JP2986146B2 - Recipe operation system for semiconductor manufacturing equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a recipe operation system for a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, a process for manufacturing a semiconductor wafer or a liquid crystal substrate includes various processes such as film formation, coating / development, etching, ion implantation, and diffusion. A predetermined process is performed by sequentially moving between the stations. Each stage
In general, in order to cope with mass production, a plurality of processing apparatuses of the same type are installed and managed by a higher-level control unit. For example, taking a batch type heat treatment apparatus as an example, this kind of heat treatment apparatus places a large number of wafers on a wafer boat in a shelf shape, for example, and loads the wafer boat into a vertical heat treatment furnace. The heat treatment is performed.

[0003] Fig. 9 shows a conventional heat treatment station system, wherein A1 to An are heat treatment devices, and B1 to Bn are device control devices combined with the heat treatment devices A1 to An.
And 11 are controllers composed of minicomputers and 1
2 is a host computer. The controller 11 holds recipes used in each of the heat treatment apparatuses A1 to An, manages each recipe, and saves the history of the used production recipes. It is passed to the devices A1 to An. Heat treatment devices A1 to A
n is operated based on the received recipe, and its processing data such as temperature, pressure, and gas flow rate changes with time are sent to the controller 11 once, and then sent to the host computer 12. .

[0004]

In the conventional system,
If the controller 11 goes down, the processing device cannot receive the recipe, so that the device cannot be operated. In addition, even if one device has already received the recipe for one process and can operate, the other device copies the recipe. Cannot operate other devices. Further, the processing data of the apparatus cannot be transferred to the host computer 12, and the operation state of each apparatus cannot be grasped from the host computer 12, so that the whole system is eventually down and the controller 11 is returned. Until then, there was a problem that the system could not be restarted.

[0005] The present invention has been made under such circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a semiconductor device which is difficult to shut down the system, can easily manage recipes, and can be operated flexibly. An object of the present invention is to provide a recipe operation system for a manufacturing apparatus.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a plurality of semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses, an apparatus controller provided for each of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses, and a common connection between the apparatus controllers and production. A host control means in which the recipe is stored;
A transmission line different from the transmission line connecting the device controller and the host control means is commonly connected to each device controller, and a dedicated transmission line for directly transmitting and receiving information to and from the host control means. And a recipe management means connected to the host control means by a path, wherein the host control means sends the production recipe to each device controller and sends the recipe to the recipe management means via the dedicated transmission path. It is configured to be able to write, read, and read the history of the recipe. Each apparatus controller operates the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus based on the production recipe sent from the host control means. And storing a history of production recipes used in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the production recipe sent from the host control means to the apparatus controller is automatically backed up and stored by the recipe management means.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there are provided a plurality of semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses, an apparatus controller provided for each semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, and a host commonly connected to the apparatus controllers and storing a production recipe. A control means, and a common transmission path for connecting the apparatus controller and the host control means to each apparatus controller through a transmission path different from the transmission path, and for directly transmitting and receiving information to and from the host control means. And a recipe management means connected to the host control means by a dedicated transmission path. The host control means writes and reads a production recipe to the recipe management means via the dedicated transmission path, and The recipe management means stores the history of the production recipe used in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, and reads the following “apparatus mode”.
Mode, recipe management means mode, or host mode
Mode "can be selected.

A. In the device mode, a production recipe is stored in the device controller. The operator selects a recipe to be executed from the production recipe by referring to the screen of the device controller. select.

B. In the recipe management means mode, a production recipe is stored in the recipe management means, and a recipe to be executed is selected from the production recipes by designating an execution recipe by the host control means.

