JP2008078458A - Connection state management system for substrate treating device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a connection state management system for substrate treating devices that can improve maintainability. <P>SOLUTION: The connection state management system 300 comprises device controllers 270 which are provided to a plurality of substrate treating devices 100 processing wafers 200 respectively and control the respective substrate treating devices 100, and a monitor server 280 which is electrically connected to the respective device controllers 270 for the substrate treating devices 100 through LAN cables 292 and a hub 293. The monitor server 280 has a display screen 314 for displaying states of connections between at least the respective substrate treating devices 100 and monitor server 280 through the LAN cables 292 and hub 293, and a display screen 314 displaying a detailed state of a connection of an element specified by specifying at least one element among the monitor server 280, the respective substrate treating devices 100, LAN cables 292, and hub 293. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a connection status management system for a substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate such as a wafer or a glass substrate.

  Conventionally, in a substrate processing system to which a plurality of substrate processing apparatuses are connected, in order to grasp the connection status of the plurality of apparatuses in the substrate processing system, a layout diagram of the substrate processing apparatus, a hub (HUB) and a LAN (Local Area Network) cables and other layouts are created individually, and the customer (user) stores the paper on which these layout maps are written. Further, a customer (user) sometimes attaches a tag to a LAN cable and attaches a seal to the hub as a mark indicating a connection port of the LAN cable.

  However, there is a problem that the information indicating the connection status of the plurality of substrate processing apparatuses, LAN cables, hubs and the like is scattered individually and the maintainability is poor.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a connection status management system for a substrate processing apparatus that can solve the above problems and improve maintainability.

  A feature of the present invention is that a device controller is provided in each of a plurality of substrate processing apparatuses for processing a substrate and controls each substrate processing apparatus, and a communication line is connected to each apparatus controller of each substrate processing apparatus. A monitor server electrically connected via a line concentrator, and the monitor server displays at least a communication line between each substrate processing apparatus and the monitor server and a connection status via the line concentrator Detailed connection status for displaying the detailed connection status of the specified element by designating at least one of the monitor server, each substrate processing apparatus, communication line, and concentrator And a connection state management system for the substrate processing apparatus.

  Preferably, a power source is electrically connected to each substrate processing apparatus, and the connection status display means of the monitor server displays a connection status between the power source and each substrate processing apparatus or a position of the power source. The detailed connection status display means is configured to display the detailed connection status of the power supply by designating the power supply.

  According to the present invention, the connection status display means displays the connection status between each substrate processing apparatus and the monitor server via the communication line and the line concentrator, and the detailed connection status of the element designated by the detailed connection status display means. Is displayed, so that maintainability can be improved.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a processing furnace 202 of a substrate processing apparatus 100 (described later with reference to FIG. 2) preferably used in the embodiment of the present invention, and is shown as a longitudinal sectional view.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the processing furnace 202 includes a heater 206 as a heating mechanism. The heater 206 has a cylindrical shape and is vertically installed by being supported by a heater base 251 as a holding plate.

Inside the heater 206, for example, a soaking tube (outer tube) 205 made of a heat-resistant material such as silicon carbide (SiC), closed at the upper end and opened at the lower end, is concentrically formed with the heater 206. It is arranged. In addition, a reaction tube (inner tube) 204 made of a heat-resistant material such as quartz (SiO ₂ ) and having a closed upper end and an open lower end is formed inside the heat equalizing tube 205. They are arranged concentrically. A processing chamber 201 is formed in a cylindrical hollow portion of the reaction tube 204, and is configured so that wafers 200 as substrates can be accommodated in a state of being aligned in multiple stages in a horizontal posture and in a vertical direction by a boat 217 described later.

