KR20040062278A - System and control method for supplying of slurry in chemical mechanical polish process - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A system for controlling supply of slurry in a CMP process and a controlling method thereof are provided to manage history information of a slurry bottle by using bar code information of the slurry bottle. CONSTITUTION: A system for controlling supply of slurry in a CMP process includes a slurry bottle, a slurry bottle roller unit, a slurry supply unit, and a control unit. The slurry bottle(140) includes the bar code information. The slurry bottle roller unit(130) reads the bar code information, senses a rolling state of the slurry bottle, and rotates the slurry bottle. The slurry supply unit(120) reads the bar code information, rotates the slurry bottle, and supplies the slurry to a polishing unit. The control unit(110) generates and stores the history information of the slurry bottle and controls the slurry supply unit to supply the slurry to the polishing unit.

Description

System and method for controlling slurry supply in chemical mechanical polishing process {SYSTEM AND CONTROL METHOD FOR SUPPLYING OF SLURRY IN CHEMICAL MECHANICAL POLISH PROCESS}

The present invention relates to a slurry supply system, and more particularly, to a slurry supply system for monitoring a slurry supply apparatus in a chemical mechanical polishing process and a control method thereof.

Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP) is a method of polishing a wafer by rubbing the wafer and the polishing pad in the semiconductor manufacturing process, and the role of polishing the wafer is substantially between the polishing pad and the wafer. By means of the slurry supplied. The slurry includes an abrasive, and the abrasive varies according to the type of slurry. For example, the abrasive consists of silica or alumina particles and the like. Such abrasives are indispensable in the CMP process, but the particle size and distribution of the abrasives have a great influence on the surface state of the polished wafer, and in the case of agglomerated large particles, it is a major cause of wafer scratches. .

Referring to FIG. 1, a slurry supply system 2 in a general CMP process includes a slurry bottle roller device 8 for rotating a slurry bottle for storing a certain amount of slurry for a predetermined time, and a rotated slurry bottle. Slurry supply device 6 for loading and supplying slurry to CMP device 10, and control device for monitoring and controlling slurry supply device 6 to adjust the appropriate slurry supply amount in response to a specific wafer or a specific CMP process. It includes (4).

The slurry bottle roller device 8 functions to continuously whisk the slurry to prevent agglomeration of the abrasive contained in the slurry. The slurry supply apparatus 6 receives the control of the control apparatus 4, and supplies the slurry of the stirring state continuously to the CMP apparatus 10 through a slurry supply piping.

However, if a typical slurry supply system continues to supply slurry to the CMP apparatus, the agglomeration of the abrasive may be reduced, but a series of processes, such as withdrawal of wafers and loading of new wafers, may occur between ongoing polishing and subsequent polishing processes. The supply of slurry is temporarily stopped. As a result, the abrasive is agglomerated to change the properties of the slurry, and in the subsequent process, the agglomerated slurry causes scratches on the wafer and frequently damages the wafer.

Conventionally, a user manually records and manages a slurry lot or a rolling time of a slurry bottle, or loads a slurry bottle without checking the history information according to the use of the slurry bottle. In addition, by changing the slurry lot or managing history information such as rolling time and stagnation time of the same slurry lot, and loading the slurry into a slurry supply device, the slurry agglomerates and causes scratches on the wafer surface in the polishing process. As a result, system down of the CMP apparatus and loss of wafers occur.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a slurry supply system for generating slurry history information and controlling slurry supply in response to the history information.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above problems, to provide a slurry supply system for monitoring the slurry history information.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the above-described problem, and to provide a method for controlling a slurry supply in response to slurry history information in a chemical mechanical polishing process.