C. In the host mode, a production recipe is stored in the host control means. The host control means sends the production recipe to the apparatus controller, and writes the recipe to the recipe management means through the dedicated transmission path. , Read, and read the history of the recipe.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the third aspect, in the apparatus mode, the production recipe to be executed from among the production recipes in the apparatus controller also by designating the execution recipe of the host control means. Can be selected.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the third or fourth aspect of the present invention, in the recipe management means mode, the operator can specify a value in the recipe management means by referring to the screen of the apparatus controller. It is characterized in that a production recipe to be executed can be selected from among the production recipes.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the third, fourth, or fifth aspect, in the apparatus mode or the host mode, the production recipe in the apparatus controller is automatically backed up by the recipe management means. It is characterized by being stored.

The invention of claim 7 is characterized in that, in the invention of claims 3, 4, 5, or 6, the maintenance recipe in the apparatus controller is automatically backed up in the recipe management means in each mode. Claim 8
Akira describes a plurality of semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses and these semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses.
Provided to control the operation of each semiconductor manufacturing equipment
Device controllers and common to these device controllers
Connected to the
Storage means in the recipe management means.
Process recipe selected from the selected process recipes
Is transmitted to the equipment controller, and the
Equipment controller controls the operation of the semiconductor manufacturing equipment.
The invention according to claim 8 is characterized in that:
You may comprise. Of the process recipe in the recipe management means
The selection is made on the device controller side. In the recipe management means
Stored process recipes include semiconductor manufacturing equipment
Register the identification code and correspond to the registered identification code
Management from the equipment controller of the semiconductor manufacturing equipment
Means that the process recipe can be read.
So that The recipe management means is used in semiconductor manufacturing equipment.
Stores the history of used process recipes. Recipe management
Means is a process stored in the device controller
Back up and save the recipe. Recipe management means
Is a semiconductor manufacturing device stored in the device controller
Backup maintenance recipes for equipment maintenance.
Backup and save.

[0016]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a system according to an embodiment of the present invention. S-1 to Sn are semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses, for example, batch type vertical heat treatment apparatuses. Briefly, a vertical heat treatment apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. 2. In this heat treatment apparatus, a large number of wafers W are mounted on a wafer boat 15 as a wafer holder in a shelf shape, and the wafer boat 15 is moved to a boat elevator 16. Thus, it is carried into a heating furnace 17 having a vertical reaction tube, and a heat treatment such as an oxidation treatment or a film formation treatment is performed under predetermined temperature and pressure conditions by a treatment gas.

In FIG. 1, reference numerals M-1 to M-n denote equipment controllers composed of, for example, personal computers. These equipment controllers M (M-1 to M-n) are heat treatment apparatuses S (S-1 to Sn), respectively. ) Are controlled to control the valves of the gas supply pipe and the exhaust pipe, the power of the heater in the heating furnace 17, the drive motor of the boat elevator 16, and the like. Each device controller M includes a production recipe storage unit 21,
The apparatus includes a recipe selection unit 22, a maintenance recipe storage unit 23, and a mode selection unit 24.

The production recipe is a process recipe in which process conditions for heat-treating the wafer W are determined in a time series. Conceptually, as shown in FIG. 3, the type of gas, the gas flow rate, the pressure in the reaction tube, and the temperature If a unit recipe is described as a unit recipe, for example, 100 times for one heat treatment.
Units (No. 1 to No. 100) are defined. That is, on the heat treatment apparatus side, the unit recipe is set to No. 1 to No. The operation is performed by setting the process conditions while referring to the order up to 100. The maintenance recipe is a recipe used when performing maintenance of the heat treatment apparatus, such as a type of gas when cleaning the inside of the reaction tube, a gas flow rate, a condition such as a temperature, or a lifting speed when checking the operation of the boat elevator. Are determined in a time series.

The recipe selection section 22 is for selecting a recipe for one process to be used from a list of production recipes or from production recipes retrieved and retrieved. It is constituted by a part of. The mode selection unit selects which of the “apparatus mode”, the “recipe management unit mode”, and the “host mode” to operate the system, as described later.