  A gas introduction unit 230 is provided at the lower end of the reaction tube 204, and a narrow tube 234 as a gas introduction tube is arranged along the outer wall of the reaction tube 204 from the gas introduction unit 230 to the ceiling 233 of the reaction tube 204. It is installed. The gas introduced from the gas introduction unit 230 circulates in the narrow tube 234 and reaches the ceiling 233, and is introduced into the processing chamber 201 from a plurality of gas introduction ports 233 a provided in the ceiling 233. In addition, a gas exhaust unit 231 for exhausting the atmosphere in the reaction tube 204 from the exhaust port 231a is provided at a position different from the gas introduction unit 230 at the lower end of the reaction tube 204.

  A gas supply pipe 232 is connected to the gas introduction unit 230. On the upstream side of the gas supply pipe 232 opposite to the connection side to the gas introduction unit 230, a processing gas supply source, a carrier gas supply source (not shown) via an MFC (mass flow controller) 241 as a gas flow rate controller, An inert gas source is connected. In addition, when it is necessary to supply water vapor | steam in the process chamber 201, the water vapor | steam generator which is not shown in figure is provided in the downstream of the MFC241 of the gas supply pipe 232. A gas flow rate control unit 235 is electrically connected to the MFC 241 and is configured to control at a desired timing so that the flow rate of the supplied gas becomes a desired amount.

  A gas exhaust pipe 229 is connected to the gas exhaust unit 231. An exhaust device 246 is connected to the downstream side of the gas exhaust pipe 229 opposite to the connection side with the gas exhaust part 231 via a pressure sensor 245 and a pressure adjustment device 242 as a pressure detector. It is comprised so that it can exhaust, so that the pressure in 201 may become predetermined pressure. A pressure control unit 236 is electrically connected to the pressure adjustment device 242 and the pressure sensor 245, and the pressure control unit 236 is installed in the processing chamber 201 by the pressure adjustment device 242 based on the pressure detected by the pressure sensor 245. Control is performed at a desired timing so that the pressure becomes a desired pressure.

  At the lower end of the reaction tube 204, a base 257 as a holding body capable of hermetically closing the lower end opening of the reaction tube 204 and a seal cap 219 as a furnace port lid are provided. The seal cap 219 is made of a metal such as stainless steel and has a disk shape. The base 257 is made of, for example, quartz, is formed in a disk shape, and is attached on the seal cap 219. An O-ring 220 is provided on the upper surface of the base 257 as a seal member that contacts the lower end of the reaction tube 204. A rotation mechanism 254 for rotating the boat is installed on the side of the seal cap 219 opposite to the processing chamber 201. The rotating shaft 255 of the rotating mechanism 254 passes through the seal cap 219 and the base 257, and is connected to a heat insulating cylinder 218 and a boat 217, which will be described later, so that the wafer 200 is rotated by rotating the heat insulating cylinder 218 and the boat 217. It is configured. The seal cap 219 is configured to be vertically lifted by a boat elevator 115 as a lifting mechanism vertically installed outside the reaction tube 204, and thereby the boat 217 is carried into and out of the processing chamber 201. Is possible. A drive control unit 237 is electrically connected to the rotation mechanism 254 and the boat elevator 115, and is configured to control at a desired timing so as to perform a desired operation.

  A boat 217 as a substrate holder is made of a heat-resistant material such as quartz or silicon carbide, and is configured to hold a plurality of wafers 200 aligned in a horizontal posture with their centers aligned. . Below the boat 217, a heat insulating cylinder 218 as a cylindrical heat insulating member made of a heat resistant material such as quartz or silicon carbide is provided to support the boat 217, and heat from the heater 206 reacts. The tube 204 is configured to be difficult to be transmitted to the lower end side.

  Between the soaking tube 205 and the reaction tube 204, a temperature sensor 263 as a temperature detector is installed. A temperature control unit 238 is electrically connected to the heater 206 and the temperature sensor 263, and the temperature in the processing chamber 201 is adjusted by adjusting the power supply to the heater 206 based on the temperature information detected by the temperature sensor 263. Is controlled at a desired timing so as to have a desired temperature distribution.