1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a typical slurry supply system in a chemical mechanical polishing process;

2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a slurry supply system according to the present invention;

3 is a flow chart showing a control procedure for slurry supply of the slurry supply system according to the present invention; And

4 is a flow chart showing the detailed procedure of the processing routine for determining the characteristics of the slurry bottle shown in FIG.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

100: slurry supply system 110: control device

112: timer 114: storage unit

116: interface unit 120: slurry supply device

122: slurry bottle sensor 124: first barcode reader

126: slurry bottle loading unit 130: slurry bottle roller device

132: second barcode reader 140: slurry bottle

142: Barcode

According to an aspect of the present invention for achieving the above object, a slurry supply system for use with a polishing apparatus in a semiconductor manufacturing process, a slurry bottle having bar code information, and the slurry bottle is loaded by reading the bar code information A slurry bottle roller device for detecting the presence of the slurry, and a slurry bottle roller device for rotating the loaded slurry bottle, a slurry supply device for reading the barcode information and detecting whether the slurry bottle is loaded, and supplying the slurry to the polishing apparatus and the slurry bottle Generate and store history information of the loaded slurry bottle from a roller device, and read the history information when the slurry bottle is loaded into the slurry supply device to determine whether the loaded slurry bottle is suitable for a subsequent polishing process. The slurry to supply a slurry to the polishing apparatus And a control device for controlling the supply device.

In a preferred embodiment of this aspect, the slurry bottle roller device includes a first barcode reader for reading the barcode information, and the slurry supply device includes a second barcode reader for reading the barcode information; It includes a sensor for detecting the loading of the slurry bottle.

The control device preferably generates, stores and reads the history information in units of lots of the slurry bottle.

According to another aspect of the present invention for achieving the above object, a slurry bottle, which is used together with a polishing apparatus in a semiconductor manufacturing process and has barcode information, a slurry bottle roller device for rotating the slurry bottle, and the polishing apparatus In the slurry supply system comprising a slurry supply device for supplying a slurry and a control device for controlling the slurry supply by performing mutual data communication with the slurry bottle roller device and the slurry supply device, the control method of the control device, the slurry Detecting when the slurry bottle is loaded in the bottle roller device, reading the barcode information of the loaded slurry bottle to generate and store historical information data, and whether the rolled slurry bottle is loaded into the slurry supply device. Sensing and the rolled slurry bottle is Reading the barcode information when loaded into a slurry supply device, reading the history information data corresponding to the read barcode, and loading the loaded slurry bottle from the read history information data to determine whether to supply slurry Determining a characteristic of the and if the characteristic of the loaded slurry bottle is suitable for a subsequent process of the polishing apparatus, supplying the slurry to the polishing apparatus.

In a preferred embodiment of this feature, the step of determining the characteristics of the slurry bottle, whether the loaded slurry bottle is rolled, the rolling time, the stagnation time and the lot change time of the slurry bottle.

Therefore, according to the present invention, a stable slurry supply is made by comparing and discriminating data in units of slurry lots by making history information such as rolling time, stagnation time, and lot changing time of the slurry bottle roller loaded in the slurry bottle roller device and the slurry supply device as data. To control.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a slurry supply system in a CMP process according to the present invention.

Referring to the drawings, the slurry supply system 100 includes a novel slurry bottle 140, a slurry bottle roller device 130, a slurry supply device 120, and a control device 110.

The slurry bottle 140 stores a slurry therein and includes barcode information 142 that can be read out of the slurry bottle 140. Barcode information 142 includes a slurry lot number. The slurry bottle 140 may check the slurry properties by detecting the slurry lot number by managing the slurry properties in units of lots.

The slurry supply device 120 is provided in the slurry bottle loading unit 126 and the slurry bottle loading unit 126 having a mechanical structure to load the slurry bottle 140 whether the slurry bottle 140 is loaded or not. It includes a slurry bottle sensor 122 for detecting the first bar code reader 124 for reading the barcode information 142 of the loaded slurry bottle 140.

The slurry bottle roller device 130 loads the slurry bottle 140 and rotates it for a predetermined time in response to the slurry characteristics and subsequent polishing processes in order to prevent abrasive aggregation of the slurry. In addition, the slurry bottle roller device 130 includes a second barcode reader 132 for reading the barcode information 142 of the slurry bottle 140.