Each device controller M (M-1 to Mn)
Are connected via a transmission line 31 to host computers 3 serving as host control means, which are common higher-level control systems. The host computer 4 includes a production recipe storage unit 41, an execution recipe specification unit 42, a data storage unit 43, and a mode selection unit 44.

When the host mode described later is selected, the production recipe storage section 41 stores each of the heat treatment apparatuses S (S-1 to S-
This is for storing the production recipe used in n). The execution recipe specifying section 42 is a means for specifying a production recipe to be executed to the apparatus controller M when an apparatus mode or a recipe management means mode described later is selected. Is specified. The data management unit 43 stores processing data of the heat treatment apparatus S sent from the apparatus controller M, for example, measurement data such as a gas flow rate, a temperature in the reaction tube, and a pressure in the reaction tube. The mode selection unit 44 is similar to the mode selection unit 24 in the device controller M.

Each of the device controllers M is connected to a group controller 5, which is a recipe management means for commonly managing the production recipes of each of the device controllers M, by a transmission line 32 different from the transmission line 31 to the host computer 4. It is connected. The group controller 5 includes a production recipe storage unit 51, a recipe history storage unit 52, a backup storage unit 53, and a recipe search data storage unit 54. The production recipe storage unit 51 stores a production recipe used in each heat treatment apparatus S when a later-described recipe management unit mode is selected. The recipe history storage section 52 is an area for storing history data of production recipes used in the heat treatment apparatus S. When a production recipe for each version, that is, a production recipe is changed, the production recipe is created or changed. The information is stored in association with a recipe recognition code, a recipe version creator, and the like. The backup storage unit 53 is an area for backing up and storing a production recipe or a maintenance recipe in the device controller 23 according to each mode.

The recipe search data storage unit 54 stores Rd for each category of the production recipe, for example, "oxidation process", "thermal diffusion process", "CVD process", and the like.
This is an area for registering a production recipe and each heat treatment apparatus in association with each other in a b (relational database) form. When the purpose of the production recipe and the structure of the data are searched from the apparatus controller M for the database, if the authentication code of the heat treatment apparatus related to the apparatus controller is registered in the database, the corresponding production The recipe is sent to the device controller M. Thereafter, for example, the operator selects a production recipe to be used from the read production recipes.

The group controller 5 includes a recipe management program 55 for performing version management and editing of the recipe, and a data management program 5 for collecting and storing processing data (actual data) in the heat treatment apparatus S.
6 and an apparatus management program 57 for performing centralized monitoring and the like for simultaneously displaying the state of each heat treatment apparatus 5 on the screen. These programs 55, 56, and 57 are each packaged, for example, each program is configured as an extension “exe” of MS-DOS. By packaging a program in this way, it is only necessary to load a new packaged program when adding a program with new functions, and to change a part of the program when changing it. Since only such programs need to be exchanged, it is advantageous as compared with the case where each program is integrated.

Further, the group controller 54 is connected to the host computer 4 by a dedicated transmission line 33, and in a host mode described later, the host computer 4
Can write and read production recipes to the group controller 5 and read production recipe history.

FIG. 4 shows an example of an actual hardware connection of the present system. In this example, the group controller 5
Is the group controller server 5 located in the factory
A and a plurality of group controller clients 5B arranged in the office. The device controllers M-1 to M-n are connected to the network 62 via the connection unit 61, and the group controller server 5A. The group controller client 5B and the host computer 4 are connected to the network 62.

Next, the operation of the above system will be described.
This system is configured to be able to select any one of “apparatus mode”, “recipe management means mode”, and “host mode”. This mode selection is performed, for example, by the mode selection unit 24 of the apparatus controller M or The mode is selected by the mode selection unit 44 of the host computer 4.
Each mode is set for each of the heat treatment apparatuses S-1 to Sn. For example, the heat treatment apparatus S-1 is an apparatus mode and an apparatus S-2.
Can be set as a recipe management means mode, and the device S-3 can be set as a host computer mode. The operation of the device in each mode will be described below.