  The gas flow rate control unit 235, the pressure control unit 236, the drive control unit 237, and the temperature control unit 238 also constitute an operation unit and an input / output unit, and are electrically connected to a main control unit 239 that controls the entire substrate processing apparatus. ing. These gas flow rate control unit 235, pressure control unit 236, drive control unit 237, temperature control unit 238 and main control unit 239 are configured as a controller 240.

  Next, a method of subjecting the wafer 200 to a process such as oxidation and diffusion as a step of the semiconductor device manufacturing process using the processing furnace 202 having the above configuration will be described. In the following description, the operation of each part constituting the substrate processing apparatus is controlled by the controller 240.

  When a plurality of wafers 200 are loaded into the boat 217 (wafer charge), as shown in FIG. 1, the boat 217 holding the plurality of wafers 200 is lifted by the boat elevator 115 and processed in the processing chamber 201. Is loaded (boat loading). In this state, the seal cap 219 seals the lower end of the reaction tube 204 through the base 257 and the O-ring 220.

  The processing chamber 201 is exhausted by the exhaust device 246 so as to have a desired pressure. At this time, the pressure in the processing chamber 201 is measured by the pressure sensor 245, and the pressure adjusting device 242 is feedback-controlled based on the measured pressure. In addition, the inside of the processing chamber 201 is heated by the heater 206 so as to have a desired temperature. At this time, the power supply to the heater 206 is feedback-controlled based on the temperature information detected by the temperature sensor 263 so that the inside of the processing chamber 201 has a desired temperature distribution. Subsequently, the wafer 200 is rotated by rotating the heat insulating cylinder 218 and the boat 217 by the rotation mechanism 254.

Next, the gas supplied from the processing gas supply source and the carrier gas supply source and controlled to have a desired flow rate by the MFC 241 flows from the gas supply pipe 232 through the gas introduction part 230 and the narrow pipe 234 to the ceiling part 233. Thus, the gas is introduced into the processing chamber 201 from a plurality of gas inlets 233a in a shower shape. In addition, when performing the process using water vapor | steam with respect to the wafer 200, the gas controlled so that it may become a desired flow volume by MFC241 is supplied to a water vapor generation apparatus, and the water vapor | steam (H which produced | generated with the water vapor generation apparatus (H _A gas containing ₂ O) is introduced into the processing chamber 201. The introduced gas flows down in the processing chamber 201, flows through the exhaust port 231 a, and is exhausted from the gas exhaust unit 231. The gas contacts the surface of the wafer 200 when passing through the processing chamber 201, and the wafer 200 is subjected to processing such as oxidation and diffusion.

  When a preset processing time has passed, an inert gas is supplied from an inert gas supply source, the inside of the processing chamber 201 is replaced with an inert gas, and the pressure in the processing chamber 201 is returned to normal pressure. .

  Thereafter, the seal cap 219 is lowered by the boat elevator 115, the lower end of the reaction tube 204 is opened, and the processed wafer 200 is held by the boat 217 from the lower end of the reaction tube 204 to the outside of the reaction tube 204. Unload (boat unloading). Thereafter, the processed wafer 200 is taken out from the boat 217 (wafer discharge).

Note that as an example, the processing conditions for processing a wafer in the processing furnace of the present embodiment are, for example, a processing temperature of 600 to 900 ° C., a processing pressure of 0.13 to 26.66 kPa, and a gas in the oxidation processing. Examples are O ₂ and H ₂ , and gas supply flow rate of 0.1 to 5.0 slm, and the wafer is processed by keeping each processing condition constant at a certain value within each range.

  Next, an example of the connection status management system 300 using the processing furnace 202 of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the connection status management system 300 includes a substrate processing apparatus 100, a monitor server 280, a host computer 290, and a LAN (Local Area Network) cable 292 as a communication line. The LAN cable 292 connects the plurality of substrate processing apparatuses 100, the monitor server 280, and the host computer 290.