When the slurry bottle 140 is loaded, the second barcode reader 132 reads the barcode information 142 of the slurry bottle and transmits the barcode information 142 to the control device 110.

And the control device 110 is provided with, for example, a typical computer system. In particular, the control device 110 includes a timer 112 for measuring a slurry property, that is, a time for the history information of the slurry bottle, a storage unit 114 for storing history information data for various slurry bottles, and the slurry. An interface unit 116 for mutual data communication between the bottle roller device 130 and the slurry supply device 120 is included.

The storage unit 114 stores the history information in units of lots of slurry bottles.

The control device 110 detects the slurry bottle 140 loaded through the second barcode reader 132 from the slurry bottle roller device 130, and barcode information 142 of the loaded slurry bottle 140. Read and generate and store the history information data of the lot unit of the slurry bottle. In addition, when a specific slurry bottle is loaded in the slurry bottle loading unit 126 of the slurry supply device 120, the slurry bottle sensor 122 detects this and the slurry bottle 140 is loaded through the first barcode reader 124. Read bar code information 142) to generate, store and read the history information data of the slurry bottle. For example, the rolling time is determined from the slurry bottle roller device 130, or the stagnation time is calculated using the time to be loaded into the slurry bottle loading unit 126.

Therefore, the control device 110 controls to supply a slurry suitable for use in a subsequent polishing process by comparing and analyzing the history information of the lot unit of the slurry bottle 140.

3 is a flowchart illustrating a control procedure for slurry supply of the slurry supply system according to the present invention. This procedure is a program processed by the control device 110, which is provided in the storage unit 114 of the control device 110.

Referring to the drawing, when the slurry bottle 140 is loaded into the slurry bottle roller device 130 in step S150, the control device 110 receives the slurry bottle 140 through a signal transmitted from the second barcode reader 132. ) To detect loading. History information data of the slurry bottle 140 is generated from the barcode information 142 of the slurry bottle 140 loaded in step S152 and stored in the storage unit 114. For example, history information data is generated and stored in units of lots of slurry bottles from the read barcode information. The history information data includes, for example, a lot number of the slurry bottle, a rolling start time, a rolling end time, a rolling time, a stagnation time, a rolling time and a stagnation time required by the user, and the like corresponding to the lot number.

Subsequently, in step S154, it is detected whether the rolled slurry bottle 140 is loaded into the slurry supply device 120 in response to a specific slurry property and a specific polishing process. This is sensed by the slurry bottle sensor 122 of the slurry supply device 120 when the slurry bottle 140 is loaded in the slurry bottle loading unit 126.

When the slurry bottle 140 is loaded into the slurry bottle loading unit 126 in step S156, the barcode information 142 of the slurry bottle 140 is read through the first barcode reader 124, and the storage unit 114 is read from the storage unit 114. The corresponding history information data of the slurry bottle 140 corresponding to the read barcode information 142 is read.

The determination routine of the slurry bottle 140 is performed in order to determine the property of the slurry bottle 140 loaded from the history information data read out in step S158 to determine whether to supply the slurry. The determination routine is described in detail in FIG.

Subsequently, when the slurry bottle 140 determined in step S160 is in a state where the slurry characteristics and the history information of the slurry bottle are suitable for the subsequent polishing process, the slurry is supplied to a polishing apparatus (not shown).

Specifically, referring to FIG. 4, the slurry bottle determination routine S158 determines whether the slurry bottle 140 loaded on the slurry bottle loading unit 126 is rolled by the slurry bottle roller device 130 in step S170. . If the result of the determination is a rolled slurry bottle 140, the procedure proceeds to step S172 to determine whether the rolling time satisfies the specification of the subsequent polishing process (SPEC), and in step S174 the stagnation time of the slurry bottle 140 meets the specification. Determine if it is satisfied. And it is determined whether the lot of the slurry bottle 140 has changed.