(Apparatus Mode) In the apparatus mode, as shown in FIG. 5, a group of production recipes used in the heat treatment apparatus S in which the mode is set is stored in the apparatus controller M. However, a group of production recipes to be used is a group of production recipes including production recipes to be used or production recipes that can be used. When one production recipe is regarded as one production recipe, a plurality of production recipes is used. Things.

The apparatus controller M also stores a maintenance recipe. These production recipes and maintenance recipes are set in a corresponding area in the group controller 5 based on a program in the group controller 5 by performing automatic backup setting, for example, in the case of a recipe for the heat treatment apparatus S-1, to an S-1 recipe backup area. Is stored. Performing the backup in this way has the advantage that even if the recipe in the device controller M has disappeared due to some kind of trouble, there is no need to perform the input operation from the floppy or the change on the screen.

The operator operates the device controller M
, A production recipe to be used is selected from the recipe list on the screen, and the apparatus controller M operates the heat treatment apparatus S-1 based on the production recipe. The used production recipe is stored as a recipe history in the group controller 5 in association with the authentication code of the recipe, the date and time of use, and the like, as described above. The check can be performed by both the controller M and the group controller 5.

When a predetermined heat treatment is performed on the semiconductor wafer by the heat treatment apparatus S, the processing data is stored in the apparatus controller M and analyzed by, for example, an operator. However, the selection of the production recipe to be used can also be made by designating the execution recipe from the host computer 4, and the host computer 4
Can also download processing data from the device controller M. Such an apparatus mode is used when the operator operates the apparatus controller M at a stage before mass production, for example, using a certain heat treatment apparatus on a trial basis while operating each apparatus controller M.

(Recipe Management Unit Mode) In the recipe management unit mode, as shown in FIG.
Inside, a group of production recipes used in each heat treatment apparatus S is stored. As described above, in the production recipe, the identification code of the heat treatment apparatus is registered in the Rdb form, and can be accessed from the apparatus controller M of the registered heat treatment apparatus S. That is, the production recipe is appropriately shared by the heat treatment apparatuses S. The maintenance recipe in the device controller M is backed up in the group controller 5 if automatic backup is set, as in the case of the device mode. Therefore, even if the maintenance recipe in the device controller M disappears due to some trouble, it can be dealt with immediately, and the operator does not need to perform a load operation using a floppy disk or the like.

The execution of the production recipe used for the operation of the apparatus is performed by the operator pulling out a list of the production recipes in the group controller 5 on the screen of the apparatus controller M and selecting a production recipe from the list, or Designating an execution recipe from the computer 5 via the device controller M, that is, designating a recipe category, a recipe authentication code and a version,
This is performed by the group controller 5 sending the specified production recipe to the device controller M. The used production recipe is stored in the group controller 5 as a production recipe history. Processing data during the heat treatment is sent to the host computer 4. The host computer 4 can directly write and read the production recipe and read the production recipe history to and from the group controller 5 through the dedicated transmission path 33.

According to such a mode, production recipes can be managed in one place, so that recipe search and version management are easy and can be performed smoothly. In addition to using the recipe, there is an advantage that the recipe storage area in the device controller M can be saved.

(Host Mode) In the host mode, FIG.
As shown in (1), a group of production recipes used in each heat treatment apparatus S is stored in the host computer 4. When the heat treatment apparatus S is operated, for example, a production recipe for one process is transmitted from the host computer 4 to the apparatus controller M Downloaded to The maintenance recipe is also downloaded from the host computer 4 to the device controller M.

If the automatic backup function is set in the device controller M, the production recipe and the maintenance recipe downloaded to the device controller M are automatically backed up in the group controller 5. Processing data in the heat treatment apparatus S is sent to the host computer 4. The used production recipe is stored in the group controller 5 as a production recipe history in association with the creation date and the like, so that it is possible to later check when and which heat treatment was performed by which recipe.