  The substrate processing apparatus 100 includes the processing furnace 202 and the apparatus controller 270 described above. The device controller 270 includes the controller 240 described above, a user interface (UI) 272, and a storage unit 274 as storage means. The controller 240 is connected to the UI device 272 and the storage unit 274, and performs input / output (communication) of information between the UI device 272, the storage unit 274, and other devices connected to the LAN cable 292. The UI device 272 includes an input unit 276 as input means for inputting predetermined information, and a display unit 278 as display means for displaying the input information. The storage unit 274 stores (stores) information output from the controller 240, and outputs the information stored in the storage unit 274 to the controller 240 in response to a request from the controller 240.

  The monitor server 280 includes, for example, a PC (Personal Computer), and includes a control unit 282, an input unit 283 as an input unit, a display unit 284 as a display unit, and a storage unit 286 as a storage unit. The monitor server 280 is electrically connected to each apparatus controller 270 of each substrate processing apparatus 100 via a LAN cable 292 and a hub 293 (described later with reference to FIG. 3). The control unit 282 is connected to the input unit 283, the display unit 284, and the storage unit 286, and is connected to the input unit 283, the display unit 284, the storage unit 286, and the LAN cable 292, and a plurality of substrate processing apparatuses 100 (apparatus controller 270). Input / output (communication) of information between them. The input unit 283 has an interface such as a keyboard and a mouse, and is configured such that a customer (user) can input predetermined information. The input unit 283 is configured to output the input information to the control unit 282. The display unit 284 has a display screen 314 (shown in FIGS. 4 to 10) and displays information output from the control unit 282. The storage unit 286 stores (stores) information output from the control unit 282, and outputs information stored in the storage unit 286 to the control unit 282 in response to a request from the control unit 282. .

  The host computer 290 transmits and receives a plurality of information such as control device data (control request) and monitor data, for example, and monitors or controls processing of the plurality of substrate processing apparatuses 100.

  Next, details of the connection status management system 300 having a plurality of substrate processing apparatuses 100 described above will be described with reference to FIG.

  A plurality of hubs (HUBs) 293 (for example, a first hub 294, a second hub 296, and a third hub 298) as a line concentrator are connected to the LAN cable 292. The first hub 294 has a monitor server 280, the second hub 296 has a plurality of substrate processing apparatuses 100 (for example, oxidation / diffusion apparatuses 100a to 100h), and the third hub 298 has a plurality of substrate processing apparatuses 100 (for example, A CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) apparatus 100i to 100p) is connected. The plurality of substrate processing apparatuses 100 and the monitor server 280 can communicate with each other via the first hub 294, the second hub 296, and the third hub 298.

  Further, the connection status management system 300 is provided with a plurality of uninterruptible power supplies (UPSs) 293 (for example, a first UPS 302, a second UPS 304, and a third UPS 306) as a power source. . The first UPS 302 is connected to, for example, the monitor server 280 and supplies power to devices arranged in a management device area 308 described later. The second UPS 304 is connected to, for example, the second hub 296, and supplies power to devices arranged in the diffusion area 310 described later. The third UPS 306 is connected to a third hub 298, for example, and supplies power to an apparatus disposed in a CVD area 312 described later.

  The monitor server 280, the first hub 294, and the first UPS 302 are arranged in a predetermined range (device management area 308) in the connection status management system 300. The second hub 296, the second UPS 304, and the oxidation / diffusion devices 100a to 100h are disposed in a predetermined range (diffusion area 310) in the connection status management system 300, and the third hub 298, the third The UPS 306 and the CVD devices 100i to 100p are arranged in a predetermined range (CVD area 312) in the connection status management system 300.

  Next, a connection status management method for each element constituting the connection status management system 300 will be described with reference to FIGS.

