger RY0033 is turned on, the process data collection unit 21 reads and inputs the process data RWR005 held in the network monitor unit 20 at a cycle of 200 ms, and processes data ID: CHA_Press02, recipe ID: RCP2, and time stamp. : Current time, data: The value of RWR 005 is made into a series and recorded in the process data collection unit 21 as one record format. Then, when the stop trigger RY0094 is turned off, the data collection is stopped and stored in the process data storage file 22 in a format as shown in FIG. Therefore, the recipe ID and the process data ID are stored in an associated state.
[0043]
If the process data is stored in this manner, the process data ID and the recipe ID are associated with each other. Therefore, when an output instruction from the host system 3 is issued, the recipe ID is added to the instructed process data. , Through the process data upload unit 23. Since the process data ID and the recipe ID are associated with each other, the host system 3 can quickly perform the process analysis and update the recipe 12 in a timely manner.
[0044]
FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an apparatus for realizing the process data collection device 2 according to the present invention. The process data collection device 2 includes an internal bus 40, a CPU 41, a main memory 42, an external memory 43, a SAN communication controller 44, a data communication controller 45, an input device 46, and a display device 47. I have.
[0045]
Here, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 41 which is a central processing unit, a main memory 42, an external memory 43 which is a non-volatile device such as a hard disk device, a keyboard, a mouse, a floppy (registered trademark) disk drive and the like. A personal computer including an input device 46 and a display device 45 such as a CRT, a SAN communication controller 44 for transmitting and receiving messages to and from the SAN 10, and a communication interface having a data communication controller 45 for communicating with an external computer. If connected by the internal bus 40, the process data collection device 2 according to the embodiment of the present invention can be realized.
[0046]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the embodiment of the present invention, the process data can be collected without the intervention of the controller in the process processing apparatus, so that the control of the drive system and the monitoring of the sensor system are not hindered. It works.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an arrangement relationship of a process data collection device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing functions of a process data collection device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing types of signals flowing between a master and a slave via a SAN according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing signal processing in a network monitor unit according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram showing contents of a collection condition table according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing start and stop of process data signal collection in a process data collection unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a conceptual diagram showing the contents of a storage format of process data according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an apparatus for realizing a process data collecting apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a specific example of a recipe according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 10 is a functional block diagram showing a process processing apparatus including a conventional process data collection unit.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 process processing device, 2 process data collecting device, 3 host system, 10 SAN, 10a heater, 10b pump, 10c valve, 10d temperature sensor, 10e pressure gauge, 10f flow meter, 11 controller, 12 recipes, 13 device control unit, 14 SAN master communication unit, 15 upper system communication unit, 16 process data collection unit, 17 process database, 18 drive system, 19 sensor system, 20 network monitor unit, 21 process data collection unit, 22 process data storage file, 23 process data Upload unit, 24 collection condition table, 25 collection condition setting unit, 40 internal bus, 41 CPU, 42 main memory, 43 external memory, 44 SAN communication controller, 45 data communication controller, 46 input device, 47 display device, 51 blow Cast message, 52 polling message, 53 polling response message, 60 running recipe, 61 process data ID, 62 remote I / O resource, 63 sampling cycle, 64 trigger condition, 65 target recipe, A1 controller address signal, A2 heater Address signal, ST1 controller status information signal, ST2 heater status information signal, RX operation state signal, RY instruction signal, RWW instruction data signal, RWR process data signal.

Claims (3)

Collects process data created based on an execution value signal sent from a sensor device connected to the network or the drive system device in response to a control signal sent to a drive system device connected to the network. Process data collection device
Monitoring means for monitoring the execution value signal on the network;
Associating means for associating the monitored process data with a recipe in which process processing conditions are described in advance;
A process data collecting device comprising: A process data collecting apparatus, further comprising an associating unit that associates process data corresponding to an execution value signal monitored by the monitoring unit with process control information corresponding to the control signal. Storage means for storing process data and process control information associated by the association means,
A higher-level output unit that is stored in the storage unit and outputs the associated process data and the process control information to a higher-level system;
The process data collection device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising:

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