This host computer mode is set, for example, during mass production. Advantages of using the group controller 5 include automatic backup of recipes and saving of used production recipes as a history. And the like.

As described above, according to the above-described embodiment,
Since three modes can be selected, for example, an apparatus mode is set for the heat treatment apparatus S until the heat treatment apparatus S starts up, and a recipe management means mode is set for starting up a plurality of heat treatment apparatuses. When the operation is performed, the degree of freedom of operation is large, such as selecting the host mode, and a flexible response can be taken according to the situation. In addition, since the mode can be set for each heat treatment apparatus, the system is easy to use, for example, it is possible to perform mass production in other heat treatment apparatuses S while starting up and testing some heat treatment apparatuses S.

Even if the group controller 5 goes down in the host mode, the group controller 5 merely plays a role of backing up and storing the history of recipes, and is not directly involved in the operation. System can be prevented from going down. Further, since the host computer 4 can write and read the production recipe in the group controller 5 via the dedicated transmission line 33, for example, when a certain recipe to be used in the future needs to be changed, the host computer 4 By changing the recipes stored in the group controller 5 all at once, for example, the recipe management means mode can be immediately operated when the mode is subsequently selected, and the past production stored in the group controller 5 can be changed. It can easily cope with the case where a recipe is used.

An example of the advantage of being able to call the history of the production recipe in the group controller 5 will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 8, T, R,
E and D are a heat treatment station, a lithography station, an etching station, and an inspection station, respectively. Further, TH, RH, EH, and DH are host computers of the station (corresponding to the host computer 4 of the system in FIG. 1), and these host computers are connected to a host computer 7 of a higher rank.

The semiconductor wafer is transported between these stations in order, and is subjected to a heat treatment, for example, an oxidation treatment. After that, a pattern mask is formed on the surface by lithography, and then etched. Thereafter, the thickness of the film on the wafer W is inspected at the inspection station D. When analyzing the data of the film thickness, the upper host computer 7 transmits the intermediate host computer TH of the heat treatment station T (that is, the host computer 4 of FIG. 1). ) Via group controller 5
In addition, it is possible to inquire about the production recipe at the time of heat treatment of the target wafer W, and it is possible to configure an effective semiconductor wafer manufacturing system.

In the above embodiment, the heat treatment apparatus has been described as an example of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.
Without being limited to this, a single wafer type etching apparatus,
The present invention can be applied to other semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses such as an ion implantation apparatus, an ashing apparatus, a sputtering apparatus, and a coating / developing apparatus. Note that the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus referred to in this specification includes an apparatus for forming a semiconductor circuit on a glass substrate for a liquid crystal display, in addition to an apparatus for processing a semiconductor wafer.

[0043]

According to the recipe operation system of the present invention,
The system is hard to go down, and the degree of freedom of operation is large, and a flexible response can be taken.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an overall configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a main part of the heat treatment apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an example of a production recipe.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a hardware connection of each unit according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram showing a concept of operation when an apparatus mode is selected.

FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram showing the concept of operation when a recipe management means mode is selected.

FIG. 7 is a conceptual diagram showing a concept of operation when a host mode is selected.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory view showing a part of the manufacturing process of the semiconductor wafer.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a conventional recipe operation system of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 S, S-1, S-2... Sn Heat treatment device M, M-1, M-2... Mn Device controller 31, 32, 33 Transmission line 4 Host computer 5 Group controller 5A Group controller server 5B Group controller Client 62 Network 7 Host computer

Claims (13)