  First, as shown in FIG. 4, a parts selection BOX 316 is displayed on the display screen 314 of the display unit 284 of the monitor server 280. The part selection BOX 316 is provided with a plurality of element parts 318 and a text BOX link unit 320 for creating a network layout 322 to be described later. As the element parts 318, for example, a title part 318a, a layout area part 318b, a hub part 318c, a gateway part 318d, a wireless LAN base unit part 318e, a power strip part 318f, a UPS tap part 318g, a LAN cable part 318h, a device part 318i, a PC part 318j, an IP address management part 318k, and the like are registered. The text BOX link unit 320 is provided with a plurality (50 in this example) of link buttons 320a.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the network layout 322 using the above-described element parts 318 is displayed on the display screen 314 of the display unit 284 of the monitor server 280. This network layout 322 represents the connection status through the LAN cable 292 and the hub 293 between each substrate processing apparatus 100 and the monitor server in the connection status management system 300 and the position of the UPS 301. The part selection BOX 316 (FIG. Each element part 318 selected from (4) is arranged on a plain display screen 314. Furthermore, the LAN cable part 318m can be arranged at a predetermined position. The LAN cable part 318m is arranged by designating a start point and an end point (in some cases, an intermediate point). In this example, the connection status management system 300 shown in FIG. 2 is created as the network layout 322.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 6, an attribute definition BOX 324 is displayed on the network layout 322 on the display screen 314 of the display unit 284 of the monitor server 280. The attribute definition BOX 324 includes a title definition unit 324a, a color definition unit 324b, and a text BOX link definition unit 324c. The title definition unit 324a is configured to change (define) the title of each element part 318. The color definition unit 324b is configured to set (define) colors selected from a plurality of (seven colors in this example) color samples for each element part 318. The text BOX link definition unit 324 is configured to set (define) a plurality of (in this example, 50 types) text BOX links for each element part 318. This figure shows a state in which the attribute of a predetermined LAN cable part 318m in the network layout 322 is set (defined) by the attribute definition BOX 324. More specifically, “no title” is set in the title definition unit 324a of the attribute definition BOX 324, “predetermined color” is set in the color definition unit 324b, and “text BOX No 15” is set (defined) in the text BOX link definition unit 324c. is doing.

  Also, as shown in FIG. 7A, the attribute of a predetermined title part 318a in the network layout 322 is set (defined) by an attribute definition BOX 324. More specifically, “diffuse area” is set (defined) in the title definition section 324a of the attribute definition BOX 324, “predetermined color” is set in the color definition section 324b, and “no selection” is set in the text BOX link definition section 324c. . Further, as shown in FIG. 7B, the attribute of a predetermined device part 318i in the network layout 322 is set (defined) by the attribute definition BOX 324. More specifically, in the title definition unit 324a of the attribute definition BOX 324, “diffusing device 1” is set, “predetermined color” is set in the color definition unit 324b, and “text box No 50” is set in the text BOX link definition unit 324c (definition) )is doing.

As shown in FIG. 8, a text BOX attribute input display unit 326 is displayed on the display screen 314 of the display unit 284 of the monitor server 280. This text BOX attribute input display unit 326 is displayed when the link button 326a (shown in FIG. 4) of the text BOX link unit 320 of the part selection BOX 316 is selected. The text BOX attribute input display unit 326 has a text input area 326a, and information (attributes) related to a predetermined link button 320a can be input to the text input area 236a. In this example, the text BOX No. 15, that is, the information (attributes) related to the predetermined LAN cable part 318 m described above is input in the text input area 326 a of the text BOX attribute input display unit 326 in a text format. Specifically, an element name, a connection destination, and the like are input, and more specifically, “LAN cable, connection destination: spreading device 8, connection destination: HUB2 port NO8” is input. In addition, information (attributes) related to each UPS tap 318g, that is, detailed connection status of the UPS 301 may be input to the text BOX attribute input display unit 326. As described above, the text box attribute input display unit 326 is configured to input and display detailed connection statuses of predetermined elements (for example, the monitor server 280, each substrate processing apparatus 100, the LAN cable 292, the hub 293, the UPS 301, and the like). It has become.
In addition, in the text input area 326a of the text box attribute input display unit 326, not only the name of the element and the connection destination but also incidental information such as the replacement (exchange) date of the element and the purchase destination may be entered.