If the slurry bottle 140 determined by the steps (S170 ~ S176), proceed to step S160 to supply the slurry, otherwise proceed to step S180 to inform that an error has occurred or proceed to step S178 slurry slurry Request alarm and engineer confirmation corresponding to lot change of 140. That is, the loaded slurry bottle 140 calculates the rolling time through the rolling start time and the rolling end time through the history information data, and compares the rolling time with the rolling time required by the user to determine whether the conditions of the polishing process are satisfied. In addition, the loaded slurry bottle 140 calculates the stagnation time using the rolling end time and the time loaded in the slurry supply device 120. The retention time is compared with the retention time required by the user to determine whether the conditions of the polishing process are satisfied.

Therefore, the stable supply of the slurry is controlled by making history information such as rolling time, stagnation time, and lot changing time of the slurry bottle 140 loaded in the slurry supply device 120 into data and comparing and determining data in units of slurry lots.

Slurry used in the semiconductor manufacturing process has different characteristics and history information for each lot of slurry bottle, although produced by the same manufacturer, has a great impact on the product. As described above, the slurry supply system of the present invention data the history information of the slurry bottle to capture the change point of the slurry lot, and after verifying the slurry lot through the rolling time, the stagnation time and the like, and determines whether or not to supply .

As described above, the slurry supply system of the present invention can manage the history information of the slurry bottle using the barcode information provided in the slurry bottle.

In addition, the slurry supply is controlled by storing, comparing, and analyzing the history information of the slurry bottle (ie, rolling time, retention time, and change time of the slurry lot), so that the slurry bottle is not rolled or has long stagnation time, It can automatically detect the point of time of change and produce a good quality product.

Claims (6)

In slurry supply systems for use with polishing apparatus in semiconductor manufacturing processes: A slurry bottle having barcode information; A slurry bottle roller device configured to read the barcode information to sense whether the slurry bottle is loaded, and to rotate the loaded slurry bottle; A slurry supply device for reading the barcode information, detecting whether the slurry bottle is loaded, and supplying a slurry to the polishing apparatus; Generate and store history information of the loaded slurry bottle from the slurry bottle roller device, and read the history information when the slurry bottle is loaded into the slurry supply device to determine whether the loaded slurry bottle is suitable for a subsequent polishing process. And a control device for controlling the slurry supply device to supply a slurry to the polishing device by determining a. The method of claim 1, The slurry bottle roller device is; And a first barcode reader for reading the barcode information. The method of claim 1, The slurry supply device is; A second barcode reader for reading the barcode information; Slurry supply apparatus comprising a sensor for detecting the loading of the slurry bottle. The method of claim 1, The control device; Slurry supply system, characterized in that for generating, storing and reading the history information in a lot unit of the slurry bottle. A slurry bottle having a bar code information, a slurry bottle roller device for rotating the slurry bottle, a slurry supply device for supplying a slurry to the polishing device, and a slurry bottle roller device, In the slurry supply system comprising a control device for controlling the slurry supply by performing mutual data communication with the slurry supply device, the control method of the control device: Detecting when the slurry bottle is loaded on the slurry bottle roller device, reading barcode information of the loaded slurry bottle, and generating and storing history information data; Sensing whether the rolled slurry bottle is loaded into the slurry feeder; Reading the barcode information when the rolled slurry bottle is loaded into the slurry supply device, and reading the history information data corresponding to the read barcode; Determining characteristics of the loaded slurry bottle from the read history information data to determine whether to supply slurry; And if the characteristic of the loaded slurry bottle is in a state suitable for a subsequent process of the polishing apparatus, supplying the slurry to the polishing apparatus. The method of claim 5, wherein Determining the properties of the slurry bottle; Determining whether the loaded slurry bottle is rolled, rolling time, stagnation time, and lot change time of the slurry bottle.