(57) [Claims] [1 claim: a plurality of semiconductor manufacturing devices, and device controller provided for each semiconductor manufacturing apparatus are connected in common to these devices the controller, the process Les
A host control unit in which the recipe is stored, and a common transmission line that is different from a transmission line connecting the device controller and the host control unit to each device controller, and directly exchanges information with the host control unit. And a recipe management means connected to the host control means by a dedicated transmission line to perform the processing.
And sends the recipe, write recipe via the transmission path of the dedicated to recipe management means, read, is configured to be read recipe history, each device controller is sent from the host control means Tap
Operate the semiconductor manufacturing equipment based on the process recipe ,
The recipe management means uses the process used in the semiconductor manufacturing equipment.
Recipe operational system of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus characterized by storing a history of Sureshipi. 2. The recipe operation system according to claim 1, wherein the process recipe sent from the host control means to the apparatus controller is automatically backed up by the recipe management means and stored. 3. A plurality of semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses, an apparatus controller provided for each semiconductor manufacturing apparatus,
They are connected in common to machine controller, the process Les
A host control unit in which the recipe is stored, and a common transmission line that is different from a transmission line connecting the device controller and the host control unit to each device controller, and directly exchanges information with the host control unit. And a recipe management means connected to the host control means by a dedicated transmission path for performing the processing, the host control means writes and reads a process recipe to the recipe management means via the dedicated transmission path,
The history of the process recipe can be read out, and the recipe management means uses the process used in the semiconductor manufacturing equipment.
Recipe operation of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, wherein a history of recipes is stored and any one of the following “apparatus mode”, “recipe management means mode” or “host mode” can be selected. system. a. In equipment mode, the process level is stored in the equipment controller.
Sip is stored and from this process recipe ,
The operator selects a recipe to be executed by referring to the screen of the device controller and designating it. b. In the recipe management means mode, up to the recipe management means
A process recipe is stored, and a recipe to be executed is selected from the process recipes by designating an execution recipe by the host control means. c. In the host mode, the process level is stored in the host control unit.
The host control means stores the process recipe.
In addition to sending the recipe to the apparatus controller, the recipe management means writes and reads out the recipe via the dedicated transmission path, and reads out the history of the recipe. 4. In the device mode, a process in the device controller is also controlled by an execution recipe specified by the host control means.
4. The recipe operation system for a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a process recipe to be executed can be selected from the recipes. 5. In the recipe management means mode, an operator can select a process recipe to be executed from the process recipes in the recipe management means by designating the screen while viewing the screen of the apparatus controller. Or a recipe operation system for a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to 4. 6. The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein in the apparatus mode or the host mode, the process recipe in the apparatus controller is automatically backed up and stored by the recipe management means. Recipe operation system. 7. A recipe operation system for a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein in each mode, a maintenance recipe in the apparatus controller is automatically backed up in a recipe management means. 8. A plurality of semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses, Each semiconductor manufacturing device is provided for each of the semiconductor manufacturing devices.
A device controller for controlling the operation of the These are connected to these device controllers in common and
A recipe management means in which a process recipe is stored, In the process recipe stored in the recipe management means
The process recipe selected from the
Equipment control based on this process recipe.
Controlling the operation of the semiconductor manufacturing equipment.
Recipe operation system for semiconductor manufacturing equipment. 9. Selection of a process recipe in the recipe management means
The selection is performed on the device controller side.
9. The recipe operation system for a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 8. 10. A program stored in a recipe management means.
The identification code of the semiconductor manufacturing equipment is registered in the process recipe.
And the semi-conductor corresponding to the registered identification code
From the device controller of the body manufacturing device to the recipe management means.
That the process recipe can be read
10. The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein
Shipi operation system. 11. The recipe management means is a semiconductor manufacturing device.
Features storing history of used process recipes
A recipe operation system for a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 8,
Tem. 12. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said recipe management means is an apparatus controller.
Back up the process recipe stored in the
9. The semiconductor manufacturing device according to claim 8, wherein the device is stored.
Storage operation system. 13. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said recipe management means is an apparatus controller.
Maintenance of semiconductor manufacturing equipment stored in the
Backup and save maintenance recipes for
9. The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein
Shipi operation system.