  9 and 10 show a network layout 322 in which predetermined attributes are set (defined) for each element part 318 by the attribute definition BOX 324. The device management area PC part 318j of the network layout 322 corresponds to the monitor server 280 of the connection status management system 300. Similarly, each device part 318i corresponds to each device 100a to 100p, and each HUB part 318c corresponds to the hub 293. Correspondingly, each UPS tap part 318g corresponds to the UPS 301. As described above, the display screen 314 of the display unit 284 of the monitor server 280 displays the connection status between each substrate processing apparatus 100 and the monitor 280 in the connection status management system 300 via the LAN cable 292 and the hub 293, and the position of the UPS 293. Is used as connection display means for displaying.

  As shown in FIG. 10, for example, when a predetermined LAN cable part 318m is designated (for example, clicked with the mouse), the above-described text box attribute input display unit 326 is displayed. Similarly, when a desired element part 318 is designated, a text BOX attribute input display unit 326 corresponding to the element part 318 is displayed. As described above, the display screen 314 of the display unit 284 of the monitor server 280 specifies elements such as the monitor server 280, each substrate processing apparatus 100, the LAN cable 292, the hub 293, and the UPS 391 in the connection status management system 300. Used as detailed connection display means for displaying the detailed connection status of the specified element.

  According to the present invention, the network layout 322 displays the connection status between each substrate processing apparatus 100 and the monitor server 280 via the LAN cable 292 and the hub 291, and details of elements designated by the text BOX attribute display unit 328. Since a simple connection status is displayed, maintainability can be improved. In addition, since the connection status of each device in the connection status management system 300 can be centrally managed, network troubles can be quickly dealt with, and cost reduction can be realized.

  INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can be used for a connection status management system that manages the connection status of a substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer or a glass substrate, and that requires improved maintainability.

It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the processing furnace of the substrate processing apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows an example of a structure of the connection condition monitoring system which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the detail of a structure of the connection condition monitoring system which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure explaining the parts selection BOX displayed on the display screen of the monitor server which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure explaining the network layout displayed on the display screen of the monitor server which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure explaining the attribute definition BOX displayed on the display screen of the monitor server which concerns on embodiment of this invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an attribute definition BOX displayed on a display screen of a monitor server according to an embodiment of the present invention, where (a) illustrates a definition of a diffusion area attribute, and (b) illustrates a definition of a diffusion device attribute. It is a figure explaining the example of an input of the text BOX attribute input display part displayed on the display screen of the monitor server which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure explaining the network layout which was displayed on the display screen of the monitor server which concerns on embodiment of this invention, and defined the attribute. It is a figure explaining the example of a display of the text BOX attribute input display part displayed on the display screen of the monitor server which concerns on embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

100 Substrate Processing Device 200 Wafer 270 Device Controller 280 Monitor Server 284 Display Unit 292 LAN Cable 293 Hub 300 Connection Status Management System 314 Display Screen 322 Network Layout 326 Text BOX Attribute Input Display Unit

Claims (1)

An apparatus controller that is provided in each of a plurality of substrate processing apparatuses for processing a substrate and controls each of the substrate processing apparatuses;
A monitor server electrically connected to each apparatus controller of each substrate processing apparatus via a communication line and a line concentrator;
Have
The monitor server includes at least a communication line between each substrate processing apparatus and the monitor server, a connection status display means for displaying a connection status via the line concentrator, at least the monitor server, each substrate processing apparatus, communication A connection status management system for a substrate processing apparatus, comprising: a detailed connection status display means for displaying a detailed connection status of a specified element by designating any element of a line and a line concentrator .

Images